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The MSW degree program will prepare graduates for advanced clinical practice insettings such as mental health, child welfare, family services and medical social work.The educational program will emphasize ethical and knowledge-based practice and willalso include coursework in program development and the management of social workpractice and service delivery.

The UNCW MSW program curriculum is constructed with a foundation first year and anadvanced practice- focused second year. The foundation content includes human behaviorand social environment, social research, social policy, professional values and ethics,social and cultural diversity, populations at risk and social and economic justice.Advanced year content will include coursework in advanced clinical research, appliedethics, clinical practice, organizational and financial context of practice and diversityissues in practice.

Extensive field placement in clinical practice settings with close supervision by faculty,clinical instructors and field supervisors is a key component of the degree program. Theguiding themes of curriculum and program development include up-to-date social workpractice knowledge and skill, the strengths focus, career long learning, knowledge basedpractice, technology, and leadership. With the department’s community and regionalengagement every graduate student will be provided an opportunity to work in socialdevelopment programs and projects.

The UNCW MSW degree program requires 63 hours of course work beyond the bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The full time program takestwo years to complete. Admission is competitive, admitting approximately 20 studentseach year. Basic admissions requirements include a bachelor’s degree in a suitable socialwork or social science field, a satisfactory score on the GRE examination, and evidenceof suitability and motivation for a social work professional career.

North Carolina and all other states provide for the licensing and certification of socialworkers. The N.C. Social Work Certification and Licensure Board wasestablished by the North Carolina Legislature to provide a standard of practice for thesocial work profession. Graduates of the UNCW MSW Program will qualify for StateCertification at three levels: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Master SocialWorker and Certified Social Work Manager. In all of these cases, graduates must pass astate-sponsored exam. The LCSW requires, in addition, evidence of two years of postmaster’sclinical practice with LCSW supervision.

The MSW Program at UNCW is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (www.cswe.org). All MSW degrees that have been awarded by UNCW are accredited in the U.S. by the Council on Social Work Education.Accreditation of programs and linked to eligibility for licensure and certification in N.C.and all other states.