Sociology & Political Science

The MSW is a 60-hour program. It consists of a foundation year (30 hours) and a concentration year (30 hours), with three options for completion:

Full-time option:

• This option is 60 hours, and it would take two years. It consists of 15 hours per semester for four semesters during the regular fall and spring academic year. It is designed for students who wish to complete their graduate education in a traditional, two-year timeframe.
• It allows for immersive study and consistent progression through the curriculum, including both foundational and advanced coursework. Students will engage in classroom instruction alongside two field placements totaling at least 900 hours, preparing them for professional licensure and advanced practice across micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
• This full-time option is ideal for students who are able to commit to a structured, intensive academic schedule (i.e., 15 hours per semester) and are seeking to enter the workforce as licensed social workers as quickly as possible.

Part-time option:

• This option is 60 hours, and it would take four years to complete. It consists of 6 hours during the fall and spring semesters and 3 hours during the summer semester for a total of 12 semesters.
• It offers a flexible pathway for students balancing graduate education with work, family, or other commitments. Spread over four years, this option maintains the same rigorous academic and field education requirements as the full time program but allows for a reduced course load each semester. Specifically, it requires six hours in fall and spring semesters and three hours in the summer semesters. It is especially well-suited for working professionals or students who need additional flexibility in their schedules..
• Part-time students will receive the same high-quality instruction and field placement support, ensuring they graduate fully prepared for clinical practice, leadership, and licensure.

Advanced Standing option:

• This option is available for students coming in with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited university, which allows them to bypass the foundation year (i.e., 30 hours). Students would only need to complete the 30 hours required in the concentration year. It would take one year to complete and consists of 15 hours per semester for two semesters.
• It means that students complete the concentration year (30 hours) of the MSW program. It is available to students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Specifically, this accelerated option allows qualified students to bypass the 30-hour foundation coursework and enter directly into the concentration curriculum, completing their MSW in as little as one year of full-time study or two years part-time.
• Advanced standing students engage in specialized coursework and field education aligned with their chosen track—either Advanced Generalist or Substance Abuse and Mental Health—and are prepared for immediate entry into professional roles requiring advanced clinical and organizational practice skills.

What You’ll Learn

• Human needs and development
• Social systems and institutions
• Social justice issues, including poverty and inequality
• Public policy and its impact on communities

This minor pairs well with majors such as:

• Human Ecology
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Criminal justice
• Nursing
• Education

Students complete 15 credit hours:

• SW 1800: Introduction to Social Work (3 hrs)
• SW 2010: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I (3 hrs)
• SW 2020: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II (3 hrs) or SW 4000: Substance Misuse, Addiction, and Recovery (3 hrs)
• SW 4110/5110: Poverty, Inequality, & Social Justice (3 hrs)
• SW 4175/5175: Introduction to Social Welfare Policy (3 hrs

The MSW Pathway allows qualified students to begin working toward their MSW before completing their bachelor’s degree. It builds on the Social Work minor and adds graduate-level coursework.

How it works:

• Complete the Social Work minor
• Take dual undergraduate/graduate courses
• Earn graduate credit during your senior year
• Accelerate progress toward your MSW
• Up to 9 graduate credit hours may be applied toward the MSW if admitted

Dual-credit courses:

• SW 4110/5110: Poverty, Inequality, & Social Justice
• SW 4175/5175: Introduction to Social Welfare Policy

Choose one specialization:

• SW 4005/5005: Rural Social Work
• SW 4010/5010: School Social Work
• SW 4015/5015: Medical Social Work
• SW 4020/5020: Forensic Social Work
• SW 4025/5025: Social Work with Children & Youth

MSW pathway application process:

• Students apply during their junior year through the Department of Sociology and Political Science by emailing Patty Henry at phenry@tntech.edu to request an application.
• Students must earn a grade of B or higher in pathway courses for credit to apply toward the MSW.
• Admission to the MSW pathway does not guarantee admission to the MSW program, but approved graduate coursework may be applied toward the MSW degree if the student is later admitted.

Submit:

• Verification of a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Two faculty recommendations
• Personal essay on interest in social work and graduate study