Social Work (Graduate)

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Faculty

Lisa R. Baker, Chair, Professor
Christson Adedoyin, Professor
David Cecil, Professor
Rachel Hagues, Associate Professor
Jean Roberson, Assistant Professor; Director of Field Education

Accreditation

The master of social work program (M.S.W.) is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degrees
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)  with a Concentration in Clinical Social Work

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Programs
Fast-Track Master of Social Work (B.A. or B.S./M.S.W.)  (for selected undergraduate majors; see below for more information)
Fast-Track Master of Social Work w/B.S. in Public Health (B.S./M.S.W.) (see the Undergraduate Catalog for the program table)

Joint Degree Pathway Programs
Master of Social Work/Master of Arts in Theological Studies (M.S.W./M.A.T.S.)
Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity (M.S.W./M.Div.)
Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (M.S.W./M.P.H.)
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The Department of Social Work offers a master of social work (M.S.W.) with a concentration in clinical social work. The program prepares graduates for advanced social work practice and may be completed in two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study. An advanced standing option will allow individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education to complete the M.S.W. program in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. The department also offers a fast-track version for students pursuing one of six selected undergraduate majors, plus a separate fast-track version specifically for students pursuing the bachelor of science in public health. See below for more information.

Additionally, the department offers two joint degree pathway programs in cooperation with other Samford schools/departments: an M.S.W. combined with a master of divinity (M.Div.) or an M.S.W. combined with a master of public health (M.P.H.). Some credit sharing is allowed and overall credits of the combined programs are reduced.

Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

The master of social work program (M.S.W.) prepares graduates for advanced social work practice. The program offers concentrations in clinical social work and global community development. The clinical social work concentration prepares graduates to serve as counselors, psychotherapists, or case managers, or in similar positions that provide social services to individuals, families, and/or small groups. The global community development concentration prepares graduates to address large-scale systemic challenges, such as homelessness, hunger, poverty, human trafficking, and access to healthcare.

Admission Requirements

Individuals who do not possess a bachelor’s degree in social work must meet the following criteria:

1. Applicants must hold an earned bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association. Please note: A completed bachelor’s degree, as evidenced by an official college/university transcript, is required prior to enrollment in the M.S.W. Program. Applicants may receive conditional acceptance into the M.S.W. Program by submitting a transcript that demonstrates that they are enrolled in their final semester of undergraduate coursework. The conditional status is removed upon receipt of an official transcript demonstrating that the baccalaureate degree has been completed.
2. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or a minimum of a 3.20 GPA during their last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework. Applicants who have a GPA of at least 2.80 may submit an application for consideration with an MAT or GRE score. Potential applicants who have a GPA lower than 2.80 may request an exception to the GPA requirement. Such requests must be made in writing to the M.S.W. Program Director. All requests will be reviewed by the admission committee. GRE or MAT scores and additional supporting documentation of the applicant’s potential for success as a graduate student must be submitted with the request for an exception to the GPA requirement.
3. The GRE or MAT is not required; however, an applicant who does not meet the GPA requirement may submit an acceptable GRE or MAT score for admission consideration. Acceptable scores are as follows:
   1. MAT: 402
   2. GRE: Verbal: 153; Quantitative: 144; Analytical: 4.0
4. Candidates who do not meet the GPA requirement (i.e., a 3.00 cumulative GPA or a 3.20 GPA for the final 60 hours of undergraduate coursework) are admitted conditionally and must earn a grade of B- or higher in their first semester of M.S.W. Program courses in order to move from conditional status to full acceptance status. Students who earn a grade lower than a B- in any of their first semester M.S.W. Program courses will be terminated from the social work program. Students who are terminated from conditional admission status may follow the grievance procedure outlined in the student handbook to appeal their termination.

Individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and are applying for Advanced Standing status must meet the following criteria:

1. Applicants must hold a baccalaureate social work degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), recognized through CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service, or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors. Please note: A completed bachelor’s degree in social work, as evidenced by an official college/university transcript, is required prior to enrollment. Applicants may receive conditional acceptance into the M.S.W. Program by submitting a transcript that demonstrates that they are enrolled in their final semester of undergraduate coursework. The conditional status is removed upon receipt of an official transcript demonstrating that the baccalaureate degree has been completed.
2. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or a minimum of a 3.20 GPA during their last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
3. Applicants must have received a grade of B- or higher in all required undergraduate social work courses. Please note: Applicants with a grade lower than B- in no more than two social work courses may apply for Advanced Standing. If accepted, these students will be required to complete analogous courses in the Samford University M.S.W. Program with a grade of B- or higher. These courses will be required in addition to all courses required for Advanced Standing and may not be substituted for required M.S.W. courses or for required M.S.W. Program electives. Applicants who have more than two courses with grades lower than B- are not eligible for Advanced Standing, but may apply for admission to the full M.S.W. Program if they meet the admission criteria.

