MSW student success

• Students are responsible for enrolling in their classes through LOUIE each semester.
• Please refer to the Approved Behavioral Science Cognate List when selecting your 2 behavioral science classes for a total of 6 credits.
• Students are responsible for withdrawing from their classes if necessary.
• If a student withdraws from the MSW Program they must complete a voluntary withdrawal form for the program, through the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.

A graduate assistantship is a salaried employment opportunity for graduate students. Graduate Assistants work 20 hours peer week and, in return, are paid an hourly wage and receive a tuition waiver for the Fall and Spring semesters, which covers up to 15 credit hours each semester of in-state graduate tuition. For more information, visit the Graduate Assistantship webpage.

Northern Arizona University believes that student connection is a valuable component of the college experience. The Peer Mentor role was developed to provide additional resources and support for MSW students. The Peer Mentor assists students in learning how to balance their roles and responsibilities, while successfully navigating the rigorous curriculum and field requirements of the MSW Program. The Peer Mentor aids with the facilitation of monthly group discussion forums, in addition to being available for one-on-one mentoring with identified mentees. In addition, the Peer Mentor provides information about NAU services and resources for MSW students. Peer Mentors are expected to serve as role models and abide by the NASW Code of Ethics.

Benefits of having a mentor:
– Increase confidence in academic abilities
– Enhance your time management and organizational skills
– Access practical advice, support, and encouragement
– Identify individualized goals; guidance in the completion of identified goals
– Develop your oral and written communication skills
– Support your journey as a graduate level student
– Expand upon your professional network

Request MSW Peer Mentor

As an MSW student, the expectation is to have a professional level of writing as well as adhering to APA format. To assist students in viewing their writing from another perspective, and identifying strengths and suggestions to improve the student’s writing assignment, the MSW program has Peer Editors. They are MSW students, just like you, who are willing to offer their insight to their colleagues.

To submit an assignment to a Peer Editor, it should be submitted at least 3 days prior to the deadline along with the rubric. Once the assignment is reviewed the peer editor along with the student will create an agenda to guide the revision process, so the student is able to develop a strong written assignment.

If interested for MSW Peer Mentor or MSW Peer Editor, keep an eye out for application opening and deadlines on Handshake.

Goal of MSW advising

To best serve and equip MSW students with needed resources in their professional and academic success in the MSW program.

Role of the School of Social Work

To provide timely and relevant resources and communication to encourage academic and professional attainment. For overall student success the role of advising has two specialized areas: Academic & Administrative and Professional & Personal. When a student is admitted into the MSW program they are automatically assigned an Academic Success Coordinator (advisor), MSW Faculty Mentor, and a Field Mentor.

1. Academic & Administrative Advising: Contact the Academic Success Coordinator. This role serves as your ‘advisor’ in signing and approving forms for your progression in the MSW program. This role is knowledgeable in campus resources and assisting students with academic needs. Reach out to the Academic Success Coordinator for:
   • Admissions Process
   • Enrollment & Course Progression: policy & procedures, forms, deadlines, deferment/leave of absence, Employment & Scholarship program verification
   • Steps to Graduation
   • NAU Services
   • Contact: Kendra Garland
     • Email: Garland@nau.edu
     • Phone:928-523-6569

2. Professional & Personal Advising: Contact MSW Program Coordinator. This role is knowledgeable in the profession and career opportunities of a degree in social work.  Reach out to the MSW Program Coordinator for:
   • Course content questions including approval for pre-req requirements
   • Licensure questions
   • Educational and professional goals
   • Contact: Natalie Randolph
     • Email: Randolph@nau.edu
     • Phone:928-523-2808

3. Field Education Preparation: Contact the Assistant Director of Field Education. This role serves the primary point of contact to support you in securing your field placement required for our field education requirements. This role is knowledgeable in expectations of field education and coordinates partnerships with community organizations for unique student field education experiences. Reach out to the Assistant Director of Field Education for:
   • Field Education/Placement Process
   • Preparation for Field Education
   • Developing new partnerships with community organizations for field education experiences
   • Contact: Field Education Team
     • Email: SWFieldEducation@nau.edu

Role of the student

To take an active role in the responsibility of their own academic and professional career and seek out appropriate resources as necessary.

1. A student will enroll themselves into their MSW courses each semester.
2. Communicate concerns and questions as they arise. As an MSW program, we have individuals in place to answer questions or help to guide students to available resources.
3. Communicate as academic/personal/professional situations happen that may need additional resources. Communication early about a situation allows for the most effective process to begin for your student success.

