Belmont University’s Master of Social Work Advanced Standing program (MSW) is a graduate-level program designed to prepare students to work in a variety of social work settings, serving diverse populations and addressing a range of social issues. The Advanced Standing program option is open to students holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school. Graduates of this advanced generalist MSW program are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to practice in an array of contexts, including mental health agencies, health care, schools, and community organizations, where they can address the complex needs of individuals, families, and communities. The Belmont MSW offers a unique focus on trauma informed care and leadership in advocacy practice. The program combines coursework and hands on experience in the field to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively engage in advanced professional practice, lead teams and organizations in the provision of trauma informed services and engage in efforts designed to effect social change.
Advanced standing is awarded only to those with a(n): 1) CSWE-accredited baccalaureate social work degree; 2) CASWE-accredited baccalaureate social work degree (from the Canadian social work accreditor, recognized through an MOU with CSWE and CASWE); and/or 3) Internationally earned ISWDRES-evaluated degree comparable to a baccalaureate social work degree. This degree must have been earned within seven years of the time of enrollment.
Advanced standing applicants may be asked to submit a syllabus to facilitate an evaluation of Belmont MSW generalist course equivalency. All course equivalency decisions are made at the discretion of the MSW admissions committee and are approved by the Chair for the School of Social Work.
In the Belmont School of Social Work, students accepted into the two-year MSW program may request the transfer of up to 15 graduate credit hours, while advanced standing transfer students may request the transfer of up to 9 credit hours. Applicants must have completed their previous coursework at a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited MSW program. The program will determine at its sole discretion what course(s) are eligible for transfer toward the student’s program of study. Eligible transfer course work must have at least a grade of “B” in each course. Students are asked to submit a letter of good standing from the administration of the previous program(s), and a syllabus from each course they are requesting credit from. Transfer applications are evaluated by the MSW admissions committee and approved by the Chair for the School of Social Work.
Accreditation
The Belmont University MSW Program has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Candidacy status indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the accreditation standards but has not yet demonstrated full compliance. Students that are admitted to candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation. Candidacy applies to all program options, which include locations and delivery methods. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. Review our program’s candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.
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