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Online Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Curriculum

Preview Your Online M.S.W. Courses

Winthrop University’s CSWE-accredited M.S.W. is grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics, preparing you to advance in this field with integrity and purpose. The curriculum emphasizes empowerment practice to help you become a competent, specialized practitioner who employs culturally relevant assessments, interventions and evaluations when working with clients.

Your educational journey will culminate with a capstone project, allowing you to apply the theories and methodologies gained through the online M.S.W. courses. Each course lasts seven weeks, and we offer two part-time tracks.

We encourage eligible applicants to apply to the Advanced Standing program; however, holding an undergraduate social work degree does not guarantee acceptance.

  • Traditional program (60 credit hours): This track is designed for applicants without an undergraduate social work degree. It includes 900 practicum hours, and you can graduate in three years.
  • Advanced Standing program (39 credit hours): We offer the Advanced Standing program to applicants who earned an undergraduate social work degree through a CSWE-accredited program. It includes 600 practicum hours, and you can graduate in two years.

Traditional Program Courses (60 credits)

Traditional Program Courses (60 credit hours)

Students entering the M.S.W. program without social work backgrounds will develop foundational knowledge through the Traditional program. The curriculum includes additional field instruction, allowing students to engage in generalist practice in real-world settings before progressing to the specialized coursework and practicum placement.

Using an ecological framework, the course uses a strengths perspective to understand human behavior within the context of social work values and ethics. Differences among racial and ethnic minorities, cultural diversity, age, sexual orientation, disabilities and gender are examined. The course builds on the liberal arts perspective and provides the foundation for advanced MSW practice courses.

Notes: Offered in Fall.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

This course uses a strengths perspective within an ecological framework to examine the attitudes, polices and practices within US society that result in current social policy.

Notes: Offered in Fall.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

The course combines quantitative and qualitative research methods and research designs for evaluation of practice in various system levels from an ecological perspective. Understanding ethical issues, implication of research with vulnerable populations, and social and economic justice is central. Data analysis is an intrinsic part of the course.

Notes: Offered in Fall and Summer.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

This course provides a basic understanding of the history, purpose, scope and focus of the social work profession. From a generalist perspective, the course introduces the values, and processes of social work practice with individuals, families, and groups emphasizing practice principles that promote social justice and the well-being of individuals, and that change environmental conditions that adversely affect people.

Notes: Offered in Fall and Spring.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

A communication skills and strategies lab that emphasizes development and practice of effective interpersonal helping skills in Social Work practice.

Notes: Offered in Fall and Spring.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

The course requires study and application of major models of social work practice with emphasis on the linkage between theoretical models of social work practice, assessment, intervention, and outcome in work with individuals, families, and groups. Students develop skills in beginning, middle, and ending phases of intervention, practice evaluation, advocacy, and case management.

Notes: Offered in Fall and Spring.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

The course requires study and application of major models of social work practice with emphasis on the linkage between theoretical models of social work practice, assessment, intervention, and outcome in work with organizations and communities. Students develop skills in beginning, middle, and ending phases of intervention, practice evaluation, and advocacy.
Field instruction provides the student with unique learning experiences available only in the “real” world of professional practice. Field instruction is an educationally directed program designed to provide opportunities for students to apply generalist theoretical knowledge and skills to practice situations in supervised social work field settings. Field experiences also afford students the opportunity to learn about and work within an agency structure, interpreting and implementing policies, programs, and services. During this course, students will apply generalist practice knowledge and skills for engaging, assessing, intervening, and evaluating in a field practice setting. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate generalist practice competence in the following course objectives.
Field instruction provides the student with unique learning experiences available only in the “real” world of professional practice. Field instruction is an educationally directed program designed to provide opportunities for students to apply generalist theoretical knowledge and skills to practice situations in supervised social work field settings. Field experiences also afford students the opportunity to learn about and work within an agency structure, interpreting and implementing policies, programs, and services. During this course, students will apply generalist practice knowledge and skills for engaging, assessing, intervening, and evaluating in a field practice setting. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate generalist practice competence in the following course objectives.
Field instruction provides the student with unique learning experiences available only in the “real” world of professional practice. Field instruction is an educationally directed program designed to provide opportunities for students to apply generalist theoretical knowledge and skills to practice situations in supervised social work field settings. Field experiences also afford students the opportunity to learn about and work within an agency structure, interpreting and implementing policies, programs, and services. During this course, students will apply generalist practice knowledge and skills for engaging, assessing, intervening, and evaluating in a field practice setting. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate generalist practice competence in the following course objectives.

