Master of Social Work Advanced Standing, M.S.W.

The Advanced Standing Master of Social Work (MSW) prepares students with a BSW degree to extend and enhance their ability to utilize the planned change model to improve the well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in a variety of settings. The program provides students training in trauma-conscious, strengths-based, research-informed social work practices emphasizing the intersection of people within their environments. The MSW teaches diagnosis and interventions related to mental health and substance use disorders. The MSW delineates how laws, policies, culture, and intersectionality impact individual and familial access to equitable opportunity and services. Successful graduates will be eligible for employment in diverse settings, such as mental health therapy, medical social work, school social work, and child welfare, etc. The program fulfills the requirements for licensure as a Certified Social Worker (CSW) in the state of Utah. The CSW license is a precursor to obtaining the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license.

Matriculation Requirements

1. Students admitted to the Advanced Standing MSW Program must have a Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited BSW program.

2. Application for admission to graduate program with application fee by the established deadline.

3. Submit official transcripts from all universities attended.

4. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university, a nationally accredited program, or the international equivalent.

5. A 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 GPA calculated on the last 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate work.

6. For international students whose native language is not English, submit official TOEFL or IELTS band scores. A TOEFL score of 80 iBT (550 pBT) or higher, or an IELTS band score of 6.5 or higher within the past two years is required.

7. International students must also meet all US government requirements for international students.

8. The university uses a selective admissions process for admitting students to graduate programs. Meeting minimum admissions criteria does not guarantee admission to the graduate program or to the University as a graduate student.

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Total Credit Hours		38
Discipline Core Requirements		38 Credits
Social Work Core
Advanced Standing Bridge Requirement
SW 6490	MSW Advanced Standing Bridge Course	4
SW 6491	MSW Advanced Standing Skills Course	4
SW 6630	Mental Health Assessment in Social Work Practice	3
Complete the following:
SW 6030	Social Work Practice III--Advanced Practice with Individuals	3
SW 6040	Social Work Practice IV--Advanced Practice with Families and Groups	3
SW 6050	Social Work Practice V--Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities	3
SW 6500	Social Work Practice with Substance Related and Addictive Disorders	3
SW 6950	Advanced Applied Research--MSW Capstone	3
Field Practicum Requirement
Complete the following:
SW 6830	Integrative Seminar III	1
SW 6840	Integrative Seminar IV	1
SW 6930	Advanced Field Practicum I	2
SW 6940	Advanced Field Practicum II	2
Elective requirements		6
SW 6530	Psychopharmacology (3)
SW 6610	Spirituality in Social Work (3)
SW 6620	Family Therapy (3)
SW 6640	Crisis Intervention (3)
SW 6650	Couples Therapy (3)
SW 6660	Family Violence Across the Lifespan (3)
SW 6670	Post Traumatic Growth--Practice and Clinical Considerations (3)
SW 679R	Special Topics in Social Work Practice (undefined)
SW 6945	Supplemental Field Practicum (1-4)
or other departmental approved courses

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of a minimum of 38 semester credits required in the Master of Social Work degree.  
2. A minimum of two-thirds of graduate degree credit hours must be completed at Utah Valley University.
3. Overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in Master of Social Work courses.  
4. A grade of "C" or higher required for all courses used to satisfy graduation requirement.  
5. Graduate coursework shall be completed within a six-year period.
6. Graduate credits accepted from another regionally accredited institution or equivalent shall have been completed within four years of the graduate student’s matriculation into the graduate program and cannot be older than six years at the time of graduation with a master’s degree or graduate certificate from the University.

Graduation Plan

This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Semester 1		Credit Hours
SW 6490	MSW Advanced Standing Bridge Course	4
SW 6630	Mental Health Assessment in Social Work Practice	3
	Credit Hours	7
Semester 2
SW 6491	MSW Advanced Standing Skills Course	4
	Credit Hours	4
Second Year
Semester 3
SW 6030	Social Work Practice III--Advanced Practice with Individuals	3
SW 6040	Social Work Practice IV--Advanced Practice with Families and Groups	3
Elective		3
SW 6500	Social Work Practice with Substance Related and Addictive Disorders	3
SW 6830	Integrative Seminar III	1
SW 6930	Advanced Field Practicum I	2
	Credit Hours	15
Semester 4
SW 6050	Social Work Practice V--Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities	3
Elective		3
SW 6950	Advanced Applied Research--MSW Capstone	3
SW 6840	Integrative Seminar IV	1
SW 6940	Advanced Field Practicum II	2
	Credit Hours	12
	Total Credit Hours	38

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Apply principles of trauma-conscious practice to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities as a component of the interactive process of social work practice.
2. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities within the context of social work practice using research-informed assessment tools.
3. Partner with clients to plan and implement interventions to increase well-being with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
4. Evaluate client services, including processes and outcomes, to increase effectiveness.
5. Use critical thinking and ethical decision-making models to practice social work ethically and professionally.
6. Ensure dignity and respect for clients by reducing inequities and promoting social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
7. Practice anti-oppressive social work informed by intersectionality and the diversity of human experience and identity development.
8. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed social work practice.
9. Evaluate the impact of laws and social and organizational policy on access to social services, equitable opportunities, and overall well-being.