General Information

The M.S.W. program was brought to the Indiana University Northwest campus in 1996 and graduated its first class in 2000.  Graduates of the Division of Social Work move into a broad variety of social service settings.  These include those concerned with aging, family and child welfare, corrections, mental and physical health, communities, political change and analysis, and school adjustment.  In anticipation of such professional activities, the school provides field instruction placements throughout northwest Indiana where students engage in services to individuals, groups, families, and communities or function in planning and management roles.

The general goal of the graduate program is preparation for advanced social work practice. In addition to generalist knowledge and skills, the programs provide an opportunity for development of special competence in school social work, mental health and addictions, and health. Educational resources for students in the program include a substantial library, and diversified field instruction settings.

M.S.W Program Mission and Goals 

In 2012 the faculty adopted a revised mission for the Master of Social Work program to further reflect the purpose and values of the profession. The mission of the Indiana University School of Social Work MSW program is to educate students to be prepared for practice with specialized expertise that includes advocating for social, racial, and economic justice, to be critically thinking, research informed, continuously learning, ethical, and competent social workers at rural, urban and global levels.

The Master of Social Work program goals are to:

• Educate students to be effective and knowledgeable professionals prepared for advanced social work practice.
• Build upon a liberal arts perspective to prepare students to continue their professional growth and development through a lifetime of learning, scholarship, and service.
• Educate students to understand and apply the fundamental values and ethics of the social work profession in their practice.
• Prepare students for social work practice with diverse populations and with client systems of all sizes.
• Educate students about the social contexts of social work practice, the changing nature of those contexts, the behavior of organizations, and the dynamics of change.
• Engage in scholarly activity including the discovery, integration, application, dissemination, and evaluation of knowledge for practice.
• Promote and advocate for social and economic justice.

Part Time Evening Program The part time evening program at Indiana University Northwest enables student to complete the foundation curriculum (the first 31 credit hours of the program) over two calendar years. Following the first 31 hours of the foundation and practice area curriculum (all concentration courses except for S618 and S623/624), students enter into one of six practice areas. Options for practice areas on the IU Northwest campus include: Health; Mental Health and Addictions; and School Social Work. Students begin the program in late August. Subsequent classes and field practica are held during the week (usually Monday through Thursday or online). Part time evening students are also required to complete the curriculum (the final 29 credit hours of the program) over the course of the third calendar year, although students may elect to extend course work and internships up to four years.

Advanced Standing Program Students holding undergraduate social work degrees may be eligible for this program, which begins during the Fall semester. The following are specific requirements for consideration for admission to the advanced standing program:

• Graduation within ten years from a baccalaureate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in all social work courses taken prior to admissions committee action.  Accordingly, applicants to the advanced standing program must provide the admissions committee with an official transcript.  Senior B.S.W. students must provide a transcript including the fall semester grades of their senior year.
• Evidence of characteristics and/or potential required for competent social work practice as defined in the mission statement of the school.  Such evidence may be derived from application materials, letters of reference, and/or pertinent work or volunteer experience.
• BSW seniors enrolled in the IU School of Social Work qualify for the fast track admissions process provided they have a 3.25 GPA and a reference from their campus BSW Program Director.

Indiana Partnership for Social Work Education in Child Welfare (Title IV-E)
The Title IV-E Program is offered to students involved in the Indiana Partnership for Social Work Education in Child Welfare, funded in part by Title IV-E, and enables students to complete the Foundation Curriculum (the first 21 credit hours of the program) the first academic year. Eligibility for the Title IV-E program is limited to current employees of the Indiana Department of Child Services. Classroom courses are offered on weekday evenings.  Students begin the program by enrolling in their first courses during the fall semester.