The MSW advanced standing program builds on CSWE's nine core generalist competencies and prepares graduate students for advanced, justice-informed, ethical and professional social work practice and licensure while emphasizing the commitment to the values of social work practice. The justice-informed curriculum is based on nine specialized competencies and meets the Minnesota Board of Social Work's requirements for the clinical content required to sit for the ASWB clinical licensure exam including differential diagnosis, clinical treatment planning, clinical intervention methods, evaluation methodologies, social work values/ethics, and culturally specific assessment and intervention. For additional details, please refer to the Minnesota Board of Social Work website.

In the context of a liberal arts environment and with an ecosystems perspective, students learn how to apply advanced critical thinking skills at micro, mezzo, and macro levels while pursuing human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice in local and global contexts. The program fosters an emergent social imaginary that engages clients and constituencies as experts in their own experiences and builds upon the strengths and resiliency of all human beings. The integration and exploration of elements of diversity and the theology of justice allow students to learn how to practice advanced justice-informed social work through scholarship, service, justice, and leadership.

Program Outcomes

1. Demonstrate justice-informed ethical thinking and professionalism in social work practice.
2. Engage diversity and difference in justice-informed practice.
3. Engage in social work practices that advance human rights, social, economic and environmental justice.
4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
5. Engage in justice-informed policy practice.
6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through justice-informed practice.
7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through justice-informed practice.
8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through justice-informed practice.
9. Evaluate individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through justice-informed practice.

Admission Requirements

The Master of Social Work: Advanced Standing Program will consider applicants who:

• Meet the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School.
• Submit an official transcript (U.S. schools) or NACES or AICE evaluation (international schools) showing an earned baccalaureate or higher degree and official transcripts or NACES or AICE evaluations from all graduate schools attended.
• Have earned a baccalaureate degree in Social Work from a CSWE accredited institution.
• Completed a college-level Statistics or Research Methods course from a regionally accredited U.S. higher education institution prior to enrolling.
• Submit three current professional Admission References.
• Submit a written Statement of Purpose.
• Submit a current resume.
• Interview with the program director or enrollment counselor if requested. 

Students who have not achieved the minimum GPA, grade standards, or other assessment criteria may still apply to be considered for provisional acceptance. See Admission Categories.

Degree Requirements

Master of Social Work (MSW): Advanced Standing

The required curriculum for the Master of Social Work comprises a 35 semester credit sequence of courses.

¹

Course must be taken for credit at Bethel.