The mission of Northern Arizona University’s MSW Program, synonymous with the mission of the NAU Social Work Department and grounded in the history, purpose, and values of the profession, is to educate competent generalist and advanced generalist social workers for practice with diverse populations and multi-level social systems in local, regional and global contexts.
Our generalist and advanced generalist foci are grounded in social work knowledge, values and skills; geared to practice with rural and Indigenous populations of the Southwest; and, focused on addressing poverty, structural racism, and oppression; providing leadership in promoting human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice; and service with vulnerable and underserved populations locally, regionally, and globally.
Careers
The Northern Arizona University MSW Program is committed to a social work practice model with diverse individuals and rural client well-being. The Program incorporates theoretical perspectives or approaches that make-up a strengths-based framework which is used to elaborate on the Program’s mission and to develop the Program’s goals. Developing a strengths-based framework must include knowledge of culturally competent practice. Embracing the need to give voice to marginalized communities, NAU’s MSW curriculum addresses ways for students to learn and practice ways of working with diverse groups of clients that best enable members of those communities to achieve their goals.
Career opportunities that might be pursued: Therapist/Clinician; Hospital care coordinator; Employee assistance counselor; School-based interventionist; Non-profit administration; Child welfare specialist; Expert witness; Child and youth services; Disability services; Family support services; Health care services; Elder care services; Military/veterans services; Community advocacy; Victim advocacy; College or university faculty.
With further education, one of these paths is possible: With a Ph.D. in Social Work, students will be prepared to conduct research and pursue advanced opportunities in academia.