Program Overview

Graduate Program Requirements

The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Social Work offers a Master of Social Work (MSW) program with two options: the Regular MSW program and the Advanced Standing MSW program.

Program Overview

• The Regular MSW program consists of 60 credit hours, divided into foundation level (12 hours) and concentration level (48 hours).
• The foundation courses are compressed into a single semester, allowing students three semesters to build advanced clinical skills.
• The concentration sequence is three semesters of coursework focused on developing specific practice competencies with vulnerable populations who are most often the recipients of behavioral health and health interventions.

Regular MSW Program

• Full-time students will graduate in two academic years with four semesters of coursework (fall and spring courses only).
• Part-time students will complete the program over an extended period of four years (classes in fall, spring, and summer), totaling 61 credit hours.

Advanced Standing MSW Program

• This program consists of 42 total credit hours.
• The concentration sequence is three semesters of coursework focused on developing specific practice competencies with vulnerable populations who are typically in need of behavioral health and health interventions.
• Advanced Standing students enrolled full-time will graduate in three semesters with coursework completed during the fall and spring semesters.
• Part-time students will complete the 42 total credit hours over an extended period of 2.5 years (classes in fall, spring, and summer).

Field Practicum

• In the Field Practicum, students are prepared for post-graduate employment through a series of supervised clinical experiences in community agencies.
• Students are paired with Field Supervisors who are social work professionals with at least two years of post-graduate practice experience.
• Regular Program students enrolled full-time will have field experiences all four semesters, consisting of 900 total contact hours.
• Students completing the Regular Program on a part-time basis will complete these 900 hours over five semesters.
• Advanced Standing students enrolled full-time will complete 600 field practicum hours over three semesters (Fall/Spring/Fall).
• Students completing the Advanced Standing program on a part-time basis will also complete their 600 field hours in three semesters but will do so during the second half of the program (semesters 5-7).

Courses

• A full list of courses and course descriptions is available in the UAB Graduate Catalog.
• Curriculum-by-semester guides for all four program options are available in PDF form.

Certificate in Nonprofit Management for Social Work Professionals

• This certificate program is designed for social work professionals interested in nonprofit management.

MSW Program Handbook and Field Education Handbook

• These handbooks provide detailed information about the MSW program, including program requirements, field education, and student resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

• A list of frequently asked questions is available to provide additional information about the program.