The School of Social Work prepares social workers for professional practice through
a single concentration in advanced generalist practice. Students graduate well-equipped to work at the individual, family, group, organization,
and community levels with knowledge-guided practice.
Mission:
Through the teaching of social work knowledge and practice the School of Social
Work at Springfield College prepares individuals to meet universal human needs
in order to engender mutually beneficial interaction between individuals and societal
systems at all levels, based on principles of economic and social justice, dignity
and human rights.
Program options:
The School of Social Work offers a sixty-credit program leading to the master
of social work (M.S.W.) degree through four options of study:
Master of social work weekday program (full-time, two years)- In this option, classes meet usually on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays. In addition to classroom work, a field practicum is required in each
of four semesters and participation in field seminars is required.
Master of social work weekend program (part-time, three years)- In this option, classes meet two weekends per month.
In addition to classroom work, a field practicum is required in the fourth, fifth,
seventh, and eighth semesters, along with field seminars.
Advanced standing program for highly qualified graduates of bachelor of social
work (B.S.W.) programs (full-time, three semesters or part-time, three semesters)- The B.S.W. program
must be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and must have
been successfully completed within five years of enrollment at the Springfield
College School of Social Work.
The content and quality of weekday and weekend programs are the same. The schedule
differs only to ensure the flexibility needed to accommodate employed students.
Master of social work/juris doctor (M.S.W./J.D.) combined program with Western
New England College School of Law (full-time, four years)-This program allows the student to earn both degrees
in less time than it would take to pursue each degree separately.
Admission requirements for the M.S.W. programs:
For admission to the Springfield College School of Social Work weekday, weekend,
and advanced standing programs, a graduate candidate must have:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university that reflects a
broad background in liberal arts, with at least twenty semester hours in the social,
behavioral, and biological sciences with an emphasis on human biology. Social
and behavioral sciences include anthropology, economics, education, history, political
science, psychology, and sociology. Biological sciences include botany, biology,
physiology, and zoology. The School looks favorably on transcripts that include
course work in writing and in research methods or statistics.
- A grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 for all undergraduate work and 3.0
in the last two years of academic work. Exceptions may be made by faculty on the
basis of other evidence that demonstrates ability to succeed in graduate study
in social work. Applicants who do not meet the GPA minimum will be considered
for admission on probation if space is available.
- The personal capacity to work effectively with people to achieve professional
standing.
- Social work experience as an employee, volunteer, or in an undergraduate field
practicum.
- A personal statement describing (1) professional goals and reasons for pursuing
a M.S.W. degree in this program; and (2) the education, professional/work experience,
and personal characteristics that make the applicant a good candidate for an advanced
generalist M.S.W. program.
- Three professional or academic references that address the applicant’s ability,
potential, and readiness for graduate education and professional social work practice.
Applicants to the advanced standing program must complete a supplemental application
available from the School of Social Work.
Although all work for the M.S.W is usually completed at the Springfield College
School of Social Work, transfer credit may be awarded, course-by-course, for up
to nine graduate credits earned at CSWE-accredited graduate programs in social
work. Courses taken within five years of the anticipated date of completing the
M.S.W. at Springfield College, and in which the student has earned a grade of
B or better, are eligible for consideration following admission. No course credits
are granted for life experience or previous work experience. The department will
not grant transfer credit for graduate courses that were used for another awarded
graduate degree.
Admission requirements for the M.S.W./J.D. combined degree program:
Applicants interested in the M.S.W./J.D. combined degree program must successfully
meet the separate admission requirements of each institution and be accepted into
the combined degree program. Neither the Springfield College School of Social
Work nor the Western New England School of Law admits new students for the spring
semester.
The combined degree program is open only to students in the full-time M.S.W.
and J.D. Programs. Although admission to the combined degree program is usually
decided at initial enrollment, it is possible to begin studies at the School of
Law and then apply to the School of Social Work and enroll in the combined degree
program, or vice versa. Applications to the second institution would need to be
made before completion of the first year of studies at the first institution.
Deadlines:
The application for admission and all supporting credentials are due in the Office
of Graduate Admissions by March 15. Applications received after the deadline will
be considered only if space is available.
Accreditation information:
Springfield College is recognized as an institution of higher learning of collegiate
rank by the Board of Collegiate Authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
and is accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools,
which accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states. Membership
in these associations indicates that the College has been carefully evaluated
and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators.
The School of Social Work is accredited through 2005 by the Council on Social
Work Education (CSWE), the official accrediting body for social work programs
in the USA. This enables graduates to sit for professional social work licensure
examinations in all fifty states.
