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Concentrations

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Clinical Concentration

Clinical social work students receive advanced training in direct practice with individuals, groups, couples and families. Clinical assessment and intervention techniques taught in the MSW program are goal-focused and rooted in collaboration with clients. Students learn how collaboration promotes client empowerment and advocacy. Clinical social work students build practice knowledge and skills from a person-in-environment perspective with an emphasis on evidence-based practice. Through research literacy, students learn to identify research-supported interventions; through field practice students learn to implement and evaluate clinical interventions.

Graduates of the MSW clinical concentration practice in the areas of mental health, psychiatric social work, psychotherapy, health care, school social work, child welfare, substance abuse treatment, behavioral health, geriatric social work, and other social service fields. Students prepare for practice through field practicum experiences aligned with their unique interests. Social Work faculty, Field Office staff, and community partners have developed student field placements in diverse professional arenas throughout the social laboratory that is Central Ohio. MSW clinical students receive individual instruction and supervision in their field placements to prepare them for successful post-graduate careers.

Clinical Course Descriptions

Sample Clinical Concentration Curriculum Plans*
Traditional: Two Year Full-time Plan, Three Year Part-time Plan, Four Year Part-time Plan
Advanced Standing: One Year Full-time Plan, Two Year Part-time Plan

Social Administration Concentration

Social work services are delivered in the context of community-based human service programs. The Social Administration concentration prepares students to work collaboratively in communities to analyze social problems, design client-centered programs, and manage people, information, and resources to address today’s pressing social problems. The Social Administration concentration is organized around a philosophy of client-centered management that recognizes that performance for human service managers is defined by the program’s ability to attain desired client outcomes.

Social Administration students complete field placements in a wide range of human service and government agencies. Field placements allow for mentored experience in supervision, management, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Students in the social administration program take four required and up to two elective courses, all during the final program year.

Social Administration Course Descriptions

Sample Social Administration Concentration Curriculum Plans*
Traditional: Two Year Full-time Plan, Three Year Part-time Plan, Four Year Part-time Plan
Advanced Standing: One Year Full-time Plan, Two Year Part-time Plan

*Sample curriculum plans do not replace individualized educational plans. Upon enrollment, each MSW student meets with the academic counselor, Brenda Davidson, to create a personal educational plan.

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Concentrations