SOCIAL WORK

Dean of the School: Jill Doner Kagle

Correspondence and Admission Information: Martha Cooper, Assistant Dean, School of Social Work, 1207 West Oregon Street, Urbana, IL 61801; (217) 333-2261; E-mail: social@uiuc.edu

URL: www.social.uiuc.edu

GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

The School of Social Work offers programs leading to the Master of Social Work and the doctor of philosophy degrees.

admission

For the M.S.W. program, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements: (1) a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad; (2) a grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work; (3) 20 hours of completed coursework in social, biological, and behavioral sciences; (4) evidence of personal attributes that are suitable for the profession of social work; (5) a score of 580 or above on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (237 or above on the com

puter-based test) for any applicant whose native language is not English; and (6) provision of a written supplementary statement.

The Ph.D. program is open to students who demonstrate a potential for research and other scholarly work, who have aptitude for leadership in the field of social welfare and the allied professions, and who have had education in social work or in related professions or disciplines. The admission requirements for the M.S.W. also apply.

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK

The master's degree provides specialized study for advanced social work practice. Students take foundatio n and advanced courses in social work methods, organization and services, research, human behavior and the social environment, and field instruction. A two-semester field placement in a social service agency is required. A total of 14 to 16 units of graduate coursework is required for the M.S.W. degree, and the curriculum may be completed in 16 to 24 months of full-time study. Students choose from one of the following areas of specialization: child welfare, health care, community mental health, or school social work. Within each specialization, a direct service or policy, planning, and administration focus may be pursued. Students who wish to specialize in aging, occupational social work, substance abuse, or another individualized plan of study have the opportunity to develop the area with a faculty adviser. The school also offers a joint degree (M.S./M.S.W.) in marriage and family service in collaboration with the Department of Human and Community Development.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

The Ph.D. program is typically a 16-unit program for students who enter with an M.S.W. or other master's degree. The program is interdisciplinary and has a strong research emphasis. The Ph.D. program is organized around five curricular components: (1) seminars in social welfare policy, intervention, and research; (2) research methodology; (3) an interdisciplinary area of study; (4) qualifying examinations; and (5) the dissertation. While the curriculum focuses on issues of relevance to social work and social welfare policy, students select courses not just in the School of Social Work but also from the full range of graduate courses offered, notably those in educational psychology, human and community development, sociology, labor and industrial relations, and anthropology. Candidates prepare for leadership in teaching, research, policy analysis, development, and implementation.