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MASTER OF SCIENCE

• applied leadership for teaching & learning
• environmental science & policy
• management
• social work

MASTER OF SCIENCE



• administrative leadership & supervision
• education psychology - counseling
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CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS



• emergency management, planning, & administration

Master of Social Work

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh have established a Collaborative MSW Program that prepares social workers for advanced practice as facilitators, partners and leaders in planned change activities with service users and community service providers. The program's goal is to educate professionals ready to assume administrative and direct practice leadership roles within this region's increasingly diverse and transforming rural and metropolitan environments.

The program aims to prepare practitioners who can work to strengthen families through services, and policies supportive of family and community well being; who can engage in interdisciplinary learning and coordinated interprofessional practice; who can provide leadership in the community and in civic life; and who can encourage and guide the inclusion and representation of Native Americans and members of other cultures in the region.

Program graduates provide leadership in the social work field:

• through their expertise in the use of skills associated with "best practice" models, particularly those that are family-focused and that serve diverse clientele;
• by taking action to improve services within direct practice or administration/management, particularly in the public and tribal practice sectors and in rural social work practice;
• by regularly utilizing research to critically analyze, improve and develop services within their areas of expertise;
• by developing and refining services through collaborative efforts with diverse clientele;
• by developing ongoing and innovative strategies for support of professional peers.

The program offers a full-time curriculum which can be completed in two calendar years. A part-time program will be instituted in 2006 or 2007; however, it is not yet operational. To meet the needs of working students, most courses in the program are offered on evenings and weekends. Students can also integrate and apply their classroom learning in a sixteen-hour-a-week field experience. All social work courses are offered at the UW Fox Valley campus in Menasha, a central location for most students from Northeastern Wisconsin. Some additional elective and interdisciplinary courses will be available on either the UW-Oshkosh or UW-Green Bay campuses. Please check the semester schedule of classes for specific information on course offerings.

 

Areas of Emphasis

In addition to requiring a common foundation of courses, the Collaborative MSW Program offers students a choice of two concentrations as part of the Advanced Curriculum: Advanced Direct Practice and Administration/Management. The Advanced Direct Practice concentration prepares students for leadership in the field through their work with and on behalf of individuals, groups and families. Work with vulnerable families who face multiple life challenges is emphasized. The Administration/Management concentration admits students who are interested in providing leadership in their supervisory and management responsibilities, particularly in public and tribal social service settings.
Students are required to take four courses in their concentration and two elective courses relevant for their concentration area.

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be admitted to the Collaborative MSW Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Had a cumulative undergraduate gpa of 2.75, with 3.0 in the last two years of study;
2. Have an academic background in the liberal arts and have completed a minimum of 18 credits in the social sciences from among courses in at least three of the following disciplines: psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science (BSW students meet this criterion);
3. Through a written statement, 3 letters of reference (including one academic reference), and a relevant professional work/volunteer background, provide evidence of interest in and ability to work with social work clientele and in social work settings; documentation of breadth and depth of professional and/or volunteer experience (usually includes post-baccalaureate experience) that has prepared the applicant for advanced level practice;
4. Have completed course work in: human biology, statistics, research methods, and life span development or submit plans for completing this work prior to taking the Advanced Curriculum in the program;
5. For advanced standing, have graduated from an accredited baccalaureate social work program within the last 8 years.

The program has a two-stage admissions process. Applicants complete a Pre-Admissions process by submitting: a Pre-Admissions Application Packet, Personal Essay, Work Resume, and three reference forms to the Collaborative MSW Program. These materials are available at: www.uwgb.edu/socwork/MSWAdmissionsProcedures.htm. Applicants who are recommended for acceptance by the Collaborative MSW Program then go on to complete additional application procedures at either the UW-Green Bay or UW-Oshkosh campus.

 

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

For program applicants who do not have a BSW degree completed within the last eight years, 58 credits are required for graduation. This includes a 28-credit two-semester foundation curriculum (fall and spring), and a 30-credit three-semester advanced curriculum (fall, spring, and summer). Applicants who have completed a BSW degree within the last eight years receive advanced standing for all foundation requirements.

