Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor Dual Degree
About This Program |
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Admissions ContactSpringfield College Western New England University School of Law |
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Looking for other degrees in Social Work? |
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Faculty ContactAnthony Hill |
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The full-time M.S.W./J.D. dual degree program is offered in partnership with Western New England University School of Law and provides eligible students with the advantage of being able to complete the degrees in four years rather than the five years it would take if the degrees were pursued separately.
Acquiring both a social and legal perspective, as well as skills, effectively prepares graduates to meet the social work and legal challenges in many areas of practice, such as child welfare, education, mental health, individual and family practice, family mediation, services to the disabled, legal aid, criminal and juvenile justice, consumer protection, advocacy, employment, housing, community development, human rights, and evaluation of social service programs.
Those interested in this program must apply to each program separately. You may contact the Springfield College School of Social Work and Behavioral Sciences at (413) 748-3060 or the WNE School of Law on the web.
Fieldwork Requirements:
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M.S.W./Juris Doctor Program
First Internship, First Year – 450 hours, 15 hours per week for 15 weeks for two semesters.
Second Internship, Fourth Year – 600 hours, 20 hours per week for 15 weeks for two semesters.
Admissions Requirements
This program enrolls students in all terms.
Complete the application form. No application fee.
Start your application process by completing the online application form. Be sure to complete your application by submitting all the required materials outlined in this section.
Graduate Admissions Essay
Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your essay.
Your professional statement should describe (1) professional goals and reasons for pursuing an MSW degree in this program; and (2) the education, professional/work experience, and personal characteristics that make the applicant a good candidate for an advanced generalist MSW program.
Resume
Please include any college activities, out-of-school leadership experiences, work history, and community involvement to support your interest in or qualifications for graduate study. Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your resume.
Letters of Recommendation
This program requires two letters of recommendation. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload your letter to your application.
Official Transcripts from All Institutions Previously/Currently Attended
- An official transcript from each college/university you have attended is required.
- Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. In some cases, including if you plan to request coursework be transferred, a course-by-course translation is required. For this we recommend the World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
- In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
International Applicants
All international applicants from non-English speaking countries are required, in addition to the items listed above, to submit:
- Proof of English language proficiency by way of the TOEFL or IELTS. If your undergraduate degree was earned in the United States and you successfully completed College level English, we will consider English language proficiency met.
- Please note: Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. In some cases, including if you plan to request coursework be transferred, a course-by-course translation is required. For this we recommend the World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
Our Associate Director of International Admissions Nicholas Venn can answer any questions you may have about enrolling in Springfield College as an international student. You may email him at intladmissions@springfield.edu or via phone at (413) 748-3891.
To submit materials:
After submitting your online application form you will receive user login credentials to access your student application portal. From that portal, you will be able to upload your graduate admissions essay and your resume. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload their letter to your application. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Curriculum
A. Courses taken at Western New England University School of Law (62 credits)
- Introduction to Law Credits: 1
- Constitutional Law I Credits: 4
- Contracts Credits: 4
- Criminal Law Credits: 4
- Civil Procedure Credits: 4
- Property Credits: 4
- Torts Credits: 4
- Legal Research and Writing Credits: 4
- Introduction to the Legal Profession Credits: 1
- Business Organization Credits: 3
- Income Taxation Credits: 3
- Evidence Credits: 3
- Electives (and other requirements towards J.D.) Credits: 23
B. Courses taken at Springfield College in the Master of Social Work program (48 credits)
- MSSW 601 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment 1 Credits: 3
- MSSW 602 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment 2 Credits: 3
- MSSW 603 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment 3 Credits: 3
- MSSW 611 - Social Welfare Policy 1 Credits: 3
- MSSW 612 - Social Welfare Policy 2 Credits: 3
- MSSW 613 - Social Welfare Policy 3 Credits: 3
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- MSSW 623 - Social Work Research 2 Credits: 3
- MSSW 621 - A Survey of Social Work Research Methods Credits: 3 (may be waived)
- MSSW 631 - Social Work Practice 1 Credits: 3
- MSSW 632 - Social Work Practice 2 Credits: 3
- MSSW 633 - Social Work Practice 3 Credits: 3
- MSSW 634 - Social Work Practice 4 Credits: 3
- MSSW 674 - Field Seminar 1 Credits: 0.5
- MSSW 676 - Field Seminar 2 Credits: 0.5
- MSSW 684 - Field Practicum 1 - First Half Credits: 3.5
- MSSW 685 - Field Practicum I - Second Half Credits: 3.5
- MSSW 686 - Field Practicum 2 - First Half Credits: 3.5
- MSSW 687 - Field Practicum 2 - Second Half Credits: 3.5
M.S.W./J.D. students take courses in the weekday program at the Springfield College M.S.W. graduate program.
