Master of Social Work
The mission of Stockton’s MSW Program is to educate social workers who are prepared for advanced-level specialized practice with diverse individuals, families and communities.
The program aims to produce graduates who understand the human condition and the commonalities that all people share, while respecting and honoring differences in personal and communal history, social class, race, color, ethnicity, culture, language, immigration status, gender, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, political ideology, religion and disability status.
Click here to watch our MSW Virtual Information Session.
About the Program
The Program is built upon a strong foundation of generalist social work practice values, knowledge and skills. Students are expected to understand and be able to apply an ecosystems perspective, the strengths perspective and empowerment practice theory. They develop a thorough acquaintance with the negative effects of oppression, discrimination, marginalization and other social forces that block people’s ability to meet their basic human needs. They are expected to critically examine multiple theories, perspectives and approaches as they become acquainted with research literature and as they develop experience in agency practice.
Continuing the central focus of the undergraduate program, the MSW Program aims to produce graduates who have a lifelong commitment to upholding human rights, respecting human diversity and working towards social justice in their professional and personal lives.
Accreditation Information
Stockton University's Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Click here to view the most recent Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes (Form AS 4M).
Message from the Program
Welcome to the official website for Stockton University's Master of Social Work (MSW) Program. Stockton's MSW program has been offering its classes in the heart of Atlantic City since 2009, with the express focus of developing leadership in addressing the social problems faced across New Jersey and beyond.
We aim to produce graduates who are able to respect and work competently among diverse groups of clients, and who are able to work effectively as change agents in addressing oppression aimed at these diverse groups.
In addition to our program's concentration on working with diverse populations (area of specialized practice practice), we also offer opportunities for students to develop expertise in other areas of social work practice. Our program offers elective tracks in the areas of clinical social work, as well in leadership and management. Stockton also offers education in the areas of child welfare, being the lead institution in the statewide Masters Child Welfare Education Program (MCWEP).
We thank you for your interest in our program, and look forward to having you join us in our efforts!
Robert Barney, Associate Professor of Social Work, Ph.D. (University of Louisville), MSW (University of Kentucky), B.A. (Asbury University)
Guia Calicdan-Apostle, Associate Professor of Social Work, DSW (University of Pennsylvania), MSW (Asian Social Institute, Philippines), BSW (Philippine Women's University)
Lisa Cox, Professor of Social Work, Ph.D., MSW (Virginia Commonwealth University), B.A. (Bridgewater College), LCSW
Jennifer Dunkle, Assistant Professor of Social Work, Ph.D., MSW (Fordham University), B.A. (Marshall University)
Diane Falk, Professor Emerita of Social Work Academic Coordinator of the BCWEP and MCWEP Program, Ph.D., (Rutgers University), MSW (University of Pennsylvania), MA/BA (University of Chicago), LCSW
Robin Hernandez-Mekonnen, Associate Professor of Social Work, Ph.D., MSW (University of Pennsylvania), B.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Dawn Konrady Fanslau, Director of Child Welfare Education Instiute, EdD (Drexel University), MSW (Stockton University), MBA (Stockton University), MA (LaSalle University), BS (Susquehanna University)
Loretta Mooney, Assistant Professor of Social Work; Ph.D. (Widener University); MSW (University of Maryland at Baltimore); BSW (LaSalle University)
John Searight, Professor Emeritus of Social Work and Academic Coordinator of the BCWEP Program, MSW (University of Pennsylvania)
Allison Sinanan, Professor of Social Work; PhD, (Forham University), LSW
Kathleen Siracusa, Coordinator of MSW Field Education, MSW (Rutgers University), BA (Boston University), LCSW.
Lori Tomaro, Assistant Coordinator of MSW Field Education, MSW (Monmouth University), BSW (Stockton University), LCSW.
Curriculum
The curriculum provides two basic models for two different groups of students: a) those who are coming to the University with a completed non-social work bachelor’s degree and wish to earn a master’s degree; and b) those who are coming to the University with a CSWE accredited social work bachelor's degree and wish to earn a master's degree.
In the MSW program, student learning outcomes are described as competencies and practice behaviors. For a full discussion of these competencies and practice behaviors at both the Generalist and Specialized Practice levels, please click here.
To earn an MSW Degree, students must successfully complete a minimum of 60 credits in the prescribed MSW curriculum. Stockton's MSW Program consists of a generalist practice year and a specialized practice year.
