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Advanced Standing at Kansas State University Salina

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Program Overview

The Kansas State University Salina (K-State Salina) Social Work Program and the University of Kansas (KU) School of Social Welfare are partnering to offer the KU Master of Social Work (MSW) at K-State Salina.  

If you already have a BSW (or are close to completing your BSW), you may qualify for the Advanced Standing plan of study, which is offered by KU at K-State Salina. Students begin coursework in the summer, and classes with sufficient enrollment are taught in a blended format with on-campus classes held at the K-State Salina campus every other Saturday. Classes that do not make minimum enrollment will be delivered in a fully online format with alternating weeks of synchronous and asynchronous learning and content.

The MSW prepares graduates for advanced social work practice in one of two broad specializations — either clinical social work practice with individuals, families and groups, or social work macro practice aimed at social service administration, social policy development and social advocacy. 

The KU social work program and newly revised course offerings were redesigned with community and student input to ensure a dynamic, educational experience that incorporates real-world opportunities.

Our uniquely qualified and confident graduates are equipped with the knowledge to provide counseling and direct services to individuals, families and groups. They make changes in organizations, communities, and policies that affect large populations in our society.

Courses guide students on how to engage and assess the needs of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Students learn how to intervene and evaluate those interventions at all levels of practice.

KU's MSW is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The KU MSW has consistently ranked in the top 12% of graduate social work programs at public institutions, according to U.S. News & World Report. It is the top-ranked and longest-running MSW program in Kansas.

More Info & Apply

Application Dates for 2024

  • Oct. 1 - MSW application opens

  • Feb. 1 - Advanced Standing MSW deadline (all locations)

CONTACT US

Vicki Mignot, MSW Academic Advisor

vmignot@ku.edu

785-864-8976

Learn More

Sign up for our mailing list, register to attend a virtual, interactive webinar or ask us a question.
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Advance your career in social work

KU licensure pass rates exceed the national averages for the LMSW and LSCSW. The KU MSW prepares graduates for careers in clinical or macro practice.

Licensing & Career Options

Curriculum

The Advanced Standing MSW at K-State Salina is taught in a one-year, full-time or two-year, part-time plan of study. Classes are held on campus every other Saturday with the alternate Saturdays delivered in a distance-learning format.

Applicants who meet the following criteria will apply to the Advanced Standing plan of study.

  • Bachelor's of social work degree from a CSWE-accredited social work program
  • Bachelor's of social work grade-point average of 3.0 or above is preferred

You will choose to specialize in either Clinical Practice or Macro Practice. 

Clinical Social Work Practice

Emphasis on a particular field of practice, such as children and families, health, mental health, schools, or aging populations.

Macro Social Work Practice

Emphasis on leadership, social service administration, social policy development and social advocacy.

The School of Social Welfare requires a total of 38 credit hours for the Advanced Standing plan of study, consisting of:

  • 24 credit hours of classroom work
  • 14 credit hours of field practicum

Yes, students can enroll in a part-time, two-year MSW. Students enrolled in the part-time program will enroll in their field practicum the second year. More information on the Part-time Advanced Standing MSW Curriculum webpage.


Full-time Curriculum

Summer 

  • SW 712 Social Work Practice Seminar (3 credit hours)

Choose either:

  • SW 863 Mental Health & Psychopathology (3 credit hours) (required, you can choose to take in the summer or fall)

OR one of the following clinical electives (options vary by campus):

  • SW 866 Children's Mental Health (3 credit hours)
  • SW 868 Assessment & Treating Suicide and Self-harm (3 credit hours)

Fall

  • SW 801 Advanced Field Practicum-Clinical Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 810 Clinical Practice Skills I (3 credit hours)

Choose one diversity-focused elective (options vary by campus):

  • SW 833 Interdisciplinary Aging Practice (3 credit hours)
  • SW 871 Indigenous Families (3 credit hours)
  • SW 873 Sexuality & Gender Diversity (3 credit hours)
  • SW 874 Social Work with Womxn and Femmes (3 credit hours)

Choose either:

  • SW 863 Mental Health & Psychopathology (3 credit hours)  (required, you can choose to take in the summer or fall)

OR one of the following clinical electives (options vary by campus):

  • SW 866 Children's Mental Health (3 credit hours)
  • SW 868 Assessment & Treating Suicide and Self-harm (3 credit hours)

Spring

  • SW 801 Advanced Field Practicum-Clinical Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 811 Clinical Practice Skills II (3 credit hours)
  • SW 885 Professional Development Seminar (3 credit hours)

Choose one clinical elective (options vary by campus):

