Social workers help individuals, families and communities solve problems related to addiction, poverty, child maltreatment, mental illness, discrimination, homelessness, truancy, chronic illness and legal issues. Social work is a profession grounded in the values of human rights and social justice, the worth and dignity of the person, and the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence.
Social workers make a difference in the world. Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, is well-respected for providing premier preparation of future professionals in this field with the Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate degree program.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at Marshall consists of two different tracks:
MSW Generalist Curriculum – This two-year curriculum promotes a generalist perspective in which the simultaneous impact of many systemic levels (individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities) on clients’ lives is critically analyzed and recognized. The foundation builds upon a liberal arts base that fosters an understanding of society as a complex organization of diverse people and ideas.
MSW Advanced Curriculum – Advanced Social Work Practice: The advanced practice curriculum seeks to develop the use and application of critical thinking, relative to behavioral health, on all levels: in reading professional writing and research; in students’ practice; in the classroom and in the students’ own thinking. Consistently monitoring practice ethically, evaluating theoretical principles and epistemologies, and using technological advances become basic practice patterns.
Marshall’s MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The CSWE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States. Social Work master’s program faculty provide personalized attention and support to graduate students, and strong networks are formed as students go through classes as cohorts.
MSW students trained in Integrated Behavioral Health are prepared for internships at the Marshall University School of Medicine’s Rural Health Initiative Programs. MSW students are on the cutting edge of interfacing with primary care physicians who work with underserved populations experiencing multiple chronic conditions. These applications include courses in mental health and substance abuse assessment and intervention; social work practice with families and groups; social policy issues impacting health service delivery; and social work practice with military families.
Additionally, there are many local internship and potential job placement sites through the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital and the VA outreach programs. Since Marshall University is in a tri-state area, more opportunities exist than in more rural settings.