{"id":2542,"date":"2019-11-08T13:29:21","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T20:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/social-work\/?page_id=2542"},"modified":"2025-08-20T19:38:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T19:38:38","slug":"msw-program-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/msw-program-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"MSW Program Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Master of Social Work, 2-year program<\/h2>\n<p>The Northern Arizona University MSW program is committed to a social work practice model with diverse individuals and rural client well-being.\u00a0 The program incorporates theoretical perspectives or approaches that make-up a strengths-based framework which is used to elaborate on the program\u2019s mission and to develop the program\u2019s goals.\u00a0 Developing a strengths-based framework must include knowledge of culturally competent practice.\u00a0 Embracing the need to give voice to marginalized communities, NAU\u2019s MSW curriculum addresses ways for students to learn and practice ways of working with diverse groups of clients that best enable members of those communities to achieve their goals.<\/p>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h3>History<\/h3>\n<p>The Master of Social Work degree program at Northern Arizona University has been accredited since October 9, 2020.\u00a0 NAU Social Work Department has a longstanding tradition of community service and preparing competent professional social workers for generalist practice with Native Americans, Latinos, and disenfranchised and vulnerable populations of the Southwest.\u00a0 NAU became a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in the spring of 2021, demonstrating a commitment to serving underrepresented populations.<\/p>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h3>Mission<\/h3>\n<p>The mission of Northern Arizona University\u2019s\u00a0Master of Social Work Program\u00a0is to advance social and economic justice by delivering immediately relevant education, impactful research, and service in partnership with communities in local, state, national, and international contexts. We accomplish this mission by recognizing the unique strengths and perspectives of our students, faculty, and community partners, as well as the intellectual, experiential, relational, cultural, and instrumental resources that they bring to these endeavors. We strive to create environments within which all people may thrive and where engagement and leadership are valued and rewarded.<\/p>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h3>Program location<\/h3>\n<p>The Master of Social Work 2-year program is offered online only. This program starts in the fall and spring each year.<\/p>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h2>Field education<\/h2>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h3>Supported professional experience for NAU students earning degrees in Social Work<\/h3>\n<p>Social Work Field Education is your opportunity to gain real-world experience in a supported environment and build your resume working with local organizations. You will apply what you learn in the classroom and move one step closer to a career in social work. This firsthand experience will help you discover, develop, and enhance your social work skills. The Social Work Field Education experience and training involves participating in the life of the agency, attending regularly scheduled meetings, and other activities involving or sponsored by the field placement site. To learn more about the requirements visit\u00a0the <a href=\"https:\/\/nau.edu\/social-work\/field-education-msw\/\">MSW Field Education webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr role=\"separator\" class=\"hr--transparent hr--transparent-30px not-in-view\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<!-- shortcode-accordion -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-accordion shortcode-accordion--closed\" style=\"position: relative;\" >\n        <a class=\"shortcode-accordion__trigger\" data-header=\"What is the difference between the MSW 2-year program and the 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing program?_0\" href=\"#\">\n      <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__header\">\n          <h4>What is the difference between the MSW 2-year program and the 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing program? <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n          <span class=\"shortcode-accordion__header__arrow\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__body\">\n        <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>MSW 2-year program:<\/strong> A student with a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in any discipline is eligible to apply for the 2-year MSW program. This program is offered online only, and starts in Fall &amp; Spring of each year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>MSW 1-year Advanced Standing program:<\/strong> A student with a BSW from an CSWE-accredited program with in the last 5 years qualifies to apply for the 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing program. This program is offered online starting in the summer and spring, and is offered in person at the Flagstaff Mountain campus starting in the summer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- shortcode-accordion -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-accordion shortcode-accordion--closed\" style=\"position: relative;\" >\n        <a class=\"shortcode-accordion__trigger\" data-header=\"I am currently completing my bachelor\u2019s degree. When am I eligible to apply for the MSW program?_0\" href=\"#\">\n      <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__header\">\n          <h4>I am currently completing my bachelor\u2019s degree. When am I eligible to apply for the MSW program? <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n          <span class=\"shortcode-accordion__header__arrow\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__body\">\n        <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body>\n<p>You may apply for the MSW program prior to completing your bachelor&rsquo;s degree if your bachelor graduation date is prior to you beginning your MSW program. If you are accepted it will be a conditional admittance based upon completing your degree prior to the start of the MSW program while maintaining a GPA that meets the admission criteria.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- shortcode-accordion -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-accordion shortcode-accordion--closed\" style=\"position: relative;\" >\n        <a class=\"shortcode-accordion__trigger\" data-header=\"Am I able to complete the MSW on a part-time basis?_0\" href=\"#\">\n      <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__header\">\n          <h4>Am I able to complete the MSW on a part-time basis? <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n          <span class=\"shortcode-accordion__header__arrow\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__body\">\n        <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body>\n<p>The MSW program offers a part-time option for both the 2-year MSW and 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing option.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- shortcode-accordion -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-accordion shortcode-accordion--closed\" style=\"position: relative;\" >\n        <a class=\"shortcode-accordion__trigger\" data-header=\"Is an internship required?_0\" href=\"#\">\n      <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__header\">\n          <h4>Is an internship required? <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n          <span class=\"shortcode-accordion__header__arrow\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__body\">\n        <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body>\n<p>A student in the 2-Year MSW program requires two 450 hour internships for a total of 900 hours (450 a year). Each year a different internship at a different position\/location is required.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- shortcode-accordion -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-accordion shortcode-accordion--closed\" style=\"position: relative;\" >\n        <a class=\"shortcode-accordion__trigger\" data-header=\"What graduate behavioral science cognate options are available in the MSW program?_0\" href=\"#\">\n      <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__header\">\n          <h4>What graduate behavioral science cognate options are available in the MSW program? <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n          <span class=\"shortcode-accordion__header__arrow\"><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n    <div class=\"shortcode-accordion__body\">\n        <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body>\n<p>Review this alphabetized list of <a href=\"https:\/\/nau.edu\/social-work\/msw-behavioral-science-cognates\/\">graduate behavioral science cognate options<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- shortcode-right-column -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-right-column\" >\n    <div class=\"shortcode-right-column__container\">\n<!-- shortcode-button -->\n<div class=\"shortcode-button shortcode-button--center\">\n      <a class=\"main-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.applyweb.com\/northazg\/index.ftl\">Apply now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Master of Social Work, 2-year program The Northern Arizona University MSW program is committed to a social work practice model with diverse individuals and rural client well-being.\u00a0 The program incorporates theoretical perspectives or approaches that make-up a strengths-based framework which is used to elaborate on the program\u2019s mission and to develop the program\u2019s goals.\u00a0 Developing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":475,"featured_media":2682,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"my-templates\/catalog.php","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","ring_central_script_selection":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2542","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/475"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2542"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5426,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2542\/revisions\/5426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}