The joint M.S.W./Ph.D. program permits exceptionally qualified students "with a high level of demonstrated academic competence, leadership potential, and a strong interest in scholarship in social welfare research" to reduce the 96 serial credits required for the M.S.W. and Ph.D. programs in Social Welfare to 87 credits.
Program of Study (87 credits)
- Core Courses - Required courses for all M.S.W./Ph.D. students (54 graduate credits, minimum):
- Ssw 600 Social Welfare Policy Practice (3)
- Ssw 610 Human Behavior and Social Environment I (3)
- Ssw 611 Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3)
- Ssw 620 Micro Practice I (3)
- Ssw 621 Micro Practice II (3)
- Ssw 630 Macro Practice I (3)
- Ssw 631 Macro Practice II (3)
- Ssw 650 Field Instruction I (3)
- Ssw 651 Field Instruction II (4)
- Ssw 752 Field Instruction III (4)
- Ssw 753 Field Instruction IV (4)
- Ssw 823 Social Welfare Practice Theory (Proseminar) (3)
- Ssw 826 Social Welfare Policy (Proseminar) (3)
- Ssw 862 Social Welfare Research (Proseminar) (3)
- Ssw 863 Applications of Advanced Methods in Social Welfare Research (Proseminar) (3)
- Ssw 679 Statistics and Data Analysis I with Lab (3)
- Ssw 687 Statistics and Data Analysis II with Lab (3)
- Concentration Courses (9 - 12 credits depending on concentration):
- MACRO Concentration -12 credits required:
- Ssw 790 Human Service Organizations Within a Changing Environment (3)
- Ssw 791 Managing Systems in Human Service Organizations (3)
- Ssw 792 Community Building (3)
- One course designated MACRO elective as advised (3)
- Clinical Concentration - 9 credits required consisting of three Advanced Clinical Practice courses
- MACRO Concentration -12 credits required:
- Doctoral Courses - 15 credits required:
- One Advanced Research course (3)
- One Advanced Data Analytics course (3)
- Ssw 831 Social Work Teaching and Pedagogy (3)
- Ssw 865 Qualitative Social Work Research (3)
- Ssw 866 Preparation for Scholarly Writing in Social Work (3)
- Supporting and Elective Courses (6-9 credits): Appropriate courses totaling at least 6 - 9 graduate credits, depending on concentration, to complete the master’s concentration and to develop the doctoral social welfare problem and practice intervention area of study.
Additional Requirements
Additionally, all students must:
- Have a satisfactory record in all course and seminar study;
- Complete satisfactorily the Language or Computer Proficiency requirement;
- Complete satisfactorily the Doctoral Comprehensive Essay;
- Submit an acceptable dissertation based on independent research; and
- Complete at least two acceptable substantive courses outside of the School of Social Welfare.
Please note: This program requires an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience requirement. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If you have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of your intended academic program.
Federal Licensure/Certification Disclosure
Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified.
The Social Work MSW program at the University at Albany is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State. Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that Social Work MSW program at the University at Albany meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the additional following U.S. States: none.
It is important to note that the University at Albany is not the licensure/certification authority in other U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in other U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.