Updated for the 2020-2021 academic year
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Passing graduate social work courses is not an automatic acceptance into program. Students are admitted based on a number of criteria, only one of which is grades. Learn more about getting admitted.
Field Education
Field education occurs throughout the graduate social work curriculum and is concurrent with specific coursework. Please see the MSW Field Instruction Manual for specific field education policies and procedures.
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Effective Fall 2018, students will initially apply to either the MSW or MA program only, with admission to the Dual MSW/MA program at the end of year one via an internal admission process. A part-time option is not available to dual degree students.
Academic Advising
Each matriculated graduate student is assigned an academic advisor who is a member of the faculty or professional staff in their degree program(s). Academic advising is a shared responsibility between the student and the academic advisor. The student has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring academic progress. Efforts are made to preserve continuity of advisor assignment throughout the student's course of study and changes to advisor assignments are only done in exceptional situations with the approval of the Director of the MSW program. The academic advisor provides the consultation and guidance necessary to foster the professional development of the student. The advisor aids the student in the selection of courses, in registration, in meeting degree certification requirements, and in assessing professional interests and development. Students are required to meet with their advisors before registering for courses each semester and submit an electronic SCORE registration form, signed by the advisor and the student, and electronically to the Social Work office before completing the registration process online in MySlice.
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Matriculated graduate students enrolled in the regular 60 credit hour MSW program may petition to transfer previously earned graduate credit consistent with policies of the School of Social Work as specified in Appendix A and the university Academic Rules and Regulations. The School of Social Work has a specific policy for the transfer of online courses (see Appendix A). Students enrolled in the Advanced Standing Program may not transfer graduate credit from other institutions.
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Graduate students are expected to prepare all written papers consistent with the most recent version of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Additional assistance can be found through links on the Syracuse University Library website.
Appendices
Appendix A: Petitions for, and Evaluation of
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Graduate Transfer Credit
Students in the regular MSW program may transfer a maximum of 12 credits from other graduate institutions other than a CSWE accredited school of social work. They may transfer up to 30 credits from a CSWE accredited school of social work. No more than 30 credits may be transferred in. All credit applied toward the graduate degree must be completed within the seven years preceding the student's graduation date (under exceptional circumstances courses older than seven years may be petitioned in). MSW students who are planning to transfer graduate credits from other institutions must follow the procedures outlined below. All courses must be at the graduate level, be considered appropriate for the student’s program of study, and a grade of B or better must be earned (transcript must be provided).
MSW students who are planning to transfer graduate credits from other institutions must follow the procedures outlined below. No credit is granted for life experience. The School of Social Work has developed its own policy about the transfer of courses taken online (see below). Students in the Advanced Standing Program may not transfer any credits from other institutions toward the MSW.
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Students are required to complete a petition requesting permission to complete the course at another graduate institution. The petition must include clear and specific information about the course to be completed and how that credit is to be used in the student's program of study. (See Item # 2 above).
Policy for the Transfer of Online Courses at the Graduate Level
The following rules govern decisions about the transfer of courses into a student’s program of study for the MSW from an online-only format:
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about the course to be completed and how that credit is to be used in the student's program of study. (See Item # 2 above).
Appendix B: Policy on Allowing Visitors in the Classroom
Students are not permitted to bring visitors (friends, spouses, partners, children, clients, etc.) to class sessions. Clinical cases may be discussed and/or students may disclose sensitive or confidential information about clients or themselves during class discussions. Social Work students have a code of professional conduct that is reviewed during orientation and is available online on the Code of Student Contact page. There is a mechanism in place for sanctioning students if they violate professional behavior in any way. Interpreters, medical providers and other such assistants are expected to behave within the school’s professional code of conduct and are only permitted to participate in class discussions with permission of the instructor.
Appendix C: Academic Progress and Professional Behavior
General Principles: School of Social Work
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- When there is a case to be heard, the MSW Program Director shall convene the Academic Hearing Board to conduct the hearing, and will submit a summary to the Board prior to the hearing detailing the student’s academic history.
- When the Hearing is being called for reasons other than pending dismissal for academic reasons (i.e. GPA below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters), the MSW Program Director shall notify the student and the Academic Hearing Board of the request for a hearing and provide both with a statement that forms the basis of the request.
- The student shall be invited to appear before the Academic Hearing Board. Other persons also may be invited to appear as follows:
- In the case of an appeal of dismissal, the student will elaborate grounds for the appeal and the plan of study proposed in lieu of dismissal. The student may also request that the Academic Hearing Board invite a faculty or professional staff member, student, or other person with information relevant to the case to testify before the committee on the student's behalf. The Hearing Board may seek advisory testimony from any administrative or faculty sources within the School of Social Work regarding the student’s appeal, and/or plan of study proposed in lieu of dismissal.
- In the case of a hearing based upon an allegation of unprofessional conduct or inadequate professional performance, the student may request that the Academic Hearing Board invite a faculty or professional staff member, student, or other person with information relevant to the allegation to testify before the committee on the student's behalf. The Hearing Board may seek advisory testimony from any administrative, faculty or professional staff sources within the School of Social Work or persons from the student’s field agency (where appropriate) regarding the behavior that forms the basis for a hearing on professional conduct.
- The Academic Hearing Board must reach a unanimous recommendation regarding one of the following outcomes:
- Reverse the decision to dismiss the student with no contingencies required;
- Conditionally continue a student’s enrollment based on an agreement developed in collaboration with the student (including the option of a Leave of Absence). The agreement will specify:
- Plans for meeting program requirements
- Procedures for monitoring progress in executing those plans
- A timetable for the completion of those plans
- Dismiss the student from the program.
- The Academic Hearing Board shall convey its written recommendation (including the plan for meeting program requirements where continued enrollment is permitted) to the Director of the School and the MSW Program Director. The
- Decisions by the Director of the School must concur with the Hearing Board’s decision, and will sign a statement regarding her/his agreement. If the Director does not agree, the Hearing Board will reconvene, meet with the Director, gather additional information, deliberate further and render a subsequent decision. Decisions of the Academic Hearing Board of Social Work are final and exhaust appeals options in the School of Social Work. Other avenues of appeal may be available through the Grievance Procedures of Falk College or the University Judicial System.
- The MSW degree will not be conferred upon students who do not have a final minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and are not in good standing regarding professional behavior. The student must be aware that they bear the risk and responsibility for the financial investment involved when continuing to pursue the MSW degree despite concerns regarding academic standing.
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