MSW Program

There are three MSW Progam options offered:Full-time, Part-time and Distance.  Regardless of admission type the MSW curriculum encompasses a total of sixty-three (63) semester credits and 1,120 combined hours of field placement.

Courses are sequenced and cover both Fountation (32 credits) and Concentration (31 credits) curricula. Applicants with BSW degrees and who meet other stringent requirements may apply for Advanced Standing.

Full-time MSW Program

The MSW curriculum encompasses a total of sixty-three (63) semester credits which are completed over a period of two years. Courses are sequenced in both the Foundation and Concentration curricula. The Foundation curriculum is comprised of thirty-two (32) semester credits, while the Concentration curriculum requires thirty-one (31) credits. Field education placements are and integral part of the MSW curriculum during both the Foundation and Concentration years and students are required to complete a total of 1,120 hours of field education placement.

Admission into the full-time program requires enrollment in 15-16 credits during Fall and Spring semesters. Most MSW classes are in the afternoon and evening, usually between 2:30 and 8:15 pm. Full-time students may be in class 3 evenings per week. Additionally, field placements typically occur during the work week between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. Students should plan on adjusting work schedules to meet Practicum hours.

Applications are due January 15th. Admission occurs only once per year.

Distance MSW Program

The distance delivered MSW program is an extension of the face-to-face part-time MSW program offered at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Students admitted to the distance delivered MSW program are expected to meet the same admission requirements and adhere to the same policies, rules, and regulations as students in the on-campus MSW program.

Students are admitted to the distance delivered MSW program as part of a cohort group and are expected to take classes in the order offered. Distance delivered classes follow the part-time MSW program sequence and are offered only once per cohort. If a student does not enroll in a course (or fails a course) it will likely not be offered in a distance delivered format for another two to four years.

Applications for the distance-delivered MSW program cannot be accepted for 2012 admission.

Admission to the distance-delivered program occurs biannually and applications will next be accepted for the 2013-2014 school year.  Applications for admission to the next distance cohort will be due on January 15, 2013.

The distance delivered MSW program is open to all residents of the State of Alaska, regardless of geographical location. Seats in the program are reserved for students living outside the Anchorage bowl and the Matanuska-Susitna valley. However those students may be allowed to attend distance-delivered courses on a space available basis.

Once admitted, students may request to change to the on campus MSW program in Anchorage. Approval for transferring between distance delivered and face-to-face programs is subject to approval of the student's advisor and the MSW Program Coordinator.

Distance delivered MSW courses are offered in an alternative scheduling format. Intensive classroom sessions are presented on the UAA campus in short time blocks combined with weekly class meetings via teleconference and computer throughout the semester. The intensive session mave the first meeting of each course and will typically  be two to four days of up to 8 hours a day. 

The intensive sessions occur over a weekend, usually requiring Friday through Monday attendance in Anchorage. Students are required to provide their own transportation and lodging for intensive course meetings. Students who miss any part of an intensive course session will not be allowed to continue in that course and will therefore jeopardize progress in the MSW program.

Part-time MSW Program

Part-time and full-time MSW students take the same courses, with Field education being an integral part. The only distinction is the timing of the curriculum  The part-time program is structured sequentially requiring enrollment during Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters. It takes four years for a part-time student to complete the MSW Foundation and Concentration sequences.

During the Fall and Spring semesters, students will be required to attend classes which will fall on one day per week. The Field education component of the part-time program occurs during the second and fourth years.

Applicants interested in the part-time program should note that initial enrollment for part-time students begins in May and classes begin the Summer semester immediately following admission. It is particularly important that applicants for the part-time program apply early to allow an early admission decision and adequate time for academic advising.

Applications are due January 15th. Admission ocurrs only once per year.

MSW Advanced Placement

Applicants who have in the last seven years been awarded a Bachelor of Social Work degree (BSW) from a CSWE accredited program may apply for advanced standing. A grade-point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in BSW coursework is required, among other criteria. Advanced standing admission may allow a student to waive some or all foundation year course work and proceed directly to the concentration year, avoiding duplication and redundancy of content mastered by social workers at the baccalaureate level.

With Advanced Standing the MSW curriculum is covered in one year for on campus full-time students and two years for part-time students; distance students complete the curriculum in two years.

Applicants interested in advanced placement should carefully review the "Application Instructions" found in the application packet. Please note that possession of an accredited BSW degree does not in and of itself ensure advanced placement to the MSW concentration curriculum. Applicants applying for advanced placement admission must meet higher standards in writing skills, grade point average, and the articulation and conceptualization of social work knowledge. The MSW Admissions committee reserves the right to require additional coursework dependent upon their assessment of a student's readiness for graduate education.