Master the Art of Helping People
Practice social work at the highest professional level. Choose your unique path, and prepare to use your skills to help individuals, families and small groups. As an MSW student, you’ll master the foundations and gain practical experience in your specific area of interest through an internship. With a code of ethics and Christian values as your guide, you’ll learn to promote diversity, human and universal rights and social and economic justice for populations at risk.
Online
Complete your MSW at your own pace with video lectures and digital coursework.
Virtual Classroom
Create lasting bonds with peers during a live weekly virtual session.
Face-to-Face
Enjoy traditional face-to-face teaching at our beautiful Spring Arbor, Michigan campus.
Social Work Accreditation
The MSW at SAU is one of 10 programs in Michigan accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. If you've already earned an accredited Bachelor of Social work, you may qualify for our 1-year specialized program.
Key Courses
The Master of Social Work will prepare graduates with generalist and specialized social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and effective processes that will teach critical thinking needed for specialized social work practice. Students in the MSW program will engage in teaching and learning guided by the social work competencies, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the integration of Christian values in their application to social work practice.
Our MSW program offers multiple start dates each semester. Apply or connect with us using the links below and an admissions representative will contact you about upcoming start dates.
Licensure
Graduates with the MSW degree are eligible to apply for licensure in their state of residence as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Micro (Clinical). Detailed information regarding the application process, the two years of supervision, and the licensing exams are available through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation or from your state's regulatory agency.
Canadian Licensure
The Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS) has a mutual degree recognition agreement with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in the United States, stating that degrees from CASWE-ACFTS and CSWE accredited Bachelor and Master of Social Work programs are considered equivalent. More information is available on the CSWE website.
With this agreement in place, Canadians are able to apply to and attend an out of the country MSW program, with two important notes:
- If you choose to study in a country outside of Canada, you must have your degree assessed by the Canadian Association for Social Workers (CASW) for equivalency in order to register with their provincial social work licensing/regulatory body. This is an extra step to complete after you complete the program.
- Canadians exploring a foreign social work degree should bear in mind that Canadian social work employers and provincial/territorial social work organizations might require that foreign degrees be assessed for equivalency to a Canadian social work degree as a condition of employment or membership. This is an extra step to complete after you complete the program.
School Social Work
Spring Arbor University's Master's in Social Work program offers three school social work courses that are a requirement in obtaining a preliminary approval with the Michigan Department of Education for becoming a school social worker.
Careers
- MSW graduates are qualified to work in a variety of roles in the following key fields:
- Social services — family service agencies, foster care, legal services, referral programs, SNAP programs, Meals-on-Wheels and transportation programs
- Health services — nursing homes, day care centers, community mental health centers, hospitals, housing projects and public health clinics
- Programming planning — group homes, senior centers, government agencies, parks and recreation departments, educational institutions, religious organizations and correctional facilities
- Clinical social work — private practice
Bonnie Holiday, Dean, School of Social Science, Chair, Department of Social Work
Sarah Bartzen, MSW Director, Associate Professor of Social Work
Sandra Stephenson, Internship Director, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Emily Dixon, Associate Professor of Social Work
Ama Larson, Associate Professor of Social Work
Leona Mickles-Burns, Associate Professor of Social Work
Jerry Walden, BSW Director, Associate Professor of Social Work
Stacy Mack, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Lisa Marquette, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Nich Pollak, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Matthew Winner, Academic Advisor, Global and Online
Admissions Requirements
In addition to fulfilling the admissions requirements for all graduate programs, MSW applicants must submit the following information to their admissions representative: a) a current resume, b) an electronic form with the names and email addresses of three professional or academic references, c) an electronic conviction disclosure form and d) a personal statement as explained by the admissions representative.
References
Applicants are required to submit three strong, professional references that attest to the applicant's 1) intellectual competence, 2) potential for academic success, 3) ability to work with people around sensitive issues, including people from a range of diverse backgrounds, 4) possession of critical thinking and communication skills, 5) demonstrated sense of ethics and values, and 6) potential success as a professional social worker. If possible, two references should have direct knowledge of the applicant's academic work. For applicants with a recent Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, it is strongly recommended that one of the references has served as the applicant's field instructor. Applicants who received an undergraduate degree several years ago should provide references in the human services field who can speak to their strengths per the above list. References from family members or fellow students will not be accepted.
Personal Statement
Applicants are required to submit a personal statement (double-spaced, APA format, Level 1 headings) that includes each of the following items:
- Motivation for pursuing the MSW degree
- Statement of professional goals
- Demonstrated learning and growth that has taken place through professional work and volunteer experiences
- Expectations regarding attending a Christian university for the MSW program, and the applicant's personal integration of faith, scholarship and service
- Research of a social problem of interest to the applicant, including perceived causes and proposed solutions (Must include at least one reliable reference and be 1.5 pages in length.)
- Discussion of an ethical challenge the applicant faced in professional, field or volunteer work and how it was resolved
- Recognition of the challenges and stress related to the social work profession
- Discussion of three specific changes that will be made to accommodate the rigor of an accelerated MSW program, including how an internship will be possible in the applicant's schedule
- Discussion of how applicant will set and maintain appropriate boundaries to deal with the stresses/challenges identified
Specialized Program Admissions Requirements
To avoid duplication and redundancy for BSW graduates, the MSW program offers a one-year, 30-credit-hour, specialized program. In order to be considered for admission to the specialized program, students must have been granted a baccalaureate degree in social work from an undergraduate social work program that was 1) accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, 2) recognized through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service, or 3) covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors at the time the degree was granted.
To be eligible for the specialized program, the applicant must have a BSW that has been granted within six years of enrollment in SAU's MSW program. This six-year limit may be extended to eight years if the student has subsequent BSW social work practice experience. (Such experience is to be approved by the admissions committee.) For each two years of acceptable practice experience, applicants may be granted credit of one year toward the extension of the time limit. For example, an applicant with a BSW received seven years prior to the time of enrollment in the MSW program may be granted specialized program admission if the applicant has completed two years of acceptable social work practice experience.
Graduate Tuition & Financial Aid
View current tuition rates and fees for the MSW on our Graduate Tuition & Aid page. Learn more about applying to the MSW program and obtaining financial aid on our Graduate Admissions & Aid page.
Career Pathways
Where Our Alumni Work
Our alumni have vast connections and are spread out throughout the country. These are some of the notable companies where our alumni work.