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Dean of the School: Jill Doner Kagle
Correspondence and Admission Information: Martha Cooper
1207 West Oregon Street, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2261
E-mail: 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 computer-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 foundation 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
56 to 64 graduate hours 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 64 graduate hour 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. |
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