Beginning the Journey

Trailblazing the Path

 Destination Graduation

Educate

• Familiarize yourself with your degree plan
• Attend UTA Orientation
• Complete your core SOCW courses:
  • 5301 Human Behavior
  • 5304 Generalist Micro Practice
  • 5306 Generalist Macro Practice
  • Course Description List
• Meet with your advisor
• Apply for Foundation Field

• Explore different MSW Specialties
• Explore graduate certificate
• Attend InPlace Orientation
• Explore dual degrees

• Select a specialty
• Choose cohort or non-cohort
• Complete advanced coursework
• Select advanced electives
• Apply to graduate in your final semester

Engage

• Explore School of Social Work Student Organizations
• Meet your Graduate Student Leader and reach out to them with questions
• Apply for School of Social Work Scholarships
• Explore study abroad and study away opportunities
• Use Teams to connect with classmates

• Reach out to professors who share your specialty
• Weekly preparation for supervision
• Attend School of Social Work events
• Begin your Foundation Placement

• Broaden your horizons by taking SOCW 5392
• Join a social work organization related to your specialty
• Reach out to professors in your chosen specialty
• Complete your foundation placement

Excel

• Meet with the Writing Center to get feedback and help with your papers
• Make a self-care plan and stick with it
• Maintain a 3.0 GPA

• Take on a leadership role in a student organization such as African American Social Workers Student Alliance
• Consider becoming a GSL
• Attend the Career Fair to explore post-graduation career opportunities
• Aim for acceptance into the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society

• Consider the CPS stipends
• Update your resume using the School of Social Work Career Corner and Career Development Center
• Join professional social work organizations such as NASW
• Consider the Thesis option

What is it?

What are some courses I would take?

 What are typical job titles?

What are my field and employment settings?

Community

And

Administrative

Practice

Do you like solving problems, creating new programs or finding out if programs work? 

In Community and Administrative Practice (CAP) you will learn ways to evaluate and lead programs to create more efficient and effective operations.  Through identifying problems on a macro level, you will engage in how to create and change policy to address struggles.

5324
Social Work Supervision

5321
Advanced Community Practice

Find more information on Community Administrative Practice here

• Lobbyist Manager
• Grant writer
• Program Evaluator
• Program Coordinator
• Executive Director

• Non-Profit Organizations
• Federal and State Agencies
• Congressional Offices
• Foundations
• For-Profit Organizations

Aging

Do you enjoy tending to the unique needs of older adults and their caregivers? 

Here you will have the opportunity to work at the micro and macro level to develop and implement effective interventions, programs, and policies. Through partnering with practitioners and community agencies, you will learn to improve the lives of older adults through evaluation, assessment and intervention.

5318
Death and Dying

5334
Family Caregiving and Aging

Find more information on Aging here

• Hospice Social Worker
• Adult Protective Services Investigator
• Ombudsman
• Program Advocate
• Care Manager
• Medical/Health Service Manager 

• Skilled Nursing Facilities
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Retirement Communities
• Adult Protective Services
• Hospice

Health

Do you enjoy advocating for patients in a health setting? 

Here you will gain the information, skills, and expertise needed to do so. You will focus on working with clients and families facing acute, chronic and terminal conditions. Throughout the program you will learn how to help patients understand illness and various treatment options, intervene in crisis situations, and serve as patient advocates at the individual and community level.

5314
Intimate Partner Violence

5344
Health Insurance and Access to Care

Find more information on Health here

• Medical Social Worker
• Discharge Planner
• Patient Advocate
• Health Educator
• Patient Navigator
• Crisis Counselor

• Hospitals
• Fitness Facilities
• Health Care Clinics
• Crisis Hotline
• Family Violence Shelter

Mental

Health and

Substance

Abuse

Do you enjoy focusing on assessment and intervention with acute and chronic mental health problems and substance abuse disorders? 

Here you will be trained to diagnose, treat, collaborate on recovery, and advocate for social justice for persons across the life span who have mental and substance abuse disorders, as well as to deliver services and support policies to prevent such disorders.

5356
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

5354
Treatment of Addictive Behaviors

Find more information on Mental Health and Substance Abuse here

• Therapist
• Clinical Social Worker
• Addictions Counselor
• Treatment Coordinator
• Psychiatric Social Worker
• Behavioral Health Coach

• Private Practice
• Rehabilitation Clinics (Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation)
• Mental Health Clinics
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Military Base

Children

and

Families

Do you enjoy working with children and their families?

