Department of Social Work

MSW Program Description

The Master of Social Work program (MSW) is a 60-credit hour program that is offered in a two-year, full-time format. The Generalist year (first year) lays the foundation of social work and the Specialized (second year) year builds upon that foundation in the area of specialized clinical practice. Applicants with an accredited baccalaureate degree in social work can apply for placement into the specialized year. The generalist year and the specialized year are being offered multiple times a year via zoom, online, and face to face on the Spring Arbor University main campus (Fall 2 start only). There are concurrent internship placements for both years in appropriate agencies.

MSW Accreditation

The MSW program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 333 John Carlyle St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314.

MSW Mission Statement

The mission of the MSW program is to produce professional social workers who apply the competencies of the social work profession and specialized practice knowledge and skills to promote human and community protection and well-being by engaging anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive practice. Teaching and learning in the MSW is guided by the professional code of ethics, our commitment to Jesus Christ as the perspective for learning, knowledge based on research, an understanding of humans from a global, environmental and cultural perspective, and a dedication to social and economic justice, protection, empowerment, human and universal rights, and enhancement of individual and social development.

MSW Program Outcomes

The MSW program will prepare graduates:

To practice at the highest professional level of practice informed by theoretical perspectives and knowledge based on research.
To engage in teaching and learning guided by the social work competencies, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the integration of Christian values in their application to social work practice.
To integrate anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
With the generalist and specialized social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that will teach critical thinking needed for specialized social work practice.
To promote human and community protection and well-being through respect for diversity, human and universal rights, and social and economic justice for populations at risk.

Licensure

Graduates with the MSW degree are eligible to apply for licensure in the state of Michigan as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Micro (Clinical) and Macro. Detailed information regarding the application process is available through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Graduates are also able to apply for licensure in other states. Each state’s social work board typically requires a conferred social work degree from an MSW program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Virtually all states have some form of licensing or regulation of social work practice and information can be obtained from the appropriate state agencies.

MSW Admission Criteria

Master of Social Work (MSW) admission criteria are divided into four sections: academic preparation, completion of the prerequisites, personal qualities, and professional readiness.

Academic Preparation

Each applicant will submit official transcripts from the colleges and universities at which the last 60 credits of baccalaureate coursework was completed and degree was conferred. Additional transcripts would be needed only if they contain applicable prerequisite coursework. In order to be considered for admission to the generalist two-year, 60-credit hour program or the specialized standing 30-credit hour program, applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a college or university that is accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting association in the U.S. or equivalent education at an international institution of higher learning.

To be considered for the specialized standing you must have a BSW from a CSWE accredited program within the last six years. In addition, applicants need to have earned a GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4-point scale during the last 60 completed credit hours. An applicant with a GPA of less than 3.0 may be evaluated on an individual basis for probationary admission when a letter of explanation is included in the admissions packet. Recommendations, personal statement, and, if needed, personal interview must demonstrate readiness to begin at the specialized level of graduate education and specialized social work practice.

Completion of the Prerequisites

The transcripts submitted by applicants that hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than social work are used to evaluate their completion of 18 academic semester credit hours distributed in the social sciences, the human biological sciences, the humanities and a course in statistics. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted conditionally provided this requirement is met by the deadline specified by the Department of Social Work.

Personal Qualities

When the criteria for academic preparation are met, the applicant’s personal statement submitted with the application is evaluated for writing skills, personal characteristics and professional readiness for graduate study and specialized social work practice.

Professional Readiness

Fitness for Professional Practice
Applicants will sign and submit a conviction disclosure form that there is no pre-existing past or pending criminal record or mental impairment, which could preclude certain internship opportunities and/or licensure as a professional social worker.

Computer Skills and Access
Applicants will possess skill or be willing to develop skill prior to the start of the first class in the use of computers for word processing, research, communication tasks, and the MSW program learning platforms. In addition, they will have ready access to a computer with a camera and high-speed Internet access to engage online and through video conferencing. All computers will meet the minimum standards set by the SAU Office of Information Technology. The SAU Help Desk can be contacted at 517-750-1234 to complete a computer readiness check.

