Department Chair
MSW Coordinator
Director of Field Education
MSW Advising
Social Work, Master of Social Work
The Northern Arizona University MSW Program is committed to a social work practice model with diverse individuals and rural client well-being. The Program incorporates theoretical perspectives or approaches that make-up a strengths-based framework which is used to elaborate on the Program’s mission and to develop the Program’s goals. Developing a strengths-based framework must include knowledge of culturally competent practice. Embracing the need to give voice to marginalized communities, NAU’s MSW curriculum addresses ways for students to learn and practice ways of working with diverse groups of clients that best enable members of those communities to achieve their goals.
NAU MSW program is CSWE accredited.
If you have a Bachelor of Social Work degree within the last 5 years and a 3.3 GPA then you may qualify for the MSW, Advanced standing program.
Applications for August 2022 start are closed.
Applications for August 2023 will open October 1, 2022 with a deadline of February 1, 2023.
Master of Social Work Program Overview
- Cohorts begin each August
- Requires two internships for a total of 900 hours field education internship
- Program offered fully online
- Field education internship is completed within the local community
- $600 program fee assessed each term of the program
Eligibility requirements for admission
- An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university
- An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4-point scale
- A course in human biology (a minimum of one 3-credit hour course) completed by the end of the first year in the MSW program
- A course in basic or applied statistics (a minimum of one 3-credit hour course) completed by the end of the first year in the MSW program
- No GRE is required for admission in the MSW program
- A minimum of 250 volunteer and/or relevant paid human service experience
*Students with a BSW from a CSWE accredited institution do not need to account for this requirement, as this was fulfilled in your BSW Field Education as required for graduation. [/eplus-bg-color]
Student Specific Skills Accordion Closed
- Graduate level students are expected to have specific skill sets to navigate the graduate level course work and field placements, including communication, intellectual/cognitive skills, and emotional/behavioral readiness skills:
- Effective communication skills that demonstrate clear and timely communication with peers, faculty members, field instructors, staff at field agencies, client systems, and other professionals they may interact with within their role as a MSW student/intern.
- Utilization of verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including listening objectively and accurate interpretation of nonverbal communication.
- Recognize and appropriately respond to other’s expression of emotions.
- Accurately convey verbal and written information about client’s needs, to direct or counsel them or other staff members involved in their overall care.
- Clear communication demonstrated through course assignments and at field placement, appropriate to the level of education (Foundation Year vs. Specialization Year).
- Engage in critical thinking and apply appropriate problem solving skills.
- Demonstrate an ability to continually reflect on one’s own values, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, personal biases and experiences, and identify how these factors shape patterns of thinking, behaviors, interactions and relationships with others.
- Ability to accept responsibility for one’s actions and recognize the impact of these actions on others.
- Demonstrate punctuality and dependability, prioritize responsibilities, effective time management, participate in courses and at field placement in accordance with MSW and field policies and procedures.
- Adhere to outlined deadlines in coursework and within field placement, maintain appointments as scheduled.
- Navigate transportation to attend to responsibilities at field placement.
- Incorporate constructive feedback provided from coursework and the field environment, practice acceptance of this feedback.
- Manage and seek appropriate support to ensure personal issues do not interfere with field and academic performance.
- Maintain respectful interactions with peers, faculty members, field instructors, staff, client systems, and other professionals.
- Demonstrate the capacity to successfully complete the required field hours and meet the outlined social work competencies in field and academic settings.
Program Details
- MSW Plan of Study: View the course layout & timeline for the MSW 2-year program
- MSW Behavioral Science Cognates: Listing of course options to fulfill the program requirements listed on Plan of Study
- 900 total hours of Field Education Internship, 225 hours per semester
- Students are required to be available for field placement during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. All field placement hours must be completed on site.
- The MSW is a two-year program. A new cohort begins each August.
Submit an application to NAU’s Graduate College
A complete application will include:
- Professional Resume
- 250 volunteer hours and/or relevant paid human service work experience documented with time and description of role, Learn more about this requirement
- Personal Statement, typed/5-6 pages/double-spaced, addressing the following three questions:
- Describe any experiences that have influenced your selection of social work as your professional career.
- Discuss your understanding of the following concepts: structural racism, advocacy, human rights, and social, economic, and environmental justice.
- Explain your reasons for selecting the NAU MSW program and discuss how you plan to be fully engaged in all of the academic requirements of the MSW program, including field practicum and graduate level coursework.
- Prerequisite Statement, if needed include in addition to your personal statement, acknowledging a plan to complete the 3 credit human biology course and/or 3 credit statistics course prior to the end of the first year in the MSW program.
- Email address for three references
- 3 professional letters of recommendation must be provided from supervisors, professors, professional colleagues or other community associates. References provided from friends, family members, or significant others are not appropriate references to include in this application process.
