MSW Student Guide
Section 2.06.00: Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Education Requirement
All students are required to complete 2 credits of Interdisciplinary or Interprofessional Education (IPE/IDE). IPE/IDE courses intentionally integrate interprofessional and/or interdisciplinary perspectives through course design (e.g., content, readings, speakers, and/or assignments). IPE/IDE integrated courses may be social work courses, cross-listed with, or listed separately by another UM graduate school, department or unit. Each pathway in the SSW has identified at least one course that meets the IPE/IDE credit requirement. Meeting the IPE/IDE requirement does not require taking any additional courses in the MSW curriculum.
Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary
This category of courses involves meeting ONE of the following three criteria:
• SSW courses that have a focused, intentional integration of interdisciplinary perspectives through assigned interdisciplinary content, readings, speakers, and/or assignments.
• SSW courses that have been purposely designed to include students from other departments. These classes might be cross listed or listed as a “meet together.”
• Enrollment in a course in another UM school, department or unit. This provides you with an opportunity to learn together with students from other disciplines enrolled in the same course, and from a perspective other than social work.
Interprofessional Education (IPE)
This category of course involves one of the following two criteria:
• IPE-designated courses are distinctly defined by intentional objectives of students learning about, from, and with each other. Intentional course design and coordination with other schools that assures two or more disciplines will be enrolled in the course. Content and assignments focus on interactive teamwork which intentionally addresses and evaluates one or more of the 5 IPE Core Competencies (Values/Ethics, Roles and Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams/Teamwork and Intercultural Humility). To obtain IPE designation, instructors must submit course IPE proposals to the Center for IPE Curriculum Committee for review and approval.
• IPE-designated courses might be offered through the SSW or might be offered through another department or unit. A listing of IPE courses at the University of Michigan can be found here: https://interprofessional.umich.edu/about/courses/ . Examples of specific courses that are listed in SSW include SW617 (selected sections), SW714, SW540/541/542, SW787. There are other IPE designated courses that include social work students but are primarily listed as courses through other schools.
• Students who are placed in designated field placements in hospitals, and integrated health settings will be required to take the 2 credit SW714 Team-Based Clinical Decision Making course which is offered in winter term. Students in the part-time programs may be exempted from this course.
• IPE integrated courses are social work courses that include/have embedded at least one of the IPE modules as a required element of an existing course. These modules include:
• Introduction to IPE: The Introduction to IPE Module introduces students to the current healthcare landscape through the perspectives of patients and families as well as faculty. It then provides an overview of the history of interprofessional education and how it relates to the quadruple aim of health care: improved patient experience, improved population health, increased workforce satisfaction, and reduced cost of health care. The content is appropriate for students across the health science schools and is ideal for learners early in their programs. This module is a program requirement for a majority of the U-M health sciences.
• Teams & Teamwork: Foundational course designed for students better to understand team dynamics and improve their team-building skills.
Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary
This category of courses involves meeting ONE of the following three criteria:
• SSW courses that have a focused, intentional integration of interdisciplinary perspectives through assigned interdisciplinary content, readings, speakers, and/or assignments.
• SSW courses that have been purposely designed to include students from other departments. These classes might be cross listed or listed as a “meet together.”
• Enrollment in a course in another UM school, department or unit. This provides you with an opportunity to learn together with students from other disciplines enrolled in the same course, and from a perspective other than social work.
Interprofessional Education (IPE)
This category of course involves one of the following two criteria:
• IPE-designated courses are distinctly defined by intentional objectives of students learning about, from, and with each other. Intentional course design and coordination with other schools that assures two or more disciplines will be enrolled in the course. Content and assignments focus on interactive teamwork which intentionally addresses and evaluates one or more of the 5 IPE Core Competencies (Values/Ethics, Roles and Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams/Teamwork and Intercultural Humility). To obtain IPE designation, instructors must submit course IPE proposals to the Center for IPE Curriculum Committee for review and approval.
• IPE-designated courses might be offered through the SSW or might be offered through another department or unit. A listing of IPE courses at the University of Michigan can be found here: https://interprofessional.umich.edu/about/courses/ . Examples of specific courses that are listed in SSW include SW617 (selected sections), SW714, SW540/541/542, SW787. There are other IPE designated courses that include social work students but are primarily listed as courses through other schools.
• Students who are placed in designated field placements in hospitals, and integrated health settings will be required to take the 2 credit SW714 Team-Based Clinical Decision Making course which is offered in winter term. Students in the part-time programs may be exempted from this course.
• IPE integrated courses are social work courses that include/have embedded at least one of the IPE modules as a required element of an existing course. These modules include:
• Introduction to IPE: The Introduction to IPE Module introduces students to the current healthcare landscape through the perspectives of patients and families as well as faculty. It then provides an overview of the history of interprofessional education and how it relates to the quadruple aim of health care: improved patient experience, improved population health, increased workforce satisfaction, and reduced cost of health care. The content is appropriate for students across the health science schools and is ideal for learners early in their programs. This module is a program requirement for a majority of the U-M health sciences.
• Teams & Teamwork: Foundational course designed for students better to understand team dynamics and improve their team-building skills.