Website: https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/applied-studies/departments/social-work/msw.html
Mission
The mission of the MSW Program at Washburn University is to prepare graduate-level students for the competent and ethical practice of professional social work, within the generalist and also the specialist model of clinical social work, via systematic attention to the core multidimensional competencies established by The Council on Social Work Education. The program is committed to providing a respectful, supportive approach to learning, while maintaining high academic standards. In so doing, the MSW Program is systematically linked to the core values of the social work profession.
MSW Program Description
The aim of Washburn University’s Master of Social Work Program is to prepare graduate students for the competent practice of clinical social work in order to meet the multi-level needs of clients and others served by our graduates.
The MSW Program is committed to providing quality education for students with or without a baccalaureate social work degree. Therefore, the curriculum may include liberal arts components and generalist social work preparation to maximize each student’s readiness for entry into the clinical concentration. In addition, the program focuses on providing a supportive environment for a diverse group of students, including those who may otherwise experience barriers to educational opportunities.
The MSW program has an overarching commitment to ensure that students understand, adhere to, and promote the value base of the social work profession within both generalist and clinical settings. The conceptual centerpiece of the Clinical Curriculum is the integration of the Empowerment and Ecological perspectives. The Clinical Curriculum emphasizes the extension of critical thinking skills and the expansion of practice skills to the specific demands of clinical practice. Upon completion of the MSW Program, graduates will be prepared and committed to providing direct clinical social work services to individuals, families, and groups in inner-city, urban, and rural settings, with particular emphasis on those who are at-risk, unrepresented or under-represented, culturally diverse and oppressed.
Accreditation
The MSW program was granted full reaccreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in 2019 and has been reaccredited for eight years through 2026.
Licensure
All graduates of the MSW program are eligible to pursue licensure at the master’s level in the State of Kansas and in all other states which require social work licensure or registration at the master’s level. Social Work license, registration, certification, and/or credentialing requirements will vary from state to state.
Life Experience
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) specifically prohibits the social work department from granting credit for life experience.
Nondiscrimination
The Washburn University Department of Social Work maintains a policy that assures equal educational opportunity without regard to age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, marital status, national origin, political perspective, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and/or expression.
Academic Advising
Advisors play an important role in helping students select appropriate courses. All students are required to meet each semester with their Social Work faculty academic advisor.
Incompletes
All assignments must be completed to pass the class. In accordance with the Student Handbook, an Incomplete (I) grade will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, if 75% or more of the coursework has been completed and at the discretion of the instructor. The Incomplete must be approved and the Incomplete Grade Report Form completed and signed before the end of the semester. The student must complete course requirements before the end of the subsequent semester. If the coursework is not completed within the agreed-upon period, the Incomplete (I) grade will automatically convert to an “F.”
Financial Assistance
Applications for financial aid are available in the Financial Aid Office. Applicants should contact the Financial Aid Office at (785) 670-1151; additional information is available on their website: www.washburn.edu/financial-aid. Applications for scholarships are available through the School of Applied Studies webpage www.washburn.edu/sasl. All admissions materials must be completed before a student may access any available scholarship opportunity. A limited number of field practicum stipends are available through some of the organizations that serve as field practicum settings (e.g., hospitals and clinics in the Veterans Administration Medical Center system).
Temporary or Permanent Withdrawal
Students planning to withdraw temporarily from the program for one or more semesters should send a letter requesting a leave of absence to the MSW Program Director. This letter should stipulate the reasons for the request and the semester in which the student plans to return. Any student who intends to withdraw permanently from the program should also send a letter to the MSW Program Director informing him/her of such intentions. If a student withdraws from the program for any reason without submitting written notification to the MSW Program Director, then he or she must reapply for admission to the graduate program.
MSW Student Handbook
All students, at the time of initial enrollment into the MSW Program, are expected to read the MSW Student Handbook completely and thoroughly. This handbook includes detailed information regarding the MSW Program and is available online. Policies for course schedules, grading, graduation requirements, academic retention and dismissal, and practicum determinations are included. Students are expected to carefully read this handbook and to comply fully with all of its provisions.
New MSW Student Orientation
As part of the admissions process, students newly admitted into the MSW Program are required to complete an online orientation. The MSW Student Orientation is located in your MyCourses section in D2L. After completion of orientation, students will be given the name of their academic advisor to begin the advising process.
Advanced Standing Program (ASP) applicants who have a baccalaureate degree within the past 10 years from a CSWE-accredited social work program will be granted advanced standing status in the MSW Program at Washburn University. Course and/or credit waivers are dependent on the equivalency of the course content as determined by the MSW Program Director in consultation with the department chairperson and Washburn social work faculty. Applicants may be asked to provide a course syllabus/outline for each course for which a waiver is being requested. Additional supporting materials may be requested.
