MSW Program Description

The goals of the MSW Program are primarily accomplished through classroom and field instruction. The MSW curriculum has been designed to provide one year of generalist foundation content and one year of advanced generalist concentration content. Specific sequences in the MSW curriculum include policy, research, practice, practicum, human behavior in the social environment, and electives. Issues of diversity, promotion of social and economic justice, and populations-at-risk are infused across the curriculum. To this end, each course addresses special issues important to the social work profession and particularly, issues important to social work in Alaska.

The curriculum has been developed to provide a systematic means for providing intensive academic preparation for social work professionals. Each course is designed to provide content in: a knowledge base (theories, models, methods), a belief system (values, ethics), a professional activity (skills, techniques), and a commitment to the mission of our profession: appreciation of diversity; promotion of social and economic justice; and advocating for populations-at-risk of oppression, discrimination, and economic deprivation. In Alaska, this can entail working with numerous groups, such as Native Alaskans and other people of color, rural residents, children, the aged, mentally and physically disabled, and the poor.

Part-time Program

Students may be admitted on a part-time basis to either the full MSW program or with advanced placement to the beginning of the Concentration curriculum. Part-time and full-time students take the same courses. The only distinction is the timing in the curriculum plan over the one, two or four years (depending on program plan). There are no separate or different course sections or course requirements for part-time students. This provides equal quality of education for full and part-time students.

It will take four years for a part-time student to complete both the Foundation and the Concentration sequences, following a structured program of studies which will require enrollment during summer, fall, and spring semesters. Applicants interested in the part-time program should note that initial course enrollment for part-time Foundation students begins late May, with the summer semester immediately following admission. This makes it particularly important that applicants for the part-time program apply early, to allow an early admission decision and adequate time for academic advising.

During fall and spring semesters, students will be required to attend classes which will fall on one day per week. A sample Program of Study is included in this booklet, see page 14. The field education component of the part-time program will occur during the second and fourth years of the four-year part-time program and during the second year of the two-year advanced placement program.

DISTANCE DELIVERED MSW PROGRAM

The distance delivered MSW program is an extension of the face-to-face part-time MSW program offered at University of Alaska Anchorage. Students admitted in the distance delivered MSW program are expected to meet the same admission requirements and adhere to the same policies, rules and regulations as students in the face-to-face MSW program.

Applications for the distance-delivered MSW program will be accepted for the 2009 academic year. Interested applicants should contact either Mary Parker or the MSW Program Coordinator as early as possible when preparing the application packet.

In the Distance Delivered MSW program, students are admitted as part of a cohort group and are expected to take classes in the order offered. Distance delivered classes follow the part-time MSW Program sequence. They are designed to be offered only once per cohort, thus if a student does not enroll in a course (or fails a course) the course will likely not be offered in a distance delivered format for another two to four years.

The distance delivered MSW program is open to all residents of the State of Alaska, regardless of geographical location. Students from the Anchorage bowl and the Matanuska-Susitna valley will be admitted to the distance delivered MSW program on a space available basis.

Once admitted, students may request to change to the face-to-face MSW program in Anchorage. Face-to-face students may request to change to the distance delivered MSW program. Approval for transferring between distance delivered and face-to-face programs is subject to approval of the student’s advisor and the MSW Program Coordinator.

Distance delivered MSW required courses are offered in an alternative scheduling format consisting of intensive classroom sessions presented on the UAA campus in short-time blocks, and by weekly class meetings available by teleconference and computer throughout the semester. The intensive session may be the first meeting of each course and will typically be two to four days of up to 8 hours each day. The intensive sessions occur over a weekend, usually requiring Friday-through Monday attendance in Anchorage. Students are required to provide their own transportation and lodging for the intensive course meetings. Students who miss any part of an intensive course session will not be allowed to continue in that course and will therefore jeopardize their progress in the MSW program.

The Distance Delivered MSW Program is dependent upon supplemental funding. To date, funding has allowed admission of a new cohort of students every two years. Diminished funding for the program in the future could result in admission every four years.

Click here for additional information and application forms.