Graduate College
Social Work
About the Program
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program at St. Catherine University prepares clinical social workers for critically reflective social work practice. In this clinical program, students and faculty collaborate in an environment grounded in social justice, with a critical perspective on social work knowledge, values, and skills.
Clinical social workers are mental health professionals who evaluate the needs of individuals and communities and work to find solutions. As a clinical social worker, you may work to plan and deliver care in a wide variety of settings for children and families, adults and the elderly, people with addictions, veterans, and organizations and communities. From helping people deal with everyday tasks to life-changing circumstances, you’ll empower diverse groups of people to lead fulfilling lives.
Clinical social work is a fast-growing, hands-on field focused on systematic, transformational change. Social workers are employed in public and private social service, healthcare, government and other organizations in such roles as:
• Mental health counselor
• Medical/healthcare social worker
• Child and family social worker
• School social worker
• Child protection specialist
• Immigrant/refugee social worker
• Community social worker
• Hospice social worker
Unique among social work programs in our region, St. Kate’s MSW is grounded in critical social work theory and practice. Critical social work is the application of a critical approach to social injustices arising from different forms of oppression and inequity in our world. It’s a way of grounding your practice as a clinical social worker, in a deep awareness of the social, cultural and political dynamics embedded in our institutions, and lived out in the racial, ethnic, gender, sexual and cultural inequalities experienced by the individuals, families, and communities that we serve.
St. Kate’s social workers transform the world around them by challenging the status quo. It all starts with St. Catherine University’s founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, whose commitment to social justice and traditions of “caring for the dear neighbor” shape the learning
experience of women and men at St. Kate’s to this day. We welcome people of all faith and value traditions who are not afraid to challenge themselves and others to change the world around them.
True to our mission of service, St. Kate’s MSW faculty will support you on your path to professional success. Our faculty are experienced social work clinicians, researchers and educators – recognized leaders in clinical practice and the advancement of social work for social justice. As advisors, instructors and mentors, they will guide you as you come to a deeper understanding of the social work profession and your own unique place in it.
Our Curriculum
The 33-credit Advanced Standing option is available for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in social work, and can be completed in a 1-year, 2-year or 3-year plan of study. The 51-credit Regular Standing option, for those with a bachelor’s degree in any other field, can be completed in a 2-year, 3year or 4-year plan of study.
A dual-degree option with our Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies (MAHS) degree is also available.
The MSW coursework is delivered through a blended curriculum, primarily campus-based but including some online learning. The integration of online learning into your curriculum means you’ll have fewer visits to campus, which will take place on weekday evenings on our St. Paul campus.
The St. Kate’s MSW focuses exclusively on clinical social work – the hands-on, real-world application of social work practice with individuals, families, and communities. Students will investigate their own experiences by reflecting on their perspectives, assumptions, and worldviews. The critically reflective practitioner centers diversity, realizes and addresses power inequities, and employs a call to action to lead and influence change throughout their practice.
You will learn diagnostic skills, and the established and emerging theoretical frameworks for understanding individuals, communities, and systems. You’ll deepen your knowledge by learning to understand, interpret and create academic research. You will also learn about the administrative, social, political and cultural contexts of social work. Throughout the program you develop as a critically reflective practitioner, prepared to be responsive to social needs and issues of injustice.
Sample Plan of Study: Advanced Standing One-Year
YEAR 1
SUMMER SESSION I
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Social Work Practice Research
SUMMER SESSION II
Psychopathology and Human Behavior
Social Policy and Program Development
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
Elective
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV
Elective
Sample Plan of Study: Advanced Standing Two-Year
YEAR 1
FALL SEMESTER
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
SPRING SEMESTER
Social Policy and Program Development
Psychopathology and Human Behavior
Social Work Practice Research
YEAR 2
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III
Elective
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV
Elective
Sample Plan of Study: Advanced Standing Three-Year
YEAR 1
FALL SEMESTER
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
SPRING SEMESTER
Social Policy and Program Development
Psychopathology and Human Behavior
YEAR 2
FALL SEMESTER
Elective
SPRING SEMESTER
Social Work Practice Research
Elective
YEAR 3
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV
Sample Plan of Study: Regular Standing Two-Year
YEAR 1
FALL SEMESTER
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Theory and Practice of Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar I
Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Social Work Research Methods
SPRING SEMESTER
Theory and Practice of Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar II
Social Policy and Program Development
Psychopathology and Human Behavior
Social Work Practice Research
YEAR 2
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV
Two Electives
Sample Plan of Study: Regular Standing Three-Year
YEAR 1
FALL SEMESTER
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Social Work Research Methods
SPRING SEMESTER
Social Policy and Program Development
Social Work Practice Research
YEAR 2
FALL SEMESTER
Theory and Practice of Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar I
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
SPRING SEMESTER
Theory and Practice of Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar II
Psychopathology and Human Behavior
YEAR 3
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III Elective
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV Elective
Sample Plan of Study: Regular Standing Four-Year
YEAR 1
FALL SEMESTER
History and Philosophy of Social Work
Social Work Research Methods
SPRING SEMESTER
Social Policy and Program Development
Social Work Practice Research
YEAR 2
FALL SEMESTER
Theory and Practice of Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar I
SPRING SEMESTER
Theory and Practice of Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar II
YEAR 3
FALL SEMESTER
Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Clinical Supervision and Program Management
SPRING SEMESTER
Clinical Assessment
Two Electives
YEAR 4
FALL SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work I
Field Practicum and Seminar III
SPRING SEMESTER
Methods of Clinical Social Work II
Field Practicum and Seminar IV
Tuition and Fees
The 2024–25 tuition rate for the MSW degree is $760 per credit. Additional fees include student services and technology ($330 per term), and books (vary by course).
St. Catherine is pleased to support MSW students with a range of scholarship opportunities. Please review our website for more information.
How to Apply
Application priority deadline: January 10 for Summer/Fall enrollment.
AS-1 classes begin in the summer; all other program options begin in the fall.
To be eligible for admission, applicants must have:
• A bachelor’s or graduate degree from an institution accredited by a nationally recognized, regional accrediting association.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
The MSW application requires the following materials:
• Admission essay
• Current résumé
• Two recommendations
• Transcripts from degree-granting institutions
• Fieldwork evaluation (AS applicants only)
• Official scores from TOEFL or IELTS (if native language is not English)
• Credential evaluation from World Education Services (if college/university coursework was completed outside the U.S.)
Visit our website for detailed application information, or to learn more about the MSW program:
stkate.edu/graduate
The MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation. Learn more about our accreditation and assessment data
This document provides information about graduate studies at St. Catherine University. The information may change at any time. Contact the Office of Graduate Admission to confirm program and application details.
8/2024