Master of Social Work
Master of Social Work
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) offers a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree designed to prepare students for leadership roles and professional practice with individuals, families, organizations, and communities through a trauma-informed lens.
Students admitted with a Bachelor’s degree in a major other than Social Work must complete the 54 credit-hour Full Program. The Full Program consists of the 30 credit-hour Generalist Curriculum and the 24 credit-hour Specialized Curriculum. Students completing the Full Program can do so in two years full-time or three to four years part-time.
Students admitted to the MSW Program who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree in the past five years from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) can immediately transition into the 27 credit-hour Specialized Curriculum. This curriculum can be completed in one year full-time or two years part-time.
Concentrations & Specializations
There are two concentrations in the MSW program: 1) Social Work Practice with Children, Youth, and Families, and 2) Leadership and Change. Students in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration acquire knowledge and skills that prepare them for interpersonal practice in a range of direct practice settings that support vulnerable populations. Students in the Leadership and Change concentration acquire knowledge and skills that prepare them for leadership, community organizing, advocacy, and administrative roles. Students in either concentration can also choose the School Social Work specialization, which prepares them with the knowledge and skills to become professional school social workers. Students in this specialization are eligible to earn a Professional Educator License (PEL—support personnel only) endorsed in School Social Work (Pre K - Age 21) in the State of Illinois. This specialization is a State-approved program by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Students select a concentration (as well as the option of the School Social Work specialization, if they choose) in consultation with their MSW Program Advisor before beginning the Specialized Curriculum. Together, these concentrations and specialization prepare students for professional practice with children, families, organizations, and communities, respectively.
Practicum & Practical Experience
Practical experience is built into the MSW curriculum, often referred to as “Practicum,” and is the signature pedagogy of the curriculum. All practicum experiences are credit-bearing internship experiences. These experiences allow students to integrate and apply their academic knowledge in a real-world setting and prepare them with the skills essential for beginning professional practice.
To receive credit for practicum experiences, students must work with the MSW Director of Field Education to complete an internship placement and referral process. To start this process, a student must submit a formal application to apply for practicum with the Social Work Department. All applications have deadlines and require collaboration and communication between the student and the respective internship coordinator to secure a placement. It is the policy of the NEIU Social Work Department that all referrals of students to practicum placement sites be made by internship coordinators in the Practicum Office. Students may offer suggestions about practicum sites and can also begin the process of connecting the Social Work Program with new partnering Practicum Placement sites. After a full review by the Practicum Director of the site and their capacity to host social work student interns, a determination is made if this partnership is approved before a student can be matched to a site for internship.
Practicum experiences are taken concurrently with academic classes. Students complete practicum experiences that typically span two semesters. MSW students completing the Generalist Curriculum must complete 480 hours in a practicum placement, while enrolled in 400-level generalist coursework. Specialized Curriculum students must complete 600 hours at a practicum placement, while enrolled in 400-level specialized courses. Students in the School Social Work specialization must complete 600 hours of internship experience in a school setting, with at least 400 hours of practicum experience supervised by a field instructor holding an MSW degree or higher, and with at least two years of experience with a PEL with a school social worker endorsement.
Admission Requirements
1) Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
2) A two-page professional statement addressing your goals and objectives specific to the MSW program.
3) Additional requirements for the Full and Advanced Standing Programs, and the School Social Work Specialization are as follows:
Full Program (Generalist Curriculum & Specialized Curriculum)
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a post-graduate GPA of 3.0 in at least 6 credit hours is required. Three letters of recommendation. Professional statement. Additional requirements may include a background check (See Additional School Social Work Specialization Admission Requirements below).
Advanced Standing Program (Advanced Curriculum Only)
Undergraduate GPA of 3.25. Three letters of recommendation. One of the letters of recommendation should be from the BSW Program Director, Field Director, or faculty of the transfer school. Additional requirements may include a background check (See Additional School Social Work Specialization Admission Requirements).
Additional School Social Work specialization admission requirements (Leading to earning a PEL endorsed in School Social Work)
Students applying for admission to the Advanced Standing Program who intend to complete the School Social Work specialization, leading to earning a PEL endorsed in School Social Work must also:
- Submit a completed NEIU School Social Work Specialization Admission Application Form. To obtain this form, please contact the NEIU Social Work Department Program Assistant.
