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Curriculum

Clinical and Community Practice with focus on School Social Work

Offered on the Indianapolis and IU Northwest campuses.

Clinical and Community Practice #

The Clinical and Community Practice Concentration curriculum prepares students to work across the micro-to-macro continuum of social work services. Students will learn more breadth and depth in their knowledge base, including theories that underlie various types of social work practice. In addition, the curriculum serves to advance their critical thinking and foundation practice skills for entry into advanced practice courses in a variety of focus areas.

Focus on School Social Work #

School social workers are certified educators and licensed mental health professionals who hold a minimum of a master’s degree in social work with a specialization in school social work practice. School social workers’ training includes specialized preparation in cultural diversity, trauma, systems theory, social justice, risk assessment and intervention, consultation and collaboration, and clinical intervention strategies to address the mental health needs of students. By serving as a link between the family, school, and community, they work to remedy barriers to learning created as a result of poverty, inadequate health care, and neighborhood violence. School social workers often focus on providing supports to vulnerable populations of students that have a high risk for truancy and dropping out of school, such as homeless or foster children, migrant populations, students transitioning between school and treatment programs or the juvenile justice system, or students experiencing domestic violence. They work closely with teachers, administrators, parents, and other educators to provide coordinated interventions and consultation designed to keep students in school and to help their families access the school and community supports needed to promote student success.

The MSW curriculum includes three distinct levels #

The MSW curriculum includes three distinct levels through which students progress toward the advanced degree in social work.

  1. 1

    Foundation

    Regular standing students start in the foundation level of courses.

  2. 2

    Concentration

    Students with a BSW start in the concentration level of courses.

  3. 3

    Focus Area: School Social Work