Advising appointments

As requested by the student, Academic Success Coordinator or MSW Program Coordinator can be in-person or via Zoom. These can be requested at any time to assist with academic or professional progression. Meetings can be arranged by the parties involved via email or phone to find a compatible time.

• Comprehensive academic performance standards in the Social Work Department include cognitive, skill, scholastic, behavioral and professional components that are primary indicators of professional readiness for practice in the field of social work.
• A GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation from the program.
• You may not earn more than 6 credits of C or get a C in more than 2 classes. If you do get a third C you will be required to repeat the class if it is a required Social Work class. If you get a 3rd C in a Behavioral Science Cognate you may select another class and receive a grade of A/B in that class.
• All classes that you receive a grade of D or F in will have to be repeated.
• Students who fall below a 3.0 during any semester will have to submit an Academic Improvement plan. Contact MSW Program Coordinator for instructions.
• Students are expected to behave in a manner that is consistent with the values, ethics, and conduct requirements of the profession of social work in their three primary roles in the program: as learners, as students in a professional program, and as future professional helpers.
  1. Achieve/maintain an overall GPA of 3.0, Successfully complete SW 595/596 and SW 695/SW 696.
  2. Student demonstrates adherence to ethical, legal, and professional directives and expectations.
  3. Student engages in self-reflection and awareness of self and their impact on interpersonal and professional relationships
  4. Student interactions with peers, client systems, faculty, staff, advisors, supervisors, agency personnel, and field instructors reflect integrity, honesty, and cooperation, as well as a clear understanding of professional roles and appropriate boundaries.
  5. Student responsibility and professional readiness are demonstrated over the course of study through self-directed and accountable behavior, and adherence to professional program, and university codes of conduct.
  6. Student reasoning reflects a comprehensive analysis that distinguishes fact from inference; conclusions are grounded in relevant data, information, and evidence.
  7. All verbal, nonverbal, and written communication exchanges are in accordance with professional standards. For classes the student prepares written products that reflect mastery of the conventions of written English in clarity, accuracy, completeness, as well as evidence of correct grammar and syntax, proper diction, accurate reasoning, and APA formatting.
• Students who are unable to achieve or demonstrate these standards in the MSW Student Handbook will come before the MSW Academic Performance Review Committee in accordance with the program policies and procedures that govern how issues of student continuation in and termination from the program are handled.

Academic integrity refers to honest and ethical conduct in all aspects of academic life. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others.

All forms of academic deceit, such as plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification or fabrication of results or records; permitting work to be submitted by another; or inappropriately recycling work from one class to another constitutes academic misconduct that may result in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting suspected instances of academic misconduct.

Graduate level students are expected to have specific skill sets to navigate the graduate level course work and field placements, including communication, intellectual/cognitive skills, and emotional/behavioral readiness skills:

• Effective communication skills that demonstrate clear and timely communication with peers, faculty members, field instructors, staff at field agencies, client systems, and other professionals they may interact with within their role as a MSW student/intern.
• Utilization of verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including listening objectively and accurate interpretation of nonverbal communication.
• Recognize and appropriately respond to other’s expression of emotions.
• Accurately convey verbal and written information about client’s needs, to direct or counsel them or other staff members involved in their overall care.
• Clear communication demonstrated through course assignments and at field placement, appropriate to the level of education (Foundation Year vs. Specialization Year).
• Engage in critical thinking and apply appropriate problem solving skills.
• Demonstrate an ability to continually reflect on one’s own values, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, personal biases and experiences, and identify how these factors shape patterns of thinking, behaviors, interactions and relationships with others.
• Ability to accept responsibility for one’s actions and recognize the impact of these actions on others.
• Demonstrate punctuality and dependability, prioritize responsibilities, effective time management, participate in courses and at field placement in accordance with MSW and field policies and procedures.
• Adhere to outlined deadlines in coursework and within field placement, maintain appointments as scheduled.
• Navigate transportation to attend to responsibilities at field placement.
• Incorporate constructive feedback provided from coursework and the field environment, practice acceptance of this feedback.
• Manage and seek appropriate support to ensure personal issues do not interfere with field and academic performance.
• Maintain respectful interactions with peers, faculty members, field instructors, staff, client systems, and other professionals.
• Demonstrate the capacity to successfully complete the required field hours and meet the outlined social work competencies in field and academic settings.