Social Work, M.S.W.

Mission of Oakland University’s M.S.W. Program

Guided by the principles of social and economic justice, cultural competence, and the values and ethics of the social work profession, Oakland University’s MSW Program prepares students for competent and effective advanced generalist social work practice to serve the needs of individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations in a multicultural and global society. Utilizing critical thinking, scientific inquiry and evidence-based practice skills, graduates of the program are prepared to serve as leaders to enhance community well-being, promote socially just, culturally-responsive and theory-informed interventions and advocate for social justice in the delivery of social services to diverse populations of Southeast Michigan.

MSW Program's Goals

• To prepare  social workers who identify with the social work profession, model the values and ethics of the profession, and are committed to continuing their learning after graduation
• To prepare a social workers for leadership roles in an interprofessional environment within the community and at all system levels
• To prepare social workers to engage, assess, intervene and evaluate on all systems of social work practice dealing with increasingly complex social problems.
• To preparesocial workers to engage in advocacy, policy practice, and social change to advance social and economic justice in diverse communities and the global society.
• To prepare social workers who use scientific inquiry, critical thinking and evidence-based approaches to deliver equitable and interculturally effective programs, policies and services.

Join us for both virtual and in-person info sessions where you will learn about the MSW program, including:

• Requirements and applications for Summer & Fall enrollment
• Advanced Standing and Traditional Program Options
• MSW focus areas in Behavioral Health, School Social Work and Organization and Community Leadership
• Field placement opportunities: Below you can click on the virtual link to join on date and time that works best for you!

Faculty and staff in the Social Work Program value a close working relationship with students and feel that careful advising and mentoring are critical.

Students can schedule half-hour appointments with an Academic Adviser as needed when they have questions about their major program, class scheduling, or any issues related to their academic progress at Oakland University or questions about the application process.

For More Information Contact

Paige Freed, LMSW-Clinical
Assistant Director of Student Support, Social Work

We offer two pathways for students to apply to the MSW Program, a traditional MSW Program and an Advanced Standing MSW Program. 

Advanced Standing MSW Program: A student with a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited programs may be considered for the 10-month advanced standing program if the student received a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited social work program.

• For advanced standing students, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 in BSW coursework is required.
• Two other letters of recommendation that speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional suitability for advanced study in Social Work; at least one of these must be from a professor or instructor. It is preferred the second one is from your field supervisor/liaison or field instructor;
• Personal statement that will be used to assess preparation for and commitment to advanced study in Social Work, suitability for the profession, and skills in written communication. See instructions to the personal essay statement;
• One-page resume including volunteer, internship or paid work experience relevant to Social Work practice.

Traditional MSW Program: For admission into the traditional 2-year MSW program, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study is required.

• Student must have successful completion (grade of C- or better) of undergraduate courses in social and behavioral sciences (12 credit hours, drawing from sociology, psychology, government, economics, or related disciplines), research (4 credit hours), and biology with human content (4 credit hours). These courses may be completed at the introductory level.
• Two other letters of recommendation that speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional suitability for advanced study in Social Work; at least one of these must be from a professor or instructor;
• Personal statement that will be used to assess preparation for and commitment to advanced study in Social Work, suitability for the profession, and skills in written communication. See instructions to the personal essay statement;
• One-page resume including volunteer, internship or paid work experience relevant to Social Work practice.

Students with lower GPAs may be considered for provisional admission when combined with volunteer work and work experience, or when there are extenuating circumstances. The Admissions Committee will assess a GPA between 2.7 and 3.0, generally for provisional acceptance. Provisional applicants will be admitted on a part-time basis. These applicants may petition the admission committee by explaining reasons for their lower GPA and how the student plans to overcome such difficulties while attending full-time. Students with GPAs lower than a 2.7 will need to provide a strong rationale in the personal statement and may require an interview with the admission committee for a decision.

Deadline: Prospective students will apply through the OU Graduate Admissions for admittance into the program for the Summer Semester (advanced standing) and Fall Semester (traditional program).

• Students may apply for an early admission decision if submitted by December 15.
• February 15  and April 15 for the M.S.W Program or until our cohort is filled or until June 1st, whichever comes first.

For questions about admission, please contact Maria Beam at 248-370-3166 or email with questions.

Student may choose to specialize in one of our three optional specializations where all credits can double count for the M.S.W program elective requirement. Students may also choose not to specialize in one area.

Focus Area in Integrated Health 8 Credits

The M.S.W program offers an optional sub-specialization area that focuses on integrating health and behavioral health practice. The curriculum is designed to meet the contemporary workforce needs with regard to healthcare reform and to underscore the major contributions MSW graduates are qualified to make in the future of healthcare systems that address both physical and behavioral health. The primary goal is to prepare graduates in this area with advanced generalist practice in clinical services, advocacy, and management roles in the dynamic fields of health care and behavioral health.

Core for Focus Area (8 credits)

• SW 5630 – Advanced Social Work Practice in Integrated Healthcare (4 credits)
• SW 5640 - Integrated Health Policy and Services (4 credits)

Focus Area in Community and Organizational Leadership 8 Credits

The M.S.W program offers an optional sub-specialization area that focuses on community and organizational leadership, preparing students for advanced generalist practice within the community and in organizations. This specialization emphasizes a macro approach to advancing social justice.  Students will gain the skills required to address structural inequities through organizational leadership, community practice, advocacy, and policy reform.

To earn the specialization in community and organizational leadership, students select course for 8 credits from the following:

• SW 5730 - Program Development and Evaluation (4 credits)
• SW 5740 - Community Organizing (4 credits)
• PA 6500 - Fundraising and Philanthropy (4 credits)
• PA 6510 - Grants: Politics and Administration (2 or 4 credits)

Focus Area in School Social Work 8 credits.

The M.S.W program offers an optional specialization area that focuses on school social work.

Core for Focus Area  (8 credits)

• SW 5830 - Policy and Practice of School Social Work in Educational Settings (4 credits)
• SW 5835 - Diagnosis & Assessment of Mental Health and Educational Disabilities in School Social Work (2 credits)
• SW 5840 - Social Work Interventions in an Educational Setting (2 credits)

State of Michigan Department of Education School Social Work Certification

Temporary Approval: This form is used to request a letter of recommendation for temporary approval as a school social worker in Michigan. Temporary approval by the State Department of Education is required for employment as a school social worker. 

Request SSW 310 Form for Temporary Approval

Oakland University's Master of Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master's social work program by the BOA indicates that it meets or exceeds standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the BOA has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).

All programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation (COA) are required to measure and report student learning outcomes.  All students are assessed using a minimum of two measures on their mastery of the nine competencies that comprise the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) and any additional competencies programs may choose to add.  These holistic competencies reflect the dimensions (knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive & affective processes) of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training.

2022-2023 MSW Program Assessment

Through graduate assistant positions, social work scholarships, OU scholarships, employment-based internships, and the workforce expansion grant, the MSW Program provides social work students with a number of opportunities to receive financial assistance to cover the cost of their education.

• Oakland University Social Work Scholarship
• GA Positions
• External Scholarships in Social Work
• Job Board for Social Work jobs
• Oakland University’s Scholarships
• Behavioral Health Workforce Expansion Grant Application
• Easterseals-MORC Employee Discount