MSW Concentration Program
for Applicants with Advanced Standing
Advanced Standing requires the individual to have completed their Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree prior to being accepted into the MSW program.
The Master of Social Work program at the University of North Dakota is accredited by The Council on Social Work Education. The MSW program offers advanced generalist curriculum that prepares students to practice competently in a variety of settings and across practice levels. Upon completion of this program, the student will have earned the Advanced Generalist MSW degree. This degree can be completed via the Campus Program or through the part-time Distance Program.
Thank you for your interest in the MSW programs. Important dates and deadlines for the Graduate School can be found here. If you have questions about our full-time MSW program, please contact Carenlee Barkdull, MSW Director, by email or phone (701) 777-3770. For questions about our part-time MSW program, please contact Carol Schneweis, Part-Time MSW Coordinator, by email or phone (701) 777-3768.
Admission Requirements
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Admissions Process
Campus Program Deadline: January 15.
Distance Program Deadline: November 15, 2009 (to begin May 2010).
The Department of Social Work will consider only completed application files. Applicants whose files are not completed until after the deadline for application may be rejected solely because of the number of applicants already accepted. It is recommended that applicants begin the process of application at least 6 weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure the file is completed on time. A completed application consists of the following:
- Graduate School application
- Three references
- 3-5 page personal statement (the essay described in the Graduate School application) covering: motivation for being a social worker, values and beliefs regarding social work, experience with diversity, qualities the applicant brings to the profession, personal qualities in leadership and creativity, and professional goals
- Resume
- Official transcript (undergraduate and graduate course work)
- Background check
All materials are submitted to the Graduate School, which then transmits the materials to the Department of Social Work. Applications are reviewed and ranked in a competitive admission process. Rating criteria include: written statement, references, resume and grade point average. Not all students will be admitted in this process.
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Degree Requirements
- Successful completion of 36 credit hours of courses approved by the social work faculty with at least a 3.00 grade point average. The number of electives required is dependent on whether a student selects the independent study or the thesis option.
- Satisfactory completion of the advanced generalist concentration courses (36 credit hours)
- Completion of SWk 997, an independent study and comprehensive exam, or SWk 998, a thesis
- Completion of at least 24 semester credits with UND. Transfer credits must be obtained in a CSWE accredited program, and a maximum of 15 credits will be allowed for transfer.
- The development of a program of study in the semester in which the full-time student first enrolls in concentration courses, or the second semester in which the part-time student enrolls in concentration courses.
- Part-time students will meet the residency requirement by enrolling in a minimum of 18 credits in a two-year period, including at least one summer with a minimum of six-credit enrollment on campus in Grand Forks and participation in field seminars near the end of their program.
On-Campus Program:
- 36 Credits
- 1+ years to complete
- Classes held primarily Thursday and Friday
- Requires acceptance into the UND Graduate School
Sample Course Schedule (subject to change):
| Term |
Courses |
Credit Hours |
| Fall |
SWk 527 AG HBSE I |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 529 AG Research |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 530 AGP Individuals |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 533 AGP Families |
2 credits |
| |
Electives |
4 credits |
| |
|
Total Credit Hours = 12 |
| |
|
|
| Spring |
SWk 528 AG HBSE II |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 534 AGP Treatment Groups |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 535 AGP Communities |
2 credits |
| |
SWk 536 AGP Organizations |
2 credits |
| |
Independent Study (2) and electives (2)
or Thesis option (4) |
4 credits |
| |
|
Total Credit Hours = 12 |
| |
|
|
| Summer |
SWk 580 AG Field I |
5 credits |
| |
SWk 581 AG Field Seminar I |
1 credits |
| |
SWk 582 AG Field II |
5 credits |
| |
SWk 583 AG Field Seminar II |
1 credits |
| |
|
Total Credit Hours = 12 |
Distance Program:
- 36 Credits
- 2+ Years to Complete
- Online
- Live Web Classes Held Evenings/Weekends with 1 On-Campus Visit
- Deadlines for Lessons/Exams
- In-State Tuition Regardless of Residency
Sample Course Schedule (subject to change):
| First Summer |
First Fall |
First Spring |
| SWk 527 AG HBSE I (2) |
SWk 528 AG HBSE II (2) |
SWk 535 AGP Communities (2) |
| SWk 529 AG Research (2) |
SWk 533 AGP Families (2) |
SWk 536 AGP Organizations (2) |
| SWk 530 AGP Individuals (2) |
SWk 534 AGP Treatment Groups (2) |
Electives (2) |
| Total Credit Hours = 6 |
Total Credit Hours = 6 |
Total Credit Hours = 6 |
| |
|
|
| Second Summer |
Second Fall |
Second Spring |
| Independent Study (2) or Thesis (4) |
SWk 580 AG Field I (5) |
SWk 582 AG Field II (5) |
| Electives (2) |
SWk 581 AG Field Seminar I (1) |
SWk 583 AG Field Seminar II (1) |
| Total Credit Hours = 6 |
Total Credit Hours = 6 |
Total Credit Hours = 6 |
For additional information about the MSW distance program including technical requirements and tuition cost, please visit the Online & Distance Education website.
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Thesis Option
- Full time students select a Faculty Advisory Committee by the end of the first semester of enrollment in concentration courses. Part time students select a Faculty Advisory Committee during the second semester of enrollment in concentration courses.
- A proposal must be submitted no later than the semester prior to the student’s final semester.
Non-Thesis Option
- Full time students select a faculty adviser by the end of the first semester in concentration courses. Part time students select a faculty advisor during the second semester of concentration courses.
- A proposal must be submitted no later than the semester prior to the student’s final semester
- The final comprehensive examination is completed in the last semester of enrollment.
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