Foundation Curriculum Requirements, 28 credits
Foundation Courses:

A 28-credit set of foundation courses is required for all non-BSW students and for BSW students who received their degree more than eight years before entering the program. Eight credits of the foundation curriculum involve a field practicum in which students practice as social workers in a supervised field setting, carrying out a variety of generalist practice responsibilities.

Soc Work 701 Ethical Issues in Contemporary Social Work, 3 cr
Soc Work 702 Generalist Practice I, 3 cr.
Soc Work 703 Skills Lab with Individuals, Families and Small Groups, 1 cr.
Soc Work 704 Generalist Practice II, 3 cr.
Soc Work 705 Skills Lab with Large Groups and Communities, 1 cr.
Soc Work 706 Social Welfare Institutions, 3 cr.
Soc Work 707 Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 3 cr.
Soc Work 708 Social Welfare Policy: Contemporary Approaches, 3 cr.
Soc Work 709 Field I: Foundations Social Work Field Practicum, 4 cr.
Soc Work 710 Field II: Foundations Social Work Field Practicum, 4 cr.

Advanced Curriculum Requirements, 30 credits

All students are required to take 10 credits of required advanced course work. In addition, Advanced Direct Practice students are required to take 14 credits of required course work and 6 credits of additional electives;

Administration/Management students are required to take 17 credits of required course work and 3 credits of additional electives. Eight credits of the advanced curriculum are associated with a field practicum in which students practice as social workers in a supervised field setting, with either advanced direct practice or with administrative responsibilities.

Advanced Requirements: Required For All Students
SOC WORK 720 Practice Competence in a Diverse Community, 3 cr.
SOC WORK 728 Advanced Social Welfare Policy Analysis, 3 cr.
SOC WORK 731 Advanced Research Applications in Social Work Practice, 3 cr.
SOC WORK 732 Field Research Project, 1 cr.

Advanced Requirements: Direct Practice Concentration
SOC WORK 721 Multi-Level Family Intervention, 3 cr.
Advanced HBSE Selection, 3 credits
SOC WORK 729 Field III: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar, 4 cr.
SOC WORK 733 Field IV: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar, 4 cr.

Electives, 6 credits

Advanced Requirements: Administration/Management Concentration
SOC WORK 722 Social Work Management and Supervision in the Social Services, 3 cr.

Advanced HBSE Requirement:
Organizational Theory, 3 credits
Budgeting and Finance, 3 credits
SOC WORK 729 Field III: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar, 4 cr.
SOC WORK 733 Field IV: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar, 4 cr.

Elective, 3 credits

Advanced Requirement: Professional Project
Students in the program meet professional project requirements by completing a research project during their final semester in the program (SOC WORK 732). Students develop their project proposal in the Advanced Research Applications course (SOC WORK 731). This field-related research project is completed when students finish their two-semester Advanced Social Work Field Practica (SOC WORK 729 and 733).

 

FACULTY

Altepeter, Donna, UW-OSHKOSH, Lecturer. BA Theology (1981), MSW(1983) St. Louis University, CICSW and ACSW.
Fields of interest: social work in health care and severe mental illness.

Ebert, Thomas G., UW-OSHKOSH, Associate Professor. BA (1973), MSSW (1974) University of Wisconsin-Madison; Ph.D. Urban Social Institutions (1998) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Fields of interest: mental health, program evaluation research, scholarship of teaching, social welfare history.

Epple, Dorothea Marie, UW-OSHKOSH, Assistant Professor. MSW (1982) Loyola University Chicago; Ph.D. (2002) Institute of Clinical Social Work Chicago.
Fields of interest: mental health, children and families, aging, hospice, addictions, social work and spirituality, and the therapeutic effects of journal writing.

