Social Work (Advanced Standing) (M.S.W.)

Social Work (Advanced Standing) (M.S.W.)
UNH Social Work Advanced Standing students

WHY GET AN ADVANCED STANDING MASTER’S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK?

If you have graduated within the last five years with a Bachelor of Social Work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better, you are eligible to apply for the advanced standing M.S.W. degree at UNH. Professional social workers make a difference in people’s lives, communities and society. An M.S.W. is a professional degree that will prepare you for work in fields such as healthcare, education, substance abuse, child welfare, employee assistance programs, policy and advocacy, and other human services and social welfare related areas. Additionally, an M.S.W. is the first step toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

WHY CHOOSE UNH’S MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM?

At UNH, you’ll earn a CSWE-accredited M.S.W. from a top-tier research university. You’ll learn from full-time faculty who are passionate about social justice and are experts in their fields of practice. The advanced standing option will allow you to finish your degree in a much shorter timeframe than a traditional M.S.W. program as few as 12 months in Durham or 16 months online. You’ll also gain hands-on experience while making a difference in your community through a local field internship.

POTENTIAL CAREERS

  • Child welfare case worker
  • Community health worker or outreach organizer
  • Juvenile/adult criminal justice social worker
  • Medical or mental health social worker
  • Public health administrator
  • Public policy analyst or research assistant
  • School social worker
  • Substance use disorder counselor
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Curriculum & Requirements

Advanced Standing Program

The M.S.W. program considers advanced standing for exceptional students with undergraduate degrees from accredited baccalaureate social work programs. This program option is offered in Durham and online.  Applicants must have graduated from the B.S.W. program within five years of matriculation into the M.S.W. program with a 3.2 cumulative GPA or a 3.3 Social Work major GPA. Advanced standing students complete required coursework including a 10-week summer practicum and seminar, which students must take prior to their advanced practice and internship placement.

MSW Program Advanced Standing (post B.S.W./B.S.S.W.) Courses

Complete a minimum of 35 credits.

Required Courses
SW 840Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice3
SW 900Advanced Standing Practice and Internship Seminar3
SW 926Social Welfare Policy II (unless completed in B.S.W./B.S.S.W., then an elective)3
SW 930Advanced General Practice III: Clinical Assessment and Intervention3
SW 931Advanced Generalist Practice IV: Community and Administrative Practice3
SW 952Human Behavior and the Social Environment III3
SW 962Data Analysis and Statistics3
SW 965Program and Practice Evaluation3
SW 982Internship III (seminar and concurrent internship)4
SW 983Internship IV (Seminar & Concurrent Internship)4
One Elective Course3
Total Credits35

  • Student demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
  • Student engages diversity and difference in practice.
  • Student advances human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
  • Engage in practice informed research and research-informed practice.
  • Engages in policy practice.
  • Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Intervenes with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Evaluates practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

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Deadline

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  •   Fall: N/A
  •   Spring: N/A
  •   Summer: December 15
  •   Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

At least one letter must attest to observed skills in an employment setting that would be indicative of success in the social work and outdoor education field.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Applicants must provide a well-constructed double-spaced essay of 4-5 pages. Please respond to the questions below:

  1. Explain the personal, academic, organizational, volunteer and/or paid work experiences that have influenced your choice of social work as a profession?
  2. Social workers are bound by the NASW Code of Ethics, which state in part: "Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice." With this in mind, discuss a current social issue of great concern or interest to you and how you hope to make an impact as a social worker?
  3. In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics, the UNH Department of Social Work strives to operate from an anti-oppressive perspective and broadly promotes Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP). Discuss at least 2 examples of oppression prevalent in society. Reflect on how these issues of oppression may influence your work/role as a social worker.
  4. Given the rigorous nature of a graduate social work program, what personal attributes do you possess that will enable you to balance school, internships, and personal commitments? How will you engage your supports/resources when you need help?

 

Note: The UNH Department of Social Work does not consider protected class identities in admissions decisions. As such, you are not required to share information in your response that would reveal your race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability status, military, law-enforcement, or veteran status.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Additional Department Requirements:

In order to understand the unique timing of the program, students interested in the Advanced Standing MSW/JD dual degree program must consult Professor Sharon Murphy prior to submitting their application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

Significant volunteer and/or work experience in the field is strongly recommended.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Explore Program Details

  • ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
    Associate Professor
    Coordinator, Graduate Certificate Program in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
    Department Chair
    Department Chair
    Phone: (603) 862-5016

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