Master of Social Work (MSW)

This course will examine historical and contemporary knowledge and theory about mental health and mental disorders. Students will become familiar with dominant approaches to classifying, diagnosing and treating mental illness, while being encouraged to apply a critical lens to understanding the underlying assumptions, strengths, limitations, and consequences of each approach. Students will explore the constructed nature of psychiatric knowledge; that is, the ways in which current understandings of psychopathology are influenced by historical trends, sociocultural context, and claims making. The course will include information about recent biomedical advances in the understanding of mental health and mental illness, including the role of genetics and neurobiology. The course will also consider the impact of race, ethnicity, social class, age, gender, and other demographic and socio-cultural variables on our understanding and response to mental health and mental disorders.

This course will begin with the history of migration to the US, as well as legal definitions of newcomers, including obtaining documents for lawful permanent residence, refugee status, as well as grounds for exclusion and deportation, and paths to naturalized citizenship. We will then review how a framework of cultural competence and a strength or asset-based approach can inform service to immigrant clients. The core portion of the course will then focus first on the intersection of immigrants and health, mental health, employment, crimes, public entitlements, and public education. The course will conclude with family issues relevant to immigrant families, including women, children, lesbian and gay, and elderly immigrants. Public policy issues will be integrated throughout, and the course will end with specific suggestions on systems change at various levels. By the end of the course students should be able to identify strategies for individual client advocacy (micro), agency and community strategies (mezzo), and government advocacy (macro) to empower immigrant clients to become full community participants.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is the world’s most effective and empirically-based psychotherapy with strong scientific evidence. CBT is a collaborative and empowering psychotherapy that educates and helps clients to motivate themselves, set goals, and develop and implement treatment plans to reach those goals. The purpose of this advanced clinical skills course is to orient students to CBT, to begin applying the basic principles of CBT, and to develop a foundational skill-set in CBT approaches and techniques.

Yes. The Master of Social Work program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This accreditation is important because it ensures the education meets the national standards for ethical and competent social workers. In nearly every U.S. state, including Pennsylvania, accreditation is also needed to be eligible for social work licensure.

SP2’s MSW offers specializations to help students focus their training. Options include aging, child well- being and child welfare, social work in healthcare, criminal justice, and LGBTQ+. Students may select a specialization aligned with their career goals and may complete practicum placements in related settings.

MSW students typically complete 24 hours of supervised practicum education each week. SP2 maintains an extensive network of placement sites across Philadelphia and the surrounding region, spanning hospitals, schools, mental health centers, and community organizations.

The MSW is a two-year professional degree that prepares graduates for social work practice and licensure. The DSW (Doctorate in Clinical Social Work) is Penn SP2’s advanced practice doctoral degree, designed for licensed MSW-level clinicians who want to deepen their clinical expertise without transitioning to academic research.

Students with an undergraduate social work degree from a CSWE-accredited program may qualify for the Advanced Standing MSW, which allows completion of the degree in 10 months. This accelerated track is designed for students who have already mastered foundational social work content.

Graduates of the SP2 MSW program are eligible to pursue the ASWB Masters Exam for licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW). In the state of Pennsylvania, this is referred to as the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) exam. The LSW credential allows social workers to practice in a variety of settings, including clinical, community, healthcare, and social service environments, in accordance with the scope of practice established by the licensing state.

After completing the required supervised clinical experience, graduates may also pursue the ASWB Clinical Exam for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which is referred to as the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) exam in Pennsylvania. The LCSW credential is required for independent clinical social work practice in many states and allows qualified social workers to provide advanced clinical services, including assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy, as permitted by state regulations.These exams are administered according to state-specific licensure requirements; SP2 MSW graduates may pursue these exams in any state, provided they meet the applicable requirements of the state in which they seek licensure.