In the generalist MSW courses, students will learn about the value base of the social work profession and about ethical decision-making. They will learn to understand the history of social welfare. They will develop an understanding of the social work profession, including its commitment to diversity and to working with oppressed groups. They will develop an understanding of research methodology and of how to apply research findings to practice. Students will develop an understanding of social work perspectives and theories, including ecological and systems theories, the person-in-environment perspective, the strengths perspective, and the empowerment approach. They will learn to integrate classroom learning with field experience, applying social work knowledge, values, and skills in an agency setting with client systems.
Finally, students will be free to choose three elective courses. You may elect to combine your electives to earn an elective track in leadership and management, or in clinical social work. Students who desire to take electives outside the program must obtain prior approval from their advisors.
MSW Full-time, Two-Year Program Curriculum- 60 credits
|
Generalist Year-30 credits Year 1: Fall |
Year 1: Spring |
|
SOWK 5101 Human Behavior and the Social Environment SOWK 5130 Social Welfare Policy SOWK 5150 Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity: Implications for Social Work Practice SOWK 5601 Foundation Social Work Practice I SOWK 5901 Field I |
SOWK 5102 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II SOWK 5120 Social Organizations and Environments SOWK 5140 Social Work Research SOWK 5602 Foundation Social Work Practice II SOWK 5902 Field II |
|
Specialized Practice Year- 30 credits Year 2: Fall |
Year 2: Spring |
|
SOWK 5250 Advanced Cultural Competence SOWK 5240 Advanced Social Work Research SOWK 5603 Advanced Social Work Practice with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities SOWK 5903 Field III Elective* |
SOWK 5230 Advanced Social Welfare Policy Elective* SOWK 5604 Integrative Seminar SOWK 5904 Field IV Elective* |
MSW Part-time, Three-Year, Curriculum- 60 credits
The MSW program offers a part time option to the traditional program. This option
will only be made available to those taking the traditional 60 credit program curriculum.
Those students wanting to complete the part time option will take 60 credit hours
over the course of 3 years instead of two. The number of part time seats will be limited.
Those not admitted to the part time option may still be offered seats in the traditional
two-year program
| Year 1: Fall | Year 1: Spring | Year 1: Summer |
|
SOWK 5101 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I SOWK 5130 Social Welfare Policy SOWK 5150 Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity: Implications for Social Work Practice |
SOWK 5102 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II SOWK 5140 Social Work Research Elective* |
Elective* |
| Year 2: Fall | Year 2: Spring | Year 3: Summer |
|
SOWK 5601 Foundation Social Work Practice I SOWK 5901 Field I (200 hours) SOWK 5240 Advanced Social Work Research |
SOWK 5120 Social Organizations and Environments SOWK 5602 Foundation Social Work Practice II SOWK 5902 Field II (200 hours) |
Elective* |
| Year 3: Fall | Year 3: Spring | Year 3: Summer |
|
SOWK 5250 Advanced Cultural Competence SOWK 5603 Advanced Social Work Practice with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities SOWK 5903 Field III (250 hours) |
SOWK 5230 Advanced Social Welfare Policy SOWK 5604 Integrative Seminar SOWK 5904 Field IV (250 hours) |
(None) |
For course descriptions, please visit The University's Course Catalog.
Advanced Standing is open to individuals who have earned baccalaureate degrees in social work from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.MSW Full-time, One-Year Advanced Standing, Curriculum- 30 credits
In the Advanced Standing Program, students complete the specialized practice year of the One-Year Program.
|
Year 1: Fall |
Year 1: Spring |
|
SOWK 5250 Advanced Cultural Competence SOWK 5240 Advanced Social Work Research SOWK 5603 Advanced Social Work Practice with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities SOWK 5903 Field III Elective* |
SOWK 5230 Advanced Social Welfare Policy Elective* SOWK 5604 Integrative Seminar SOWK 5904 Field IV Elective* |
MSW Part-time, Two-Year Advanced Standing, Curriculum- 30 credits
Beginning in the Fall 2022 semester, the MSW program will be offering an additional
part time advanced standing option. Those students wanting to complete the part time
advanced standing option will take 30 credit hours over the course of two years instead
of one. The number of part time seats will be limited. Those not admitted to the part
time option may still be offered seats in the advanced standing one-year program.
| Year 1: Fall | Year 1: Spring |
|
SOWK 5250 Advanced Cultural Competence SOWK 5240 Advanced Social Work Research Elective* |
SOWK 5230 Advanced Social Welfare Policy Elective*
|
| Year 2: Fall | Year 2: Spring |
|
SOWK 5603 Advanced Social Work Practice with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities SOWK 5903 Field III |
SOWK 5604 Integrative Seminar SOWK 5904 Field IV Elective* |
For course descriptions, please visit The University's Course Catalog.