Continuous Enrollment Requirement
Effective Fall 2016, students pursuing a graduate degree who have completed all degree requirements, and have enrolled in but not completed a capstone, practicum, or thesis, will be required to maintain continuous enrollment at Washburn University until graduation (unless a leave has been approved). Continuous enrollment means that candidates must be enrolled in at least one credit hour until degree requirements are met. If all other course work has been completed, students will be required to enroll in a one-credit-hour class SW 777 Continuous Enrollment each semester until the program is completed. Credit hours completed through the SW 777 Continuous Enrollment will not count toward the credit hours required for graduation and will be recorded as a credit on the transcript. This requirement also applies to the summer term for students whose degrees are being awarded at the end of the summer term. Interruption of continuous registration due to a failure to follow this requirement will result in a need for readmission to the program.
Online and Online-Assisted Courses
At present, the Social Work Department at Washburn University offers seated and online sections for most core foundation courses.
Social Work faculty members utilize online and the MyWashburn course development tools to offer some course content online, even in traditional seated classes. Students will meet face-to-face with the instructor, but in some cases, the seat time in a class may be reduced in lieu of online course work. For example, in a typical online-assisted class the instructor may post the course syllabus online along with class notes, handouts, PowerPoint or other media presentations, and reading materials. A number of faculty members frequently use the within-course email and bulletin board (i.e., messaging) functions. Some instructors prefer the course calendar, online quiz-test, and discussion forum components online as well.
Graduate Social Work Student Association
The primary purpose of the Washburn University Graduate Social Work Association (WUGSWA) is to encourage responsible student participation in the policy and decision-making processes of social work education and to promote student cooperation and welfare. WUGSWA is also responsible for the selection of student representatives on various Department of Social Work committees and decision-making bodies. WUGSWA seeks to provide its members with activities designed to inform them of the many opportunities in the field of social work, to enhance the students’ personal and professional lives, to provide opportunities for association with social work professionals and community providers, and to participate actively in community service. Members commit themselves to the organization by attendance at meetings, involvement in activities, and participation on MSW Program committees. Membership in this organization is open to all Washburn graduate social work students. For more information see the Social Work Student Organizations page on the Social Work Department’s website: www.washburn.edu/sw-student-associations.
MSW Admission Requirements
Students seeking admission to the MSW program should complete the online graduate/MSW application at the Social Work degree link on the Social Work department website: https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/applied-studies/departments/social-work/msw.html.
Admission to the MSW Program is competitive and applicants are encouraged to submit their completed applications well in advance of the initial review date (see Application Procedures below). Applicants must demonstrate that they possess the potential for professional development in clinical social work practice. To be admitted to the MSW Program, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, or a comparable accrediting body. Consistent with the importance ascribed to the liberal arts perspective by Washburn University and CSWE, the applicant must present evidence of adequate preparation to engage in graduate study, including the satisfactory completion of undergraduate coursework in each of the following areas: the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, English composition, and mathematics. There must also be evidence of satisfactory completion of coursework in biology and cultural diversity. A minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is expected for admission to the MSW Program. Admission decisions are made by the MSW Admissions Committee, comprised of social work faculty members. The committee weighs all aspects of the completed application, including academic performance, communication skills, commitment to the values underlying the social work profession, and personal qualities necessary for effective clinical social work practice.
MSW Admissions-International Students
International students should contact the Office of International Admissions with any questions regarding the university application process, English language proficiency requirement or immigration-related inquiries. The need to take English courses may delay an applicant’s start in or extend the length of the MSW program.
MSW Application Procedures
Students seeking admission to the MSW program should complete the online graduate/MSW application at the Social Work degree link on the Social Work department website: https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/applied-studies/departments/social-work/msw.html.
Instructions and deadlines for the MSW application are available, www.washburn.edu/msw. Three letters of reference and a personal statement of interest must be included when the online application is submitted.
The official bachelor’s degree transcript needs to be sent to:
Washburn University
Department of Social Work
Benton Hall 412
1700 SW College Ave,
Topeka, KS 66621
It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit all required materials for consideration for admission into the MSW Program. The application deadline for summer/fall enrollment is January 15. The application deadline for spring enrollment is October 15. Early submission of applications is encouraged.
Provisional Status
Individuals who have GPAs that do not meet the standards for regular admission may apply for provisional status. All other requirements must be met, including a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college; a liberal arts background; coursework in the natural sciences (with human biology content); social sciences (with human diversity content); English composition, humanities, and mathematics; and evidence of potential for professional development in clinical social work.
