Master of Social Work

Social Work – MS6600, MS6604, MS6606, & MS6607

Department of Social Work
Morton Hall 416
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1269
Administrative Specialist: Deborah Pack, packd@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus/Hybrid (MS6600, MS6604); Online (MS6606, MS6607)

Terms of Entry:  Advanced Standing Students begin the program in summer.  Foundation students begin the program in fall semester. Online students are able to begin the program each semester.

Program Overview

The mission of the graduate Social Work Program is to prepare students to serve as clinical social workers who practice in rural environments with the knowledge and skills at the master’s level to improve well-being for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Emphasis is on promoting interdisciplinary learning and practice to actively address social issues. The graduate program simultaneously trains students in advanced clinical practice while also providing them with skills transferrable across all practice levels.

Special Program Focus

Ohio University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) Program trains social workers to work with rural families and communities. This focus was selected because it is appropriate for Ohio University and rural communities that have been traditionally underserved by social workers.

Program Concentrations

In the final year, students obtain advanced-level training in Clinical Social Work, while also gaining some exposure to macro level practice. These are the foci identified by area employers as those most needed in the region. Please note that this programmatic structure is beneficial also because only Clinical Social Workers qualify for National Health Service Corps Loan Reimbursement and clinical licensure in most states.

OHIO MSW Program Options

• Advanced Standing, MS6604 & MS6606, is open only to recent graduates of CSWE-accredited undergraduate social work programs; MS6604 is a full-time face-to-face one year program.MS6606 is a part-time online program.
• Foundation Program, MS6600 & MS6607, is open to students who have an undergraduate degree related to social work.MS6600 is a face-to-face program that can be taken full or part-time. MS6607 is a part-time online program.

MS6600

This is a two-year degree which may be taken as full-time for two years or part-time for three or four years. This program is available to students who qualify per the requirements listed in the MSW Handbook. Students who successfully complete this program are eligible to take the licensure exam in all states and to complete supervised social work practice as outlined in state law, which is required to obtain an independent social work license.

MS6604

This is a one-year full-time degree offered to students who have a bachelor’s degree in social work, including internship, within the past five years and who qualify in other respects as outlined in the MSW Handbook. Students who successfully complete this program are eligible to take the licensure exam in all states and to complete supervised social work practice as outlined in state law, which is required to obtain an independent social work license.

MS6606

This is a two-year part-time, online degree offered to students who have a bachelor’s degree in social work, including internship, within the past five years and who qualify in other respects as outlined in the MSW Handbook.  Students who successfully complete this program are eligible to take the licensure exam in all states and to complete supervised social work practice as outlined in state law, which is required to obtain an independent social work license.

MS6607

This is a 3-year and 1 semester part-time online degree.  This program is available to students who qualify per the requirements listed in the MSW Handbook.  Students who successfully complete this program are eligible to take the licensure exam in all states and to complete supervised social work practice as outlined in state law, which is required to obtain an independent social work license.

Opportunities for Graduates

Individuals with the MSW are sought out and employed in a wide variety of settings, including mental health, child welfare, health care, aging, chemical dependency, and corrections among others. A MSW from an accredited program (accredited by the CSWE) qualifies a student to participate in the procedures for independent licensing in all 50 states. Some organizations prefer the MSW such as Non-governmental Organizations, the Veterans Administration, and others. Social work is a growth profession for various reasons partly because the older generation is expected to increase dramatically in size, which presents various problems related to basic needs and optimal social functioning of the adult and the family. Another area of growth is social work for veterans and for people in transition due to prison reform and chemical dependency. The field of social work is expected to experience a 25% growth trend within the next ten years.

Program Learning Outcomes

The main objective of the program is to graduate clinical social workers who have the knowledge and skills for advanced practice in rural environments to improve the well-being for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This program is a competency-based program. The nine social work competencies as promulgated by the Council on Social Work Education (2015) are as follows:

• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
• Engage diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
• Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
• Engage in policy practice.
• Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/social-work/graduate

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are given in the MSW Handbook, which can be found on the program webpage. These requirements are outlined below:

• Standard Admission Requirements (MS6600 & MS6607)
  • Bachelor’s Degree with a Liberal Arts focus
  • 3.0 GPA
  • Documentation of 30 hours paid or volunteer experience in the human services
  • Three letters of reference, at least one of which is from a faculty member and one from a human service supervisor (the third can be from either)
  • Pre-requisite Courses in Social Science Statistics, Human Biology and at least three areas of Social Sciences, with at least one additional Social Science course at the 3000 or 4000 level.
• Advanced Standing Admission Requirements (MS6604 & 6606)
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program completed within the past five years
  • 3.0 overall GPA
  • Final undergraduate field evaluation
  • Three letters of reference, at least one of which is from a faculty member and one from a former field instructor (the third can be from either)

NOTE: Applicants who meet all requirements except the 3.0 GPA may be considered for admission if they complete the additional form “Petition for Exceptional consideration of an Applicant with a GPA below 3.0”. This form can be found on the social work website.

International Students

The Athens campus program (MS6600 or MS6604) permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

Students in the Advanced Standing track (MS6604 & MS6606) must complete 36 credit hours in ten courses as described below. Students in the Foundation track (MS6600 & 6607) must complete 62 credit hours in seventeen courses as described below.