Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Social Work


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The Nazareth College Master of Social Work Program is a unique program in the Department of Social Work which has a long history of social work education in the greater Rochester area and upstate New York.

The mission of the Nazareth College MSW Program is to educate social work students to be ethical and competent advanced practitioners who respect diversity and promote justice, dignity, health, and wellness through integrative, collaborative, and interprofessional practice.

The Nazareth College MSW Program’s goals are to:

  1. Provide a supportive and caring environment that facilitates learning, emphasizing diversity, cultural humility, and a global perspective.
  2. Impart social work knowledge, values, and skills to improve the effectiveness of advanced social work practice, programs, and policies within an integrative, collaborative, and interprofessional context.
  3. Develop ethical and competent practitioners and leaders who facilitate social change, achieve social and economic justice, and  are committed to self-reflection and lifelong learning.

The MSW Program’s commitment is to prepare social workers for advanced integrated practice within an interprofessional, integrative, and collaborative community context. This perspective prepares students to work within a community-based practice approach that involves cooperative, interprofessional and inter-agency efforts.  Nazareth College is the only college in the area to offer this unique array of  allied health professional programs, of which Social Work is a vital component along with Creative Arts Therapy, Nursing,  Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Public Health, Speech Language Pathology.  Students are taught  to facilitate individual, family, group, organizational, and community change that improves the lives of people,  particularly those who have been oppressed and/or disempowered. The focus of social work interventions provides opportunities to assimilate and integrate a cultural humility perspective into change efforts, addressing the social determinants of health and well-being across all  settings, and providing opportunities to be on the cutting edge of new directions for social work practice.

Licensure and Credential Information

The Master of Social Work degree is a New York State licensure-qualifying program, fulfilling the educational component  required to become : a) a Licensed Master of Social Work in New York State upon graduating and passing of the  licensing examination and b) a Licensed Clinical Social Worker after  completing 2000 paid hours of supervised and  direct client contact post-graduation, and passing a licensing exam. Students enrolled in the program will complete a  minimum of 500 hours of internship in the Advanced Standing 36 credit program or 900 hours of internship in the 60 credit program. 

The Nazareth College Master of Social Work Program is fully registered with the New York State Education Department and is in pre-candidacy status with CSWE until the opening of the program in Fall 2019.  The Nazareth College Social Work has been an experienced and collaborative partner in the Greater Rochester Master of Social Work Program for twenty years through August 2019,  before initiating its own MSW Program beginning in Fall 2019. Full accreditation is expected in Spring 2020 under an expedited process for programs from collaboratives.

For further information, call: (585) 389-2753
e-mail: socialwk@naz.edu
Website address: https://www.naz.edu/msw

MSW Program Director and Department Chair
Carol Brownstein-Evans, Ph.D., LMSW, ACSW
(585) 389-2756 
cbrowns3@naz.edu

Director of Field Education
Michael Rood, LMSW
(585) 389-2754
mrood@naz.edu

MSW Field Coordinator - Watertown and Auburn
Pamela Kaus, LMSW
(585) 389-2754
pkaus8@naz.edu

MSW Satellite Coordinator - Watertown and Auburn
David Hall, LMSW
(585) 389-2756 
dhall5@naz.edu



Entry Requirements for 60 credit program


A combination of factors is considered as follows:

  1. Completed Online Application 
  2. Completion of the professionial stateuemt as described on the application
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a “B” average in the major by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in the professional statement; please see the Professional Statement section of the admissions application for further information. 
  4. Two letters of recommendation (at least one academic  faculty recommended); additional letters may be  sent directly to Graduate Admissions at gradadmissions@naz.edu
  5. Professional Resume

Prerequisites

The academic record should reflect a strong liberal arts perspective. The following are required:

  • 12 credits in social/behavioral sciences (can include psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, etc.)

  • 12 credits distributed across 3 categories of:   mathematics, physical and natural sciences, and  humanities (which can include history gender studies, philosophy, English, foreign languages, etc.)

All courses must have a grade of “C” or better. (Note: If an applicant is currently enrolled in a prerequisite course, s/he may still file the application.)
 

Entry Requirements for the 36 credit Advanced Standing Admission


Students who have graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work degree within the past eight years from a CSWE or Canadian (CASWE) accredited baccalaureate social work program are eligible to apply for admission to the MSW Advanced Standing Program.

Additional minimum admission requirements are:

  1. Completed Online Application 
  2. Completion of the professionial stateuemt as described on the application
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a “B” average in the major by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in the professional statement; please see the Professional Statement section of the admissions application for further information. 
  4. Two reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation, preferably from a social work faculty member who can attest to the candidate’s ability to do graduate level work, and one from a social work supervisor who can attest to the candidate’s ability to engage in graduate level practice.
  5. Professional Resume

Prerequisites

The academic record should reflect a strong liberal arts perspective. The following are required:

  • 12 credits in social/behavioral sciences (can include psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, etc.)

  • 12 credits distributed across 3 categories of:   mathematics, physical and natural sciences, and  humanities (which can include history gender studies, philosophy, English, foreign languages, etc.)

All courses must have a grade of “C” or better. (Note: If an applicant is currently enrolled in a prerequisite course, s/he may still file the application.) 


Admission Deadlines

Nazareth Campus, Rochester, NY

March 15: 36-credit Advanced Standing and 60-credit Full and Part-Time Programs (Fall admission)

Cayuga CC University Center, Auburn, NY

June 15: 60-credit Part Time Program (Fall admission, every other year - odd years)
November 15: 36-credit Part Time Program ( January admission, every other year– odd years) 

Jefferson CC Higher Education Center, Watertown, NY

June 15: 36-credit Advanced Standing Part Time  Program (Fall admission, every other year– even years) 
November 15: 36-credit Advanced Standing Part Time  Program (Spring admission, every other year, even years) 

Choice of Locations

  • Rochester: Day and evening classes are offered at the Nazareth Campus near human services agencies. Students can choose to be part time students and take the majority of their classes in the evenings. 
  • Watertown or Auburn: Evening classes for part-time study are offered at two satellite sites: Jefferson Higher Education Center in Watertown, N.Y., and Cayuga Community College’s campus in Auburn, N.Y. 
  • The vast majority of field placements require students to complete field hours during normal  daytime business hours  of the agency when client appointments, team meetings, and social work supervision are available. 

Tuition
The Nazareth College Master of Social Work Program (MSW) has a competitive, graduate tuition rate. The tuition includes all student fees and is the same for in-state, out-of-state and international students. Please visit https://www2.naz.edu/tuition-aid/costs/ for the current rate.
 

General Program Requirements and Curriculum

Generalist Level Courses, 60-credit program (30 credits)


The first 30 credits of the MSW Program are designed to provide a generalist perspective. The following courses are required during the generalist level of the 60 credit program:

Advanced Level Courses (24 credits)


The advanced level courses consist of 24 credits in policy, practice, field, and masters thesis seminar and project with a specialization broadly defined as advanced integrative practice, applicable to all social work settings.  The exact sequence of the advanced level courses is dependent upon full or part time plans of study:

Advanced Practice Courses


Category A Advanced Practice Course - students must complete one course from the following options, with a grade of B- or higher:

*Offered every fall for advanced level practice


Category B Advanced Practice Course - students must complete one course from the following options, with a grade of B- or higher:

*Offered every spring for advanced level practice;
**Not offered every year. Offering is dependent upon cohort sizes and sufficient interest.

Electives (6 credits)


Six credits of electives are required. Students may take a third or fourth advanced level practice course as one of the required electives in the MSW program.

60 Credit and Advanced Standing Programs: Full and Part-Time Options


60-credit program options: The MSW Program has full-time and part-time options for the 60-credit hour program. Full-time students finish the course of study over four semesters, and part-time students in three years and three summers.

36-credit Advanced Standing program options: Applicants who have graduated within the last eight years from a CSWE accredited BSW program are eligible to apply for the 36-credit Advanced Standing program.

The Advanced Standing full-time option is completed in three semesters (fall, spring, and summer), the part-time option is completed in five semesters beginning with fall and including one summer session.

In addition to the 24 credits of advanced level courses and six (6) credits of electives, the Advanced Standing program includes the following six (6) credits:

Grading Requirements


In order to continue in the program, students must receive a grade of B- or better in the following courses:

  • SWK 501, SWK 502 (foundation practice courses)
  • SWK 503, SWK 508 (advanced standing bridge course and universally required Diagnostic Process course)
  • SWK 601, SWK 602 (when taken as the advanced practice A course)
  • SWK 604, SWK 654, and SWK 680 (when taken as the advanced practice B course)
  • SWK 605 (required advanced practice course)

Note - courses may be repeated only once

 

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