- Transcripts from all institutions attended with human biology and statistics courses marked that show proof of fulfilling the MSW prerequisite. Unofficial transcripts are to be uploaded for the MSW application. Official transcripts are to be submitted to the NAU Grad College directly.
Application Deadlines
- Application opens October 1
- Agency placements are limited for students desiring Flagstaff placement
- Application deadline is February 1
- Apply Now
Application Process
- The review process for applications consists of two independent reviewers completing ratings on Likert scales to assess for overall academic standing from undergraduate coursework, quality responses to the prompts provided, evaluations provided by references, and relevant work experience to the field of social work.
- Provisional acceptance may be considered for applicants to the MSW Program who have a GPA below 3.0 on their bachelor’s degree transcript, if the application demonstrates potential for success in a graduate program. Progressive experience within the helping profession will be considered as another component of the review process. Applicants will provide an explanation of the circumstances that created a lower GPA in their undergraduate degree and tactics to achieve good academic standing in a graduate level program. Applicants with a grade point average of less than 3.0 will be required to interview with NAU’s MSW Admission personnel.
Tuition & Fees
- Current graduate tuition rates
- $600 MSW program fee assessed each semester in the program
Graduation
Child Welfare Training Project
The Child Welfare Training Project at Northern Arizona University is a competitive field placement for students pursuing a Master or Bachelor in Social Work. Successful applicants are awarded up to two years of in-state tuition, and any required MSW, as well as a monthly stipend of $500.
On successful completion, CWTP graduates receive immediate, full-time, professional placement with Arizona Department of Child Safety, as Child Safety Specialists.
Who should apply?
- Those who want a career protecting children and families.
- Those who are an accepted BSW student or BSW applicant, with a GPA of 2.5 or better, or accepted MSW student or MSW applicant, with a GPA of 3.0 or better, attending NAU’s Flagstaff Mountain Campus.
- Those who meet all eligibility requirements.
Field Education for Master of Social Work
Supported professional experience for NAU students earning degrees in Social Work
The Social Work Field Education Program is your opportunity to gain real-world experience in a supported context and build your resume working with local organizations. You will apply what you learn in the classroom and move one big step closer to a career in social work. This firsthand experience will help you discover, develop, and enhance your social work skills.
Social Work Field Education experience and training involves participating in the life of the agency, attending regularly scheduled meetings, and other activities involving or sponsored by the field placement site. Students are required to be present at their field placement site during the during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm when the professional staff are working and available to the student. All field placement hours must be completed on site.
Program Overview
- 2-year program requires two different internships for a total of 900 hours (450 per year).
- Students in the online programs are allowed to complete their internship within their local community.
- Additional requirements needed for internship at place of employment
How does Field Education relate to my other classes
- Each semester is set up with a total of 15 credits that includes a 3 credit Field Foundation class that is a 16-week class.
- 2-Year MSW Plan of Study
Requirements
- Be prepared as most placements will ask for an interview.
- Information regarding background clearance for all students and instructions for Arizona students to obtain their Level One Fingerprint Clearance card can be found here. Social Work Background Check and AZ Fingerprint Clearance Card Instructions
- Students are required to be available for field placement during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. All field placement hours must be completed on site.
- The Field Instructor, who will serve as the mentor and instructor at the student’s field education placement, must be a MSW with at least two years post-graduate experience.
- Placement at current place of employment is not a guarantee and requires an additional Employment Based Field Placement application.
Field Education partnerships:
Field placement sites offer students exposure to, and work within, the micro, mezzo, and macro practice fields. Some common types of field placement sites are:
- community-based mental health
- substance abuse treatment
- legal assistant offices
- juvenile/adult probation
- hospital/medical setting
- school-based setting
- adult or geriatric services
- domestic violence shelters
- crisis response with local police and fire department
- veteran’s administration
Field Placement Terminology Accordion Closed
Field Placement: Internship
Field Placement Site: The community entity (organization, school, hospital, etc.) that offers and accepts a student for an internship. All the Field Placement Sites must have an agreement with NAU to provide this learning experience.
Field Liaison: NAU Social Work Faculty or Faculty Community Representative that will follow you through your placement.
Field Instructor or Field Supervisor: Staff member from your field placement site that you will report to, will supervise your internship, and evaluate your skills, knowledge and social work competency.
Task Instructor: The person designated by your Field Instructor to assist with your internship. This person is also employed by the field placement site.
Social Work Education Assessment Project (SWEAP): The online tool used to evaluate the student at mid-point and final.
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The Bachelor of Social Work & Master of Social Work program
at Northern Arizona University is accredited with Council of Social Work Education.
The NAU Bachelor of Social Work program has been accredited since 1988.
The NAU Masters of Social Work program was accredited on October 9th, 2020.