Master of Social Work

The MSW program has HLC approval and is in the CSWE accreditation process.

“The purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and community well-being. Guided by a person-in-environment framework, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry, the purpose of social work is actualized through its quest for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, the creation of conditions that facilitate the realization of human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of life for all persons, locally and globally. To fully realize our commitment to social justice, social workers must engage in anti-racist, culturally responsive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels, informed by the theories and voices of those who have been marginalized. In an ever-shifting social and environmental context, social work is agile, responsive, and generative.

Social work education at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels shapes the profession’s future through the education of competent professionals, the generation of knowledge, the promotion of research-informed practice through scientific inquiry, and the exercise of leadership. Social work education prepares competent policy practitioners to develop socially responsible policy, address the policy implications of their work, and implement strategies that result in a more engaged public and better-educated policymakers to address inequalities and inequities.

Professional social workers are found in a wide variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected offices, private practices, prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. They often specialize in one or more of the following practice areas: 

  • Addictions & Substance Use Treatment (alcohol and drug abuse, addiction recovery, substance abuse treatment centers) 
  • Child Welfare (abuse and neglect, adoption, foster care) 
  • Clinical & Private Practice (therapy for individuals, couples, families; mental health, addiction, divorce counseling) 
  • Forensic Social Work (jails, prisons, courts, public defenders, district attorneys, alternative defense, specialty courts) 
  • Geriatric Social Work (nursing homes, home health care, Alzheimer’s units) 
  • Hospice & Palliative Care (end-of-life care, grief counseling) 
  • International Social Work (United Nations, WHO, global social work, economic stress, community organizing, liberation work) 
  • Medical Social Work (inpatient and outpatient hospitals, health clinics, specialty care) 
  • Military & Veterans Services (support for active duty and retired personnel, both U.S. and international) 
  • Police & Crisis Intervention (co-responder programs, crisis intervention teams, police department therapists) 
  • Psychiatric Social Work (mental health centers, medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals) 
  • Public Health & Policy (health advocacy, social policy reform, population health initiatives) 
  • School Social Work (support services in public and private K-12 schools) 
  • Trauma & Violence Response (combat trauma, sexual violence, human trafficking, refugee support, natural disaster relief) 

All CMU master-level graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, information literacy, and ethical reasoning. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, a graduate of this program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior\ \ Demonstrate ethical decisions making by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to the context; demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication; manage personal and professional value conflicts and affective reactions; use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior. (Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning)\
  2. Engage in Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Practice\ \ Demonstrate anti-racist social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels, informed by the theories and voices of those who have been marginalized; demonstrate cultural humility applying critical reflexivity, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies acknowledging them as experts of their own lived experiences. (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Ethical Reasoning)\
  3. Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice\ \ Advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and \ engage in practices that advance social, racial, economic, and environmental justice for equal justice and the dismantling of structural racism and oppression. (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Ethical Reasoning)\ \
  4. Engage in Practice Informed Research and Research informed Practice\ \ Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs; and identify strategies for use of quantitative and qualitative methods of research to advance the purposes of social work. (Quantitative Fluency, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy)\ \
  5. Engage in Policy Practice\ \ Assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services; and apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. (Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning\
  6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities\ \ Apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; and use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies. (Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy)\
  7. Assess with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities\ \ Apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment and other culturally responsive multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks when assessing clients and constituencies; and demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing mutually agreed-on goals. (Specialized Knowledge, Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning)\ \
  8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities\ \ Engage with clients and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidenced-based interventions to achieve mutually agreed-on practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies; and incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate, with and on behalf of clients and constituencies. (Specialized Knowledge, Applied Learning, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, ethical Reasoning)\
  9. Evaluate with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities\ \ Select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes; and critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. (Specialized Knowledge, Applied Learning, Quantitative Fluency, Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning)\

Important Information about this program:

  • The MSW program offers Foundation and Advanced Standing.
  • MSW Foundation Program is open to all students who have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university.  This is a two-year program that requires 74 credits with 1050 hours of practicum/internship training.
  • MSW Advanced Standing is open to all students who have completed a baccalaureate of Social Work degree from a CSWE accredited university. CMU allows admission into the advanced standing program with the completion of your baccalaureate of Social Work within the last five years. This is a one-year program and requires 44 credits with 600 hours of internship training.
  • The MSW is a degree that allows for licensure (e.g., LCSW) in all 50 states.
  • MSW Program acceptance is required prior to enrollment.  Please see the program website for specific admission requirements.

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences offers two Master of Social Work options. See the programs below for complete overviews of all requirements, important information, and suggested course sequencing.