All applicants must:

1. Submit three letters of reference through the online application system. The three required reference letters should be from a current or previous professor, a work supervisor, and a professional colleague.
2. Have completed an undergraduate level statistics class with a grade of C or higher. Applicants who have not completed a statistics course may receive conditional acceptance. Such applicants will be required to submit evidence of completion of a statistics course prior to enrollment in the program.

English Proficiency Requirement

International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 550 (paper), 213 (computer), or 80 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to 12 credits of Foundation Sequence coursework from a CSWE-accredited M.S.W. program. Students must submit the course syllabus for the actual course they completed (a syllabus from the same course offered in a different term or format is not acceptable) via an online submission form. The course syllabus and request for transfer credit will be reviewed by the instructor of the analogous Samford M.S.W. Program course and by the M.S.W. Program director, who will make the final decision regarding awarding transfer credit. Students who are requesting transfer credit may make this request during the application process or immediately after they are admitted to the program. Transfer credit may be requested for any course in the Foundation Sequence.

International Students

Based upon federal regulations and University policy, all F and J visa holders are required to carry insurance that meets certain coverage requirements. Information about specific policy carriers’ minimum coverage, and premium costs is available from the Global Engagement Office at (205) 726-4334.

No Credit for Life Experience or Work Experience

The Samford University M.S.W. Program does not award academic credit for life experience or previous work experience.

Progression Policies

In order to progress in the M.S.W. Program, the student must:

1. Have a completed Health Data Record (with all required immunizations) updated annually and on file in University Health Services and the Department of Social Work.
2. Carry health insurance while enrolled at Samford. M.S.W. students are required to provide proof of current personal health insurance coverage. Each semester, M.S.W. students are automatically enrolled in the University-sponsored student health insurance plan. There is a charge for this coverage. To have the charge removed from his/her Samford account, a student must provide proof of insurance by completing the insurance waiver at http://www.studentinsurance.com/Schools/AL/SU/?CollegeID=217
3. Adhere to the Code of Ethical/Professional Conduct as specified in the Samford University Catalog.
4. Submit to background check and random drug testing.
5. Earn a grade of “B-” or better in each required or prescribed course in the M.S.W. program. NOTE: a grade of “C” or “F” constitutes a failure in any prescribed or required course in the MSN program.
6. Maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA and may not earn a grade below B- in any course to progress in the curriculum.

Students may not receive any grades lower than B- for social work courses or electives. Courses with grades lower than B- may be re-taken one time. When a course is retaken, both grades remain on the transcript and both are used in calculating the student’s GPA. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher and may not re-take more than two courses during their M.S.W. studies. Students whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation and will not be able to take more than three courses. Students who remain on academic probation for more than two semesters and students who receive a grade lower than B- in more than two courses will be terminated from the M.S.W. program. Students retain the right to appeal termination decisions via the grievance procedure outlined in the M.S.W. Program Student Handbook.

Time Limit

All students must complete the M.S.W. Program within a period of six years from the academic session of first admission.

Joint Degree Pathway Programs

Master of Social Work/Master of Arts in Theological Studies (M.S.W./M.A.T.S.)

The M.S.W./M.A.T.S. joint degree program, offered in collaboration between the School of Public Health and the Beeson Divinity School, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined by 12. This 88-hour program takes approximately three years to complete. Students must complete at least 24 hours in the M.A.T.S. program before beginning work in the M.S.W. program. This requirement constitutes one year of full-time study in the Divinity School. Students must apply for admission to each school separately. This joint program will prepare students for ministry in settings that require theological training as well as knowledge and skills related to social service provision.

Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity (M.S.W./M.Div.)

The M.S.W./M.Div. joint degree program, offered in collaboration between the School of Public Health and the Beeson Divinity School, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined by 18. In addition, students in the M.Div./M.S.W. program are eligible to complete the required internships for both programs simultaneously in an approved church or ministry setting.

Although this option does not further lower the credit requirement for either program, it does allow students to save time by completing two internship requirements simultaneously. This 135-hour program takes four to five years to complete. Students must complete at least 24 hours in the M.Div. program before beginning work in the M.S.W. program. This requirement constitutes one year of full-time study in the Divinity School. Students must apply for admission to each school separately. This joint program will prepare students for ministry in settings that require extensive theological training as well as knowledge and skills related to social service provision.

Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (M.S.W./M.P.H.)

The M.S.W./M.P.H. joint degree program, offered in collaboration between the Department of Social Work and the Department of Public Health, both within the School of Public Health, allows students to use credits from each department as part of the other department’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Because each program is able to accept courses from the other program to satisfy elective requirements, and because research and internship experiences are shared, time to degree completion is also shortened significantly.