The Western New England College School of Law, Springfield College’s partner
in the joint M.S.W./J.D. combined degree program, is accredited by the American
Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools
(AALS).
Contact names and telephone numbers:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109-3797
Tel:(413) 748-3225
Web Site: http://www.spfldcol.edu
Mae E. Chillson, Admissions Coordinator
Springfield College School of Social Work
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109-3797
Tel:(413) 748-3060
Springfield College is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education.
No student, employee, or applicant will be denied admission, employment, or access
to program and activities because of race, gender, religion, age, color, national
origin, disability status, or sexual orientation. This College policy is in concert
with appropriate state and federal laws. Inquiries concerning the College’s compliance
with antidiscrimination laws should be addressed to: Equal Opportunity Officer,
Office of Human Resources, Springfield College, 263 Alden Street, Springfield,
MA 01109-3797. Reasonable accommodation is available upon request.
Curriculum overview:
The sixty credits are distributed across four sequences, two field practicums
and seminars, and three electives, as follows;
- Human Behavior in the Social Environment sequence (three courses, eight credit
hours).
- Social Work Practice sequence (four courses, twelve credit hours).
- Social Work Research sequence (three courses, nine credit hours).
- Social Welfare Policy sequence (three courses, nine credit hours).
- Foundation Field Practicum and Seminar (eight credit hours, 225 practicum hours
per semester).
- Concentration Field Practicum Seminar (eight credit hours, 300 practicum hours
per semester).
- Electives (three courses, six credit hours).
Guided by the School’s mission, the master of social work curriculum is designed
around a generalist foundation year and an advanced generalist concentration year.
The first year provides students with theoretical perspectives across the four
sequences, as well as grounding in fundamental skills in individual, family, group,
and community intervention.
The advanced generalist concentration year is designed around “skill sets” that
build on the foundation year. The curriculum provides students with opportunities
to develop advanced clinical assessment, intervention, supervisory, and administrative
skills in practice; mastery of diagnostic skills; a set of complex social action
skills in policy; and finally, a set of research skills.
The focus on “skill sets” occurs within the context of three programmatic themes:
social change, human rights, and social justice. In comparison to generalists,
advanced generalists are able to assess more complex situations with individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and communities and to intervene with more advanced,
sophisticated practice skills.
Electives enrich the concentration year curriculum by providing students the
opportunity to explore a specific area of advanced generalist practice in greater
depth, depending upon individual interests, strengths, and/or needs. Elective
courses include:
- Therapeutic Applications of Adventure
- Seminar in Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations
- International Social Work and Human Rights
- Contemporary Challenges in Child Welfare
- Family Treatment
- Loss and Grief
- Substance Abuse in Social Work Practice
- Social Work Practice with Children
- Legal Aspects of Social Work Practice
- Working with Older Adults for Clinicians, Administrators, and Activists
- Mediation and Conflict Resolution for Clinicians, Managers, and Activists
- Proposal Writing and Grant Acquisition
- Social Work in Education
- Women’s Issues in Social Work
- Brief Treatment and Managed Care
- Special Topics in Social Work
The M.S.W./J.D. Combined Degree Program:
The full-time M.S.W./J.D. combined degree program is offered in partnership with
Western New England College School of Law and provides students with the distinct
advantage of being able to complete the program in four rather than the five years
it would take if the degrees were pursued separately.
Having both a social and legal perspective effectively prepares graduates to
meet the social work and legal challenges in many areas of practice, such as child
welfare, education, mental health, individual and family practice, family mediation,
services to the disabled, legal aid, criminal and juvenile justice, consumer protection,
advocacy, employment, housing, community development, human rights, and evaluation
of social service programs.
Curriculum and cross-credits: To be awarded the social work and law degrees,
the student must complete the academic requirements of each institution, totaling
124 credits or semester hours. For the School of Social Work, sixty credits are
required, twelve of which are taken at the School of Law. For the School of Law,
eighty-eight credits must be earned, twelve of which are taken at the School of
Social Work.
Those courses completed with a grade of B or better in the School of Social Work
are eligible for transfer to the School of Law. In return, the School of Social
Work accepts transfer credit from the School of Law for those courses completed
with the average necessary to maintain good academic standing.
To transfer the twelve credits from the School of Law to the School of Social
Work, the student must formally petition the Springfield College School of Social
Work and the Office of Graduate Studies. At the Western New England College School
of Law, the student must obtain permission from the associate dean to have the
twelve credits transferred from the School of Social Work. A student who commences
but fails to complete the M.S.W./J.D. combined program cannot apply credit for
courses completed at one school toward the degree granted at the other school.