University of St. Thomas
C L I
N I
C A L
S O C I
A L
W O R K
M A S T E R ’ S D E G R E E
W H Y C L I N I C A L S O C I A L W O R K
GET READY TO ROCK THE WORLD
It’s no coincidence that you’re reading this brochure right now. Your reaction to social injustice is visceral. It wakes you up in the middle of the night. Fortunately, with the right training, you’ll have the strength, smarts, skills and stamina necessary to make a big impact on the lives of individuals, groups, families and communities. A master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of St. Thomas prepares you to skillfully practice psychotherapy, research
and program management, counseling and case management, and to advocate for social justice. Ready to roll?
16% growth in social work is expected in the next decade
19% growth in health care, mental health and substance abuse social work sectors is expected by 2026
Clinical social work trains you to practice mental health counseling and therapy while also examining entire systems to support your clients.
- Wendy Lorenz-Walraven ‘16 MSW, Special Education Social Worker and Director of Equity and Diversity, Minnesota Transition Charter School
W H Y S T . T H O M A S
FIND A HAPPY BALANCE OF BIG AND SMALL Your search is over. You’ve found your happy place. The St. Thomas School of Social Work offers the perfect balance of big-school resources and small-school support. Here, you have access to a large selection of curricular options, professional mentors and career resources, plus you’re an important member of a small, close-knit community. We believe in the collective power of people who want to shake things up in order to change things for the better. Our faculty live the social justice mission. They’re at the top of their field, bringing a diverse range of real-world experience into the classroom. Class sizes are kept intentionally small to ensure a student-centric teaching environment that supports one-to-one mentoring.
Faculty connections with agencies open doors to real-world research opportunities.
Faculty bring their clinical methodologies and practice perspectives into the classroom.
90% of MSW faculty are clinically licensed and actively engaged in clinical practice.
- Patrick Foley ‘14 MSW, Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Minneapolis VA), Clinical Case Manager, adjunct faculty
Y O U R U N I Q U E C O N T R I B U T I O N
YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR WINGS
A master’s degree in clinical social work allows you to spread your wings for the common good — and soar. Your possibilities are limitless in a field that spans across behavioral and mental health, encompassing the full spectrum of social influencers of health and well-being. And we will help you find your unique contribution. You can explore specific areas of practice through your choice of elective courses, field placement and course assignments. Moreover, professors provide personal attention and mentorship to help you discover and develop your strengths. Rest assured, you will acquire the critical skills, knowledge and training in clinical social work necessary to make an impact in a variety of high-demand areas, including: • Aging/Gerontology • Military/Veterans
3 Area of Emphasis programs: Aging, Military Practice and Practice with Immigrants & Refugees.
15+ elective course offerings allow you to explore and create your own path.
• Health Care/Medical • Child/Family/School • Immigrants/Refugees • Mental Health and Substance Abuse
A JD/MSW dual degree program is offered for those interested in the intersection between social work and law.
- Carmeann Foster ’12 MSW, JD Founder and Executive Director of Rebound, Inc., MSW field faculty
C O U R S E W O R K A N D P A T H T O L I C E N S U R E
NAVIGATE THE PATH TO LICENSURE
Your chosen career path is challenging, so the training you receive in the St. Thomas MSW program is intense. It’s a Path to Licensure program that provides broad licensure preparation for all students and dedicated resources to meet your individual needs. After graduating from our program, you’ll be academically on track to meet Minnesota’s rigorous clinical social work licensing requirements.
Our advanced, deep curriculum is designed to immerse students in clinical theory and methods of practice. We equip you with the tools to help you integrate community and policy-oriented perspectives into your practice and effect substantial change at the societal level. 100%
20%+ higher pass rate on the ASWB graduate licensure exam than the national
average. 95% of alumni report
of students receive 30 hours of supervision training required to be a social work supervisor.
having a social work position within one year of graduation.
