It’s official! In fall of 2018, Northern Arizona University will accept its first Master of Social Work (MSW) students. This new program will provide access to a highly marketable graduate degree in a rapidly-growing field. Coursework will be offered online for the first year, and MSW students will be accepted at Flagstaff Mountain campus beginning in fall semester of 2019.
This degree broadens career possibilities for our graduates and allows for greater opportunities for social work practitioners to serve clients in varied settings.
Demand for social workers is projected to grow 12% between 2014 and 2024, with some sectors of social work growing much faster. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) The average growth rate for all jobs during that period is 7%, so NAU’s new MSW graduates will be well-positioned to find rewarding work in their field.
Like our BSW program, the Master’s degree will provide a special focus on work with the Southwest’s rural and indigenous populations. This aligns well with the University’s commitment to serving Native Americans, and brings added value to regional social workers interested in improving their credentials. Arizona’s social workers are often called to serve these communities, and education and experience working with diverse populations are valuable to professional social workers everywhere.
“Prospective graduate students and regional agency representatives frequently inquire about the MSW degree, and it has been a long-time goal of the Social Work Program to expand our degree offerings to serve this need,” program director Natalie Cawood writes. “It is our great pleasure to announce this program’s approval by the Arizona Board of Regents.”
Are you, or is someone you know, considering a graduate degree in social work? Come join us! Program and application details are in development, and more details will be available this fall. We’ll post updates as they become available. If you’d like for us to keep you in the loop, email us and ask to be added to the MSW mailing list.