Binghamton University Masters Degrees in Social Work

Accredited by the National Council on Social Work Education, Binghamton University's master of social work (MSW) program trains competent and effective social workers in an empowering, inclusive environment. Our mission is to prepare social workers for autonomous, knowledge-based, advanced generalist practice within an integrated community of scholars, practitioners and learners.

Students in the program acquire a broad base of knowledge and skills to address the needs of families, individuals, groups, organizations and communities. Binghamton University is committed to education that furthers social and economic justice, as well as to developing professional social workers who will become leaders in a complex, multicultural and increasingly global society.

Become an Agent of Change

The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program prepares students for beginning and advanced practice in social work in a variety of settings. The curriculum includes courses in human behavior and the social environment, social welfare services and policy, research methods, administration, practice methods, special topics, and field education. Students learn to engage individual and community strengths to further the understanding, treatment, and prevention of individual and social problems.
The curriculum for the MSW degree is divided into two levels: the professional foundation and the advanced generalist concentration. Students complete the professional foundation before moving to the advanced generalist portion of the curriculum.
Students are admitted for either full-time or part-time study in the 64-credit MSW program. Full-time students complete the program in 2 years, taking 16 credits each semester for 4 semesters. Full-time students with bachelor's degrees in social work in the advanced standing program earn their MSWs in less than one calendar year. Part-time students complete the program in 3.5 years, taking 6 or 7 credits each semester, including summer sessions. Beginning in Fall 2015, the part-time program will be offered as a blended program, allowing students the opportunity to complete half of their classroom experiences online. The program will offer one online course each semester where students will meet in a virtual classroom for discussions, presentations, and group work.

Applicant qualifications:

- Minimum of 24 credit hours (undergraduate) in the liberal arts and sciences, with a minimum of 15 credit hours in the social sciences (anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology)
- Paid or volunteer experience related to human services

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee

- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended

- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your potential for graduate study, such as those with whom you have worked in an academic, professional, volunteer or work-related capacity
* The MSW program has a special letter of recommendation form that must be used to evaluate MSW applicants. Use the Letter of Recommendation for MSW form. Please download and save the form to the computer first, before beginning to fill out the form. Then, open the file from the computer and enter text. Please do not use the version that opens in the web browser.
* If you are a college student or a recent graduate, one letter must be from a college instructor.
* If you are or have recently been employed, one letter must be from an employment supervisor.

- Personal statement (6-8 pages)
Follow the guidelines in the Personal Statement for MSW document.

- Resume or curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
Include paid or volunteer experience related to human services.

- A signed copy of the Social Work Contract
* By signing the above document, you agree, if admitted to the program, to abide by the professional standards of social work as set forth by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
* Review the Code of Ethics before signing the contract.

- A signed copy of the Certification of Information

- The GRE is not required

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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The MPA + MSW Dual-Degree Program prepares students for administrative positions in social service agencies. It also helps social workers gain the management and administrative skills needed for roles as supervisors, administrators and agency heads. Similarly, public administration practitioners recognize the need for specialized knowledge and skills to respond to an environment of increasing policy and organizational complexity within social welfare agencies. The program is designed to ensure students acquire both the management and social work skills necessary to excel in these environments.

By carefully structuring the sequence of courses, recognizing comparable course offerings, and using courses in one program to count as electives in the other, students are often able to complete both degrees in three years of full-time study without compromising the professional standards of either program.

Successful completion of the dual-degree programs results in two degrees: a Master's in Public Administration (MPA) and Master's in Social Work (MSW).

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

Applicants must also meet the following program-specific requirements:
MPA:
- Two letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who know the applicant in a professional capacity, such as professors, work supervisors, and professionals from organizations where the applicant has served as a volunteer or in another capacity. When evaluating the letters of recommendation, the admissions committee looks for evidence of academic achievement, community involvement, and personal characteristics that suggests the applicant has the capacity to foster an institutional culture that advances democratic administration and governance.

- Personal statement
The personal statement should be no more than 500 words or two (2) double-spaced, typed pages and should answer the question,"Why do I want an MPA?" You may wish to describe your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in public administration, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee. In the personal statement, the committee assesses the student's commitment to public and/or nonprofit administration as well as his/her ability to communicate in writing.

- Significant work experience (5 or more years in the public and/or nonprofit sectors) can earn applicants a positive adjustment to their admissions scores. However, the lack of work experience does not result in a penalty.

- The GRE is not required. If GRE scores are submitted, the admissions committee evaluates them by averaging the applicant's quantitative, verbal, and analytical writing scores.

MSW:
- Minimum of 24 credit hours (undergraduate) in the liberal arts and sciences, with a minimum of 15 credit hours in the social sciences (anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology)

- Paid or volunteer experience related to human services

- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your potential for graduate study, such as those with whom you have worked in an academic, professional, volunteer or work-related capacity
* The MSW program has a special letter of recommendation form that must be used to evaluate MSW applicants. Use the Letter of Recommendation for MSW form. Please download and save the form to the computer first, before beginning to fill out the form. Then, open the file from the computer and enter text. Please do not use the version that opens in the web browser.
* If you are a college student or a recent graduate, one letter must be from a college instructor.
* If you are or have recently been employed, one letter must be from an employment supervisor.

- Personal statement (6-8 pages)
Follow the guidelines in the Personal Statement for MSW document.

- Resume or curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
Include paid or volunteer experience related to human services.

- A signed copy of the Social Work Contract
* By signing the above document, you agree, if admitted to the program, to abide by the professional standards of social work as set forth by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
* Review the Code of Ethics before signing the contract.

- A signed copy of the Certification of Information

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