Students may be waived from taking MSSW 621 Research 1 if they have previously taken a comparable course and received a grade of B or better. Students who need MSSW 621 will take this course and complete the M.S.W./J.D. dual degree program with three additional semester hours/credits in the M.S.W. program.
Students will take either MSSW 623 Research 2 or MSSW 613 Social Policy 3. Students who take MSSW 623 Research 2 must take LAW 642 (Law and Social Change) or LAW 732 (Poverty Law) as an elective course in the School of Law. Students who take MSSW 613 Social Policy 3 must take Advanced Research in Law or LAW 951 or 952 as an elective course in the School of Law.
Curriculum and cross-credits: To be awarded the social work and law degrees, the student must complete the academic requirements of each institution, totaling 122 credits or semester hours. For the Master of Social Work program, sixty credits are required, twelve of which are electives taken at the Western New England University School of Law. An approved list of the elective courses that can be transferred from the School of Law is made available in the Springfield College Social Work Student Handbook of Policies and Procedures. For the School of Law, eighty-eight credits must be earned, twelve of which are taken at the Springfield College in the Social Work program.
Those courses completed with a grade of B or better in the Springfield College Social Work program are eligible for transfer to the School of Law. Similarly, the Springfield College M.S.W. program accepts transfer credit from the School of Law for those courses completed with the average necessary to maintain good academic standing at Springfield College.
To transfer the twelve credits from the School of Law to the Social Work program, the student must formally petition the Springfield College M.S.W. program. At the Western New England University School of Law, the student must obtain permission from the associate dean to have the twelve credits transferred from the Springfield College M.S.W. program. A student who commences but fails to complete the M.S.W./J.D. dual program cannot apply credit for courses completed at one school toward the degree granted at the other school.
Deadline
Priority deadlines are as follows:
- August 1 for fall (September) entry
All required supporting materials are due as follows:
- August 20 for fall (September) entry
Applications received after the deadline will be considered only if space is available.
M.S.W./J.D. students must be full-time students and matriculated in both the Springfield College Master of Social Work program and the Western New England University School of Law. If accepted at the Springfield College Master of Social Work program first, students have until mid-March of the first year in the social work program to apply to the program at Western New England University School of Law. If accepted to the School of Law first, students have until mid-March of the first year at the School of Law to apply to the Master of Social Work program at Springfield College.
Cost
| Graduate Program Courses | $1,138 per credit |
| Approximate total cost (60 credits) | $68,280 |
| Graduate Student Fee* | $396 |
| Enrollment Deposit | $300 |
All approximate costs above are based on 2022-23 academic year costs.
*The graduate student fee (full time) includes the following costs for the 2022-23 academic year.
- Student Government Fee: $21
- Community Engagement Fee: $36
- Recreation Fee: $324
- Class Dues: $15
The graduate student fee (part-time) is $87.50 per semester.
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Accreditation Springfield College is recognized as an institution of higher learning of collegiate rank by the Board of Collegiate Authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states. Membership in these associations indicates that the College has been carefully evaluated and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators. The Springfield College Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the official accrediting body for social work programs in the USA. This enables graduates to take professional social work licensure examinations in all fifty states. The Western New England University School of Law, Springfield College’s partner in the M.S.W./J.D. dual degree program, is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). |
