Clinical Social Work Practice: Our Specialization and Our Commitment

Clinical social work is defined by the idea that in order to understand someone, you must work with what is both inside and outside of that person, the micro and the macro. The work is informed by your client’s thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships – but always in social, economic, political, and cultural context, the inner and the outer are never separate. Clinical social work and social justice are inextricably linked and we have been pioneering their integration for over a generation. Our M.S.W. program provides a theoretically grounded, relationship based, culturally informed approach to working with individuals, families and groups to promote healing, growth and empowerment.

Our 27-month master's degree program alternates ten weeks of intensive curricular coursework with two 8-month supervised internships to provide you with the optimum learning experience.

Clinical Internships: The Smith Advantage

Smith’s well-recognized, intensive and clinically-diverse internships are like no other social work training experience. Our students spend almost twice as many hours in practice as any other school of social work. The duration and rigor of the internships consistently provide Smith's graduates with a distinct advantage after graduation. Employers are eager to hire graduates with such rich and concentrated learning experiences, and Smith graduates find themselves readily employed.

The Smith master's degree program alternates intensive curricular preparation with rich, closely supervised internships to provide the optimum learning experience for tomorrow's social work professional.

Requirements

To meet the requirements for an M.S.W. degree, all candidates will successfully complete:

• 60 quarter hours of practicum internships
• 4 quarter hours of practicum learning seminars
• 6 quarter hours of a community based anti-racism experience
• 37 quarter hours of specific core courses
• 8 quarter hours of sequenced electives
• 10 quarter hours of elective courses in any sequence

Core Courses

Plan of Study Grid

First Summer		Hours
SOCW 500	Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families I	3
SOCW 501	Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families II	3
SOCW 505	Group Theory and Practice	2
SOCW 514	Theories of Individual Development	2
SOCW 516	Problems in Biopsychosocial Functioning	2
SOCW 520	Family Theory for Social Work Practice	2
SOCW 522	Sociocultural Concepts	2
SOCW 525	Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence	2
SOCW 530	Introduction to Social Welfare Policy	2
SOCW 540	Principles of Social Work Research	2
	Hours	22
First Winter
SOCW 510	Preparing for First Year Practicum	1
SOCW 580	Practicum Instruction in Social Work	30
SOCW 581	First Year Practicum Learning Seminar	2
	Hours	33
	Total Hours	55

Plan of Study Grid

Second Summer		Hours
SOCW 600	Clinical Social Work Practice	2
SOCW 601	Clinical Social Work Practice II	2
SOCW 615	Comparative Psychodynamic Theories for Clinical Social Work Practice	2
SOCW 618	Racism in the United States: Implications for Social Work Practices	2
SOCW 627	Community Organizing and Movement Building	2
SOCW 631	Social Welfare Policy II	2
SOCW 648	Research for Clinical Social Work Practice	2
	Hours	14
Second Winter
SOCW 680	Practicum Instruction in Social Work	30
SOCW 681	Second Year Practicum Learning Seminar	2
SOCW 682	Community Based Anti-Racism Experience	6
	Hours	38
	Total Hours	52

Sequenced Electives

• Social Work Practice (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Social Welfare Policy and Service (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Research (1 course, 2 quarter hours)

Elective Courses

Additional credits required for degree may come from any sequence (5 courses, 10 quarter hours)

Advanced Standing Requirements

Students admitted as Advanced Standing do not take first year courses (first summer, first practicum internship, and practicum seminar) with the exception of SOCW 516, which is required, and graduate with 70 quarter hour credits.

Core Courses

Plan of Study Grid

First Summer		Hours
SOCW 516	Problems in Biopsychosocial Functioning	2
SOCW 600	Clinical Social Work Practice	2
SOCW 601	Clinical Social Work Practice II	2
SOCW 615	Comparative Psychodynamic Theories for Clinical Social Work Practice	2
SOCW 618	Racism in the United States: Implications for Social Work Practices	2
SOCW 631	Social Welfare Policy II	2
SOCW 648	Research for Clinical Social Work Practice	2
	Hours	14
	Total Hours	14

Plan of Study Grid

First Winter		Hours
SOCW 680	Practicum Instruction in Social Work	30
SOCW 681	Second Year Practicum Learning Seminar	2
SOCW 682	Community Based Anti-Racism Experience	6
	Hours	38
	Total Hours	38

Sequenced Electives

• Social Work Practice (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Social Welfare Policy and Service (1 course, 2 quarter hours)
• Research (1 course, 2 quarter hours)

Elective Courses

Additional credits required for degree may come from any sequence (5 courses, 10 quarter hours).

While not required, Advanced Standing students are encouraged to take SOCW 514, SOCW 522, SOCW 505 and/or SOCW 520 as electives.

1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
2. Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
3. Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice
4. Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
5. Engage in Policy Practice
6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
7. Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities