and
The National Catholic School of Social Service
at The Catholic University of America
Master of Social Work Program
Overview
In the fall of 2008, the National Catholic School of Social Service (NCSSS) at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC initiated a part-time Saturday Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (SMHEC) designed specifically to meet the educational needs of an expanding population in Southern Maryland. The Southern Maryland region has been historically underserved in the higher education field, and noticeably so in the area of Social Services graduate degrees. Of the six Maryland institutions that offer the MSW degree, none of them are in Southern Maryland. The NCSSS MSW program as SMHEC provides the opportunity to enhance professionalism of service, plus allowing for career and staff development to Southern Maryland social service agencies. Following appropriate post-graduate supervision, graduates will be eligible for licensure in Maryland or other states as licensed clinical social workers, (LCSW-C).
The National Catholic School of Social Service
NCSSS has been graduating Masters of Social Work students since 1923. Derived from the mission of The Catholic University of America, the needs of people and the goals and values of the social work profession, the mission of NCSSS is to prepare generalist and advanced practitioners, scholars and educators whose work is grounded in social justice.
NCSSS is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and has more than 4,500 alumni, working throughout the world in the fields of child welfare, health and mental health, social policy, social justice and social work education.
The SMHEC Program
In the SMHEC MSW program, students will complete the 60 credit hour program over a period of four years. Students will have the opportunity to take two courses at the Center from NCSSS faculty on Saturday mornings throughout the year. During the fall and spring semesters of the second and fourth years, students will be placed in internships in local agencies where they will be supervised by licensed social workers on staff there.
As required by CSWE, the foundation curriculum of the Southern Maryland this and every MSW program focuses on generalist practice, offering courses in human behavior and diversity, human development and psychopathology, social welfare policy and services, research, and generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Based on that foundation, the advanced clinical concentration will be geared specifically for individuals interested in work in child welfare. Courses will focus on strengths-oriented community practice with families, direct intervention with children and adolescents, practice theory, ethics, and evaluation of social work practice. Completing the curriculum will be courses on child welfare services and family violence.
Tuition
Tuition for the program will be $500 per credit hour for the 60 hour program. The State of Maryland has agreed to reimburse State employees at $315 per credit hour, requiring those employees to be responsible for only $185 per credit hour. For further information, State of Maryland employees are asked to contact their Office of Human Resources.
Application Process
The application process involves submission of:
- University Application Form
- Official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate college attended
- A purpose statement
- Resume
- Three current letters of reference
- GRE or MAT is required only for applicants whose cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0
For Further Information
Interested parties should contact Aileen Worrell, MSW, Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, NCSSS, at worrell@cua.edu or 202 319 5496 or call Dr. Cynthia Shoemaker at SMHEC at 301 737 2500, ext. 204.
Last Revised 20-Aug-09 04:54 PM.
