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Graduate Catalog 2024 - 2025
Social Work, MSW
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 Return to: College of Health
School of Social Work
Rhodes Tower 1417
(216) 687-4560
Web-page: https://health.csuohio.edu/social-work/masters-degree-in-social-work
Email: Cynthia Hovland, MSW Program Coordinator
The Program
The program provides a rigorous intellectual base, an opportunity for effective skill development, and an educational perspective that views human diversity as desirable and enriching to society. Students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values appropriate to the social work profession, the conceptual base of professional social work, the broad-based research strategies of the field, and the various social work roles and intervention strategies used in social work practice. Students may enroll in the Traditional program full-time (2 years), accelerated part-time (2.5 years), or extended part-time (4 years). We also offer a full time (1 year), accelerated part-time (1.5 years), or extended part-time (2 years) advanced-standing program.
Careers in Social Work
Graduates of the joint Master of Social Work program hold a variety of positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The alumni roster includes directors of local agencies and other nonprofit organizations, as well as program planners and managers working in a broad spectrum of human service agencies.
Faculty Research and Publications
Current faculty information can be located on the Cleveland State University Faculty Profile page.
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Program Options
There are two distinct program options–the Traditional MSW program or the Advanced standing program.
The Traditional MSW Program
The first option is the Traditional MSW program which is a 60-credit masters program and typically takes 2 years full-time, 2.5 years accelerated part-time, or 4 years extended part-time.
Traditional MSW Program Prerequisites
Students are not required to have a bachelor’s degree in social work or any other specific major in order to be considered for admissions to the Traditional MSW program, but they should have earned a bachelors degree.
The minimum required GPA for admissions to the Traditional MSW program is an overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
The Advanced Standing Program
The second program option is the Advanced Standing Program. The advanced standing program is an accelerated master of social work program. The advanced standing program consists of 30 credits which can be completed in one year full-time or one and half years accelerated part-time, or two years extended part-time.
Advanced Standing Prerequisites
Students must have a bachelor of social work degree from a BSW program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) within the last 5 years in order to be considered for the advanced standing program. They also must have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in their undergraduate social work classes.
Clinical or Advanced Generalist Specialization
During the specialization year, all students (Traditional and Advanced Standing) will be required to select a specialization-either “Clinical” or “Advanced Generalist.” Applicants will be asked to state their desired specialization in their application materials.
Clinical Specialization
Students in the clinical specialization develop skills to be competent in the practice of psychotherapy, that is, to provide behavioral and mental health assessment and treatment for individuals, couples, families, and groups. The clinical specialization integrates a trauma informed curriculum. Students trained with a clinical trauma-informed specialization can be prepared to work with a range of clients in mental health clinics, hospitals, child welfare, social serve agencies, substance abuse settings, domestic violence and rape crisis centers. Graduates will also be prepared to address neighborhood violence, gun violence, and gang-related violence providing individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, and programs for victims. This is the most common path to licensure.
Advanced Generalist Specialization
The advanced generalist specialization prepares students to assess and intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Students develop competencies for practice in settings that prepare them to take the Advanced Generalist examination for Ohio’s Licensed Independent Social Worker license. Social workers with an advanced generalist, multi-dimensional skill set work in hospitals and nursing homes, rehabilitation, child welfare, aging, developmental disability, settlement houses, social service agencies, and in advocacy, community education, community organizing, and other settings serving clients and communities.
Order of courses
Students must adhere to the schedule of courses as outlined to ensure progress toward graduation. The curriculum is sequenced so students must complete courses in a specified order. Students can contact the department to access a list of required courses and when they are offered.
Field Practicum
For the Traditional MSW program, students are required to complete two, two-semester field practicums generally at two different program sites. The first two-semester practicums take place while students are completing the generalist curriculum and the second two-semester practicums take place when students are completing their specialization.
The first generalist practice practicum (SWK 504 and SWK 506 ) requires a total of 400 hours (200 per semester), which students complete for 13 weeks each semester at 16 hours per week.
The specialization practicum (SWK 612 and SWK 618 or SWK 621 and SWK 628 ) requires 500 hours (250 per semester) which students complete for 15 weeks each semester at 17 hours per week for the grand total of 900 hours during the MSW program.
Students in the Advanced Standing Program only need to complete the two-semester specialization practicums. Students complete their practicums during the fall and spring semesters. Weekend/evening field placements are competitive and are limited in number. Weekend/evening field placements are not guaranteed. Students are able to complete their field practicums at their place of employment if supervised by a licensed social worker. In order to proceed with timely completion of their graduate studies students may need to plan to complete their field placement during normal business hours (M-F 8am-5pm).
Admission Information
The priority application deadline for Advanced Standing admission is January 15; late applications will be reviewed but may be subject to a later start date. The priority application deadline for Traditional Admission is February 28; late applications are accepted and reviewed but may be subject to a later start date. Submit materials to the Cleveland State University Graduate Admissions Office. Students are expected to adhere to the program format under which they were admitted (full-time/part-time, advanced standing, online). Any changes in this admission status will be based on the program’s ability to accommodate the change. Changes must be requested before the beginning of the academic year.