  • SW 834 Social Work in Schools (3 credit hours)
  • SW 860 Loss and Grief Across the Life Course (3 credit hours)
  • SW 861 Global Gender-based Violence Prevention & Intervention (3 credit hours)
  • SW 867 Trauma-Related Care Across the Life Course (3 credit hours)
  • SW 869 Assessing and Treating Substance Misuse (3 credit hours)

Fall

  • SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum - Macro Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 840 Multi-system Community-Engaged Program Design (3 credit hours)
  • SW 841 Advanced Policy Analysis (3 credit hours)
  • SW 843 Leadership and Supervision in Program Management (3 credit hours)

Spring

  • SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum - Macro Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 842 Agency-based Evaluation (3 credit hours)
  • SW 846 Advanced Justice-centered Community and Advocacy Practice (3 credit hours)
  • SW 885 Professional Development Seminar (3 credit hours)

Summer 

  • SW 712 Social Work Practice Seminar (3 credit hours)

Choose either:

  • SW 863 Mental Health & Psychopathology (3 credit hours) (required, you can choose to take in the summer or fall)

OR one of the following clinical electives (options vary by campus):

  • SW 866 Children's Mental Health (3 credit hours)
  • SW 868 Assessment & Treating Suicide and Self-harm (3 credit hours)

Fall

  • SW 801 Advanced Field Practicum-Clinical Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 810 Clinical Practice Skills I (3 credit hours)

Choose one diversity-focused elective (options vary by campus):

  • SW 833 Interdisciplinary Aging Practice (3 credit hours)
  • SW 871 Indigenous Families (3 credit hours)
  • SW 873 Sexuality & Gender Diversity (3 credit hours)
  • SW 874 Social Work with Womxn and Femmes (3 credit hours)

Choose either:

  • SW 863 Mental Health & Psychopathology (3 credit hours)  (required, you can choose to take in the summer or fall)

OR one of the following clinical electives (options vary by campus):

  • SW 866 Children's Mental Health (3 credit hours)
  • SW 868 Assessment & Treating Suicide and Self-harm (3 credit hours)

Spring

  • SW 801 Advanced Field Practicum-Clinical Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 811 Clinical Practice Skills II (3 credit hours)
  • SW 885 Professional Development Seminar (3 credit hours)

Choose one clinical elective (options vary by campus):

  • SW 834 Social Work in Schools (3 credit hours)
  • SW 860 Loss and Grief Across the Life Course (3 credit hours)
  • SW 861 Global Gender-based Violence Prevention & Intervention (3 credit hours)
  • SW 867 Trauma-Related Care Across the Life Course (3 credit hours)
  • SW 869 Assessing and Treating Substance Misuse (3 credit hours)

Fall

  • SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum - Macro Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 840 Multi-system Community-Engaged Program Design (3 credit hours)
  • SW 841 Advanced Policy Analysis (3 credit hours)
  • SW 843 Leadership and Supervision in Program Management (3 credit hours)

Spring

  • SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum - Macro Practice (7 credit hours)
  • SW 842 Agency-based Evaluation (3 credit hours)
  • SW 846 Advanced Justice-centered Community and Advocacy Practice (3 credit hours)
  • SW 885 Professional Development Seminar (3 credit hours)

Notes: 

Not all MSW courses are offered every semester or on all campuses/online. Course options may change based on enrollment. Check the Schedule of Classes for current offerings.

When enrollment is sufficient, classes are taught in a blended format with on-campus classes held at the K-State Salina campus every other week. Classes that do not make minimum enrollment will be delivered in a fully online format with alternating weeks of synchronous and asynchronous learning and content. 

The Macro specialization is currently offered on campus only at the Edwards location. It is also available online through Jayhawk Global. On campus courses may be moved online due to low enrollment.

Senior Associate Field Director Laura Hart at a practicum site with a student and children from the agency

Student Support

MSW students are provided quality teaching, mentoring, and enrollment assistance through advising services and field practicum experiences.

Advising & Practicum Education

Admission & Application Requirements

Important Application Dates for 2024

1-Oct
Application Opens
1-Feb
Full-time and part-time application deadline
1-Mar
Acceptance deadline and seat fee paid

Admission Requirements

Applicants who meet the following criteria will apply to the Advanced Standing Plan of Study.

  • Bachelor's of social work degree from a CSWE-accredited social work program
  • Bachelor's of social work grade-point average of 3.0 or above is preferred

The full-time and part-time Advanced Standing application is open Oct. 1 to Feb. 1. All Advanced Standing students are admitted for a summer semester start date.


Application Requirements 

The online application gives you the ability to submit all supporting documents in one form and save in progress. You will be asked for the following, which will be required to complete the online application.

 

Please upload a professional resume detailing your current/prior work and volunteer experience. Please follow a reverse chronological format and include dates and hours per week worked. For helpful resume writing tips, please use the following University Career Center resource.

