Social Work (MSW)
NOTICE: The MSW Program is no longer accepting applications for the Summer and Fall Semester of 2023.
Why Choose Social Work?
The Master of Social Work Program (MSW) at Fayetteville State University (FSU), prepares you for advanced social work practice and leadership with a focus on issues concerning children, families, the military, mental health and substance abuse. The program is designed to prepare you to practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations in rural, urban and military settings. You will be prepared to utilize ethical and evidence based practice in prevention, treatment, intervention, clinical practice, research, and administration activities that promote human well-being. The program also seeks to equip you with knowledge, skills, and social work values to alleviate oppression, poverty, and discrimination in a multicultural society and in the global community. You will matriculate in an environment that promotes diversity, and stimulates a desire for lifelong learning by bringing together faculty, field instructors, social work professionals, and students for collaborative learning.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program is fully accredited by the CSWE.
Faculty and staff within Fayetteville State University’s School of Social Work go above and beyond to ensure that students have everything they require to be successful academically, professionally and personally.
Social Work: Advanced Standing, M.S.W.
Advanced standing status is only awarded to graduates of baccalaureate social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Advanced standing is a one-year full-time academic program. Students must have completed their bachelor's degree in social work within five years of expected enrollment in the MSW Program and have a cumulative 3.0 GPA to apply for advanced standing. It is assumed that an advanced standing student will have mastered the fundamentals and have demonstrated the ability to perform in an accelerated learning program. Advanced standing students begin course work during the first summer session. Students enroll in SWRK 606 - Social Work Practice Seminar (3 s.h.) and SWRK 608 - Statistics and Research Seminar (3 s.h.) courses.
During the fall and spring semesters, students complete the advanced field instruction courses: SWRK 656 and SWRK 657 and SWRK 501-Professional Writing for Social Work and SWRK 662-Ethics in Social Work Practice. Thirty-five (35) hours will be required for graduation. The curriculum for the Advanced Standing Track is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each term: Summer Term: 6 credit hours; Fall Semester: 16 credit hours; Spring Semester: 13 credit hours. GRE IS NOT REQUIRED
Social Work: Weekend Part-Time, M.S.W.
The curriculum for the weekend part-time program is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each term: Foundation Year 1 (Fall Semester: 9 credits; Spring Semester: 9 credit hours); Foundation Year 2 (Fall Semester: 13 credit hours; Spring Semester: 10 credit hours; and Advanced Year 3 (Fall Semester: 10 credit hours; Spring Semester: 10 credit hours). Classes for the Weekend Part-Time (WPT) program are Friday evenings and all day Saturdays. GRE IS NOT REQUIRED
Social Work- M.S.W. Degree - Full Time Program
The curriculum for the 2-year full-time program is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each terms: Foundation Year (Fall Semester: 16 credit hours; Spring Semester: 16 credit hours); and Advanced Year (Fall Semester: 16 credit hours; Spring Semester: 13 credit hours). Classes for the Full Time (FT) program are held Monday through Thursday. GRE IS NOT REQUIRED
Other Graduate Certificates
The school has offered a Graduate Certificate in Substance Abuse Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Military Behavioral Health for several years . The Substance Abuse Studies curriculum requires 12 credit hours. The Military Behavioral Health curriculum requires 18 credit hours. For students in the MSW Program, each of the Certificate Programs includes at least one course that is part of the Advanced Curriculum for the MSW degree.
The MSW program will not grant academic credit for life or work experience. Only students admitted to the program may take graduate social work courses. Also, only those students who have been admitted to the program and who have completed all required Fayetteville State University pre-requisite course work may enroll in practice courses and in the field instruction courses.
Applicants for admission must meet the following criteria:
Completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
A minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate work or a 3.0 in the last 60 hours completed.
A broad liberal arts background to include a minimum of 18 semester hours in basic social and behavioral sciences, 3 semester hours of Human Biology (Human Anatomy and Physiology or Human Growth and Development may be used as a substitute course to meet this requirement), and 3 semester hours of Humanities.
Students must submit an application for admission.
Three completed recommendations must be provided from instructors or professors, employers, supervisors, and/or professional colleagues who can assess the applicant’s potential for success in graduate school. One recommendation must be from a former instructor or professor if the applicant graduated within the last five (5) years. If the applicant graduated more than five (5) years ago, the applicant may obtain a recommendation from another employer, supervisor, and/or professional colleague. Recommendations from friends or family members are not appropriate and will not be accepted.
Students must submit a personal statement of no more than five typed, double-spaced pages which addresses the applicant's:
- Interest in pursuing the profession of social work;
- Volunteer work and paid work experiences;
- Future career plans;
- Community involvement;
- Personal quality that the applicant brings to the social work profession.
Submit all required documents to The Admissions Office by
- Februrary 28, 2023 for consideration for admission to the Advanced Standing MSW Program for the Fall semester;
- March 31, 2023 for consideration for admission to the Full-Time MSW Program for the Fall Semester;
- March 31, 2023 for consideration for admission to the Weekend, Part-time MSW Program for the Fall Semester.
Admission is not guaranteed.