MSW students and fieldwork partners

Transformative Social Work: Profound. Generative. Relational.

UVM's nationally recognized MSW program prepares students for transformative social work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Our graduates become professionals whose practice reflects the most humane and empowering knowledge, skills, and values of social work.

Emphasis on Experience 

Our program offers experience with a wide range of roles and settings, including schools, medical centers, mental health centers, government agencies, and community-based organizations. The breadth and depth of experience you’ll gain will well prepare you to become an effective professional. It will also develop your collaborative skills and give you a chance to explore different interests before choosing a particular path within the profession.

Preparation for Success

  • 100% of our MSW graduates taking the Master's level exam passed the first time, compared to 74% overall in the U.S. and Canada (2018-2021).
  • 90% of our MSW graduates taking the Clinical level exam passed the first time, compared to 75% overall in U.S. and Canada (2018-2021).

Pathways & Curriculum

Advanced Standing (3 Semesters)

For students with a degree from an accredited BSW program received within 7 years of applying to MSW program at UVM. Students complete 39 credit hours of full-time study over the course of a full calendar year.

Advanced Standing Course of Study (39 credits)

Semester 1 - Summer (10 credits)

SWSS 380 - Perspectives in Social Work (4 credits) ONLINE
Focus Course/Elective (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)

Semester 2 - Fall (13 credits)

SWSS 6140 - Transformative Social Work I (3 credits)
SWSS 6270 - Advanced Social Work Research (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
SWSS 6890 - Field II* (4 credits)

Semester 3 - Spring (16 credits)

SWSS 6150- Transformative Social Work II (3 credits)
SWSS 6160 - Understandings and Applications of Critical Social
Construction, Human Rights and the Strengths Perspective (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
SWSS 6890 - Field II* (4 credits)

*Minimum of 20 hours each week for a total of 300 hours per semester

Full-Time (2 Years)

Most students accepted to the program study full-time for two years and pursue coursework and a field practicum concurrently.

Foundation Year Full-time 2-Year Course of Study

The professional foundation curriculum is designed to assist students to explore and develop generalist social work knowledge, values, and skills for professional practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities. Students take 30 credits of professional foundation course work, including one elective.

Semester 1 - Fall (15 Credits)

SWSS 5160 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)
SWSS 5200 - Social Welfare Policy and Services I (3 credits)
Foundation Elective (3 credits)
SWSS 6120- Foundation Practice I (3 credits)
SWSS 6000 - Field I* (3 credits)

Semester 2 - Spring (15 Credits)

SWSS 5170 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)
SWSS 5210 - Social Welfare Policy and Services II  (3 credits)
SWSS 5027 - Foundations of Social Work Research I (3 credits)
SWSS 6130 - Foundation Practice II (3 credits)
SWSS 6000 - Field I* (3 credits)

Specialized Practice Year Curriculum

The specialized practice year curriculum is designed to provide students with knowledge, values, and skills for advanced practice. All core curriculum courses in the specialized practice year are considered advanced practice courses, in that all emphasize the engagement of social work approaches and methods in various roles and settings. Students need to complete 30 credits of concentration year coursework.

Semester 3 - Fall (15 credits)

SWSS 6140 - Transformative Social Work I (3 credits)
SWSS 6270 - Advanced Social Work Research (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
SWSS 6890 - Field II* (3 credits)

Semester 4 - Spring (15 Credits)

SWSS 6150- Transformative Social Work II (3 credits)
SWSS 6160 - Understandings and Applications of Critical Social Construction, Human Rights and the Strengths Perspective (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)
SWSS 6890- Field* (3 credits)

Part-Time (4 Years)

A small number applicants are admitted for part-time study, typically completed within 4 years; practicums occur in the second and third years.