All students must gain admission to the Program in order to earn the MSW degree. There is no foreign language requirement for admissions. For international students, the minimum combined score on the internet TOEFL exam is 78 including at least 20 in reading, 21 in listening, 17 in writing, and 20 in speaking. Only official test scores received directly from ETS are accepted. No academic credit is given for work or life experience. Students applying prior to completing their bachelor degree must provide evidence of successful completion of their degree prior to beginning the MSW program. In addition to the College of Graduate Studies admission requirements at Cleveland State, the School of Social Work requires the following:
Required Materials for Traditional MSW Program Admission
- Two references will be required. At a minimum, two of the references must be the student’s professor, field supervisor, work supervisor, or academic advisor. Exceptions may be granted by the MSW Program Director if more than five years have passed since the applicant attended school or work. One reference may come from a supervisor of a social work-related volunteer activity, including a social work-related volunteer activity performed in a religious setting. Family members may not be used as a reference. In lieu of a traditional letter of reference, references should complete the MSW Program Reference Form available.
- A writing sample. An essay of three to five typed pages (1.5 spacing) addressing:
- Describe how you experience/see the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in society and in your own life?
- How would you use an anti-oppressive viewpoint as a future social worker and in what ways do you need to challenge your biases/stereotypes?
- Describe previous social work/human services experience professionally, as a volunteer, or student/intern.
- Describe one personal experience in which the aim of social justice motivated your actions.
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and undergraduate institutions attended. Students who apply before completing their bachelor degree must submit evidence of degree completion before beginning the MSW program.
Required Materials for Advanced Standing Admission
- Two references will be required. At a minimum, two of the references must be the student’s professor, field supervisor, work supervisor, or academic advisor. One reference may come from a supervisor of a social work-related volunteer activity, including a social work-related volunteer activity performed in a religious setting. Family members may not be used as a reference. In lieu of a traditional letter of reference, references should complete the MSW Program Reference Form available.
- A writing sample. An essay of three to five typed pages (1.5 spacing) addressing:
- Describe how you experience/see the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in society and in your own life?
- How would you use an anti-oppressive viewpoint as a future social worker and in what ways do you need to challenge your biases/stereotypes?
- Describe previous social work/human services experience professionally, as a volunteer, or student/intern.
- Describe one personal experience in which the aim of social justice motivated your actions.
- All advanced standing applicants will be required to include their field evaluations from both required undergraduate practicums. For those admitted students who are continuing directly from a BSW program to the MSW program, admission will be considered pending until they successfully complete field and their final field evaluation is received.
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Students who apply before completing their bachelor degree must submit evidence of degree completion before beginning the MSW program.
Chemical Dependency Counseling Certificate Program
Students who graduate with their MSW and a clinical specialization have the option of completing the requirements for the Chemical Dependency Counseling Certificate Program. This 12 credit program is accredited by the Ohio Board of Chemical Dependency Professionals as meeting 180 hours of chemical dependency specific content in nine different content areas required for licensure. Any post baccalaureate student may take the CD classes, but to earn the CD certificate students must also complete their MSW with the Clinical specialization. The courses for the certificate include SWK 694 , SWK 615 , CNS 501 , CNS 502 , and CNS 503 . Following successful completion of these classes and the MSW degree, students must submit a certificate completion form. Questions about this certificate program can be directed to cd@csuohio.edu.
Felony History
Applicants should be aware that having a prior felony conviction or prior sanctions for unprofessional conduct may impact future potential for obtaining field placements, social work employment, and licensure. All applicants to social work licensure are required by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board to report all misdemeanor and felony convictions with the exception of minor traffic violations (DUI/OVI charges are not considered traffic violations and must be reported as criminal convictions) for licensure. For the licensure application, all charges and or convictions require a “yes” answer to the question, “Have you been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation?” even if the original charge and conviction is an expunged status. Falsification could result in delayed placement and other action, including Student Conduct Code charges up to and including dismissal from the program.
Transfer of Credit
Up to one-third of the total credits required for the MSW degree may be transferred from another accredited social work graduate program at an accredited college or university. All transfer credits must be at the “A” or “B” level. The credits must fall within the six-year time limit to complete degree requirements. Relevance of the credits will be determined by the MSW faculty. Credit hours must not have been applied toward a previous graduate degree. Transfer students from other social work programs must submit fieldwork evaluation(s) and official transcripts at the time of application for admission. Please see the college of graduate studies webpage for further information about transferring graduate credit.
Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society
An MSW student at Cleveland State who is enrolled in their specialization year and has a cumulative GPA of 3.75 in all graduate level social work classes qualifies to join as a Life Member of the Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society, Delta Zeta chapter.
Financial Assistance
A limited number of graduate assistantships and graduate tuition grants are available to qualified students. Interested students should contact the School Work department at 216-687-4560.
Traditional MSW Program
Each student enrolled in the Traditional MSW program must complete a minimum of 60 graduate credits of required and elective courses. There is no foreign language requirement. Students must complete the following required courses (all classes are 3 credits unless otherwise noted):
Required Generalist Courses
Required Clinical Specialization Courses
Required Advanced Generalist Specialization Courses
Advanced Standing Program
Each student enrolled in the Advanced Standing MSW program must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits of approved required and elective courses. There is no foreign language requirement. Students must select either a clinical or advanced generalist specialization and complete the following courses required for their selected specialization.
Required Clinical Specialization Courses
Required Advanced Generalist Specialization Courses
Elective Courses may be selected from the following list:
Non-degree seeking students
Non-degree seeking students Social Work classes are open to degree seeking students only. The only exceptions are SWK 699 , SWK 694 , SWK 680 , SWK 648 , SWK 615 , and all SWK approved electives: SWK 693 , CNS 501 , CNS 502 , CNS 503 , COM 549 , ESE 500 , ESE 512 , EDB 604 , HSC 526 , and EXS 572 which can be taken by non-degree seeking students.
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Return to: College of Health
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