Social Work, MSW
The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice is one of the oldest and most well-respected social work programs in the country. The program (ranked 5th in the nation by Princeton Review’s Gourman Report and 12th by U.S. News and World Report) is designed to prepare social workers for leadership roles in developing and providing services to individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations in the local, national, and global arenas. With a recently redesigned curriculum, Penn’s MSW degree melds cutting-edge innovation with a rich educational tradition rooted in social justice and social change.
For more information: https://www.sp2.upenn.edu/academics/master-of-social-work/
Curriculum
A minimum of 16 course units are required for graduation.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| SWRK 601 | History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare | 1.0 |
| SWRK 602 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment | 1.0 |
| SWRK 603 | American Racism and Social Work Practice | 1.0 |
| SWRK 604 | Foundations of Social Work Practice I | 1.0 |
| SWRK 614 | Foundations of Social Work Practice II | 1.0 |
| SWRK 615 | Introduction to Social Work Research | 1.0 |
| SWRK 704 | Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice I | 1.0 |
| or SWRK 708 | Advanced Macro Social Work Practice I | |
| SWRK 714 | Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice II | 1.0 |
| or SWRK 718 | Advanced Macro Social Work Practice II | |
| SWRK 713 | Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender | 1.0 |
| Select one 700 level Policy Elective 1 | 1.0 | |
| Select one 700 level Research Option 1 | 1.0 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 1.0 | |
| Mental Health Diagnostics 1 | ||
700-level Elective for Macro Practice | ||
| Select four additional electives | 4.0 | |
| Total Course Units | 16 | |
| 1 | Must be from approved list. |
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2020 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.
Sample Plan of Study
Penn offers four different MSW program options, enabling students to choose the course of study that best fits with their personal circumstances and career goals: the two-year Full-Time program, the three-year Part-Time program, the Advanced Standing program, and the Employed Practitioners program. Additionally, the Penn MSW program accepts students from Pennsylvania’s CWEL program.
While students may customize their schedules due to participation in a dual degree or certificate program, enrollment in an international course or study abroad experience, the needs of their field placement agency, or successfully passing a waiver exam, the grid below outlines the standard schedule and course of study for full-time students.
For more information: https://www.sp2.upenn.edu/academics/master-of-social-work/program-options/
Sample Plan of Study
Below is the standard schedule and course of study for full-time students.
Joint Lectures
Sequences in the MSW program may schedule sequence-wide lectures for all sections at various points in the semester. These lectures feature experts in the field and are a mandatory component of the course(s).
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| Foundation-year field placement begins in September and ends in April. | ||
| SWRK 601 | History and Philosophy of Social Work and Social Welfare 1 | 1.0 |
| SWRK 602 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment (including Joint lectures) 1 | 1.0 |
| SWRK 603 | American Racism and Social Work Practice (including Joint lectures) | 1.0 |
| SWRK 604 | Foundations of Social Work Practice I (including Joint lectures) 2 | 1.0 |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| SWRK 614 | Foundations of Social Work Practice II (including Field and Joint Lectures) 2 | 1.0 |
| SWRK 615 | Introduction to Social Work Research (including Joint lectures) 1 | 1.0 |
| Select one 700 level Policy Elective | 1.0 | |
| Select one of the following: | 1.0 | |
| Mental Health Diagnostics | ||
700 level Elective | ||
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advanced-year field placement begins in September and ends in April. | ||
| SWRK 704 or SWRK 708 | Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice I (including Field and Joint lectures) 2 or Advanced Macro Social Work Practice I | 1.0 |
| Select two 700 level electives | 2.0 | |
| Select one 700 level Research Option | 1.0 | |
| SWRK 710 | Supervision Seminar 3 | 0.0 |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| SWRK 714 or SWRK 718 | Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice II (including Field and Joint lectures) 2 or Advanced Macro Social Work Practice II | 1.0 |
| SWRK 713 | Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race and Gender (including Joint lectures) | 1.0 |
| Select two 700 level electives | 2.0 | |
| SWRK 710 | Supervision Seminar 3 | 0.0 |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 16.00 | |
| 1 | Waiver Exams are offered for SWRK 601 and SWRK 602 every August, and for SWRK 615 every October. Students who score a qualifying grade on a waiver exam may take an elective in place of the required course. |
| 2 | Practice classes are a year-long sequence. Students remain in the same section of SWRK 604/SWRK 614 for the entire year, and remain in the same section of SWRK 704/SWRK 714 or SWRK 708/SWRK 718 for the entire second year. |
| 3 | Non-credit/non-tuition course. For students without an MSW field supervisor. |