Criteria for Evaluating MSW Applications

Applicants’ academic records, applications, personal statements, statements of fitness for professional practice, and recommendations are evaluated based on the following criteria.

Emotional Stability

Social work is not a profession for individuals who desire to solve their own emotional needs or problems by working in a helping role. Individuals entering specialized social work practice need to maintain emotional stability and be able to cope with the emotional stress that is common in this demanding profession.

Confidence and Assertiveness

These characteristics are necessary in working with client systems, colleagues, professionals from other disciplines and supervisors, especially in order to work actively as an advocate for the rights of clients.

Ability to Accept Constructive Criticism

As lifelong learners, individuals need to accept that there is room for improvement in their personal and professional behavior. Once individuals accept this need for continuous improvement, they can constructively use the insights regarding their behavior provided by colleagues, supervisors, administrators, or governing boards and work towards change.

Interest in and Motivation for the Social Work Profession

Social workers entering graduate study in their profession need to be motivated both as students and as professionals. This motivation and interest in the profession should come from a strong desire to serve others in society, especially vulnerable populations in urban, rural, and other communities.

Intellectual Ability

Problem-solving and critical analysis skills are fundamental for effective social work practice. Complex individual, group, family, organization and community problems require specialized practitioners to think clearly and logically in a systematic manner if problems are to be alleviated or resolved.

Communication Skills

Both oral and written communication skills are vital in the social work profession. Fluency in a foreign language is a definite asset in the profession.

Ability to Form and Maintain Positive Relationships

Social work is a people-oriented profession, and relationship building is foundational to effective practice. There needs to be the capacity to empathize and establish effective interpersonal relationships with diverse client populations.

Ability to Work with Diverse Groups

Social workers need to be aware of their own prejudices and actively work to address these attitudes and actions using the feedback provided by client systems, faculty, colleagues, and supervisors. Applicants will demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation. Specialized practitioners need to be able to work with diverse client populations in a non-judgmental manner, accepting individuals’ rights to differing perspectives.

Leadership Qualities

The ability to work effectively in a leadership role is necessary for specialized practitioners. Social workers assume positions of leadership with client systems as well as roles in agencies as supervisors, administrators, and consultants.

Social Work Values and Ethics Consistent with Profession’s NASW Code of Ethics

Social workers can be influential upon client systems. Therefore, it is essential that specialized practitioners be of good moral character. Social workers should be aware of their own values and have respect for others’ values, which may be different. Their own values should have some consistency with the Judeo-Christian heritage and with the values reflected in the profession’s NASW Code of Ethics.

If, after the review process described above, additional questions remain the admissions committee may request a personal interview which will be conducted in person or via a virtual platform or conference call with one or more members of the committee or other faculty. The results of the interview will be considered as part of the overall admissions decision.

MSW Admission Requirements

In addition to admission requirements for all graduate programs, MSW applicants must submit the following information: a) recommendations, b) personal statement, c) resume, and d) conviction disclosure.

Recommendations

Using the Social Work MSW program’s form, applicants are required to submit three strong, professional references who can attest to the applicant’s 1) intellectual competence, 2) potential for academic success, 3) ability to work with people around sensitive issues, including people from a range of diverse backgrounds, 4) possession of critical thinking and communication skills, 5) demonstrated sense of ethics and values, and 6) potential success as a professional social worker. If possible, two references should have direct knowledge of the applicant’s academic work. For applicants with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, it is strongly recommended that one of the references is the site supervisor. References from family members or fellow students will not be accepted.

Personal Statement

Applicants are required to submit a personal statement. The statement should be written in APA format (i.e. double-spaced, title page, headings for each item below, reference page).

