WHY GET AN ADVANCED STANDING MASTER’S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK?
If you have graduated within the last five years with a Bachelor of Social Work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better, you are eligible to apply for the advanced standing M.S.W. degree at UNH. Professional social workers make a difference in people’s lives, communities and society. An M.S.W. is a professional degree that will prepare you for work in fields such as healthcare, education, substance abuse, child welfare, employee assistance programs, policy and advocacy, and other human services and social welfare related areas. Additionally, an M.S.W. is the first step toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
WHY CHOOSE UNH’S MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM?
At UNH, you’ll earn a CSWE-accredited M.S.W. from a top-tier research university. You’ll learn from full-time faculty who are passionate about social justice and are experts in their fields of practice. The advanced standing option will allow you to finish your degree in a much shorter timeframe than a traditional M.S.W. program — as few as 12 months in Durham or 16 months online. You’ll also gain hands-on experience while making a difference in your community through a local field internship.
POTENTIAL CAREERS
- Child welfare case worker
- Community health worker or outreach organizer
- Juvenile/adult criminal justice social worker
- Medical or mental health social worker
- Public health administrator
- Public policy analyst or research assistant
- School social worker
- Substance use disorder counselor
Curriculum & Requirements
Advanced Standing Program
The M.S.W. program considers advanced standing for exceptional students with undergraduate degrees from accredited baccalaureate social work programs. This program option is offered in Durham and online. Applicants must have graduated from the B.S.W. program within five years of matriculation into the M.S.W. program with a 3.2 cumulative GPA or a 3.3 Social Work major GPA. Advanced standing students complete required coursework including a 10-week summer practicum and seminar, which students must take prior to their advanced practice and field placement.
MSW Program Advanced Standing (post B.S.W./B.S.S.W.) Courses
Complete a minimum of 35 credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SW 840 | Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SW 900 | Advanced Standing Practice and Field Seminar | 3 |
| SW 926 | Social Welfare Policy II (unless completed in B.S.W./B.S.S.W., then an elective) | 3 |
| SW 930 | Advanced General Practice III: Clinical Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| SW 931 | Advanced Generalist Practice IV: Community and Administrative Practice | 3 |
| SW 952 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment III | 3 |
| SW 962 | Data Analysis and Statistics | 3 |
| SW 965 | Program and Practice Evaluation | 3 |
| SW 982 | Field Internship III (seminar and concurrent internship) | 4 |
| SW 983 | Field Internship IV (Seminar & Concurrent Internship) | 4 |
| One Elective Course | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 35 | |
- Student demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Student engages diversity and difference in practice.
- Student advances human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
- Engage in practice informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engages in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervenes with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluates practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Deadline
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: N/A
- Spring: N/A
- Summer: December 15
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters Eligible: No
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.
If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
Letters of recommendation: 3 required
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
At least one letter must attest to observed skills in an employment setting that would be indicative of success in the social work and outdoor education field.
Personal Statement/Essay Questions
Applicants must provide a well-constructed double-spaced essay of 4-5 pages. Please respond to the questions below:
- How did you become interested in social work?
- What personal, academic, organizational, volunteer and/or paid work experiences have influenced your choice of social work as a profession?
- Briefly discuss a current social issue of great concern or interest to you.
- Describe some intellectual and personal attributes that you believe make you particularly suited for the profession of social work.
Statements must be included with your submitted application.
Resume
A current resume is required with your submitted application.
Additional Department Requirements:
In order to understand the unique timing of the program, students interested in the Advanced Standing MSW/JD dual degree program must consult Professor Sharon Murphy prior to submitting their application.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.
Significant volunteer and/or work experience in the field is strongly recommended.
International Applicants
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