Gushwa, Melinda, Assistant Professor. B.S. (1989) University of Redlands; MSW (1997) California State at San Bernardino; Ph.D. (in progress) Washington University.
Fields of interest: organizational burnout and climate in child welfare, evidence-based research in child welfare, child abuse and neglect.

Kissel, Stephanie, UW-OSHKOSH, Lecturer. BS (1989) University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; MSW (1993) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, ACSW.
Fields of interest: mental illness, corrections, sexual assault, both victim and perpetrators, and families.

Kok, Anne C., Associate Professor and Program Chair. BA Sociology (1969) Calvin College; MA Social Work (1979) University of Chicago; Ph.D. Urban Studies (1998) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Fields of interest: domestic violence, non-profit organizations, program evaluation, women's issues.

Martin, Judith A., Professor. B.S. Sociology (1968) University of Wisconsin-Madison; MSSW Social Welfare (1972) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Ph.D. Social Work (1978) University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fields of interest: child welfare service and policies, foster care and adoption, child abuse, family violence, attachment issues in child welfare.

Roeder, Kevin, Associate Professor. BSW (1988) University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; MSW(1991)University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Ph.D. Adult Education (in progress).
Fields of interest: applied social work ethics and boundaries; HIV/AIDS; diversity.

Sallmann, Jolanda M., Assistant Professor. BSW (1992), MSW (1996) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Ph.D. (in progress) University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fields of interest: violence against women across the life course, including its broader effects on mental health, substance use, criminal justice involvement, poverty and homelessness.

Shim, Woochan, UW-OSHKOSH, Assistant Professor. BA (1994) Catholic University of Korea; MS (1996) Columbia University; Ph.D. (2004) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Fields of interest: wife battering, date violence, domestic violence among minorities, immigrants' access to public/social services.

Staerkel, Fredi, UW-OSHKOSH, Assistant Professor. BA Social Welfare (1981) Pacific Lutheran University; MSW(1991), Ph.D. Social Welfare (2002) University of Washington Seattle.
Fields of interest: prevention science, child welfare, community-based program evaluation.

Sullivan, Quintin E., UW-OSHKOSH, Associate Professor and Program Chair. BA Social Welfare (1975) University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; MSSW(1984), Ph.D. Social Welfare (1989) University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fields of interest: administration, program evaluation, poverty, programs targeted at low income adolescents which aim to prevent welfare dependence.

Wells, Carolyn, UW-OSHKOSH, Professor. BA Anthropology (1965)University of California Berkley; MSSW(1968), Ph.D. Child Development and Family Relationships (1973) University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fields of interest: family practice, aging issues, women's issues.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

In the course descriptions in this catalog, commonly used abbreviations include:

cr - credits
P- required requisite course(s) or experience
Rec - recommended background preparation
gr st - graduate standing
fr - freshman
soph - sophomore
jr - junior
sr - senior
cons inst - consent of instructor

 

Graduate-Only Courses (700 Level)

SOC WORK 701 Ethical Issues in Contemporary Social Work 3 cr.
This foundation course is designed to introduce MSW students to wide-ranging ethical issues that involve practitioners in various setting. P: gr st; Soc Work 708. (spring)

SOC WORK 702 Generalist Practice I 3 cr.
This course promotes master's level development of knowledge, values and skills necessary to practice social work with diverse individuals and family groups. P: gr st; concurrent registration in Soc Work 703 and 709. (fall)

SOC WORK 703 Skills Lab with Individ-uals, Families, and Small Groups 1 cr.
This practice lab introduces students to a range of skills required for effective work with individuals, families, and small groups. P: gr st; concurrent registration in Soc Work 702. (fall)

SOC WORK 704 Generalist Social Work Practice II 3 cr.
This course promotes master's level development of knowledge, values, and skills necessary to practice social work with diverse groups and within organizations and communities. P:gr st; SOC WORK 702 and 703, concurrent registration in Soc Work 705 and 710. (spring)

