Social Work

The MSW program is a unique collaboration between Nazareth College of Rochester and SUNY College at Brockport, both having a long history of social work education in Rochester.

The primary goals of the program are:

to enhance the quality of life for individuals within the Rochester community through social work teaching, research, scholarship, and service, and
to prepare practitioners who can analyze, intervene, and evaluate in ways that are highly differentiated, discriminating, and self-critical which promote empowerment and collaboration in service of all client systems.

The program’s commitment is to prepare social workers for advanced integrated practice within an interdisciplinary and community collaborative context. Students will be taught to facilitate individual, family, group, organizational, and community change that improves the lives of people, particularly those that have been oppressed and/or disempowered. The program provides opportunities for students to be on the cutting edge of new directions for social work practice.

Within the advanced integrated perspective of the program, students focus on one of two concentrations: Family and Community Practice, or Interdisciplinary Health Care. The two concentrations prepare students to work within a community collaborative based practice approach that involves interdisciplinary and inter-agency cooperative efforts. The focus of intervention in the community context provides opportunities to assimilate and integrate cultural diversity into change efforts.
The program was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in November 2003, and is registered with the New York State Education Department.

For further information, call: (585) 395-7450
e-mail: grcmsw@brockport.edu
Website address: http://www.naz.edu/dept/social_work/

Entry Requirements

Completion of a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0.
Presentation of official transcripts. The academic record should reflect a strong liberal arts perspective. The following are required: one (3 credit) course in Human Biology; one (3 credit) course in Statistics; three (3 credit) courses in the Social Sciences (including one in psychology, one in sociology, and a third in another discipline); three (3 credit) courses in the Humanities; one additional (3 credit) course in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, or Computer Science. All courses must have a grade of “C” or better. (Note: If an applicant is currently enrolled in a prerequisite course, he/she may still file the application. The prerequisite course must be completed before the applicant begins matriculating into the program.
Three reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation.
Application and fee.
Completion of the personal-professional statement as described on the application form.
Preference is given to applicants with prior paid or volunteer experience with relevance to social work, though it is not required.

Advanced Standing Admission

Students who have graduated within the past eight years from a CSWE accredited baccalaureate social work program are eligible to apply for admission to the MSW Advanced Standing Program. Additional minimum admission requirements are:

A cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
A copy of the applicant’s BSW field practicum evaluations.
Three reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation, including one from a social work faculty member who can attest to the candidate’s ability to do graduate level work, and one from a social work supervisor who can attest to the candidate’s ability to engage in graduate level practice.

Application Deadlines

January 15 for Advanced Standing Admission to Summer Term
March 15 for Regular Admission to Fall Term