Stockton's MSW program requires students to complete 9 credit hours of electives during the specialized practice year. Students can choose to take any combination of electives that they desire. Below is a listing of some of the most recent electives offered in the program.
Clinical Electives
- SOWK 5512 Clinical Social Work Practice With Groups
- SOWK 5515 Clinical Social Work Practice in Health Settings
- SOWK 5528 Psychopatholoy Using a Competency Based Assessment Model
- SOWK 5530 Psychopathology, Psychopharmacology, and Cultural Neuroscience
- SOWK 5532 Suicide Assessment and Intervention
- SOWK 5535 Substance Abuse: Treatment and Recovery
- SOWK 5538 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- SOWK 5540 Clinical Gerontological Social Work Practice
- SOWK 5562 Leadership & Management II: Clinical Supervision and Consultation
- SOWK 5570 Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
- SOWK 5575 Forensic Interviewing of Children
Leadership and Management Electives
- SOWK 5561 Leadership & Management I: Leading and Managing Human Service Organizations
- SOWK 5562 Leadership & Management II: Clinical Supervision and Consultation
- SOWK 5563 Leadership & Management III: Program Planning, Development, and Funding
General Electives
- SOWK 5550 International Social Work
- SOWK 5552 Child Migration and U.S. Immigration Policy: Faculty Led Program
- SOWK 5590 Empowering Groups and Communities for Social Change
Masters Child Welfare Education Program Electives
- SOWK 5571 Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice
- SOWK 5572 Child Welfare Leadership and Supervision
For course descriptions, please visit The University's Course Catalog.
Elective Tracks
Students who complete SOWK 5561, 5562, and 5563 will earn an Elective Track in Leadership and Management, in addition to the Program’s Specialized Practice in Working with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities. Electives are offered based upon demand, therefore elective tracks cannot be guaranteed if there is not sufficient student enrollment.
Students who complete three of the available Clinical Electives (choosing from SOWK
5512, 5515, 5528, 5530, 5532, 5535, 5538, 5540, 5562, 5570, or 5575) will earn an
Elective Track in Clinical Social Work, in addition to the Program’s Specialized Practice
in Working with Diverse Individuals, Families, and Communities. Students should note
that the regular curriculum courses include additional content relating to clinical
social work.
Field Program
Welcome to Stockton University’s Master in Social Work (MSW) Field Program. As part of the social work curriculum, field education provides important learning experiences for students to integrate classroom learning with applied experiences within human service agencies. Field placements are therefore necessary to achieve curriculum learning outcomes. Through partnerships with students, human service agencies, and the Social Work Program, field placements are developed to enhance professional growth and competencies that better serve an increasingly diverse community of service providers and consumers.
Students accepted in the foundation year are required to complete 200 internship hours per semester with a total of 400 for the academic year. Students entering the second year of the program and advanced standing students are required to complete 250 hours per semester with a total of 500 for the academic year.
General Information
Field Instructor Forms
Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI)
Field instructors who have an interest in supervising students require a training in field instruction. Please contact Kathleen Siracusa, the MSW Field Coordinator for the dates of the field instruction (SIFI) training as well as the online option of the course.
Application Deadline
Fall 2023: March 15, 2023
Prerequisite Requirements
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0;
- Adequate foundation in the liberal arts (at least 24 credits, as demonstrated in your official transcript);
- Facility in a second language (other than English) will be considered a strength in the applicant's file.
To be considered for admission to the MSW program, applicants must submit the following:
- Click here to start your application.
- Application fee: $50 (non-refundable), submitted with your online application
- Graduate application essay
- MSW Program Essays (this includes brief essays in response to questions posed in the application)
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution (official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended are required and must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions). Advanced Standing applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education;
- Three current letters of recommendation from persons who are familiar with the applicant's work (academic work, paid employment, or volunteer work in social welfare) sent electronically via the online application. Advanced Standing applicants must ensure that at least one of their letters of reference are from a BSW field instructor or field supervisor who can speak to their abilities in the field, or from a supervisor at a social work agency where they have recently been employed.
