The mission of the Nazareth College MSW Program is to educate social work students to be ethical and competent advanced practitioners who respect diversity and promote justice, dignity, health, and wellness through integrative, collaborative, and interprofessional practice.
The Nazareth College MSW Program’s goals are to:
- Provide a supportive and caring environment that facilitates learning, emphasizing diversity, cultural humility, and a global perspective.
- Impart social work knowledge, values, and skills to improve the effectiveness of advanced social work practice, programs, and policies within an integrative, collaborative, and interprofessional context.
- Develop ethical and competent practitioners and leaders who facilitate social change, achieve social and economic justice, and are committed to self-reflection and lifelong learning.
The MSW Program’s commitment is to prepare social workers for advanced practice within an interprofessional, integrative, and collaborative community context. This perspective prepares students to work within a community-based practice approach that involves cooperative, interprofessional, and inter-agency efforts. Nazareth College is the only college in the area to offer this unique array of allied health professional programs, of which Social Work is a vital component along with Creative Arts Therapy, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Public Health, and Speech Language Pathology. Students are 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 focus of social work interventions 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, and providing opportunities to be on the cutting edge of new directions for social work practice.
Field Placements and Internships
The MSW Program prepares students to be lifelong learners within an interprofessional, integrative practice. Students enrolled in the program will complete a minimum of 500 hours of internship in the Advanced Standing 36-credit program or 900 hours of internship in the 60-credit program.
Licensure and Credential Information
The MSW degree is a New York State licensure-qualifying program, fulfilling the educational component required to become a licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Accreditation Information
The Nazareth College MSW Program is registered with the New York State Education Department and is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Additional Information
For further information, call (585) 389-2753 or
e-mail: socialwk@naz.edu
Website address: https://www.naz.edu/msw
MSW Program Director
Rebecca Rouland, PhD, LMSW
(585) 389-2750
rroulan3@naz.edu
Director of Field Education
Michael Rood, LMSW
(585) 389-2754
mrood@naz.edu
MSW Site Coordinator: Watertown Satellite Program
Yasmin Habib, LMSW
yhabib9@naz.edu
MSW Field Coordinator: Watertown Satellite Program
Suzanne Zicari, LMSW
szicari2@naz.edu
Application Process
Applicants to the MSW program are assessed and accepted based on a variety of factors informed by the submission of the following materials:
- Online application, submitted via https://www2.naz.edu/admissions/grad/how-apply/social-work
- Personal statement
- Resume
- Transcripts (from all institutions attended)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum of two)
- Optional materials (such as a writing statement)
A minimum of a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) is typically required for admission. If an applicant is accepted with a cumulative GPA lower than the 3.0 standard, the applicant is admitted provisionally consistent with College policy. See Admissions (Classification of Students)
Expedited Admission
Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at Nazareth College who have a cumulative GPA of a 3.000 or higher, satisfactory field evaluations, and recommendation of the BSW faculty are invited to apply to the MSW program following an expedited process. This process requires only the completion of the fast application.
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisite Coursework (must be completed with a grade of C or better by the start of the graduate program):
- 12 credits in social/behavioral sciences (which can include psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, and other social sciences), and
- 12 credits distributed across 3 categories of mathematics and statistics, physical and natural sciences, and humanities (which can include fine arts, archeology, history, gender studies, religious studies, philosophy, communication, literature, or interdisciplinary studies, English, foreign languages, etc.)
Admission Deadlines
Nazareth College Campus, Rochester, NY
- March 31 (May/Summer Admission):
- 36-credit Advanced Standing full-time program
- June 30 (August/Fall Admission):
- 36-credit Advanced Standing part-time program
- 60-credit full-time program
- 60-credit part time program
Jefferson CC Higher Education Center, Watertown, NY
- June 30 (August/Fall Admission):
- 36-credit Advanced Standing part-time program
- 60-credit part-time program
General Program Requirements