MSW Student Guide
Section 2.04.00: Pathways in the Specialized Curriculum
The School has based its specialized pathways on the idea that rapidly changing policies, emerging evidence-based practices, and dramatic changes in service delivery patterns and structures require a graduate to be well-grounded in the methodologies of change in order to be prepared for professional social work practice. The specialized curriculum builds on the generalist foundation curriculum and provides students the choice of concentrating on one of eight pathways: Community Change; Global Social Work Practice; Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse; Management & Leadership; Policy & Political Social Work; Program Evaluation and Applied Research; Social Work Practice with Older Adults & Families from a Lifespan Perspective; and Welfare of Children & Families.
At this time students participating in the Online MSW Program are only able to pursue the Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Pathway.
The pathways are derived from different approaches to implementing change at micro, mezzo, and macro levels of intervention. Each pathway has a unique set of skills and knowledge, though the CSWE competencies serve as a basis for all. Pathways seek to broaden and deepen foundation knowledge and skills, and enhance the specialized skills needed for students to select and implement interventions within their chosen scope of practice.
All students in the school are required to complete one pathway, which determines their advanced program of study. Each pathway has specialized competencies and practices behaviors that are listed on the school website. (https://ssw.umich.edu/assets/ssw-pathway-competencies/ ) .
Students in the on-campus program have the option of completing a secondary pathway, which will be comprised of their elective credits. This is not a current option for on-line program students.
Students should follow the Course Planning Worksheet (https://ssw.umich.edu/assets/course-planning-worksheets ) that corresponds with the date they entered the program.
At this time students participating in the Online MSW Program are only able to pursue the Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Pathway.
The pathways are derived from different approaches to implementing change at micro, mezzo, and macro levels of intervention. Each pathway has a unique set of skills and knowledge, though the CSWE competencies serve as a basis for all. Pathways seek to broaden and deepen foundation knowledge and skills, and enhance the specialized skills needed for students to select and implement interventions within their chosen scope of practice.
All students in the school are required to complete one pathway, which determines their advanced program of study. Each pathway has specialized competencies and practices behaviors that are listed on the school website. (https://ssw.umich.edu/assets/ssw-pathway-competencies/ ) .
Students in the on-campus program have the option of completing a secondary pathway, which will be comprised of their elective credits. This is not a current option for on-line program students.
Students should follow the Course Planning Worksheet (https://ssw.umich.edu/assets/course-planning-worksheets ) that corresponds with the date they entered the program.