Master of Social Work, 2-Year Program

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.

Master of Social Work, 2-Year Program Overview

• 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, 1-Year Advanced Standing Program.
• Program Overview
• Cohorts begin each Spring and Fall
• Program offered fully online
• No GRE is required for admission in the MSW 2-year program
• Field Education:
  • Requires two internships for 450 hours per year for a total of 900 hours field education internship
  • Field education internship is completed within the local community
  • 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.
• Program Details:
  • MSW Plan of Study, Fall: View the course layout & timeline for the MSW 2-year program
  • MSW Plan of Study, Spring: View the course layout & timeline for the MSW 2-year program
  • MSW Behavioral Science Cognates: Students shape their cognate area of focus by selecting two 3-credit hour graduate courses from other disciplines listed. Students identify and explore a specific substantive area of interest of their choice that is related to social work and not already covered under the MSW curriculum and create a cognate area of focus that fits their interest.

Eligibility requirements for MSW 2-year 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
• A minimum of 250 volunteer and/or relevant paid human service experience, Learn more about this requirement
• Professional readiness, student specific skills

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 interpersonal interactions that you have experienced 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. Describe any experiences that you have had serving vulnerable populations or addressing issues pertaining to marginalized populations. Identify what you have learned about yourself, others, and societal influences as a result of these experiences.
  • Explain your rationale for selecting the NAU MSW program. What skills and attributes would you bring to the profession of social work? What challenges may arise for you within the role of a graduate level student (i.e. professional writing, time management, communication, self-care, etc).? What supports will you employ to overcome these challenges?
  • The MSW Program’s Field Education requirement includes being available for the 15 hours of Field Placement (internship) during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Discuss your time management and organizational strategies to balance the demands of the academic coursework, field education, and personal obligations to be successful in the MSW program. Please share your current geographical location, in addition to the city and state you would prefer to complete your Field Placement (internship).
• 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 references must be provided from supervisors, professors, professional colleagues or other community associates. References provided by friends, family members, or significant others are not appropriate references to include in this application process.
  • Troubleshooting
• 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.

MSW 2-Year Application Deadlines

• Fall application is due February 15
• Spring application is due July 31

MSW 2-Year Application Review Process

• The MSW Admissions Committee 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

• The MSW program is a professional graduate degree program where each semester students take, most often, 15 credit hours. NAU charges online tuition per credit hour, therefore the more credits you take in a semester the greater your tuition cost.  Graduate tuition rates at NAU for an online program do not change if a student has in-state or out-of-state residency status. This link provides the most up-to-date rates to assess the tuition and NAU fees for each semester Current Tuition Rates.  To navigate this sight, first choose the correct term; Spring, Summer or Fall. Then scroll down to Graduate and choose Online. This page provides tuition and NAU fee rates depending on the total number of credit hours a student is enrolled in.
  • For more details about tuition/payments/due dates and your account, visit Student & Departmental Accounts
  • Here is a link to a per credit breakdown of NAU online graduate tuition:  https://in.nau.edu/sdas/tuition-fees/ Also this link is the best way moving forward to determine your semester tuition costs.
• $600 MSW program fee assessed each semester in the program

Graduation

Program of Study link

MSW 2-Year Student Success

Student Success Link

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: