Social Work, Master of Social Work
- Available Emphasis Areas:
- Healthcare - Emphasis
- Social Work Coursework
The mission of Northern Arizona University's Master of Social Work (MSW) Program, synonymous with the mission of the NAU Social Work Department and grounded in the history, purpose, and values of the profession, is to educate competent generalist and advanced generalist social workers for practice with diverse populations and multi-level social systems in local, regional and global contexts.
Our generalist and advanced generalist foci are grounded in social work knowledge, values and skills; geared to practice with rural and Indigenous populations of the Southwest; and, focused on addressing poverty, structural racism, and oppression; providing leadership in promoting human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice; and service with vulnerable and underserved populations locally, regionally, and globally.
The MSW Healthcare Emphasis prepares students for culturally responsive social work healthcare practice within an interdisciplinary team, leadership and advocacy skills in health and wellness administration, program development and evaluation, and an understanding of the impact of health disparities and healthcare policy on client well-being.
The Department of Social Work at NAU partners with organizations, such as Opus VI, to offer custom programs under our Organizational Partnership-Online Campus.
This program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
Requirements Accordion Open
To receive a master's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master's degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:- All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
- All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
- All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.
Individual degree programs may exceed the baseline University Policy for a master's degree. The program-specific requirements are provided on the Details tab below.
Read the full policy here.
Overview Accordion Closed
In addition to University Requirements:
- Complete individual plan requirements.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 60 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Emphasis or Coursework Required | An emphasis or coursework is required for this degree. |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Additional Fees/Program Fees | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
A Master of Social Work (MSW) degree allows students to combine their passion for helping others with the instruction and hands-on practice they need to make a lasting impact. Students learn to bring about social change, in a degree program that aligns with students' passion for advocacy and service. The MSW program offers coursework in topics such as social policy, clinical practice, research, cultural competence, social justice and administration. The Master of Social Work program offers quality, student-centered instruction, as well as guided field education. The field placement provides an opportunity for students to earn valuable experience working with individuals, groups, and marginalized communities under the guidance of a seasoned practitioner. Students will develop advanced knowledge of current social work theory, preparing them to practice with diverse populations who require professional support and services, while gaining the skills to make positive changes in their community. Aging populations, children, veterans and military personnel, those impacted by domestic violence, clients with mental health needs, those facing homelessness, and disenfranchised families all need advocates to support them, provide access to community resources, and promote social institutions that are more just and responsive to human needs. Field education, along with clinical and macro-level MSW coursework, allows students to apply their knowledge and skills to the population they want to serve as a social worker.
Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge, values, and skills that will make them valuable agents for positive change. An MSW degree is versatile, allowing graduates to work in many different settings with a variety of individuals and communities. In many states, a Master of Social Work degree is required in order to gain third-party reimbursement from insurance companies or government agencies. An MSW offers the flexibility to practice at elevated levels within human service environments, earning a degree that opens new and exciting career opportunities. The Master of Social Work degree is considered the terminal degree for professional social work practice and licensure. Graduates will have a flexibility that they will not find with other degrees in the human service field.
The MSW Healthcare Emphasis prepares students for culturally responsive social work healthcare practice within an interdisciplinary team, leadership, and advocacy skills in health and wellness administration, program development and evaluation, and an understanding of the impact of health disparities and healthcare policy on client well-being.
Student Learning Outcomes
MSW Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Apply knowledge of social services, policies, and programs relevant to the specialization to advocate with and/or on behalf of clients for access to services.
- Develop skills in ethical practice by identifying complex ethical issues that arise at particular phases of social work practice and in particular settings.
- Develop a plan for continuing professional education and development and collaborate with and articulate the mission of Social Work to others (e.g., interdisciplinary team members, volunteers, the broader community, the news media, and political leaders).
- Evaluate ethical dilemmas related to problems and issues in the specialization and weigh values, principles of ethical decision-making, and the NASW Code of Ethics to address ethical dilemmas related to practice in the specialization area.
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Appraise how mechanisms of oppression and discrimination impact various groups and outcomes relevant to the specialization.
- Establish professional identity through leadership by applying and developing strategies of advocacy and social change that promote social, economic, and environmental justice, eliminate barriers to services, and advance human rights.
- Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
- Demonstrate an understanding of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) with respect to varying populations and issues.
- Develop an increased understanding of how diversity shapes human experience and identity.
