Master Of Social Work - Healthcare/Behavioral Health Concentration

The MSW Program prepares social work professionals for advanced practice work with diverse populations in a variety of settings. The Program is unique with its 15-hour healthcare/behavioral health concentration and its biblical worldview foundation. Academically melding the values of social work and the Christian faith is integral to the application of Social Work skills in the marketplace.

The MSW curriculum is a 60-hour graduate program (30 hours for advanced standing) that includes field experiences. The Louisiana Christian University MSW program offers areas of specialization during the advanced/2nd year in healthcare/behavioral health and advanced generalist practice.

Healthcare/behavioral health concentration focuses on specialized training for generalist students to work with clients and interdisciplinary healthcare/behavioral health professionals that include but are not limited to medical hospitals, inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services, hospice, home health, substance abuse, and primary care offices.

To successfully complete the area of concentration, a student must take 9 hours of elective courses in their chosen concentration and complete both advanced year field placements in either a healthcare/behavioral health agency or an advanced generalist practice setting.

Students can complete the program as part-time, full-time, or advanced-standing students. A student who has received a baccalaureate degree in social work from an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be eligible for the advanced standing option pending certain criteria has been met.

• Part-time—6 hours/semester---3-4 years to complete
• Fulltime—15 hours/semester—2 years to complete
• Advanced standing—15 hours/semester—1 year to complete

The MSW Mission is to prepare students to function competently and effectively in a rapidly changing world through an academically challenging social work education within a Christian environment that offers an integration of faith and learning. The program expands the College mission in moving students toward continued learning in all aspects of life with special emphases on the professional application of advanced social work practice from a generalist perspective.

The MSW program goals include:

• Prepare students to be competent social workers through content and practice behaviors emphasized in the social work curriculum for advanced generalist practice and the healthcare/behavioral health specializations.
• Training students who are knowledgeable and understanding of diversity issues at all levels
• Developing career-long learners that will critically think about the populations they serve and the issues/trends of the time.
• Preparing students to practice ethically in a changing world and to integrate their faith and learning that is developed through an understanding of a Christian Worldview.
• To increase the quantity and quality of advanced master-level social workers who are competent to practice in advanced generalist practice settings or healthcare/behavioral health settings in the Central Louisiana Region.