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Social Work Department

The mission of the Social Work department is to prepare competent professionals committed to advancing social justice, human rights and the dignity and worth of diverse individuals, groups, families and communities through generalist social work practice.

Postcard cover saying "What's on your horizon"

The Social Work Department introduces a new Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program! 

The first cohort of MSW students will start classes in Fall 2019. 

Frequently asked questions about the MSW Program.

Experience learning

Our undergraduate social work majors serve as volunteers in the introductory course and later, as seniors, undertake more than 400 hours of field experience per year and intensive practice skills labs. As a BSW student, you’ll not only develop skills for directly helping individuals but also for advocating on their behalf.

Graduate social work students also engage is simulated practice experiences in our skills lab, and must complete over 900 hours of field placement before earning their MSWs.

Career Excellence

Our social work programs measure student competencies according to the Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, so that the degrees students earn at NMU will open the door to positions in a wide array of social work settings and licensure across the United States. 

Northern Michigan UniversityNorthern Michigan UniversityStudents in NMUMaking it through the BSW program can be challenging, but faculty advisers are available to help students succeed. <a href="http://www.nmu.edu/socialwork/advising-QandA">Learn more about admission to the program and advising.</a>The Social Work Department and NAS, in conjunction with the Walking the Path Together (WPT) project, seek to support and connect interested students with rural tribal communities for internship placements. Find out more <a href="http://www.nmu.edu/socialwork/Walking-Path-Together">Here</a>

Degrees Offered

Bachelor Degree

Minor

Master of Social Work

What you'll do at NMU

Throughout the program, students are exposed to the values and ethics that guide professional practice. The entry level to the profession of social work is generalist practice— providing services to clients directly. The generalist practitioner has the capacity to provide services across a broad range of client systems. They work with an array of problem situations and can apply a common or generic social work method across a variety of service systems within an eco-systems model, utilizing a strengths perspective. Although the curriculum certainly contains elements of preparation for such activities as planning, research, supervision and administration, the major skill preparation is for direct practice with clients. The curriculum also develops awareness of the need for continued professional development following graduation.

Contact

Social Work Department•sosw@nmu.edu•906-227-2706

If you have college credit and want to find out what will transfer to NMU, please visit www.nmu.edu/transfercredit