The Mandel School’s Master of Social Work (MSW) combines practice, research, theory, policy and field education to prepare you for clinical and macro-level practice. Our competency-based curriculum is the first in the nation to be approved by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). It is designed to provide you with the knowledge and practical skills to advance key social justice issues, examine your own perceptions of diversity, and become more culturally-aware and inclusive in your role as a social work professional.
The on-campus traditional MSW is a 60 credit, two-year program. The program begins with a one-week Change Agent Intensive (CHAI) course. CHAI is a transformational immersion into the field of social work that explores the profession’s identity, history, values and philosophy. Also integrated throughout the program is an interprofessional learning experience. This interprofessional education initiative connects you with other graduate disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine, public health) across campus through team-based learning.
Below are sample patterns of enrollment for each of our paths of study.
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- SASS 517 - Family System Interventions (3 credits)
- SASS 540 - Integrated Health & Wellness Specialized Policy (3 credits)
- SASS 550 - Trauma Informed SW Practice Child & Family (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- SASS 542 - Evaluating Programs and Practices (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Total MSW Program Hours: 60 credits
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- SASS 567 - Strategic Power Building with Communities (3 credits)
- SASS 561 - Community Practice Policy: Analyzing & Changing Social Policy (3 credits)
- Choose one:
- SASS 512 - Legislative & Political Processes (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- SASS 569 - Planning & Implementing Soc. Change (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Total MSW Program Hours: 60 credits
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- SASS 583 - Social Work Practice in M.H.: Adults (3 credits)
- SASS 540 - Integrated Health & Wellness Specialized Policy (3 credits)
- Choose one:
- SASS 562 - S.W. Interventions in Co-occurring M.H. & Substance Abuse (3 credits)
- SASS 564 - Social Work Practice in Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- SASS 542 - Evaluating Programs and Practices (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3credits)
Total MSW Program Hours: 60 credits
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- SASS 540 - Integrated Health & Wellness Specialized Policy (3 credits)
- SASS 564 - S.W. Practice in Alcohol and Other Drugs (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- SASS 542 - Evaluating Programs and Practices (3 credits)
- SASS 580 - Social Work Practice in Mental Health: Children/Adolescents (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
Total MSW Program Hours: 60 credits
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Summer Semester at partner Baldwin Wallace University (9 credit hours)*
- EDU 584 - Pupil Services and Community Resources (online BW) (3 credits)
- EDU 510 - Educational Studies (BW) (3 credits)
- EDU 573 - Children with Special Needs (BW) (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (18 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- SASS 517 - Family System Interventions (3 credits)
- SASS 519 - Children and Families in the School Setting (3 credits)
- SASS 550 - Trauma Informed SW Practice Child & Family (3 credits)
- SASS 564 - Social Work Practice in Alcohol and Other Drugs (3 credits)
- SASS 540 - Integrated Health & Wellness Specialized Policy (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- SASS 542 - Evaluating Programs and Practices (3 credits)
- SASS 580 - Social Work Practice in Mental Health: Child and Adolescents (3 credits)
- SASS 585 - Social Work with Groups (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
Total MSW with School Social Work Program Hours: 72 credits
*Students interested in School Social Work must meet with Dr. Marji Edguer to discuss the curriculum and process to complete courses at Baldwin Wallace University.
Year One
Fall Semester (16 credit hours)
- SASS 601 - Field Education I (2 credits)
- SASS 495 - Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar (1 credit)
- SASS 502 - Change Agent Intensive (1 credit)
- SASS 503 - Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
- SASS 504 - Human Development & Diversity (2 credits)
- SASS 507 - Community Theory and Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 508 - Ind./Family Theory and Practice (4 credits)
- SASS 509 - Group Theory and Practice (2 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 602 - Field Education II (3 credits)
- SASS 496 - Field Education: Organizational Theory & Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
- SASS 528 - Evidence Informed Practice (2 credits)
- SASS 547 - Problems Identification, Screening (3 credits)
- SASS 549 - Theory/ Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work (3 credits)
- SASS 566 - Assessing and Engaging Community for Social Change (3 credits)
Year Two
Fall Semester (15 credit hours)
- SASS 603 - Field Education III (3 credits)
- Choose one:
- *SASS 562 - S.W. Intervention in Co-occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- SASS 564 - Social Work Practice in Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse (3 credits)
- SASS 540 - Integrated Health & Wellness Specialized Policy (3 credits)
Spring Semester (14 credit hours)
- SASS 604 - Field Education IV (3 credits)
- Choose one:
- *SASS 522 - Motivational Interviewing (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- SASS 576 - Integrative Seminar in Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Treatment (3 credits) (Weekend Format)
- Choose one:
- *SASS 585 - Social Work with Groups (3 credits)
- Free Elective (3 credits)
- SASS 588 - Integrative Seminar (2 credit)
Total MSW Program Hours: 60 credits
*Courses required for Ohio LCDC license eligibility
Please note that the sample patterns of enrollment on this page reflect the curriculum for students entering in fall 2025 and are subject to change in future terms. Our faculty may make enhancements or adjustments to the curriculum in future terms.