Mar 19, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2020-2021 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED PUBLICATION]

Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Administration (MPA)


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Graduate Studies  >> College of Liberal Arts  

Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration (MSW/MPA) Dual Degree Program

The Master of Social Work and the Master of Public Administration programs at the University of Southern Indiana offer the University’s first dual degree program. Students will have the opportunity to complete a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree in two years. Refer to the Master of Social Work (MSW)  section and either the Master of Public Administration, Nonprofit Administration (MPA)  or Master of Public Administration, Public Sector Administration (MPA)  sections of the bulletin for specific admissions requirements and curriculum guidelines.

Students must be admitted to both graduate programs before beginning the dual degree program. Below is the curriculum for the joint MSW/MPA degree programs. Students can enroll in the full-time liberal arts track for non-BSW degreed students or the two-year advanced standing track for BSW degreed students. A minimum of two years is needed to complete the MSW/MPA dual degree program.

SOCW Electives (6 hours)


Two electives chosen from 500-600 level courses within social work; courses outside the discipline require approval of MSW Program Director.  For MSW/MPA dual degree students, both electives will be PA courses.

MSW Hours: 61 (36 hours for advanced-standing, BSW degreed students)


Two-year advanced-standing MSW students (those with a BSW degree) receive credit for foundation 500-level courses, with remaining 600-level listed courses required for the MSW degree (36 hours).

Total MSW/MPA Hours: 85 (60 hours for advanced-standing students, BSW degree students)


SOCW 605 , SOCW 610 , SOCW 611  and SOCW 671  (13 credits) apply to both MSW and MPA degrees, with 61 hours applying to the MSW and 37 hours toward the MPA.  For advanced-standing BSW degreed students, 36 hours apply to the MSW and 37 to the MPA.  Students must complete the MPA comprehensive examination in order to graduate with the MPA degree, taken towards the end of their coursework.  Students must also complete SOCW 605 - Practice Evaluation  and affiliated capstone project, cross-listed with PA 697 - Capstone Seminar in Public Administration , in order to graduate with both degrees.  For the MSW degree, both the field placement (SOCW 611 ) and the capstone (SOCW 605 ) must include administrative practice experiences.

For more information about the MSW program, visit www.usi.edu/libarts/socialwork/msw-degree.  For more information about the MPA program, visit www.usi.edu/mpa.

Two Year Liberal Arts (non-BSW) Schedule


Two Year Advanced Standing (BSW Degreed Students) Schedule


Note:


1 The MPA curriculum only requires two electives, with the option to take both during the summer semester of the first year, or one during the summer semester of the first year and one during the fall semester of the second year.

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