Master of Social Work (Direct Practice, Advanced Standing)
About This Program
The advanced standing MSW curriculum is for those students who earned a BSW degree that was conferred on or after 2010 from a CSWE accredited program, and who meet the GPA requirements. Students who earned a BSW from an accredited CSWE program prior to 2010 may request review of their degree by the MSW Director for Advanced Standing status; the decision is at the Director's discretion. Advanced Standing students select one specialty area: Direct Practice or Community and Administrative Practice.
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will be able to demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
- Upon completion, students will be able to engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Upon completion, students will be able to advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
- Upon completion, students will be able to engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Upon completion, students will be able to engage in policy practice.
- Upon completion, students will be able to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Upon completion, students will be able to assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Upon completion, students will be able to intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Upon completion, students will be able to evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Admissions Criteria
Quick Admissions (Unconditional)
This process awards a head start to bachelor-level applicants who have earned a 3.0 or higher GPA in the last approximately 60 credit hours of their undergraduate program, as calculated by the UTA Graduate Admissions Office, by requiring only a two-step process. In step 1, the applicant submits the online application in ApplyUTA and pays the fee. In step 2, the applicant must submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration. Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts to expedite receiving an admission decision. However, official transcripts must be submitted upon admission or when the institution(s) make them available. How to Submit Unofficial Transcripts. When made available, applicants may have another option to upload unofficial transcripts via the ApplyUTA portal. How to Submit Official Transcripts.
Once all transcripts have been received and evaluated, students meeting the 3.0 GPA requirement from a regionally accredited or equivalent institution are generally admitted to the Master of Social Work Program. All applicants should first apply, pay the fee, and submit transcripts, then wait for the UTA School of Social Work’s Admissions Office to determine whether they are accepted under the Quick Admissions process or will need to proceed through the Probationary Admissions process. Do not submit GRE scores, letters of recommendation, or written narrative until directed to do so by the UTA School of Social Work’s Admissions Office.
Probationary Admissions
In the second admission method, applicants deemed ineligible by the UTA School of Social Work’s Admissions Office for Quick Admission to the MSW program (based on the 3.0 GPA requirement) may be deferred and later considered by the admissions committee upon completion of the Probationary Admission Process. Probationary Admission includes, but is not limited to, satisfactorily meeting the following three additional steps beyond the Quick Admissions criteria:
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Possession of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or its equivalent, with a satisfactory GPA of 2.7 or higher.
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Submit three letters of recommendation that demonstrate professional or academic promise through the applicant’s account created during the Quick Admissions process on the ApplyUTA portal.
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Submit a narrative essay of two to three double-spaced pages responding to the following prompt: (a) Please describe your motivation for pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and your decision to enter the profession of social work. In your response, reflect on how the core values and principles outlined in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics resonate with you—both professionally and personally. (b) How do these ethical commitments align with your career goals and your professional social work identity?
This is optional, but applicants may also submit the following additional information for the admissions committee to consider when notified that they must complete the Probationary Admissions process:
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Submit GRE test scores (optional).
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If the applicant has completed and had conferred a second bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in another discipline, or a doctoral or professional higher-education degree (e.g., juris doctor, medical, PhD, master’s degree in psychology, etc.) from a regionally accredited or equivalent institution, they may submit those transcripts for consideration (optional).
Deferred Admissions
An MSW applicant’s admission may be deferred if the application file is incomplete, if denying admission isn't suitable, or if notified by the School of Social Work’s Graduate Admissions Office to start the Probationary Admissions process. All applicants should first complete the MSW Quick Admissions process. MSW applicants should not begin the Probationary Admissions process until they receive a Deferred Admission decision or are informed by the School of Social Work’s Graduate Admissions Office.
Denied Admissions
An applicant may be denied admission if the conditions for either unconditional or probationary admission are not met. Usually, a denial occurs because the applicant’s last approximately 60 undergraduate credit hours (bachelor’s degree coursework), as calculated by the UTA Graduate Admissions Office, fall below a GPA of 2.7. If you received a denial but have earned a second bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in a different field, a doctorate, or a professional degree, or if you completed more 3000 and 4000 level undergraduate courses from accredited or equivalent institutions to improve your GPA, or if you did not disclose this information in your initial application, you must reapply, pay the fee, and submit additional documentation and transcripts. The applicant may then be reconsidered, receive a deferred decision, and be asked to complete the probationary process. If you received a denial and are considering reapplying, we recommend that you first contact the School of Social Work’s MSW Admissions Office to confirm the required steps. The School of Social Work, including the MSW Admissions Office, is not authorized to calculate or provide estimated future GPAs; only the UTA Graduate Admissions Office can provide official calculations of the undergraduate GPA for the last approximately 60 credit hours.
International Applicants
International Students are eligible to apply through the Quick Admissions and Traditional Admissions processes. Official English language test scores are required from international students from non-native English-speaking countries as described in the Graduate Admissions section.
Determining MSW Advanced Standing
An applicant who earned a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited institution in or after 2010, meets the 3.0 GPA Quick Admissions requirements, and has received a grade of B or higher in all required undergraduate social work courses, may be designated as having Advanced Standing upon admission to the MSW program. Only qualified BSW graduates may be granted this designation, which waives their foundation-year coursework and allows the student to complete the MSW in one year. If a BSW student is currently enrolled in a CSWE-accredited institution’s program, they may apply to the MSW as early as two semesters, receive an Advanced Standing determination upon admission, but cannot start the MSW program until the university receives the official transcript of the conferred BSW degree.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work (such as psychology, counseling, nursing, public health, sociology, business, etc.) who have completed social work courses during their undergraduate studies or hold a minor or associate’s degree in social work or social welfare may qualify for course waivers if they meet the program’s admissions criteria and have earned a grade of B or higher in the relevant courses. After gaining admission, students should discuss this with their Academic Advisor during their first meeting before starting the MSW program. The MSW Program Director will make the final decision on which courses, if any, will be waived after the student is admitted. No official course waiver determinations can be provided or made before admission to the MSW program.