Anyone accepted provisionally will be limited to part-time status. Provisional status will be maintained until the student has completed, at a minimum, 12 credit hours or two (2) semesters in the MSW Program.
Non-Degree Seeking Status
Depending on space availability, a person with a baccalaureate degree who is not formally admitted to the graduate social work program may enroll in MSW courses as a non-degree seeking student. Only individuals in the following two categories may be able to take graduate social work courses in the department as non-degree seeking students:
- A person who already has an MSW degree and who wants to return to graduate school at Washburn to complete the School Social Work concentration requirements as a non-degree seeking student; or
- A master’s level social worker who wants to take a clinical core course or a clinical elective to earn continuing education units (CEUs) to satisfy LMSW or LSCSW license requirements. The Department Chair or the MSW Program Director may grant permission for such enrollment. For more information about this option, contact the Washburn University Department of Social Work (785) 670-1616.
MSW Transfer Credit
Transfer of credits from another MSW program is considered on a case-by-case basis. As a rule, only courses taken in a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited Master of Social Work program will be eligible for transfer. Typically, transfer credit will only be applied to the Generalist portion of the MSW program, which constitutes the first 33 credit hours of the full 66 credit hours in the MSW degree. The applicant must have received a grade of “B” or better in the course(s) being considered. In addition, each course must be substantially equivalent in content to an existing social work graduate course for which transfer credit is being considered.
All graduate transfer students must complete an application packet (see Application Procedures, supra). One of the three letters of reference must come from the dean/department chair of the CSWE-accredited program from which the student is transferring. If the student was in a practicum placement while in the other program, he/she should obtain the second letter of reference from his/her field practicum instructor. All other letters of reference should be from teaching faculty in the host program, who have had the student in his/her class. The MSW Admissions Committee will be convened to consider the application.
Programs
Certificate Programs
Any applicant who would like to earn a certificate in Addiction Counseling or Victim/Survivor Services may do so while working on his/her MSW degree. These certificate programs are managed by the Department of Human Services at Washburn University. Some coursework in the MSW Program may count toward the certificate, but any waivers can only be approved by the chair of the Department of Human Services. More specific information about certificate programs can be found by contacting the Department of Human Services at (785) 670-2116. Under current State regulations, a person with a licensed masters of social work (LMSW) may become a licensed addiction counselor (LAC) by passing the national examination. Details on the LAC licensure can be obtained from the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (ksbsrb.ks.gov/professions/addiction-counselors).
Course Offerings
Department consent, or admission to the MSW program, is required for enrollment in all graduate level courses.
SW 606 Person in Environment I: Individuals & Families (3)
SW 607 Person in Environment II: Groups, Organizations, & Communities (3)
SW 608 Foundations of Social Policy (3)
SW 621 Quantitative Social Work Research (3)
SW 622 Qualitative Social Work Research (3)
SW 640 Fundamentals of Social Work Practice (3)
SW 641 Fundamentals of Social Work Practice II (3)
SW 680 Clinical Social Work Practice in Healthcare (3)
SW 681 Inclusive and Competent Social Work Practice in Healthcare (3)
SW 682 Family Decisions in Healthcare (3)
SW 683 Human Sexuality and Social Work Practice (3)
SW 685 Diversity and Justice in Social Work (3)
SW 690 Generalist Field Education Workshop (0)
SW 691 Generalist Field Education I (3)
SW 693 Generalist Field Education II (3)
SW 700 Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis (3)
SW 705 Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SW 706 Clinical Social Work Practice with Families (3)
SW 707 Clinical Social Work Practice with Groups (3)
SW 777 Continuous Enrollment (1-3)
SW 779 Independent Study (1-3)
SW 780 Special Topics (1-3)
SW 781 Clinical Social Work Practice with the Exceptional Child (3)
SW 782 Clinical Social Work Practice in the Educational Environment (3)
SW 783 Clinical Social Work Practice in Schools (3)
SW 784 Psychopharmacology (3)
SW 786 Clinical Social Work Practice with Trauma (3)
SW 787 Geriatric Social Work in Clinical Practice (3)
SW 788 Multicultural Social Work in Clinical Practice (3)
SW 789 International Social Work (3)
SW 790
Clinical Field Education Workshop (0)
SW 791
Clinical Field Education I (3)
SW 792 Clinical Practice Seminar I (3)
SW 793 Clinical Field Education II (3)
SW 794 Clinical Practice Seminar II (3)
SW 795 Social Work International Service (3)