MSW Curriculum Design

The MSW program at UTC prepares students for advanced social work practice. Students are trained and equipped for advanced social work practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities as they age through the life course. Graduates of the program will be prepared for employment as social workers in numerous fields and agencies and are eligible to apply for and obtain licensure.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the MSW-UTC program is to equip students to meet the growing need for advanced social work practitioners to serve individuals, families, groups, and communities in the Southeast Region of Tennessee as they age through the life course. As advanced practitioners, graduates will have a common body of social work knowledge, values, and skills, as well as specialized knowledge and skills to serve aging adults and their families. Graduates will be prepared for practice informed by the principles outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics and transferable among diverse human service settings and population groups. 

Student Learning Outcomes

The MSW program at UTC is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is built upon the accreditation standards as developed by the CSWE Board of Accreditation (BOA) that define competent social work education. The competency-based learning outcomes are outlined in the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) 2022. These standards include the following student learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior - Make ethical decision by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research; and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context; Demonstrate professional demeanor in the behavior, appearance, and communication; Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgement and behavior.
2. Engage in Diversity and Difference in Practice - Advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels; and Engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
3. Engage in Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice – Demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels; and Demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, 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.
4. Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice – Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs; and Identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the purpose of social work.
5. Engage in Policy Practice – use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the diversity 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.
6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities -  Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies; and Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies.
7. Assess with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities – Apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies; and Demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan.
8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities – Engage with client and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals; and Incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of clients and constituencies.
9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities-Select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes; and Critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Requirements

The admission requirements are consistent with those of existing Master’s Degree Programs offered at UT Chattanooga as described in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Graduate Catalog.

Degree Regular Admission

Degree regular admission requires the following:

1. 2.70 cumulative grade point average (Cum GPA) on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree (4.00 scale) or
2. 3.00 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate coursework or
3. 3.00 GPA for 30 or more semester hours of undergraduate credit earned after earning the first bachelor’s degree or
4. 2.70 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate coursework and a 3.00 GPA on fewer than 24 hours of graduate coursework or
5. 3.00 GPA for 24 or more graduate hours or
6. An earned Master’s Degree or higher-level degree with at least a 3.00 GPA.

Degree Conditional Admission

Students who do not meet one of the academic standards of the University may be offered conditional admission status into the MSW program.  Students admitted to conditional status are eligible for advancement into the next academic semester after earning a cumulative 3.00 GPA or better on a minimum of six hours of graduate level coursework taken during their first semester at UTC.  Students not attaining the minimum 3.00 GPA during their first semester will be ineligible for continuation into the next semester and dismissed from the program.

Master of Social Work Program Admissions Criteria

In addition to the minimum requirements for graduate admission to the University, students must meet the following requirements specifically for the MSW program.

• Submit a personal statement that answers the following questions:
  • Explain your interest in applying and what qualities/experiences you possess that will make you successful in this program. Please address your motivation for pursuing a social work career and discuss significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a Master’s in Social Work at UTC, what your social service or social change interests are, and what your personal career goals are.
  • How does a graduate degree in social work align with your career goals? Provide any other information that will help us with your application. In your answer, please express your capacity for professional social work education. Briefly summarize your strengths and/or limitations, including emotional or social, which might enhance or limit your study.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Two professional letters of reference.

Students seeking admission into Advanced Standing must meet the following additional requirements.

• Hold a BSW degree with a minimum 3.00 GPA from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education within the last seven (7) years.
• Submit a letter of reference from a Field Education Director or Coordinator that documents successful completion of a 400-hour field internship from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Admission Process

Priority deadlines for applications to the Advanced Standing MSW program are due February 1st and the 60-hour program priority applications are due March 1st.

Program Completions Requirements

Program Completion Requirements for MSW Program (60 Credit Hours)

This program is for students with undergraduate degrees from fields other than social work. The 60 hour program includes 34 hours of curriculum to provide a foundation for social work knowledge, values, and skills, followed by 26 hours of specialized curriculum that will concentrate on advanced practice methods for advanced social work practice. The program is completed with 60 credit hours.

Advanced Standing MSW Program (32 Credit Hours)

Students with a BSW degree from an undergraduate program accredited by the CSWE are eligible to enter directly into the specialist MSW curriculum after completing two courses in the summer prior to beginning the specialist year. The rationale from CSWE for this pathway is that students with a BSW from an accredited program already have a foundation from their undegraduate courses. The two courses in the summer allow MSW programs to bridge information needed for transition into the specialist curriculum and prepare students for the rigors of graduate study.

Field Education and the MSW Program

Field education is the signature pedagogy of social work education. It is the field setting where students are provided the opportunity to work with client systems and learn to apply the knowledge, skills, and tools they have learned in the classroom under supervision. Students in the 60-hour program will complete two field practicums, a generalist practicum of 400 hours and a specialist practicum of 500 hours, for a total of 900 hours. Advanced standing students will complete one specialist practicum 500 hours.

Students must be available 15-20 hours/week, on average, to work in the assigned practicum agency during regular daytime hours.

Retention and Progression Standards

• Students must follow the guidelines and policies for continuation as outlined in the UTC Graduate Catalog.
• Students must successfully achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all social work courses. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in coursework to continue progressing through the curriculum.
• Students must maintain requirements for fieldwork and other policies as published in the UTC Social Work Student Handbook.

Dismissal Policies

Students who violate professional or academic policy will be subject to dismissal from the Social Work program.

• Students who are found guilty of unprofessional conduct, negligent habits or other causes as specified by the CSWE will be dismissed from the program.
• Students who violate the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics will be dismissed from the program
• Students who have a cumulative institutional GPA that falls below 3.0 will be subject to the UTC Graduate Catalog Continuation Standards.
• Graduate students may also be dismissed for a grade of U, D, or F in any course; more than two grades below a B; or any other failure of a required component pertaining to Graduate School academic requirements.

Graduation Requirements

In order to be eligible for degree conferral, students must have completed all coursework as specified on the approved Application for Admission to Candidacy form, with a minimum average of B on each of the following:

• All coursework taken for graduate credit at UTC
• All coursework transferred to UTC for graduate credit
• All coursework completed to fulfill the program approved on the Application for Admission to Candidacy. Additionally, students must successfully complete all requirements as outlined by CSWE for a Field Practicum experience

Program Accreditation

The MSW program at UTC is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Program of Study

The MSW curriculum is based on the accreditation standards for a MSW program as outlined by the Council on Social Work Education.  Students will complete foundational courses in social work in the generalist curriculum and will complete courses emphasizing advanced social work practice in the specialized curriculum.

Advanced standing students are qualified students with a BSW degree from a program accredited by CSWE. These students are admitted directly into the specialist curriculum. This program begins in the summer (32 credit hours).

For course description(s), please search the course number or name in the current Graduate Catalog accessed through the UTC Registrar.