FOUNDATION CURRICULUM

Semester 1 - Fall (9 Credits)

SWSS 5160- Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)
SWSS 5200 - Social Welfare Policy and Services I (3 credits)
Foundation Elective (3 credits)

Semester 2 - Spring (9 Credits)

SWSS 5170 - Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3 credits)
SWSS 5210 - Social Welfare Policy and Services II (3 credits)
SWSS 5027- Foundations of Social Work Research I (3 credits)

Semester 3 - Fall (6 Credits)

SWSS 6120 - Foundation Practice I (3 credits)
SWSS 6000 - Field I* (3 credits)

Semester 4 - Spring (6 Credits)

SWSS 6130 - Foundation Practice II (3 credits)
SWSS 6000 - Field I* (3 credits)

SPECIALIZED PRACTICE CURRICULUM

Semester 5 - Fall (9 Credits)

SWSS 6140 - Transformative Social Work I (3 credits)
SWSS 6890 - Field II* (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)

Semester 6 - Spring (9 Credits)

SWSS 6150 - Transformative Social Work II (3 credits)
SWSS 6890- Field II* (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)

Semester 7 - Fall (6 Credits)

SWSS 6270 - Advanced Social Work Research (3 credits)
Focus Course (3 credits)

Semester 8 - Spring (6 Credits)

SWSS 6160 - Understandings and Applications of Critical Social Construction, Human Rights and the Strengths Perspective (3 credits) Focus Course (3 credits)

* A minimum of 15 hours each week for a total of 225 hours per semester

Field Practicum

I n addition to coursework, all students complete 900 hours or more of practice in a field education placement. During field practicum semesters, students have a minimum of 15 hours/week of practice (20 hours/week for Advanced Standing students) in an agency and also attend monthly field education seminars on campus.

Our Foundation MSW (FMSW) field education curriculum builds a strong foundation in generalist social work practice. Students work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to develop beginning through complex social work skills. Your Foundation placement may not be in an area of specific interest to you; it is intended to broaden skills and experience. However, during this placement you'll also work with your field instructor and faculty field liaison to prepare for the subsequent Specialized Practice MSW (SPMSW) placement, which lets you focus on an area(s) of particular professional interest. 

Please visit our Field Education page for more information.  

Approach

Field Education

Field education tests classroom learning in professional settings, develops collaborative skills, and forms a path to areas of professional interest. Our program offers experience with a wide range of professional roles and settings— schools, medical centers, mental, health centers, government agencies, and community-based organizations.

Small Classes and Diverse Perspectives

Small classes and diverse perspectives make learning exciting, relevant, and rewarding. You'll have opportunities to work closely with faculty on research, community projects, and in independent study. Our inspiring students are diverse in age, background, life experience, and come from all parts of the U.S. With less than 70 students, our program size fosters relationships that often lead to lifelong professional associations.

Philosophy

Transformative Social Work

Transformative Social Work, the underlying philosophy of our program, weaves together three critical strands that form and fortify our approach to the social work profession:

Strengths Perspective

Strengths Perspective affirms the dignity, resourcefulness, resilience, and adaptability of people and their capacity for growth and change. It also supports the creative, supportive potential of communities that are diverse and the many ways in which people choose to work and live.

Critical Social Constructionism

Critical Social Constructionism views people and their environments, as well as knowledge of people and their environments, as historically and socially embedded. It examines and challenges existing knowledge claims by applying new and expanded perspectives.

Human Rights and Social Justice

Human Rights and Social Justice values focused on freedom and well-being inspire and guide learning, practice, and research throughout the MSW program at UVM.

 

Join us for an information session!

We look forward to answering your questions and to learning more about your interests.

MSW Online Information Sessions—Fall 2023

  • Thursday Nov. 16, 5:00pm-6:30pm
  • Friday Dec. 8, 12:30pm-2:00pm

Sign up for an information session

 

What Our Graduates Say

“I enjoyed the clinical social work experience engaging with individuals and groups while partnering alongside some of the best social workers in the field.” See the full story about Emily Mars Raymond G'22.

“I had the capability to develop exactly the type of field experience I wanted in order to grow professionally and to gain the practice and education I needed to further my career. I was able to learn from many state and local leaders and discuss my own ideas in a collaborative environment.”  -Bryan Hallet G'16, Director of Compliance and Process Improvement at Eliot Community Human Services

Application Process & Deadlines

 

Request Information

 

Important Links

“Professors were consistently willing to help me navigate my own journey and ideas without imposing their interests on me. There is room to grow and the department is willing to listen to students' needs.”  -Maisha McCormick G'17, Clinical Manager at Howard Center

MSW Program Bulletins