Social Work, MSW

An MSW degree prepares students to facilitate change in working with people, families and communities. The MSW program is open to all undergraduate degrees and may be completed full time or part time, in either a hybrid or online format, and is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The MSW is an Advanced Generalist program and prepares students for social work practice across the micro-macro continuum with diverse populations. In addition, students may complete certificates in multiple areas (including clinical practice, child welfare, substance misuse, military behavioral health, school social work) or students may complete coursework specific to an individualized plan of study to be meet their area of interest. Finally, the college offers two cognate areas that provide student funding, integrated behavioral health (IBH) with social workers in primary care settings and substance use disorder (SUD) that provide funding for students to serve in practicums with SUD prevention and intervention agencies in underserved populations. 

Students may attend hybrid classes on UK’s main campus in Lexington or asynchronously online. The Army MSW program is offered at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas and is a selective admission process through the Department of Defense.  

 

Degree Requirements

UK College of Social Work offers full-time and part-time plans of study to earn a Master of Social Weork (MSW). 

Our regular standing MSW is a 60-credit program that consists of: 

• Fifty one credits of classwork-including 12 hours of electives  

• Nine credits of fieldwork experience. 

Our advanced standing MSW is a 30-credit program that consists of: 

• Twenty four credits of classwork-including 9 hours of electives for 30 credit program 

• Six credits of fieldwork experience. 

Plans of study for each of the programs can be found: https://socialwork.uky.edu/academics/msw/about-msw/.  

 

MSW Advanced Generalist 60 Hour – Foundational Courses 

• SW 600 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES  
• SW 602 THEORY-INFORMED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH GROUPS  
• SW 620 UNDERSTANDING THEORY IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE  
• SW 621 UNDERSTANDING POVERTY, INEQUALITY, AND INJUSTICE: FOUNDATIONS OF PRACTICE  
• SW 625 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK: PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND ETHICS  
• SW 630 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND SERVICES  
• SW 636 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES I  
• SW 640 FOUNDATION PRACTICUM  
• SW 650 RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK    

  

MSW Advanced Generalist 30/60 Hour Core Courses 

• SW 722 PSYCHOPATHOLOGY FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE  
• SW 724 ADVANCED PRACTICE WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES: ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT PLANNING  
• SW 731 ADVANCED SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND ANALYSIS  
• SW 733 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES II: INTERVENTION AND EVALUATION   
• SW 740 ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM I  
• SW 741 ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM II  
• SW 750 APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK  

 

General information on electives: 

At the University of Kentucky, we have certificates in Clinical Social Work, Substance Misuse, Child Welfare, School Social Work, Military Behavioral Health, etc. which allow students to add an additional academic credential through the electives in the MSW program. If there is not a certificate that appeals, students can certainly create an individualized academic experience through a combination of electives.  

• SW 505 CHILD WELFARE SERVICES  
• SW 515 MEDICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF DISABILITIES: PHYSICAL DISABILITY  
• SW 516 MEDICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF DISABILITIES: PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES  
• SW 518 INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK  
• SW 519 UNDERSTANDING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE   
• SW 520 UNDERSTANDING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS   
• SW 523 SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES ON RACISM AND ETHNIC PREJUDICES IN AMERICA   
• SW 524 SUBSTANCE MISUSE   
• SW 530 RESPONDING TO MILITARY AND VETERAN POPULATIONS   
• SW 550 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION 
• SW 571 SOCIAL WORK AND THE LAW    
• SW 580 TOPICAL SEMINAR IN SOCIAL WORK   
• SW 616 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN SCHOOL SETTINGS   
• SW 626 FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH: EVALUATION AND TREATMENT   
• SW 702 SUBSTANCE MISUSE, VIOLENCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT     
• SW 726 PSYCHOPATHOLOGY FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK   
• SW 728 COMPARATIVE TREATMENT MODALITIES   
• SW 730 EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS   
• SW 737 NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT IN HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS    
• SW 738 GUIDED INDEPENDENT WORK: MILITARY AND VETERAN POPULATIONS