Social Work
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program with a Clinical Social Work Concentration at Marymount University offers students a comprehensive and rigorous education in the field of social work, preparing them for advanced practice in clinical settings. Rooted in the values of social justice, empowerment, and ethical practice, our program equips students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to address the complex needs of diverse individuals, families, and communities. The innovative approach to practice and scholarship in this program will allow graduates to advance the field of social work upon completion of their education. The program prepares graduates to practice across the spectrum of the field of social work at the macro level by understanding policy and advocacy, the mezzo level with opportunities to study and work with communities as well as the micro level with graduates being prepared to be licensed as a clinical practitioner.
Program Highlights:
Clinical Focus: Our program emphasizes clinical social work practice, providing students with a clinical lens in their coursework to learn assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation within diverse clinical settings, including mental health agencies, hospitals, schools, and private practice settings.
Expert Faculty: Students learn from experienced faculty who are active practitioners and scholars in the field of clinical social work, bringing real-world insights and research informed practice into the classroom.
Field Education: Through extensive field education experiences, students have the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world practice under the supervision of seasoned practitioners, gaining valuable hands-on experience and building professional networks.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Our curriculum integrates interdisciplinary perspectives, encouraging collaboration with professionals from other disciplines to enhance holistic client care and address complex social problems.
Admission Requirements: In addition to the university's requirements for graduate admission, the following are required:
- a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- developed critical thinking skills, and such undergraduate courses as human biology, sociology, psychology, and statistics (can take statistics in summer before entering program)
- social work or comparable experience, paid or volunteer, is advantageous, but not required
- a personal statement
- two letters of recommendation
- a writing sample
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program is currently in pre-candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).
Pre-candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the BOA indicates that it submitted an application to be reviewed for candidacy and received approval of its Benchmark 1 from CSWE accreditation staff to move forward for a candidacy review within 1-year. A program that has attained pre-candidacy status has not yet been reviewed by the BOA nor verified to be compliant with the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).
Students that are admitted to pre-candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining pre-candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain candidacy and initial accreditation.
Pre-candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods.
Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Review our program’s pre-candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.
Degree Requirements
60 credits
Degree Required Courses
| SW 500 | Social Work and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SW 501 | Theory and Practice of Social Work I: Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SW 502 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment | 3 |
| SW 503 | Theory and Practice of Social Work II: Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SW 504 | Methods for Social Work Research | 3 |
| SW 506 | Social Work in a Multicultural Society | 3 |
| SW 591 | Field Education I and Field Seminar | 3 |
| SW 592 | Field Education II and Field Seminar | 3 |
| SW 593 | Field Education III and Field Seminar | 6 |
| SW 601 | Advanced Clinical Practice I: Children and Families | 3 |
| SW 602 | Social Work Evaluation and Policy | 3 |
| SW 603 | Advanced Practice I: Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 3 |
| SW 604 | Social Work Administration and Clinical Supervision | 3 |
| SW 607 | Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis: Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| SW 651 | Child Maltreatment and Neglect | 3 |
| SW 691 | Advanced Field Education I and Field Seminar | 3 |
| SW 692 | Advanced Field Education II and Field Seminar | 3 |
| SW 693 | Advanced Field Education III and Integrative Seminar | 6 |