- Explain how forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination may marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how culture and values affect diverse conceptualizations and constructions of social problems and solutions in the specialization.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills to practice without discrimination and with respect towards people of diverse backgrounds and actively engage diverse clients, groups, or organizations to promote solutions based on diverse conceptualizations of social problems in the specialization.
- Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate practice in the specialization area.
- Engage in critical thinking through the application and evaluation of research-informed practices.
- Translate practice knowledge to contribute to scientific inquiry and critically evaluate and utilize theoretical and empirical research relevant to the problems and/or populations addressed in the specialization.
- Engage in Policy Practice
- Evaluate, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance outcomes relevant to the specialization.
- Contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge of social policy at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Demonstrate collaboration with clients, colleagues, and other constituencies for policy action in the specialization.
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Employ diverse strategies to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities related to the area of specialization.
- Communicate with clients and mobilize resources appropriate to unique practice settings to implement relevant services, programs, advocacy, and/or policies.
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to determine a range of potentially effective and appropriate interventions to improve practice outcomes related to the specialization.
- Assume differential roles appropriate to the practice situations at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Demonstrate the ability to intervene at different levels (with and/or on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities) to achieve the desired practice outcomes related to the specialization.
- Demonstrate the ability to use inter-professional collaboration to achieve beneficial outcomes for relevant services, programs, advocacy, and/or policies at the micro, mezzo, or macro level to achieve client and constituency goals.
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Apply research skills to analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions in the specialization.
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate processes and outcomes to advance practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness.
- Communicate and disseminate evaluation results to a variety of audiences.
Healthcare Emphasis Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Apply knowledge of social services, policies, and programs relevant to the healthcare industry to advocate with and/or on behalf of clients for access to services.
- Develop skills in ethical practice by identifying complex ethical issues that arise at particular phases of social work practice and in healthcare settings.
- Develop a plan for continuing professional education and development specific to healthcare industry needs and collaborate with and articulate the mission of Social Work to others (e.g., interdisciplinary team members, volunteers, the broader community, the news media, and political leaders).
- Evaluate ethical dilemmas related to healthcare problems and issues in the specialization and weigh values, principles of ethical decision-making, and the NASW Code of Ethics to address ethical dilemmas related to practice in the healthcare industry.
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Appraise how mechanisms of oppression and discrimination impact various groups and outcomes relevant to the healthcare industry.
- Establish their professional identity through leadership by applying and developing strategies of advocacy and social change that promote social, economic, and environmental justice, eliminate barriers to services, and advance human rights in healthcare settings.
- Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
- Demonstrate an understanding of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) with respect to varying populations and issues that present in healthcare settings.
- Develop an increased understanding of how diversity shapes human experience and identity.
- Explain how forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination may marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how culture and values affect diverse conceptualizations and constructions of social problems and solutions in the healthcare industry.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills to practice without discrimination and with respect, towards people of diverse backgrounds, and actively engage diverse clients, groups, or organizations to promote solutions based on diverse conceptualizations of social problems presented in healthcare settings.
- Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate practice in the healthcare industry.
- Engage in critical thinking through the application and evaluation of research-informed practices.
- Translate practice knowledge to contribute to scientific inquiry and critically evaluate and utilize theoretical and empirical research relevant to the problems and/or populations addressed in healthcare settings.
- Engage in Policy Practice
- Evaluate, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance outcomes relevant to the healthcare industry.
- Contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge of social policy at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Demonstrate collaboration with clients, colleagues, and other constituencies for policy action in healthcare settings.
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Employ diverse strategies to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities related to the healthcare industry.
- Communicate with clients and mobilize resources appropriate to unique healthcare practice settings to implement relevant services, programs, advocacy, and/or policies.
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to determine a range of potentially effective and appropriate interventions to improve practice outcomes related to healthcare.
- Assume differential roles appropriate to healthcare practice situations at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Demonstrate the ability to intervene at different levels (with and/or on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities) to achieve the desired practice outcomes related to the healthcare industry.
- Demonstrate the ability to use inter-professional collaboration to achieve beneficial outcomes for relevant services, programs, advocacy, and/or policies at the micro, mezzo, or macro level to achieve client and constituency goals in healthcare settings.
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Apply research skills to analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions in the healthcare industry.
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate processes and outcomes to advance practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness in healthcare settings.
- Communicate and disseminate evaluation results to a variety of audiences, including stakeholders in healthcare settings.
Details Accordion Closed
Graduate Admission Information
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:- Transcripts.
- Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Additional Admission Requirements
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
- Coursework to be completed by the end of the first year enrolled in the program:
- Basic or applied statistics course (3 units minimum)
- Human biology course (3 units minimum)
- Essay/Letter of Intent/Personal Statement*
- Recommendation(s)/Reference(s)*
- Volunteer and/or relevant paid human service work experience (250 hours minimum).
*See the application for details.
Master's Requirements
This Master's degree requires 60 units distributed as follows:
- Social Work Core Coursework: 48 units
- Emphasis or Additional Coursework Requirement - Select one: 12 units
- Healthcare Emphasis Option - Only available for the Opus VI Organizational Partnership-Online campus.
- Social Work Coursework Option - Only available for the Online campus.
Take the following 60 units:
- Students must complete 24 units of formal letter-graded coursework.
Social Work Coursework (48 units)
Emphasis or Additional Coursework Requirement - Select one (12 units)
Social Work Coursework Option (12 units)
Only available for the Online campus.- SW 650, SW 652 (6 units)
- Select from the following (6 units)
- AIS 503, AIS 504, AIS 550, AIS 585
- ANT 548, ANT 580, ANT 581, ANT 622
- CCHE 670
- CCJ 545, CCJ 593, CCJ 618, CCJ 654
- DIS 505, DIS 518, DIS 521, DIS 524
- EDF 500, EDF 584, EDF 671, EDF 677
- EDL 600, EDL 650, EDL 653
- EDR 611
- EPS 520, EPS 550, EPS 580, EPS 590, EPS 591, EPS 596, EPS 605, EPS 606, EPS 610, EPS 611, EPS 620
- ESE 516, ESE 519, ESE 529, ESE 536, ESE 548, ESE 549, ESE 556, ESE 557, ESE 571, ESE 580, ESE 599, ESE 670
- ES 520, ES 600, ES 697
- JUS 510, JUS 530, JUS 560, JUS 620
- POS 527, POS 541, POS 543, POS 552, POS 571, POS 581, POS 644
- SOC 590
- WGS 510, WGS 600, WGS 601, WGS 652
- Additional coursework from another related program.
Additional Information
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
- Program Fee Information
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.
Master of Social Work, 2-year program
The Northern Arizona University MSW program is committed to a social work practice model with diverse individuals and rural client well-being. The program incorporates theoretical perspectives or approaches that make-up a strengths-based framework which is used to elaborate on the program’s mission and to develop the program’s goals. Developing a strengths-based framework must include knowledge of culturally competent practice. Embracing the need to give voice to marginalized communities, NAU’s MSW curriculum addresses ways for students to learn and practice ways of working with diverse groups of clients that best enable members of those communities to achieve their goals.History
The Master of Social Work degree program at Northern Arizona University has been accredited since October 9, 2020. NAU Social Work Department has a longstanding tradition of community service and preparing competent professional social workers for generalist practice with Native Americans, Latinos, and disenfranchised and vulnerable populations of the Southwest. NAU became a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in the spring of 2021, demonstrating a commitment to serving underrepresented populations.Mission
The mission of Northern Arizona University’s Master of Social Work Program is to advance social and economic justice by delivering immediately relevant education, impactful research, and service in partnership with communities in local, state, national, and international contexts. We accomplish this mission by recognizing the unique strengths and perspectives of our students, faculty, and community partners, as well as the intellectual, experiential, relational, cultural, and instrumental resources that they bring to these endeavors. We strive to create environments within which all people may thrive and where engagement and leadership are valued and rewarded.Program location
The Master of Social Work 2-year program is offered online only. This program starts in the fall and spring each year.Field education
Supported professional experience for NAU students earning degrees in Social Work
Social Work Field Education is your opportunity to gain real-world experience in a supported environment and build your resume working with local organizations. You will apply what you learn in the classroom and move one step closer to a career in social work. This firsthand experience will help you discover, develop, and enhance your social work skills. The Social Work Field Education experience and training involves participating in the life of the agency, attending regularly scheduled meetings, and other activities involving or sponsored by the field placement site. To learn more about the requirements visit the MSW Field Education webpage.Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the MSW 2-year program and the 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing program? Accordion Closed
- MSW 2-year program: A student with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline is eligible to apply for the 2-year MSW program. This program is offered online only, and starts in Fall & Spring of each year.
- MSW 1-year Advanced Standing program: A student with a BSW from an CSWE-accredited program with in the last 5 years qualifies to apply for the 1-year MSW, Advanced Standing program. This program is offered online starting in the summer and spring, and is offered in person at the Flagstaff Mountain campus starting in the summer.