Admission | Electives | Certificate Programs
MSW Part Time Program of Study
The part-time program is designed for those students who cannot attend the University on a full-time basis for the entire program. Students who meet all the requirements can expect to complete the degree on a three-year plan or (less frequently) on a four-year plan.
The part-time program sequence is very structured for the first 30 hours. These first 30 hours are called the foundation year, though it generally takes part-time students two years to complete this part of the program. During the foundation year of the part-time program, students enroll for six hours or two courses per semester for the first two years. Once students begin the advanced year of the program, they are allowed to enroll in more than two classes, and the move to a full-time student is encouraged. There are no courses available for part-time students during the summer, with the exception of SW 7010 Differential Diagnosis.
Because of the school's strict sequencing requirements, part-time students are not permitted to switch to the full-time track until they have completed the foundation phase of the program. Full-time students may switch to the part-time program provided they do not violate the sequencing requirements.
Foundation field internships for part-time students are usually provided in the summer of the second year, after the student has completed the 24 hours comprising the course work portion of the foundation year. An alternative is for the student to complete one foundation internship in the spring semester of the second year and to continue with the second foundation internship during the summer of that same year, if the internship can be arranged.
Part-time students are encouraged to spend the final 30 hours of the advanced-year program on a full-time basis. Students who desire to finish the advanced year in two calendar years are encouraged to confer with the assistant dean of Student Services and the field office staff to ensure consistency with sequencing requirements. Students have the option to complete the advanced field internships either during the summer, after completion of the advanced-year course work, or by taking four classes concurrently with the field internship.
The School of Social Work acknowledges the obligations part-time students have to employers and/or families. However, the school cannot exempt students from the requirements of the program because of these obligations. Students in the part-time program are encouraged to make arrangements to manage their personal and financial obligations before enrolling in the program.
For part-time students, the most challenging part of combining this program with work and family responsibilities is the internship. Although field internships involve 12 hours of credit, the total clock hours equal 960. The double block internships are two internships taken concurrently during one semester and consist of 480 clock hours. This translates into working a 40-hour week for 12 weeks. A single block internship consists of 240 clock hours and is usually done concurrently with classes.
An additional challenge to meeting the internship clock-hour requirement is that students must complete at least 50 percent of their internship during normal working hours. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to complete all of the internship clock-hours during nights, weekends, or holidays. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to begin advanced concentration courses until all foundation courses, including field internships are completed. No academic credit is granted for work or life experiences.
