A pair of outstretched hands holds a string of interconnected paper people, representing a social worker caring for his/her various clients.

The Clinical and Community Practice Concentration

Social workers gain employment in a wide range of practice fields and work with diverse client systems. Their work requires multi-dimensional, contextually sensitive, evidence-informed applications that are performed through a variety of social work roles. Special Practice Areas in social work provide students with an opportunity to explore and develop expertise with practice issues that intersect across populations and agencies. These practice areas include:

Addictions
Grief and loss
Trauma
Crisis intervention
Tele-behavioral health
Disaster relief

Program Plans

Once admitted, you are assigned an advisor who will guide you in your course sequencing to ensure you meet the requirements for graduation. Your advisor is also your first contact should you experience difficulties in coursework or timely completion of requirements, requests for exceptions to curriculum policy, or change of status.

All coursework must be completed entirely before the practicum ends. All requirements for the MSW degree must be completed no more than five (5) years from the date of your first enrollment at IUSSW. You are expected to maintain continuous enrollment throughout your course of study. Students who are in good standing may request a temporary, time-limited leave of absence (i.e., a Stop Out). This process may be initiated by contacting your advisor. Failure to comply with notification to Stop Out may impact ability to register upon re-entry. The five-year limitation does apply.

Graduate students may not carry more than five courses in any fall or spring semester. In the summer, no more than 6 credit hours can be taken (3 credits each session is suggested). Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience is not given in-whole or in-part toward the social work degree.

Available program plans are outlined as follows. Note that all program options are dependent upon sufficient student enrollment.

Note: The program plan that a student enters is the plan that he/she should stay in. Students are entered into a practicum placement plan in Sonia Online Student Placement Software based on the term/track that they select at admissions. Students who want to switch from a full-time schedule to a part-time schedule or from a part-time schedule to a full-time schedule must get approval from their academic advisor. This ensures that Field Coordinators are able to make the necessary adjustments in Sonia, and avoids jeopardizing placement timing.

Advanced Standing Options

Students eligible for advanced standing in the MSW program have received a BSW within the past five (5) years. Advanced standing students must take 39 credit hours.

Advanced standing full-time schedule

First year, first semester
- SWK-D600 Clinical Theory & Practice
- SWK-D517 Assessment in Mental Health and Addictions
- SWK-D661 Executive Leadership
First year, second semester
- SWK-D618 Social Policy and Services
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
First year, third semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
Second year, fourth semester
- SWK-D623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part I
- SWK-D651 Practicum II
- SWK-D600 Community and Global Theory & Practice
Second year, fifth semester
- SWK-D652 Practicum III
- SWK-D624 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part II

Advanced standing part-time schedule

First year, first semester
- SWK-D600 Clinical Theory & Practice
- SWK-D517 Assessment in Mental Health and Addictions
First year, second semester
- SWK-D618 Social Policy and Services
- SWK-D661 Executive Leadership
First year, third semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
Second year, fourth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Community and Global Theory & Practice
Second year, fifth semester
- SWK-D623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part I
- SWK-D651 Practicum II
- SWK-D600 Elective
Second year, sixth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D652 Practicum III
- SWK-D624 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part II

Regular Standing Options

Students without a BSW within the past five (5) years are eligible for regular standing admission. Regular standing students must take 60 credit hours.

Regular standing full-time schedule

First year, first semester
- SWK-D506 Introduction to the SW Profession
- SWK-D507 Diversity, Human Rights, & Social Justice
- SWK-D508 Generalist Theory & Practice
- SWK-D505 Social Policy Analysis and Practice
First year, second semester
First year, third semester
- SWK-D661 Executive Leadership
- SWK-D517 Assessment in Mental Health and Addictions
- SWK-D555 Social Work Field Practicum & Seminar
Second year, fourth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D618 Social Policy and Services
Second year, fifth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part I
- SWK-D651 Practicum II
- SWK-D600 Community and Global Theory & Practice
Second year, sixth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D652 Practicum III
- SWK-D624 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part II

Regular standing part-time schedule

First year, first semester
- SWK-D506 Introduction to the SW Profession
- SWK-D507 Diversity, Human Rights, & Social Justice
- SWK-D508 Generalist Theory & Practice
First year, second semester
- SWK-D502 Research I
- SWK-D505 Social Policy Analysis and Practice
First year, third semester
- SWK-D516 Social Work Practice II: Organizations, Communities, and Society
- SWK-D600 Clinical Theory & Practice
Second year, fourth semester
- SWK-D517 Assessment in Mental Health and Addictions
- SWK-D555 Social Work Field Practicum & Seminar
- SWK-D661 Executive Leadership
Second year, fifth semester
- SWK-D618 Social Policy and Services
- SWK-D600 Elective
Second year, sixth semester
- SWK-D600 Elective
- SWK-D600 Elective
Third year, seventh semester
- SWK-D600 Community and Global Theory & Practice
- SWK-D600 Elective
Third year, eighth semester
- SWK-D623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part I
- SWK-D651 Practicum II
- SWK-D600 Elective
Third year, ninth semester
- SWK-D652 Practicum III
- SWK-D624 Practice Research Integrative Seminar, Part II