Building on the basis provided in SCWK 602 Social Welfare Policy, this course examines the dynamics of policy development and implementation. The course examines in detail the administrative, legislative, and judicial factors in policy making as well as the role of the social worker and impacts on major social work concerns. Both policy analysis and social work policy practice are covered.

Notes: Offered in Spring.

Prerequisite: Social Work majors only.

This course examines the concepts that together form a coherent framework for empowerment-based social work practice across systems (individuals and families, small groups, and communities and organizations) and with diverse, oppressed populations. Impacts of privilege and structural oppression in our own lives are examined to better understand effective use of self as a critical component of social work practice. Processes and outcomes of empowerment strategies are discussed, as are the simultaneous personal, collective, and structural bases of empowerment practice. Attention is given to the empowerment tradition in social work, as well as to the critical analysis of contemporary issues of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation from an empowerment perspective. The course aim is to prepare students for entering the specialized year of study in social work empowerment practice.

This course focuses on advanced social work theories and methods that are consistent with empowerment-based practice with micro systems. The emphasis will be on evidence-based theories and methods that are relevant across contemporary practice settings and service delivery systems. The application of specialized social work practice skills will be addressed within a context of professional social work values and ethics, social justice, and affirmation of the human rights of diverse groups of people.

This course will focus on leadership and supervision in practice settings. Models of leadership and supervision will be addressed with a focus on those models that are consistent with principles of empowerment-based practice. The nature of power in leadership and supervision will be discussed, including roles, tasks, and techniques for facilitating effective organizational practices and outcomes. Also included will be topics such as navigating organizational culture, position development, objective setting, delegation, service delivery, evaluating staff performance and incorporating cultural competency in leadership and supervisory roles. Course content will also address leadership and supervision relative to social work values and the NASW Code of Ethics.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field), students should be able to begin to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. This is the second of three practicum courses. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W. trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate beginning specialized practice competence.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field), students should be able to begin to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. This is the second of three practicum courses. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W. trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate beginning specialized practice competence.
This course will focus on psychopathology and social work practice. Major mental illnesses across the life cycle will be explored, along with their impact across client populations and systems. Social work assessment and intervention approaches for social work practice with people who have mental illness will be addressed. The course will emphasize an empowerment-based perspective that affirms client strengths and coping capacities within a context of professional social work values and ethics, social justice, and affirmation of the human rights of diverse groups of people relative to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic class.
This course focuses on advanced social work knowledge and skills that are consistent with empowerment-based practice in communities and organizations. The course will emphasize contemporary theories and methods that are relevant in social work practice with larger systems. The application of specialized social work practice with communities and organizations will be addressed within a context of professional social work values and ethics and universal human rights.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field) and the empowerment practice concentration, students should be able to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. SCWK 632 continues the development of specialized practice skills accomplished in SCWK 622. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W.-trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate specialized practice competence of the following course objectives in an independent manner that illustrates their ability to enter the practice field as an M.S.W. practitioner.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field) and the empowerment practice concentration, students should be able to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. SCWK 632 continues the development of specialized practice skills accomplished in SCWK 622. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W.-trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate specialized practice competence of the following course objectives in an independent manner that illustrates their ability to enter the practice field as an M.S.W. practitioner.

This course is designed to provide MSW students with an advanced understanding of social work research with a focus on program evaluation. Critical thinking skills will be augmented in order to determine selection, development, and employment of knowledge and skills applicable to effective evaluation. Students will apply advanced social work research concepts and theory, with special attention to the importance of empowerment in program evaluation. This course seeks to use advanced research processes in ways that will be of practical and beneficial use to the students, clients, and social work agencies.

Notes: Offered in Spring.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

This specialized social work practice course serves as the capstone seminar experience in the M.S.W. curriculum. Its purpose is for students to refine and explicate their knowledge of specialized social work practice theories and methodologies relative to the Social Work Program concentration in empowerment practice. A primary focus of the seminar will be on students developing a comprehensive written paper examining policy to practice considerations and an accompanying professional presentation of selected theories and practice methods that comprise their philosophical orientation to specialized social work practice that is grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics.

Advanced Standing Program Courses (39 credits)

Advanced Standing Program Courses (39 credit hours)

Available to students who have earned a CSWE-accredited bachelor’s in social work, the Advanced Standing program requires 21 fewer credit hours than the Traditional program and focuses on specialized practice. This streamlined option enables eligible students to build advanced skills and advance as practitioners more quickly.

This course provides incoming advanced standing students a review of the social work foundation content related to human behavior in the social environment, social welfare policy, social work research, generalist social work practice and interpersonal helping skills.

