The School of Social Work offers two graduate degrees: A Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (Ph.D.).
MSW Degree: Our MSW program prepares students who are passionate about helping others to promote social, racial, and economic justice, and to advocate for improved social policies and services. MSW students gain foundational and specialized knowledge from a wide range of innovative courses. A minimum of 60 credits are required for the degree, 42 of which are obtained in courses and 18 of which are in the form of practicum education. Courses and practicum are taken concurrently through an integrated sequence of foundation and advanced content. Students must complete their MSW degree with a specialized advanced concentration in one of the following areas, Community Organizing (CORG), Individuals, Groups, and Families (IGFP), or Policy Practice (POPR).
Courses are offered in a variety of modalities, from online to in-person, with flexibility in scheduling and time completion for all three concentrations. Our fully online program, classes available in synchronous and asynchronous formats, is available to students in the Individual, Groups, and Families concentration. Students accepted into the fully online program are required to take all classes online and have access to reliable internet to access all course material online to complete the program requirements. Our Stamford campus program is available to students in the Individuals, Groups, and Families concentration and classes will be held in-person and online. Practicum education requirements will remain in person for online students. Agencies will be identified by the Practicum Education Department in the student’s geographic area.
Location
Modality
Requirements
Foundation courses:
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5001 | Human Oppression: The African-American and Puerto Rican Perspective | 3 |
| SSW 5002 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories | 3 |
| SSW 5003 | Foundation for Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5004 | Foundation for Micro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5005 | Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems | 3 |
| SSW 5006 | Research Methods for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5101 | Practicum Education Seminar I | 0 |
| SSW 5102 | Practicum Education Foundation I | 4 |
| SSW 5103 | Practicum Seminar II | 1 |
| SSW 5104 | Practicum Education Foundation II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 27 |
Community Organizing Concentration Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5300 | Advanced Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5302 | Essential Theory and Intervention in Community Organizing | 3 |
| SSW 5303 | Program Planning, Development, and Evaluation | 3 |
| SSW 5304 | Grassroots Organizing | 3 |
| SSW 5306 | Political Advocacy | 3 |
| 1 | 6 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
Individuals, Groups and Families Concentration Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5201 | Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families | 3 |
| SSW 5202 | Advanced Approaches to Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families | 3 |
| SSW 5203 | Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations | 3 |
| 3 |
| Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents | |
| Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults | |
| Clinical Conditions with Groups | |
| Clinical Conditions with Families | |
| 1 | 9 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
Policy Practice Concentration Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5300 | Advanced Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5301 | Policy Practice: Foundational Processes | 3 |
| SSW 5303 | Program Planning, Development, and Evaluation | 3 |
| SSW 5305 | Policy Practice: Advanced Processes, Careers, and Contexts | 3 |
| SSW 5306 | Political Advocacy | 3 |
| 1 | 6 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
MSW Advanced Standing
Advanced Standing is a study option for students who want to accelerate their education and career as a social worker. To qualify, the student must have received a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree within the last six years from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Advanced standing students complete 35 credits. The program begins in mid-summer. After completion of the summer courses, students complete their practicum education and practicum seminar as part of the advanced year curriculum with the concurrent coursework. Based on how a student chooses to complete their program, they will take the research and elective courses in the appropriate semesters. This program is offered in-person on the Hartford campus for all three concentrations and fully online for the Individuals, Groups, and Families concentration.
Community Organizing Concentration Advanced Standing Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5000 | Special Populations | 1 |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5300 | Advanced Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5302 | Essential Theory and Intervention in Community Organizing | 3 |
| SSW 5303 | Program Planning, Development, and Evaluation | 3 |
| SSW 5304 | Grassroots Organizing | 3 |
| SSW 5306 | Political Advocacy | 3 |
| SSW 5310 | Advanced Macro Practice Skills Laboratory | 1 |
| 1 | 6 |
Individuals, Groups, and Families Concentration Advanced Standing Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5000 | Special Populations | 1 |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5201 | Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families | 3 |
| SSW 5202 | Advanced Approaches to Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families | 3 |
| SSW 5203 | Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations | 3 |
| |
| Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents | |
| Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults | |
| Clinical Conditions with Groups | |
| Clinical Conditions with Families | |
| SSW 5210 | Skills Lab | 1 |
| 1 | 9 |
Policy Practice Concentration Advanced Standing Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5000 | Special Populations | 1 |
| SSW 5007 | Advanced Research: Program Evaluation | 3 |
| or SSW 5008 | Advanced Research Topics: Variable Topics |
| SSW 5105 | Practicum Education Seminar III | 0 |
| SSW 5106 | Advanced Practicum Education III | 4 |
| SSW 5107 | Practicum Education Seminar IV | 1 |
| SSW 5108 | Advanced Practicum Education IV | 4 |
| SSW 5300 | Advanced Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5301 | Policy Practice: Foundational Processes | 3 |
| SSW 5303 | Program Planning, Development, and Evaluation | 3 |
| SSW 5305 | Policy Practice: Advanced Processes, Careers, and Contexts | 3 |
| SSW 5306 | Political Advocacy | 3 |
| SSW 5310 | Advanced Macro Practice Skills Laboratory | 1 |
| 1 | 6 |
Advanced Standing Courses Waived
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| SSW 5001 | Human Oppression: The African-American and Puerto Rican Perspective | 3 |
| SSW 5002 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories | 3 |
| SSW 5003 | Foundation for Macro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5004 | Foundation for Micro Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5005 | Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems | 3 |
| SSW 5006 | Research Methods for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 5101 | Practicum Education Seminar I | 0 |
| SSW 5102 | Practicum Education Foundation I | 4 |
| SSW 5103 | Practicum Seminar II | 1 |
| SSW 5104 | Practicum Education Foundation II | 4 |
Joint Program with Yale Divinity School
In conjunction with the Yale University Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, the School of Social Work offers a program in which students may earn the MSW degree from UConn and the M.Div. degree from Yale in four years instead of the five years required when these programs are taken separately. Yale University will accept up to nine elective credits earned in UConn’s MSW program. Students in the joint program will have their MSW elective credits waived (six credits for CO and POPR students and nine credits for IGFP students), thereby reducing the required MSW credits from 60 to 54 for CORG and POPR students and from 60 to 51 for IGFP students. Students should consult with the School of Social Work Joint Degree liaison to discuss the approval of their Yale elective coursework. Students must be enrolled concurrently in both schools and earn both degrees simultaneously to benefit from this arrangement.