Motivation for pursuing the MSW degree;
Statement of professional goals;
Relevant learning & growth through professional and volunteer experience;
Expectations regarding attending a Christian university for the MSW program, and the approach to the integration of faith, scholarship and service (NOTE: Although no admissions requirements exist regarding faith orientation, Christian and other religious perspectives will be presented and discussed in classes.);
Research of a social problem of interest to the applicant, including perceived causes and proposed solutions. Must include at least one reliable reference and citation;
Discussion of an ethical challenge the applicant faced in professional, internship or volunteer work and how it was resolved;
Recognition of the challenges and stress related to the social work profession;
Discussion of specific changes that will be made to accommodate the rigor of an accelerated MSW program;
Discussion of how applicant will set and maintain appropriate boundaries to deal with the stresses/challenges identified.

Specialized Program Admission Requirements

To avoid duplication and redundancy for BSW graduates, the program offers a one-year (30 credit hours), specialized program. In order to be considered for admission to the specialized program:

Applicant must have been granted a baccalaureate degree in social work from an undergraduate social work program that was 1) accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, 2) recognized through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service, or 3) covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors at the time the degree was granted.
Applicant must have a BSW that has been granted within six years of enrollment in the MSW program. This six-year limit may be extended to eight years if the student has subsequent BSW social work practice experience (such experience to be approved by the admissions committee). For each two years of acceptable practice experience, applicants may be granted credit of one year toward the extension of the time limit. For example, an applicant with a BSW received seven years prior to the time of enrollment in the MSW program may be granted specialized standing admission if the applicant has completed two years of acceptable social work practice experience.

Notification of MSW Admission Decisions

The social work admissions committee is responsible for making the final decision regarding all applicants for admission to the MSW program. The committee will be chaired by a member of the social work faculty and will include at least two other members. The committee will adhere to all of the Spring Arbor University and the Social Work Department policies regarding non-discrimination in all decisions.

Applicants will receive notification of the decision of the admissions committee once all admission requirements are met. The committee recommends one of the following: full acceptance, probationary acceptance, conditional acceptance or non-acceptance.

MSW Policies

In addition to the policies listed in the General Information and Academic Policies sections of this catalog, the MSW program has the following policies.

Transfer Credit

Even though there are institutional transfer policies for graduate programs, the MSW program will consider transfer credit only under the following conditions:

The courses were taken at a graduate institution whose MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
A course description and syllabus should be provided to the MSW program administrators to determine the appropriate substitution for the course(s).
The work must have been done while the student was enrolled in good standing as a graduate student.
Extension or workshop courses will not be considered for transfer.
Coursework taken at another institution after a student has matriculated to the MSW program at SAU will be considered for approval only if the institution is a CSWE accredited institution.
No more than half of internship credits can be transferred. Confirmation of successfully completed internship credit hours from a CSWE accredited institution must be provided.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A student who receives a grade of “C” or below in any MSW course must repeat the course even if the cumulative GPA is 3.0 or above. See About Spring Arbor University , Academic Policies , Repeating a Course earlier in this catalog for more information of repeating a graduate course. For more information about special grading policies of the program, please refer to the Master of Social Work Program Guide available from the Department of Social Work .

Writing Course

If the prospective student’s writing is deemed insufficient for full admittance, the prospective student will be admitted conditionally and required to complete a writing course or seminar. Students will successfully complete the Spring Arbor University writing seminar or another approved writing course or seminar, prior to enrollment in MSW program courses. Spring Arbor University offers this seminar at a minimal cost.

Life or Previous Work Experience MSW Credit

In accordance with CSWE policy, it is the policy of the Social Work Department not to grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience. Previous work experiences and relevant volunteer activities may be taken into consideration in a prospective student’s application for admission to the MSW program; however, no course credit will be awarded or accepted as fulfillment of any part of the MSW curriculum. This policy is clearly stated in all descriptions of the MSW program whether in academic catalogs, recruitment materials, or other admissions related materials, in print, online, or any other electronic form. Recruiters and admission personnel are informed of this policy and convey it to prospective students.

Previously Mastered Social Work Content

In accordance with CSWE policy, the social work program policy is that students with a CSWE accredited BSW degree will not be required to repeat any content that has been mastered in their BSW programs. Transcripts will be evaluated in light of this requirement.