Notes: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only, BSW undergraduate degree.

Building on the basis provided in SCWK 602 Social Welfare Policy, this course examines the dynamics of policy development and implementation. The course examines in detail the administrative, legislative, and judicial factors in policy making as well as the role of the social worker and impacts on major social work concerns. Both policy analysis and social work policy practice are covered.

Notes: Offered in Spring.

Prerequisite: Social Work majors only.

This course examines the concepts that together form a coherent framework for empowerment-based social work practice across systems (individuals and families, small groups, and communities and organizations) and with diverse, oppressed populations. Impacts of privilege and structural oppression in our own lives are examined to better understand effective use of self as a critical component of social work practice. Processes and outcomes of empowerment strategies are discussed, as are the simultaneous personal, collective, and structural bases of empowerment practice. Attention is given to the empowerment tradition in social work, as well as to the critical analysis of contemporary issues of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation from an empowerment perspective. The course aim is to prepare students for entering the specialized year of study in social work empowerment practice.

This course focuses on advanced social work theories and methods that are consistent with empowerment-based practice with micro systems. The emphasis will be on evidence-based theories and methods that are relevant across contemporary practice settings and service delivery systems. The application of specialized social work practice skills will be addressed within a context of professional social work values and ethics, social justice, and affirmation of the human rights of diverse groups of people.

This course will focus on leadership and supervision in practice settings. Models of leadership and supervision will be addressed with a focus on those models that are consistent with principles of empowerment-based practice. The nature of power in leadership and supervision will be discussed, including roles, tasks, and techniques for facilitating effective organizational practices and outcomes. Also included will be topics such as navigating organizational culture, position development, objective setting, delegation, service delivery, evaluating staff performance and incorporating cultural competency in leadership and supervisory roles. Course content will also address leadership and supervision relative to social work values and the NASW Code of Ethics.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field), students should be able to begin to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. This is the second of three practicum courses. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W. trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate beginning specialized practice competence.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field), students should be able to begin to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. This is the second of three practicum courses. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W. trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate beginning specialized practice competence.
This course will focus on psychopathology and social work practice. Major mental illnesses across the life cycle will be explored, along with their impact across client populations and systems. Social work assessment and intervention approaches for social work practice with people who have mental illness will be addressed. The course will emphasize an empowerment-based perspective that affirms client strengths and coping capacities within a context of professional social work values and ethics, social justice, and affirmation of the human rights of diverse groups of people relative to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic class.
This course focuses on advanced social work knowledge and skills that are consistent with empowerment-based practice in communities and organizations. The course will emphasize contemporary theories and methods that are relevant in social work practice with larger systems. The application of specialized social work practice with communities and organizations will be addressed within a context of professional social work values and ethics and universal human rights.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field) and the empowerment practice concentration, students should be able to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. SCWK 632 continues the development of specialized practice skills accomplished in SCWK 622. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W.-trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate specialized practice competence of the following course objectives in an independent manner that illustrates their ability to enter the practice field as an M.S.W. practitioner.
After successfully attaining the competencies from the generalist courses (including field) and the empowerment practice concentration, students should be able to apply knowledge and skills taught in the specialized empowerment practice courses required by the Council on Social Work Education. Students will be placed in an agency setting that provides students with an opportunity to engage in specialized empowerment practice. SCWK 632 continues the development of specialized practice skills accomplished in SCWK 622. This course requires students to work a minimum of 240 hours in a social work practice setting under the supervision of an M.S.W.-trained social work practitioner. By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate specialized practice competence of the following course objectives in an independent manner that illustrates their ability to enter the practice field as an M.S.W. practitioner.

This course is designed to provide MSW students with an advanced understanding of social work research with a focus on program evaluation. Critical thinking skills will be augmented in order to determine selection, development, and employment of knowledge and skills applicable to effective evaluation. Students will apply advanced social work research concepts and theory, with special attention to the importance of empowerment in program evaluation. This course seeks to use advanced research processes in ways that will be of practical and beneficial use to the students, clients, and social work agencies.

Notes: Offered in Spring.

Prerequisites: Social Work majors only.

This specialized social work practice course serves as the capstone seminar experience in the M.S.W. curriculum. Its purpose is for students to refine and explicate their knowledge of specialized social work practice theories and methodologies relative to the Social Work Program concentration in empowerment practice. A primary focus of the seminar will be on students developing a comprehensive written paper examining policy to practice considerations and an accompanying professional presentation of selected theories and practice methods that comprise their philosophical orientation to specialized social work practice that is grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics.

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