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MSW Focus Area

Special Practice Areas in Social Work

The specialized practice area is a versatile and comprehensive approach to helping individuals, families, and communities. This appeals to students who prefer a greater breadth of learning rather than the depth of a specific focus area.  The specialized practice area allows you to learn the principals of a wide range of practice fields and client systems. Special practice areas provide opportunities to explore and develop expertise with practice issues that intersect across populations and practice arenas. In this area, you will select your courses to better inform your career interests.

Knowledge to Inform #

You’ll learn assessment, intervention, and advocacy which can be applied across a variety of populations and practice arenas. The versatility of specialized practice allows you to select courses from other focus areas to inform and support career goals. The holistic nature of selecting courses from multiple practice arenas reflects generalist social work practice. The growing trend toward generalist practice reflects an understanding of social workers as holistic, addressing both individual and systemic issues. Ensuring a comprehensive approach allows problem solving from multiple perspectives.

In this focus area, you can select courses to gain experience in:

  • Behavioral Health
  • Child, Youth and Families
  • Health/medical
  • Organizational Leadership
  • School Social Work

In this specialized practice area, you’ll be prepared to live your passion in the career you choose.

Regular Standing degree sequence map offerings

For students admitted without a BSW degree. Find the degree map timeline that fits your needs.

Advanced Standing degree sequence map offerings

For students admitted with a BSW degree. Find the degree map timeline that fits your needs.