- Resume
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (including Stockton) should be emailed, mailed, or dropped off directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
By mail:
Office of Graduate Admissions, Campus Center Suite 101
101 Vera King Farris Drive
Galloway, NJ 08205-9441
Electronically:
gradschool@stockton.edu - An interview and/or writing sample may be required
- Candidates for who English is their second language must submit English proficiency test results and scores through TOEFL, IELTS, or ELS EAP Level 112. To review international applicant deadlines and admission criteria, please click here.
For additional information about Graduate Admissions and the MSW application process, click here or call (609) 626-3640.
For specific questions regarding the MSW Program, contact:
Dr. Allison Sinanan
MSW Program Chair
allison.sinanan@stockton.edu
Additional Information
Faculty, staff, alumni, field instructors, and interested community members are working together to fund dedicated scholarships that will be reserved exclusively for the support of future MSW students. If you are interested in contributing toward this effort, your donation, small or large, will help.
Support Stockton MSW students by giving to the MSW Endowed Scholarship Fund, by completing this form. Please make sure to designate the MSW Endowed Scholarship. Your gift will go directly to help our students!
If you are a student interested in applying for the MSW Scholarship or any other Stockton Foundation scholarship, please click HERE to learn more about submitting an application.
The Masters Child Welfare Education Program (MCWEP) is a partnership of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and a consortium of four New Jersey MSW programs— Monmouth University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and Stockton University. With Stockton University as the consortium’s Lead Institution, the program is only open to current Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P), SCR, and Adoptions Operations Casework Supervisors and Supervisors. MCWEP gives those individuals the opportunity to strengthen their skills in clinical social work practice and supervision, obtain an advanced credential in social work (MSW), and ultimately to enhance the capacity of the Division to deliver the highest quality services to the vulnerable children and families that it serves.
Click HERE to view the brochure for MCWEP students at Stockton or visit the full MCWEP website at www.stockton.edu/MCWEP.
Stockton University's MSW Program earned its initial accreditation in October 2012, retroactive to October 2009. Its accreditation was reaffirmed in October 2016. Its most recent Assessment Report is included here:
Academic Year 2020-21 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
- Licensure
- Loan Forgiveness/Repayment
- Online Social Work Journals and Blogs
- Professional Organizations
- Council on Social Work Education (has list of all accredited and in-candidacy BSW and MSW social work programs)
- International Association of Schools of Social Work
- International Federation of Social Workers
- National Association of Black Social Workers
- National Association of Social Workers, National site
- National Association of Social Workers, New Jersey Chapter
- Network for Social Work Management
- Research Assistance
- Social Work Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Stockton's MSW Program is an advanced professional degree that prepares its graduates for careers as social work practitioners, supervisors, leaders, and managers in a broad spectrum of settings, including social agencies and institutions, educational facilities, community organizations, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations. For further information about social work careers, explore this website: http://careers.socialworkers.org/
MSW Program classes are held on the following days:
- Monday evenings (hybrid style): 6:00 p.m. -8:50 p.m.
- Wednesday evenings beginning at 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday morning/afternoon from 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. with one hour break provided for lunch.
All classes are held at Stockton’s Atlantic City campus. Fieldwork must generally be done in the daytime during the work week. Additionally, a field seminar will be held every other week in the late afternoon hours on Wednesdays.
Yes, Stockton offers advanced standing to applications who have completed a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program that is accredited by the council on social work education
Yes. You will also be able to take the New Jersey LCSW (License in Clinical Social Work) examination after you have obtained the LSW, the necessary post-MSW clinical experience and supervision, and after you have completed the necessary clinical coursework. For further information on licensure, visit the website of the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners or the National Association of Social Workers, New Jersey Chapter. Please keep in mind that state licensing requirements are different outside the state of New Jersey.
You must have completed a baccalaureate degree (in any subject), including 24 credits in liberal arts. A course in statistics is strongly recommended but not required for admission. To enroll in the Advanced Standing Program, you must have completed an undergraduate degree in social work from a program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Apply today. If you have further questions you can Request More Information, contact Dr. Allison Sinanan, MSW Program Chair at allison.sinanan@stockton.edu, or call the Office of Graduate Admissions at (609) 626-3640 or E-mail gradschool@stockton.edu.