- Angela Trenda ‘17 MSW, Outpatient Therapist, Relate Counseling Center
F I E L D W O R K
IT’S TIME TO JUMP IN Wear comfy shoes, because you’ll be covering a lot of ground out in the field. This is where it gets real, and you get the chance to put theory into practice. Field education is critical to deepening your understanding as you develop hands-on skills under the supervision of experienced social work field instructors. While in the field, you’ll meet in faculty-led, small-group seminars to ensure that you’re getting the most out of the experience and applying what you learn in the classroom to a real-world setting. Students have many opportunities for field work in a variety of settings and practice areas, including:
• Medical Social Work • School Social Work
• Corrections • Community Mental Health • Addiction and Chemical Dependency Treatment • Case Management • And more
• Psychotherapy and Outpatient Treatment • Child Welfare, Foster Care and Adoptions • Housing and Community-Based Support
One of our unique field placement sites is the St. Thomas Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services (IPC), which is a free clinic focused on the underserved. It is located at our downtown Minneapolis campus and is a collaboration between the School of Social Work, Graduate School of Professional Psychology and the School of Law, which prepares students to work collaboratively with other professions.
CLINICAL PRACTICUM:
The second field placement for Regular Standing students and only placement for Advanced Standing students; 600 hours, 16-20 hours/week during the academic year or 40 hours/week as a summer block placement
FOUNDATION PRACTICUM: The first of two field
placements for Regular Standing students; 400 hours, 12-14 hours/week during academic year or 35-40 hours/week as a summer block placement
- Beth Turbak ‘16 MSW, Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Hospice; Area of Emphasis in Aging Scholar
P R O G R A M C O M P L E T I O N O P T I O N S
OPTIONS GALORE Choose from eight MSW program options that fit your life, your goals and your educational background. Take 100% of your classes during weekdays and evenings on campus. Or take your classes online with just three on-campus Saturday sessions each semester with our Hybrid MSW. You’ll enter the School of Social Work as either Advanced Standing or Regular Standing and can choose from a variety of program completion options.
ADVANCED STANDING: Complete 38 credits and 600 hours of field placement If you have an undergraduate degree in social work from a BSW program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, you
REGULAR STANDING: Complete 56 credits and 1,000 hours of field placement If you have an undergraduate degree outside of social work, you are considered Regular Standing and will complete foundation and clinical coursework. • Two year, weekday/evening (full-time, fall start) • Three year, weekday/evening (fall start) • Four year, weekday/evening (fall start) • Hybrid MSW: three years (summer start)
are given Advanced Standing. • One year, weekday/evening (full-time, summer start)
• Two year, weekday/evening (fall start) • Three year, weekday/evening (fall start) • Hybrid MSW: two years (summer start)
- Francois Vang ‘15 MSW, Lead Systemic Family Therapist, Nystrom & Associates, Ltd.
F I N A N C I N G A N D A P P L I C A T I O N
YES, YOU CAN DO THIS FINANCING We offer scholarships and grants to students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement, bring diverse backgrounds to the profession, have an interest in high-need areas of practice and more. We also have graduate financial aid counselors to help you explore your options. Learn more at stthomas.edu/socialwork/graduate/financing .
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The priority application deadline for all MSW completion tracks is Jan. 10. • A completed online application form
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions • Current résumé (prior social service experience preferred) • Three letters of recommendation • Personal statements PREREQUISITE CONTENT Students admitted to the program need to have completed a course each in three specific areas*: • Statistics or research methods • Human biology • Lifespan developmental psychology * You don’t need to have these courses completed in order to apply, however you must complete them before you start the program.
Join our 2,500+ Clinical MSW alumni network
Grounded in social justice and inspired by Catholic social thought, we educate and engage students to learn, grow and develop their professional skills as they prepare for social work practice in support of health, well-being and the common good.
CONNECT WITH US: stthomas.edu/socialwork/msw Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota • (651) 962-5800 • mswinfo@stthomas.edu
The University of St. Thomas is an equal opportunity educator and employer. St. Thomas does not unlawfully discriminate, in any of its programs or activities, on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. stthomas.edu/eostatement The University of St. Thomas is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions. All programs offered by the University of St. Thomas shall be readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. For details, call (651) 962-6315. 21_99 SSW
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16Powered by FlippingBook