Master of Social Work

Program Description/Overview

The mission of the program is to prepare clinically focused, competent scholar-practitioners who promote social and economic justice through inclusive, ethical social work practice with individuals, families, and groups across diverse cultures and communities. Grounded in the profession’s core values and an unwavering commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, the program equips students with the knowledge, skills, values, and cognitive and affective processes necessary to advance meaningful and sustainable change.

Consistent with the Preamble to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), the program affirms that the purpose of social work is to promote human and community well-being within a global context. Guided by a person-in-environment perspective, scientific inquiry, respect for human diversity, and a commitment to advancing human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, the MSW program prepares graduates to challenge systemic inequities and dismantle oppressive structures that limit opportunity and self-determination.

The curriculum integrates theory, research, and practice to develop competent social work professionals who engage diversity and difference in practice, advance human rights, and respond to evolving social conditions. Through a strong clinical foundation and field education experiences, students are prepared to intervene at multiple levels-individual, family, group, organizational, and community-while demonstrating ethical decision-making, cultural humility, and accountability to the communities they serve.

Through rigorous academic preparation and experiential learning, graduates emerge as scholar-practitioners committed to promoting human dignity, strengthening communities, and advancing collective well-being in complex and diverse practice settings.

Program Learning Outcomes/Goals

The goals of the program are as follows:  

• The program prepares students with the knowledge, values, and skills for clinical practice. 
• The program prepares students for ethical, competent, inclusive social work.  
• The program prepares students to be critical consumers of research and understand the relevance and application of evidence-based practice. 
• The program prepares students to engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice. 

Professional Behavior Expectations/Ethical Guidelines

Students admitted to the program must adhere to the University Student Code of Conduct and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. The NASW Code can be found here: https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English.

Licensure

Students successfully completing the program’s degree requirements can apply for licensure through the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). ASWB is the nonprofit organization composed of the social work regulatory boards and colleges of all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and all 10 Canadian provinces. They are the only nonprofit organization dedicated to social work regulation. 

Programmatic Accreditation

The program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is designed to prepare students for professional social work practice. The curriculum aligns with the nine CSWE core competencies (2022 EPAS), ensuring that graduates develop the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundation necessary to engage in effective, evidence-based, and culturally responsive social work across diverse settings. 

1. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior 
2. Engage diversity and difference in practice 
3. Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice 
4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice 
5. Engage in policy practice 
6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities 
7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities 
8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities 
9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities 

Internship, Practicum, and/or Dissertation Information

The Alliant MSW Field Education Program bridges classroom learning with real-world social work practice through structured practicum experiences. This integration occurs via: 

• The Learning Contract/Practicum Education Evaluation Tool 
• Practicum Seminar 
• Practicum Site Visits 
• Assignments 

These structured activities promote the application of evidence-informed practice and provide a framework for skill development. 

Practicum Seminar 

The practicum seminar supports students in integrating field experiences with academic coursework. Held alongside SWK60070 , SWK70070 , and SWK70075 , these seminars provide a forum for students to discuss: 

• Practicum experiences 
• Application of theoretical frameworks 
• Supervisory relationships 
• Professional values and ethics 
• Self-care and resilience 

Facilitated by a practicum seminar instructor, these discussions use peer consultation and support to deepen students’ understanding of core competencies. Key topics, such as assessment, ethical and professional behavior, engagement, social justice, policy, and evidence-informed practice, are explored beyond theory, ensuring that students translate concepts into effective practice. 

Credit Units

Total Credit Units: 60

Total Core Credit Units: 54

Total Elective Credit Units: 6

Elective Requirements

Students are required to complete 6 units of electives over the course of the program. Current elective offerings include:

• SWK60400 - Management and Organizational Development for Social Workers (3 units)
• SWK60500 - Social Work in Health Care (3 units)
• SWK60300 - Forensic Social Work (3 units)
• SWK60600 - Social Work and Aging (3 units)

Curriculum Plan

The Program is structured around a core curriculum designed to meet CSWE standards, focusing on areas such as Social Work Practice, Social Welfare and Policy, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Social Research, and Field Education. The program integrates professional values, ethics, and social justice throughout, guided by the NASW Code of Ethics. The curriculum employs Bloom’s Taxonomy to foster progressively complex cognitive skills and uses Systems Theory and the Biopsychosocial Approach to inform human behavior courses. Eclectic theoretical approaches and Evidence-Based Practice are applied in practice courses to address diverse client needs and ensure research-informed decision-making. Additionally, the curriculum incorporates asynchronous learning and a cohort model to provide flexibility and promote student engagement, creating a comprehensive learning environment that aligns with professional standards. 

Students advance through the program by meeting academic and professional benchmarks, ensuring readiness for advanced practice and licensure. The first-year curriculum provides foundational knowledge in social work history, ethics, practice models, and policy analysis. Courses such as Human Behavior and the Social Environment and Public Welfare Policy introduce essential theories and address disparities affecting underrepresented populations. The MSW program employs regular assessments, including field evaluations, to track progress and ensure competency development. Online, asynchronous delivery offers accessibility for adult learners with various responsibilities, while the cohort model strengthens community and motivation, ultimately preparing students for specialized fieldwork and professional practice. 

The Program has employed a specialized curriculum design that has allowed us to successfully meet CSWE standards. Building off of the groundwork laid in year one, including 300-hour internship students in year 2 are required to show outcomes related in increase skills in clinical practice. For example, in year 2 trimester 2, students are enrolled in SWK70055 - Advanced Social Work Practice IV , and their first specialized practicum experience (field), SWK70070 . Having students concurrently enrolled is vital because skills they learn in SWK70055 , such as administering therapeutic interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, can be administered during their internship requirements in SWK70070 . The following information further describes the curriculum design, which includes the core components of the professional foundation and is equally essential for training students and measuring competency. In the first trimester of the second year, students build on the generalist practice foundation and begin to advance their understanding of the clinical components of the social work profession such as Advanced Field Seminar and Practicum II & III, Advanced Social Work Research, and Assessment and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions.