Return to: Programs by College/School

Currently the master’s degree enrollment of the college is approximately 270 full-time and 250 part-time students, including the South Korea-based program. Since its first class graduated in 1971, the college has awarded the M.S.W. degree to more than 4,500 women and men. The employment picture continues to be a bright one for our graduates. While most graduates pursue employment in South Carolina or nearby southeastern states, an increasing number are living and working in other parts of the country and internationally.

Learning Outcomes

Mission

The College of Social Work MSW Program prepares graduates to become advanced practitioners who serve diverse communities in South Carolina and beyond through specialized practice competencies in one or more of the following areas: Children, Youth and Families; Health and Mental Health; Military and Veteran Communities; Aging; and/or Community, Social, and Economic Development. The MSW Program will provide students essential knowledge, skills, and values to practice effectively, ethically, and collaboratively to promote social well-being and social justice for vulnerable populations.

Program Goals

The program views its goals as supporting both practice competencies that are essential and unique to social work, and other professional competencies (e.g., critical thinking, communication).

Practice Competency Goals

Goal 1:  The program produces Master’s-level social workers who provide competent and ethical practice with, and on behalf of, diverse and vulnerable populations.

Goal 2:  The program produces Master’s-level social workers who demonstrate a strong professional identity and ability to advance human rights and social and economic justice.

Goal 3: The program produces Master’s-level social workers whose professional judgment demonstrates an understanding that person-in-environment perspective requires a critical analysis of practice contexts and research findings.

Program Objectives

Objective 1: Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice;

Objective 2: Engage diversity and difference in practice;

Objective 3: Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;

Objective 4: Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services;

Objective 5: Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly;

Objective 6: Advance human rights and social justice;

Objective 7: Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments;

Objective 8: Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research;

Objective 9: Apply knowledge of Human Behavior and the Social Experience;

Objective 10: Respond to contexts that shape practice.

Additional Objective for the Advanced Year:

Objective 11: Critically analyze problems at all systems levels and develop and defend practice decisions that are derived from current theory and knowledge, and are consistent with the values and ethics of the profession and respectful of client systems of diverse backgrounds.

Admission

The admission policy for the M.S.W. degree program shall apply to every applicant-full-time, part-time, and advanced standing-regardless of the location at which the applicant plans to attend classes. An applicant for admission as a degree candidate in social work must fulfill the general admission requirements of both The Graduate School and the College of Social Work.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that all required application materials have been received. Admissions for advanced standing will be closed on February 1, while full-time and part-time will close on March 1. All application materials must be received by these dates. Full-time and 33-month part-time program admissions are available only for the fall semester. All Advanced Standing students begin their program of study in Summer.

Admission to the MSW Program is compete and is determined by academic and personal qualifications. The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. A cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) is expected. Successful applicants typically have a combined score of 286 on the GRE taken prior to August 2011, or a score of “4” on the analytical writing portion of the current general GRE. The Graduate Record Examination must have been taken within the past five years. It is also expected that the applicant will have a sound educational foundation with a liberal arts perspective. The applicant should have completed courses in social and behavioral sciences that provide knowledge about social, psychological, and biological determinants of behavior and of diverse cultures, social conditions, and social problems. Intellectual maturity, emotional stability, and motivation and capacity to work with people are essential qualifications. An interview with a member of the faculty may also be required.

Openings for admission are limited, and competition is considerable. Persons will be selected who have the strongest qualifications in terms of the college’s admission criteria: grade point average, GRE scores, autobiography (content and writing quality), references, work and volunteer experience, and commitment to social work values. The College of Social Work is committed to diversity in its student body.

International Students

The College of Social Work requires applicants whose native language is not English to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL, PTE Academic, or the IELTS International Academic Course Type 2 exam. The minimum acceptable score on the TOEFL (internet-based) is 80. The minimum acceptable score on the PTE Academic is 53. The minimum acceptable overall band score on the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam is 6.5. For more information, international students should contact International Student Services, University of South Carolina, Byrnes Building, Columbia, SC 29208. Telephone: 803-777-7461.

Transfer From Other Programs

An applicant who wishes to transfer from another M.S.W. program must complete the same admissions process and meet the same admission requirements as other degree candidates. A formal written request for transfer must be made at the time of application for admission. A maximum of 30 semester hours (foundation content) of graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Acceptance of graduate transfer credit is determined by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Coordinator of the M.S.W. program, who assess potential transfer courses in terms of their equivalence with courses in this graduate program and the adequacy of the applicant’s performance in these courses. A grade of less than B in any course will disqualify that course from consideration for transfer. Transfer students coming from another accredited MSW program will be allowed to take Advanced Standing courses if they are missing content that is offered in the USC master’s program and need those courses to complete their foundation year experience. Credit will not be given for work or life experience.

Degree Requirements (60 Hours)

Requirements for the M.S.W. degree include the completion of 60 hours of course work (42 hours for advanced standing students) with an average grade of B or better on all classroom courses and satisfactory grades in all field courses.

All advanced standing students are required to demonstrate professional writing skills. This requirement can be met by either successful completion of either: a. The online Professional Writing Skills Assessment or b. Register for a writing for professional practice course. All work for the M.S.W. degree must be completed within a four-year period, and two consecutive semesters must be in full-time status (9 hours per semester). Other general requirements for the M.S.W. degree are the same as those established by The Graduate School and are in accordance with accreditation standards established by the Council on Social Work Education.