Mar 19, 2024  
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog (revised) 
    
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog (revised) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Social Work


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

The mission of the GRC MSW program is to educate students to become competent and ethical professional social workers who will promote social and economic justice and equality though collaborative, community-focused practice that reflects the rights, needs, and dignity of all people.

Program Goals

As a reflection of its mission, the overall goals of the Master of Social Work Program are to:

  1. Provide advanced social work education incorporating theoretical knowledge and critical thinking within an advanced integrated practice framework; emphasizing an ecological, strength-based, community collaborative, empowerment model of practice to promote social and economic justice.
  2. Educate social work practitioners who are ethical, critical thinkers engaged in ongoing inquiry and life-long learning.
  3. Develop practitioners who provide autonomous social work practice and leadership in health, human service, and other community organizations in diverse communities to assist high need or at-risk populations.
  4. Infuse a critical understanding of culturally competent and gender sensitive advanced practice in working with diverse groups, and to adapt social work knowledge and skills to meet the needs of disenfranchised and historically oppressed groups.
  5. Promote and support research and knowledge development to improve the effectiveness of social work practice, policies, and programs.
  6. Promote the health and well being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities by advancing social justice in a changing environment and in a global society.

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 who 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 Practice. 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 is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and is registered with the New York State Education Department.

For further information, call: (585) 395-8450
e-mail: grcmsw@brockport.edu
Website address: http://www.naz.edu/dept/social_work/

Program Directors
Carol Brownstein-Evans, Ph.D.
(585) 395-8459 (Metro Center)

(585) 389-2756 (Nazareth College)
cbrowns3@naz.edu

Debra Fromm Faria, LCSW
(585) 395-8455
dffaria@brockport.edu

Entry Requirements for 60 credit program


Please note: there is no single factor used to determine student admission to the GRC MSW program. Rather, a combination of factors is considered as follows:

  1. Completed Online Application and fee.  PLEASE NOTE, APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE AT http://www.brockport.edu/grcmsw/ 
  2. Completion of the professional statement/issue discussion as described on the application
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a “B” average in the major field by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in his/her professional statement; please see the Professional Statement section of the admissions application for further information.
    • 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; one (3 credit) introductory course in Psychology; one (3 credit) introductory course in Sociology; one (3 credit) course in the Humanities; and three additional (3 credit) courses distributed across the Social Sciences, Humanities, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, or Computer Sciences. 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 matriculates into the program.)
  4. Three reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation
  5. Preference is given to applicants with prior paid or volunteer experience with relevance to social work, though it is not required.

Entry Requirements for 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:

  1. Completed Online Application and fee. PLEASE NOTE, APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE AT http://www.brockport.edu/grcmsw/
  2. Completion of the professional statement/issue discussion as described on the application
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a “B” average in the major field by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in his/her professional statement; please see the Professional Statement section of the admissions application for further information.
  4. 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.
  5. A copy of the applicant’s BSW field practicum evaluations.
  6. Copies of field placement evaluations.

Tuition
Since the GRC MSW program operates as a bi-institutional collaborative program, the tuition structure for this program varies from the tuition of Nazareth College and the College at Brockport. Applicants may contact the co-program directors directly at (585) 395-8459 or (585) 389-8455 for program specific information, including current tuition rates.

Application Deadlines:
Apply online at www.brockport.edu/graduate/apps/
January 15 for admission to full-time Advanced Standing Program (Summer start term) and full-time 60 Credit Program (Fall start term)
March 15 for admission to part-time Advanced Standing Program and part-time 60 Credit Program

General Program Requirements and Curriculum

Foundation Year Courses (30 credits)


Foundation courses are designed to provide a generalist perspective. The following courses are required during the first year of the 60 credit program:

Concentration Year Courses (21 credits)


The second-year curriculum is designed to provide the framework for advanced integrated practice and consists of a set of common courses and six elective credits, PLUS the selection of one the following concentrations: A) Family and Community Practice OR B) Interdisciplinary Health Practice, both involving nine (9) credits of course work. Within the set of common required courses, students must take SWK 610/611, OR SWK 612/613, PLUS SWK 631, SWK 680 and six elective credits:

A) Family and Community Practice Concentration (9 credits)


The Family and Community Practice concentration prepares students to plan, develop, and implement family-focused services from a collaborative, community-based perspective. The following are required courses in this  concentration:

B) Interdisciplinary Health Practice Concentration (9 credits)


The Interdisciplinary Health Practice concentration prepares students for practice in diverse health care settings. A public health model of community intervention is emphasized. The following are required courses in this concentration:

60 Credit and Advanced Standing Programs: Full and Part-Time Options


60-credit program options: The MSW Program has full-time and part-time options for the 60-credit hour program. Full-time students finish the course of study over four semesters, and part-time students in three years and three summers, or four years and one summer.

36-credit Advanced Standing program options: Applicants who have graduated within the last eight years from a CSWE accredited BSW program are eligible to apply for the 36-credit Advanced Standing program.

  • The Advanced Standing full-time option is completed in three semesters, the part-time option in five semesters.

In addition to the 21 credits of concentration year courses and the nine (9) credits in either the Family and Community Practice concentration OR the Interdisciplinary Health Practice concentration, the Advanced Standing program includes the following six (6) credits:

Grading Requirements


In order to continue in the program, students must receive a grade of B- or better in the following courses (note - courses can be repeated only once):

SWK 501, SWK 502, SWK 503, SWK 508, SWK 601, SWK 602, SWK 603, SWK 604, SWK 680.

 

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