- Complete a Federal and State Fingerprint Background check with the Daniel Goodwin College of Education (DGCOE) by following the instructions on this page: https://www.neiu.edu/academics/daniel-l-goodwin-college-of-education/admission-requirements/federal-and-state-fingerprint-background-check-instructions-0
Master of Social Work
Foundation Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SWK-401 | Oppression, Decolonization And Equity In Social Work | 3 |
| SWK-402 | Human Behavior And The Social Environment I | 3 |
| SWK-406 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SWK-415 | Practicum I | 3 |
| SWK-403 | Generalist Practice I | 3 |
| SWK-404 | Human Behavior And The Social Environment II | 3 |
| SWK-405 | Generalist Practice II | 3 |
| SWK-416 | Practicum II | 3 |
| SWK-407 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SWK-472 | Trauma Treatment With Children And Families | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialized Curriculum Requirements | ||
Concentration: Social Work Practice with Children, Youth and Families | ||
| Required Courses (24 credit hours): | ||
| SWK-472 | Trauma Treatment With Children And Families * | 3 |
| SWK-431 | Social Work Practice With Families | 3 |
| SWK-432 | Family-centered Policy (SWK 432 or SWK 434: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-434 | Child-centered Policy (SWK 434 or SWK 432: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-433 | Social Work Practice With Children | 3 |
| SWK-491 | Specialized Research I | 3 |
| SWK-495 | Practicum III | 3 |
| SWK-496 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| Elective Course (in Social Work or other pre-approved department) | 3 | |
| Elective Course (in Social Work or other pre-approved department) | 3 | |
| *Additional requirement for students admitted directly into the Specialized Curriculum. | ||
| Electives for Social Work Practice with Children, Youth and Families (6 credit hours) - choose from the following**: | ||
| Social Work Practice With Immigrants And Refugees | ||
| Practice With Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Population | ||
| Topics In Advocacy | ||
| Social Work And The Law | ||
| **There are also a variety of electives across the university that have been approved for these Concentrations. Students should consult their Advisor for the most updated list of courses. | ||
Concentration: Leadership and Change | ||
| Required Courses (24 credit hours): | ||
| SWK-472 | Trauma Treatment With Children And Families * | 3 |
| SWK-441 | Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SWK-442 | Political Advocacy (SWK 442 or SWK 443: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-443 | Social Justice And Social Change (SWK 443 or SWK 442: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-444 | Community Practice | 3 |
| SWK-491 | Specialized Research I | 3 |
| SWK-495 | Practicum III | 3 |
| SWK-496 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| Elective Course (in Social Work or other pre-approved department) | 3 | |
| Elective Course (in Social Work or other pre-approved department) | 3 | |
| *Additional requirement for students admitted directly into the Specialized Curriculum. | ||
| Electives for Leadership and Change (6 credit hours) - choose from the following**: | ||
| Assessment And Diagnosis In Social Work With A Critical Lens | ||
| Nonprofit Management & Leadership In Social Work | ||
| African Studies Institute (AfSI) | ||
| Introduction To Genocide And Human Rights Studies In Africa And The Diaspora | ||
| Social Work Practice With Immigrants And Refugees | ||
| Practice With Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Population | ||
| Topics In Advocacy | ||
| Social Work And The Law | ||
| Social Work Practice With Latino/a/x Communities In The United States | ||
| **There are also a variety of electives across the university that have been approved for these Concentrations. Students should consult their Advisor for the most updated list of courses. | ||
Optional School Social Work Specialization
For students interested in the School Social Work specialization, the following courses are required for each Concentration. Note that students in the School Social Work specialization are eligible to earn a Professional Educator License endorsed in School Social Work.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration: Social Work Practice with Children, Youth and Families | ||
| Specialization: School Social Work✝ | ||
| Required Courses (24 credit hours) | ||
| SWK-472 | Trauma Treatment With Children And Families * | 3 |
| SWK-421 | Critical Social Work In Schools: Policy, Practice & Leadership | 3 |
| SWK-431 | Social Work Practice With Families | 3 |
| SWK-432 | Family-centered Policy (SWK 434 or SWK 432: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-491 | Specialized Research I | 3 |
| SWK-495 | Practicum III | 3 |
| SWK-423 | School Social Work With Exceptional Students | 3 |
| SWK-433 | Social Work Practice With Children | 3 |
| SWK-434 | Child-centered Policy (SWK 432 or SWK 434: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-496 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| *Additional requirement for students admitted directly into the Specialized Curriculum. | ||
| ✝Before being recommended for licensure for their PEL students must pass the School Social Worker content exam (184) offered by the Illinois Licensure Testing System. | ||
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| Concentration: Leadership and Change | ||
| Specialization: School Social Work✝ | ||
| Required Courses (24 credit hours) | ||
| SWK-472 | Trauma Treatment With Children And Families * | 3 |
| SWK-421 | Critical Social Work In Schools: Policy, Practice & Leadership | 3 |
| SWK-441 | Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SWK-442 | Political Advocacy (SWK 442 or SWK 443: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-491 | Specialized Research I | 3 |
| SWK-495 | Practicum III | 3 |
| SWK-423 | School Social Work With Exceptional Students | 3 |
| SWK-443 | Social Justice And Social Change (SWK 442 or SWK 443: Students are required to take only one of these courses.) | 3 |
| SWK-444 | Community Practice | 3 |
| SWK-496 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| *Additional requirement for students admitted directly into the Specialized Curriculum. | ||
| ✝Before being recommended for licensure for their PEL students must pass the School Social Worker content exam (184) offered by the Illinois Licensure Testing System. | ||
Optional School Social Work Specialization
For students interested in the School Social Work specialization, the following courses are required for each Concentration. Note that students in the School Social Work specialization are eligible to earn a Professional Educator License endorsed in School Social Work.
This sample curricular map is provided to guide you in the planning of your progression for this major. This guide should not replace regular consultations with your program advisor. For specific recommendations of courses not identified, please consult your program advisor.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Hours | |
| SWK-400 | Overview Of The Social Work Profession | 3 |
| SWK-402 | Human Behavior And The Social Environment I | 3 |
| SWK-403 | Generalist Practice I | 3 |
| SWK-406 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SWK-415 | Practicum I | 3 |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SWK-401 | Oppression, Decolonization And Equity In Social Work | 3 |
| SWK-404 | Human Behavior And The Social Environment II | 3 |
| SWK-405 | Generalist Practice II | 3 |
| SWK-407 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SWK-416 | Practicum II | 3 |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| SWK-431 | Social Work Practice With Families | 3 |
| SWK-432 | Family-centered Policy | 3 |
| SWK-491 | Specialized Research I | 3 |
| SWK-495 | Practicum III | 3 |
| SWK Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SWK-433 | Social Work Practice With Children | 3 |
| SWK-434 | Child-centered Policy | 3 |
| SWK-492 | Advanced Research II | 3 |
| SWK-496 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| SWK Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 60 | |