Social Work

Overview

This includes 600 (Advanced Standing Program) or 900 (Standard Program) hours of direct field experience, as well as the opportunity to earn micro-credentials in trauma-focused care, forensic social work, gerontology, veteran services, and more. Guided by the NASW Code of Ethics, our faculty and staff are passionate about social work, community engagement and advocacy, your learning experience in the program, and your success in the field post-graduation. Our faculty areas of research and clinical expertise include trauma, interpersonal violence, food insecurity, aging and mental health, gerontology, international social work, direct practice, policy, research, team-based pedagogy, clinical diagnoses, forensic social work, and more!

Vulnerable populations and all people have unique personal, familial, and systemic needs; therefore, social workers who assist them must be specially prepared to address those needs through a variety of roles at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels by promoting human and community well-being. The Northern Kentucky University MSW program prepares students as follows:

• To be critical thinkers in the use of research knowledge and theory in developing and applying assessment, intervention, and evaluation methods with clients and communities

• To demonstrate leadership and professional responsibility in the field

• To advance social and economic justice 

In an atmosphere of collaboration and teamwork, social work graduate students develop the knowledge, values, and skills to provide behavioral health care, community social work, and leadership in the profession.

Careers

A graduate degree in Social Work (MSW) prepares students to effectively serve vulnerable populations and people across the lifespan.

While not exhaustive, this list is not exhaustive, the list below provides examples of employment opportunities for graduate-level social workers:

• Clinical work in mental health and behavioral health care

• Forensic social work

• Medical social work

• Social justice initiatives and policy work

• Gerontology