Master of Social Work (MSW)

Sacred Heart's MSW program is guided by ethical principles of service, respect for human dignity, social and economic justice, and the needs of vulnerable and diverse populations.

Why Earn Your Master’s Degree in Social Work at Sacred Heart?

Through direct clinical or direct community practice, you will explore human behavior in the social environment, social work generalist practice, social welfare policy, social work research, human diversity and social justice. You’ll enhance this knowledge with specialized skills in social work practice and assessment, treatment planning, interventions, and practice evaluation. You’ll be prepared for leadership roles in generalist and specialized practice.

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Benefit from a flexible course of study

Choose from an option that fits your schedule. All options provide an exceptional learning experience taught by the same respected, experienced faculty.

Full-Time

As a full-time student, you will attend classes on campus and can complete your MSW (60 credits) in two years. Courses meet one full weekday. View a sample schedule.

Part-Time

As a part-time student, courses will be offered in a hybrid format meeting on alternating Saturdays on campus with supplemental coursework online. You will complete your MSW degree in three years (60 credits). View a sample schedule.

Advanced Standing

Students who hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution (30 credits) can complete an Advanced Standing plan of study in one year on campus. Courses are offered all day Thursday. View a sample schedule.

Online Option

Students have the option to earn their MSW online with low residencies, which is suited to students balancing graduate school with other commitments.

Dual Degree Option

Students apply to the Bachelor’s-Master of Social Work (MSW) Dual Degree Program as incoming freshmen and are admitted directly into the graduate program at the same time as their admission as undergraduate students. Dual Degree program options include:

• Accelerated 3+2 Bachelor’s-Master
  Complete four years of undergraduate coursework in social work and one year of graduate coursework through an “advanced standing” plan of study, earning both a bachelor’s degree in Health Science and the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree within five years.
• Accelerated 4+1 Bachelor’s-Master
  Complete four years of undergraduate coursework and one year of graduate coursework through an “advanced standing” plan of study, earning both a bachelor’s degree (BSW) and the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree within five years.
• 4+2 Bachelor’s-Master
  Complete the bachelor’s degree in the traditional four-year time frame and complete two years of graduate study in the MSW program, earning both the bachelor’s degree and the MSW degree in six years.

In this program, you will also:

• Become a critical, anti-racist thinker, competent in integrated practice and fluent in the multi-leveled, ecological perspective, which includes a full range of salient theoretical practices, models and framework necessary for integrative understanding of people, their families and communities, and the social and political structures that affect them;
• Use empirically-based, cutting edge methods and approaches to enhance social work practice and policies in an ever-evolving, local-to-global social context;
• Develop skills necessary to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice in work with individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations, and government systems, and to collaborate in work ranging from micro-to-macro settings to respond to expressed human needs and shape associated policy;
• Promote social justice and diversity and effect meaningful and productive social change in communities by collaborating with marginalized populations; and
• Commit to the values and ethics of social work, the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and champion the dignity and worth of every human being;
• Hone your practice skills and learn to work in a specialized area through supervised field practicum.

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Advance your Career

Career Outlook

The careers and professions available to graduates with a MSW degree are extensive and include direct/clinical, direct/community, administrative, or policy work with or on behalf of a variety of populations including children and families, older adults, persons with mental health needs and homeless persons. Occupational outlooks for healthcare social workers in particular are on the rise and include geriatric social workers, hospice and palliative care, and medical social workers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects an overall projected growth for social workers of 6% (44,700 new jobs) from 2024 to 2034 and is faster than the average of all occupations. 

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