Transfer of Credit
Transfer credits for graduate-level social work courses may, at the discretion of the MSW Program Director, be accepted by the School of Social Work from comparable coursework completed with a grade of ‘B’ or higher at another Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program, dating back to 2010. Transfer credits for graduate-level coursework in related fields may, at the discretion of the MSW Program Director, be accepted if they are comparable to the required MSW coursework; such courses must have been completed with a grade of ‘B’ or higher within the last six years. Students might be asked to provide syllabi for review. No credit is awarded for life or work experience. Transfer credits will not be officially approved until after the applicant has been admitted.
Readmission Process
An MSW student who was previously enrolled in the program and wishes to resume coursework after missing a fall or spring term, or longer (summer excluded), must submit an Application for Readmission form and pay the required non-refundable application fee (U.S./Domestic Graduate Fee or International Graduate Readmit Fee). The MSW Program Director determines whether the returning student is eligible for readmission. UTA will not allow the MSW Program Director to make a readmission decision until the form is submitted and the fee is paid. If the fee is not paid, UTA Graduate Admissions will not forward the readmission form to the MSW Program Director for a decision.
Financial Aid
Scholarships are awarded annually and administered by the School of Social Work. For information about scholarships available through the School of Social Work, please visit https://www.uta.edu/ssw/student-resources/scholarships.
A limited number of traineeships are available through the Center for Child Welfare's Title IV-E Program.
Graduate Fellowships
Candidates for fellowship awards must have a 3.0 GPA or higher in their last approximately 60 undergraduate credit hours (determined by the UTA Graduate Admissions Office) and a 3.0 GPA or higher in any graduate credit hours. They must be enrolled in at least 6 hours in both long semesters to retain their fellowships.
School of Social Work’s MSW Admissions Office
The UTA School of Social Work has its own admissions office for graduate programs, separate from the university’s main admissions office. If you have further questions or need help with the MSW admissions process, please contact SSW’s Graduate Admissions Office. MSW students can begin studies in the fall, spring, or summer semesters. The MSW program accepts applications on a rolling admissions basis. MSW Admissions FAQs.
Curriculum
| Direct Practice Specialty | ||
| SOCW 5200 | ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONALISM AND SUCCESS | 2 |
| SOCW 5311 | ADVANCED MICRO PRACTICE | 3 |
| SOCW 5313 | RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK II | 3 |
| SOCW 5353 | ADVANCED POLICY ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL WORK | 3 |
| SOCW 5352 | CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK AND THE DSM | 3 |
| Select two from the following integrated theory and practice courses: | 6 | |
| INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE | ||
| BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR | ||
| STRESS, CRISIS, AND COPING | ||
| PALLIATIVE CARE | ||
| GRIEF, LOSS, AND BEREAVEMENT ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN | ||
| SUICIDE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, & POSTVENTION | ||
| Select three from the following advanced electives: | 9 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & GREEN SOCIAL WORK | ||
| SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION | ||
| FAMILY CAREGIVING & AGING | ||
| AGING IN AMERICAN SOCIETY | ||
| HEALTH INSURANCE AND ACCESS TO CARE | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN HEALTH EQUITY | ||
| MILITARY SOCIAL WORK | ||
| SEMINAR IN COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES | ||
| GENERALIST MEZZO PRACTICE | ||
| TREATMENT OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS | ||
| MILITARY FAMILIES | ||
| TREATMENT OF MILITARY POPULATIONS | ||
| MILITARY TRAUMA | ||
| CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF CHILD MALTREATMENT | ||
| SEMINAR IN WOMEN'S ISSUES | ||
| TREATING PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS | ||
| SEMINAR IN DIRECT METHODS IN COUPLES COUNSELING | ||
| SEMINAR IN FAMILY THERAPY | ||
| SOCIAL WORK IN SCHOOLS | ||
| INEQUITIES AND INCARCERATION | ||
| SELECTED TOPICS IN SOCIAL WELFARE | ||
| THESIS RESEARCH (select if thesis option is chosen) | ||
| Practicum | ||
| SOCW 5382 | SOCIAL WORK ADVANCED PRACTICUM INSTRUCTION/SEMINAR PART 1 | 3 |
| SOCW 5383 | SOCIAL WORK ADVANCED PRACTICUM INSTRUCTION/SEMINAR PART 2 | 3 |
| Integrative Seminar or Thesis Option | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR | ||
| THESIS (and SOCW 5396 as an elective) | ||
| Total Hours | 38 | |
Program Completion
In addition to the general graduate admission requirements of the University, each graduate student in the social work program must:
- maintain at least a B (3.0) overall GPA in all coursework;
- demonstrate suitability for professional social work practice; and,
- demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers and the Code of Conduct published by the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners.
The Professional Standards Committee will monitor and examine potential violations of ethical violations or lack of professional behavior.
Advising Resources
Please read all student emails carefully and review the frequently asked questions. These resources are intended to provide help when you need it. If you want to meet with your advisor, please sign up for an appointment as early in the semester as possible.
Location:
SWSH 131, 501 W. Mitchell St., Arlington, TX 76019
Email:
ssw-oass@uta.edu
Phone:
817-272-3687