Program Overview

The College of Social Work offers two paths towards the Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) to include the Advanced Standing and the MSSW option. The college offers a MSSW curriculum that is informed by state-of-the-art, cutting-edge knowledge and grounded upon core social work values and ethics. The concepts of critical thinking and evidence-based practice, complexity, culturally affirming practice, social and economic justice, and at-risk populations permeate the new MSSW curriculum. The MSSW program seeks to prepare MSSW graduates to make demonstrable improvements in the quality of life of at-risk and vulnerable populations across individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, the state of Tennessee, the nation and internationally.

Organizational Leadership Concentration

The Organizational Leadership (OL) track is a macro concentration that is based on the underlying principles of social justice, anti-racism, interprofessional practice, and trauma informed leadership. The concentration equips students with management, social-economic development, and policy practice skills that enable them to lead non-profit and governmental agencies, and engage with communities to build strong organizations that address pressing needs.

The goal of this concentration is to produce social workers who are critical thinkers in skill-based, evidence-based practices, including social and economic development, planning, organizing, coordinating, developing, and evaluating services and policies for at-risk clients and client systems. The knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired by students in this concentration produce practitioners who are prepared to work as professionals on interdisciplinary teams and in interdisciplinary settings. These concepts are all taught through a social justice lens with a special concern for the poor and marginalized. Students will be prepared to deliver, develop, manage, and evaluate programs; acquire funding; write grants; as well as analyze and advocate for policy change in political systems, organizations, and communities.