Here you will learn information, skills, and expertise relevant to social work practice with this population.  Through concentrating on adjustment issues in the family, you will be prepared for intervention in a variety of settings.

5370
Social Work in the Schools

5367
Treating Parent and Child Relationships

Find more information on Children and Families here

• School Social Worker
• Child Advocate
• Family Finding Specialist
• Child Protective Services Investigator
• Child Welfare Specialist
• Family Intervention Specialist

• Private Practice
• Child Protective Services
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Child Advocacy Centers
• Adoption Organizations

WHAT IS IT? 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COURSES I WOULD TAKE?

FOR WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES THIS PREPARE ME?

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP 

The Administrative Leadership Certificate prepares students to effectively lead organizations, thus positively impacts clients. The certificate provides students with training in program development, program leadership, and supervision of program staff.

5312: 
Community & Administrative Practice

5320: 
Advanced Administrative Practice

5324: 
Social Work Supervision

This certificate prepares direct practice students to move into leadership roles within their organizations. Program creation, direction, and staff supervision are key in effective program leadership. Examples of positions include Program Director, Services Coordinator, or Agency Director.

For students in the MSW program at the time of enrollment for the Certificate, the Admission requirement will be to be in good standing, as defined by the MSW program, which includes having a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For non-degree seeking students who wish to enroll in the Certificate Program, a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a bachelor’s degree and two-years of related professional experience, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

The Community Leadership Certificate provides advanced education and training in social work community practice skills, including mobilizing neighborhood, community, and client groups to solve collective human problems, writing grants for financial support, and planning and conducting advocacy to affect social welfare policy decisions that affect local communities.

5321: 
Advanced Community Practice

5326: 
Seminar in Grant Proposal Development

5328: 
Advocacy and Social Policy

This certificate is for students who specialize in direct practice (clinical) social work but want to know how to impact their communities. Certificate students will be equipped to mobilize communities and groups to solve human problems, write grants for community purposes, and to impact the policy-making process. Students with this knowledge can be expected provide advanced community practice skills to groups and organizations seeking greater levels of social justice outcomes for communities and clients. Examples of positions available to graduates with this certificate can include Constituent Organizing Manager, Community Engagement Specialist, or Economic Development Stakeholder Coordinator.

For students in the MSW program at the time of enrollment for the Certificate, the Admission requirement will be to be in good standing, as defined by the MSW program, which includes having a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For non-degree seeking students who wish to enroll in the Certificate Program, a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a bachelor’s degree and two-years of related professional experience, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The Organizational Leadership Certificate provides advanced education and training in organizational leadership of human service and nonprofit programs to direct practice social work students and members of the community.

5320: 
Advanced Administration

5324: 
Social Work Supervision

5325: 
Budgeting and Financial Management

If current students obtain the skills taught in this certificate program while earning their degree, they will be ahead of their colleagues when it comes to being prepared for management jobs in their organizations. If non-degree seeking students have already graduated, this certificate will allow them a way to obtain these skills quickly and pave the way for continued promotions.  Examples of positions available to graduates with this certificate can include Social and Community Service Managers, First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, or Public Relations and Fundraising Managers.

For students in the MSW program at the time of enrollment for the Certificate, the Admission requirement will be to be in good standing, as defined by the MSW program, which includes having a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For non-degree seeking students who wish to enroll in the Certificate Program, a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a bachelor’s degree and two-years of related professional experience, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required.

POLICY LEADERSHIP

The Policy Leadership Certificate provides advanced education and training in skills that help direct-practice social workers to impact social welfare policy decisions, including increased social policy knowledge and skills in advocacy, program evaluation and administration.

5320: 
Advanced Administration

5323: 
Program Evaluation

5328: 
Advocacy and Social Policy

This certificate allows students to gain understanding of how to impact policymaking, direct programs, and conduct evaluations enhances policy-impacting skills for direct service social workers that will help them to create programs, evaluate them, and create political support for them.  Examples of positions available to graduates with this certificate can include Human Service Program Manager, Social Service Program Evaluator, or Advocacy Coordinator.

For students in the MSW program at the time of enrollment for the Certificate, the Admission requirement will be to be in good standing, as defined by the MSW program, which includes having a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For non-degree seeking students who wish to enroll in the Certificate Program, a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a bachelor’s degree and two-years of related professional experience, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required.