Mar 19, 2024  
2017-2018 Graduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Graduate Catalog [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.

The advanced integrated perspective of the program prepares students to work within a community collaborative based practice approach that involves interdisciplinary and inter-agency cooperative efforts. The focus of interventions in the community context provides opportunities to assimilate and integrate a cultural humility perspective into change efforts, addressing the social determinants of health and well-being across all settings.

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: grcmswadmissions@brockport.edu
Website address: www.naz.edu/msw

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

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

Debra Fromm Faria, LCSW, ACSW
(585) 395-8455 (MetroCenter)

(585) 395-5884 (The College at Brockport)
dffaria@brockport.edu

GRC MSW Satellite Director - Watertown and Auburn
Virginia David, LMSW
(585) 395-8451 (MetroCenter)

(585) 389-2751 (Nazareth College)
vdavid4@naz.edu

Director of Field Education
Jerry Callan, LMSW, MPA

(585) 395-8453
gcallan5@naz.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 through The College at Brockport Graduate School
  2. Completion of the Statement of Objectives/Social Issue 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 Statement of Objective/Social Issue.
    • 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. Two reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation
  5. Professional Resume

Entry Requirements for the 36 credit 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 through The College at Brockport Graduate School
  2. Completion of the Statement of Objectives/Social Issue 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 Statment of Objectives/Social Issue.
  4. Two reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation, preferably 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 for final acceptance
  6. Professional Resume


Admission to the Program
The application for admission to the GRC Master of Social Work Program 60-Credit and 36-Credit Programs may be found through The College at Brockport Graduate School.

Application Instructions link:
https://brockport.edu/graduate/admission/instructions/social_work.html

  • Admission Requirements
  • Application Instructions - Part I & II
  • Application Deadlines
  • Site Locations
  • Required Pre-requisites
  • International Requirements
     

Tuition
The GRC Master of Social Work Program (MSW) has a competitive, blended graduate tuition rate. The tuition includes all student fees and is the same for in-state, out-of-state and international students. Please visit https://www2.naz.edu/tuition-aid/costs/ for the current, blended rate.
 

Choice of Locations

  • Rochester: Day and evening classes are offered at the Brockport MetroCenter in downtown Rochester, near human services agencies. Some classes may be held on the Nazareth College campus, Pittsford.  Students can choose to be part time students and take the majority of their classes in the evenings.  The vast majority of field placements require students to complete field hours during normal  daytime business hours of the agency when client appointments, team meetings, and social work supervision are available. 
  • Watertown or Auburn: Evening classes for part-time study are offered at two satellite sites: Jefferson Higher Education Center in Watertown, N.Y., and Cayuga Community College’s campus in Auburn, N.Y. Expectations for field placements during normal daytime business hours are the same for all locations. 

General Program Requirements and Curriculum

Generalist Level Courses (30 credits)


The first 30 credits of the MSW Program are designed to provide a generalist perspective. The following courses are required during the generalist level of the 60 credit program:

Advanced Level Courses (24 credits)


60 credit students begin advanced level courses after successfully completing the 30 credits in the generalist level sequence. Advanced Standing students begin the advanced course work while completing the bridge courses of SWK 503 and 508.  The advanced level curriculum is designed to provide the framework for advanced integrative practice and consists of 24 credits in policy, practice, field, and masters project thesis with a specialization broadly defined as interdisciplinary health and wellness applicable to all social work settings.  The exact sequence of the advanced level courses is dependent upon full or part time plans of study.

In addition, six (6) credits of electives are typically taken with the seven advanced level courses below:

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.

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 (summer, fall and spring), the part-time option is completed in five semesters beginning with fall and including one summer session.

In addition to the 24 credits of advanced level courses and six (6) credits of electives, 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 602, SWK 604, SWK 680.

 

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