Master of Social Work Program

The Master of Social Work program (MSW), in accord with the mission of FGCU and the values and ethics of the social work profession, is distinctive among social work programs in its emphasis on one clinical concentration, clinical community practice (CCP).

This MSW program has been designed to prepare graduates with a solid liberal arts foundation, with generalist underpinnings, and specialized clinical intervention skills to work with individuals, families and groups for an expanded clinical role that integrates political and social action skills from community practice. This multi-focal approach serves as the cornerstone for an expanded concept of clinical intervention.

Students may pursue the MSW program on either a full or part-time basis. Both programs consist of 60 semester hours of coursework and field practice. This is a clinical program with generalist underpinnings in the foundation year. The advanced concentration year provides specialist training in empowerment oriented clinical community practice (CCP). There is one concentration, clinical community practice,
which emphasizes group work, community organizing, and political activity with an option for emphasis in administration. The full- time program takes two years (four semesters) to complete. The part-time program takes four years (ten semesters) to complete.

Students with BSW degrees earned within the past five years from CSWE accredited programs may apply for advanced standing and receive a maximum of 30 credit hours of exempted Foundation courses; providing an opportunity to graduate with 30 credit hours. The full-time and the part-time programs are sequenced and students must stay in sequence. Furthermore, all students are required to obtain
professional liability insurance before beginning practicum.