SOC WORK 705 Skills Lab with Large Groups and Communities 1 cr.
This practice lab introduces students to a range of skills required for effective work with various professional and community groups, with organizations, and with communities. P: gr st; SOC WORK 702 and 703, concurrent registration in SOC WORK 704 and 710. (spring)

SOC WORK 706 Social Welfare Institutions 3 cr.
This course examines the origins of and changes in American social welfare arrangements to meet human needs. It traces the evolution of the social work profession and social welfare efforts in relation to major economic, social, and political forces over time. P: gr st; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 707. (fall)

SOC WORK 707 Human Behavior in the Social Environment 3 cr.
Integration of theories and models examining the complexity of person/environment functioning with respect to individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities. P: gr st; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 702. (fall)

SOC WORK 708 Social Welfare Policy: Contemporary Approaches 3 cr.
In this course, students evaluate contemporary social policies affecting poor and disenfranchised groups in the U.S. Students are introduced to the processes of policy development and policy change. P: gr st; SOC WORK 706. (spring)

SOC WORK 709 Field I: Foundations Social Work Field Practicum 4 cr.
Supervised social work practicum experience in a human services agency setting. P: gr st; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 702 and 703. (fall)

SOC WORK 710 Field II: Foundations Social Work Field Practicum 4 cr.
Supervised social work practicum experience in a human service agency setting. P: gr st; SOC WORK 709, concurrent registration in SOC WORK 704 and 705. (spring)

SOC WORK 720 Practice Competence In a Diverse Community 3 cr.
Social work advanced practice course on working with diverse groups and communities. P: gr st; completion of Foundation Requirements or Advanced Standing. (fall)

SOC WORK 721 Multi-Level Family Intervention 3 cr.
Advanced social work practice techniques for direct practice students working with families of many types and in varied settings. P: gr st; SOC WORK 720 and 731; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 729. (spring)

SOC WORK 722 Social Work Management and Supervision in the Social Services 3 cr.
Advanced social work practice of management and supervision methods for students working in management positions at any level in social service agencies. P: gr st; SOC WORK 720, 731; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 729. (spring)

SOC WORK 727 Psychopathology and Strength-based Assessment 3 cr.
This course examines mental health and mental illness from a strength-based social work perspective. Cultural and community factors defining these issues are addressed. (fall)

SOC WORK 728 Advanced Social Welfare Policy Analysis 3 cr.
This course uses an analytical framework for assessing social welfare policy and its implications for particular practice concerns. Particular attention is paid to rural/urban differences and to diversity issues. P: gr st; completion of Foundation Requirements or Advanced Standing. (spring)

SOC WORK 729 Field III: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar 4 cr.
Supervised social work practicum experience in a human service agency setting. P: gr st; SOC WORK 720; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 721 or 722. (spring)

SOC WORK 731 Advanced Research
Applications in Social Work Practice 3 cr.
Advanced research course that prepares students to evaluate their own practice and to carry out independent research projects. P: gr st; completion of Foundation Requirements or Advanced Standing. (fall)

SOC WORK 732 Field Research Project 1 cr.
Students learn how to conduct evaluation research by carrying out a project in their field unit. P: gr st; SOC WORK 731; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 733. (summer)

SOC WORK 733 Field IV: Advanced Social Work Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar 4 cr.
Supervised social work practicum experience in a human service agency setting. P: gr st; SOC WORK 729; concurrent registration in SOC WORK 732. (summer)

SOC WORK 735 Emerging Issues in Child Welfare 3 cr.
Advanced standing elective course considering major new issues in child welfare practice, administration, funding and research. P: gr st; completion of Foundation Curriculum or permission of instructor.

SOC WORK 795 Special Topics 3cr.
This course provides students an opportunity to strengthen practice while working with clients or agencies around mental health concerns, addictions, or violence issues. P: gr st; completion of Foundation Curriculum or permission of instructor.

SOC WORK 798 Independent Study 1-3cr.
Research and reading under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty. Independent Study credits may only be earned when the activity is included as a part of an approved program plan. P: Approved Program Plan. (fall, spring, summer).