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program

Fast-Track Master of Social Work

The department also offers a fast-track master of social work program that allows students who are enrolled in the final year of an undergraduate program of study at Samford to complete courses from the Foundation Sequence of the M.S.W. Program (i.e., the first full year of the program) in place of undergraduate elective courses and/or in lieu of similar courses* required by their undergraduate program of study. Such students retain their undergraduate status and are not admitted to the M.S.W. Program, nor are they guaranteed admission to the M.S.W. Program in the future. These students may apply for entry into the Samford University M.S.W. Program by following the standard application procedure required of all prospective students. After their undergraduate degree has been awarded, qualified students may be admitted into the M.S.W. Program. These students may be permitted to transfer up to 30 Foundation Sequence M.S.W. course credits completed during the final year of undergraduate studies into the M.S.W. Program. In order to be eligible for this fast-track program, students must have received a grade of “B-” or higher for each course they wish to transfer.** Students must be pre-approved by the directors of both their undergraduate program of study and the M.S.W. Program prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses. The pre-approval of both directors is necessary in order to ensure that students who participate in this program have the academic ability and background necessary to succeed in the courses.
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*Substitution of M.S.W. courses for required undergraduate courses must be preapproved by the undergraduate program in which a student is enrolled.
** Students may apply for entry into the M.S.W. program if they have received a grade lower than a “B-” in no more than two courses. However, credits for courses in which a student’s grade was lower than a “B-” will not transfer into the M.S.W. program. In such cases, students must retake the courses in which they earned a grade lower than “B-.” These courses may be retaken after admission to the M.S.W. program.

Undergraduate Majors Eligible for the Fast-Track M.S.W.

• Foods and Nutrition
• Global and Cultural Studies
• Health Sciences
• Human Development and Family Science
• Psychology
• Religion
• Sociology

It’s recommended that students interested in the fast-track program get the process started as soon as possible. Students should complete the Interest Form first (available at https://fs2.formsite.com/ivmson/form34/index.html), so that department advisors can help students get on/stay on track. During the junior year, students should complete the program Approval Form (available at https://fs2.formsite.com/ivmson/form32/index.html) in order to request permission to enroll in M.S.W. courses during their senior year.

Fast-Track Master of Social Work with a B.S. in Public Health (B.S./M.S.W.)

This joint degree program will allow students to simultaneously enroll in both the bachelor of science in public health (in their final year) and the master of social work. The joint degree program will prepare students for service in professional positions that require training in both public health and social work skills. For example, positions that emphasize prevention of health-related problems or access to healthcare may require education in both the public health and social work fields.

Programs

• Social Work (M.S.W.)

• Fast-Track Master of Social Work (B.A. or B.S./M.S.W.)

Courses

• SOWK 501 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3)
• SOWK 502 - Social Work Practice I: Individuals and Families (3)
• SOWK 503 - Human Rights, Social Justice, and Social Work Ethics (3)
• SOWK 504 - Social Welfare Policy (3)
• SOWK 505 - Field Placement I (3)
• SOWK 506 - Social Work Research (3)
• SOWK 507 - Social Work Practice II: Groups, Communities and Organizations (3)
• SOWK 508 - Social Work Practice III: Communities and Organizations (3)
• SOWK 509 - Diversity and Multicultural Social Work Practice (3)
• SOWK 510 - Field Placement II (3)
• SOWK 550 - Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Substance Abuse and Addictions (3)
• SOWK 551 - Congregational Social Work (3)
• SOWK 552 - Global Poverty: Responses across Cultures (3)
• SOWK 553 - Family Policy (3)
• SOWK 554 - Disaster Preparedness and Response (3)
• SOWK 555 - Service Learning in Tanzania (3)
• SOWK 556 - Camp of Champions: Counseling Foster Youth (3)
• SOWK 557 - Social Work with Refugee and Migrant Populations (3)
• SOWK 558 - Clinical Practice with Children and Families (3)
• SOWK 559 - Social Work in Health Care Settings (3)
• SOWK 590 - Special Topics in Social Work (3)
• SOWK 599 - Independent Study (MSW Program) (1-3)
• SOWK 600 - Advanced Standing Seminar (3)
• SOWK 601 - Advanced Research Seminar (3)
• SOWK 602 - Models and Theories of Clinical Social Work Practice (3)
• SOWK 603 - Models and Theories of Global Community Development (3)
• SOWK 604 - Psychopathology (3)
• SOWK 608 - Field Placement III (Clinical Social Work Concentration) (3)
• SOWK 609 - Field Placement III (Global Community Development Concentration) (3)
• SOWK 610 - Applied Research Project (3)
• SOWK 611 - Clinical Specialization Seminar (3)
• SOWK 612 - Developing and Leading a Nonprofit (3)
• SOWK 613 - Field Placement IV (Clinical Social Work Concentration) (3)
• SOWK 614 - Field Placement IV (Global Community Development Concentration) (3)
• SOWK 615 - Faith Perspectives on Social Work Practice (3)
• SOWK 665 - Policy Analysis and Advocacy (3)

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