University Career Center resumes webpage

When submitting your resume, be sure to save as a "WORD" (windows compatible) or as a PDF document. Please double-check your formatting after saving it in WORD or PDF, and before uploading the document.

When responding to the following questions, please explicitly reference the School’s Mission and Guiding Principles and the NASW’s Code of Ethics.

Please draft a statement that is no more than 3 pages total, typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins. Please type each question prior to your answer to that question. This section is also used to evaluate master’s level writing ability. Questions:

  1. Given that there are many helping professions (e.g., psychology, nursing, public health, public administration, etc.), why have you chosen to apply for a Master of Social Work (MSW) program?
  2. What do you hope to gain from your graduate education? How do your hopes relate to your future plans as a social worker with an MSW degree?

You will be asked to list the contact information for three references in the application. The application system will then email a reference form to each person. 

Note: Choosing to list more than three references will delay application review significantly. Only three references will be included in the review.

Advanced Standing Plan of Study: References should be professional in nature and include those who can speak to the applicant’s ethics, experience with social justice issues, readiness for graduate social work education, skills, abilities and work styles. Applicants should include a practicum supervisor/and or practicum instructor as well as a faculty member if the degree was earned within the past 3 years. Family members and friends are not recommended except in cases of special circumstance, which may be described within the application. 

If you are a current or former KU student, you don’t need to provide official transcripts.

Current and former KU students are not required to request and purchase official KU transcripts, or to provide official KU transcripts or copies of KU transcripts to apply for admission to KU graduate programs. If KU students earned a degree from another institution, they will need to upload copies of those transcripts with their application. 

If you have never attended KU, your application must include official transcripts from each college attended.

For processing purposes, you may attach scanned versions of official transcripts to your application. If you are admitted to a program and accept the admission offer, you will be required to submit an official, final transcript that shows your degree has been conferred. Transcripts must be submitted to Graduate Admissions in one of the following ways:

  • Electronically (Preferred Method)

    If your institution offers a secure electronic transcript delivery service, you may have transcripts sent to graduateadm@ku.edu

     
  • Via mail

    Transcripts must be sent directly from your institution, in a sealed envelope, to:

    Graduate Admissions

    University of Kansas

    KU Visitor Center

    1502 Iowa Street

    Lawrence, KS 66045

For more guidance on transcripts from non-U.S. institutions, see the International applicants webpage.

Clinical Practice: The clinical social work practice specialization prepares students in the professional application of social work theory and methods to the treatment and prevention of psychosocial problems, disability, or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders. Students expecting to sit for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) examination two years after the MSW must take the clinical social work practice specialization.

Macro Practice: The macro practice specialization prepares students in the professional application of social work theory and skill to the development and management of social service programs in both public and voluntary human services organizations. 

All applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate English proficiency to be considered for MSW admission. This includes both International Students who reside in the U.S. and outside the U.S. at the time of application. Please consult the English proficiency requirements information from KU Graduate Admissions. 

Note: In order to begin practicum for the MSW Program, Full Proficiency must be met. If Full Proficiency requirements are not met at the time of admission, and additional language requirements are required from the KU Applied English Center, MSW classes and/or practicum may be delayed.


Finalize the Application

To complete the application you must submit the online application and pay the fee.

Application Fees

Domestic: $65

International: $85

NOTE: The application fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable.



By submitting your online application, you are agreeing to abide by the MSW Student Standards and Advancement Policies and Procedures lined out in the MSW Handbook and NASW Code of Ethics. If you have questions, please contact the appropriate Program Director at 785-864-4720.

All applications are reviewed by the School upon receipt. To check the status of your application, or to send a reference reminder, please access your applicant status portal.

Once a decision has been made on your application, you will receive an email from KU Graduate Admissions stating your admissions decision is ready. To view your decision please access your applicant status portal. If an offer is made, you will receive an additional email from the School of Social Welfare. All decision notifications are sent via email; this is the official notification of a decision. To ensure your privacy, we are unable to provide admission decisions by telephone. Your decision letter will be found in your applicant status portal.

If you are offered admission, please accept or decline the offer of admission by going to your application status portal and clicking on the "Complete Your Decision Form" button. If accepting the offer, you will also see a screen to submit a credit card payment for the non-refundable $50 admission fee to hold your place in the program. This will complete your “acceptance” processing.

Application open Oct. 1 to Feb. 1

Invest in your future

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Tuition & Aid

Make your MSW a reality by knowing your estimated tuition, fees and common expenses.
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Scholarships & Funding

MSW students have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarship programs and additional funding sources.
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Scholars Programs

Three scholars programs provide additional funding and safe spaces for critical conversations and expanded learning opportunities.