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Graduate Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Dual Degree in Social Work and Divinity: MSW/MDiv
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Introduction
Introduction The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College (SSSW) and the Union Theological Seminary (UTS) are internationally recognized leaders in social work and theological education, respectively. Complementing Silberman’s mission and historical commitment to social justice, UTS – the oldest independent seminary in the nation – is distinguished by an interdenominational, interreligious focus and strong ethics curriculum. Its students develop integrated understandings of spiritual and social contexts. Located in East Harlem (SSSW) and Morningside Heights (UTS), neighborhoods which face disproportionate social challenges, these two schools are poised to capitalize on their proximity and mutual responsiveness to the needs of New York City communities. Together, SSSW and UTS offer the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program in Social Work and Divinity to streamline the pathway to earning both degrees, maximizing educational experiences and professional opportunities for students interested in careers that bridge religious studies with clinical social work. The MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program builds upon core values shared by these two vocations across their closely entwined histories of social justice, community empowerment, and service. These values include: an appreciation of the diversity of religious and spiritual beliefs, and how these influence individuals and communities; the connection of the bio-psycho-social to the spiritual; and self-awareness as students and practitioners explore their personal and professional identities. To this end, the Program’s goals are to: - Train master’s-level professionals who can provide multi-level, comprehensive, and effective services to assure the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and populations while understanding, mobilizing, and supporting spiritual beliefs, networks, and organizations as significant resources.
- Facilitate students’ attainment of social work, spiritual care, and interdisciplinary competencies.
- Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration between SSSW and UTS faculty and staff in curriculum development, teaching, research, and practice.
- Partner with organizations in East Harlem, Morningside Heights, and other urban communities of need to develop multi-disciplinary service learning experiences and applied research opportunities that utilize spiritual beliefs and practices, networks, and organizations to ameliorate health disparities and improve well-being.
Students in the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program are able to earn both degrees concurrently in four years through a streamlined, 105-credit curriculum based upon the goals above – compared to 138 credits over five years, which would be required in order to complete them separately. This streamlined curriculum removes overlapping course requirements; cross-honors electives; and ensures that students achieve competencies required among both MSW and MDiv graduates. For more details about the curriculum, please see Program Description below. What Can I Do with my MSW-MDiv Dual Degree?
Students who graduate from the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program will be highly prepared for professional practice that integrates spirituality with clinical social work and social welfare. Recent literature points to the growing value of this dual-expertise. Religion and spirituality are increasingly seen as integral to the lives of many of the populations social workers have historically served. Since 2011, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has dedicated resources to building social workers’ capacities with diverse religious and spiritual expression among their clients. The field of theology at the same time has moved to prepare ministers to serve people and communities facing adverse challenges, through a deep understanding of social systems, structures, oppression, and injustice. Graduates of the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program will enter a professional landscape with a strong demand for their unique combination of competencies, skills, and expertise. Specific professional roles that MSW-MDiv graduates will be well-prepared for include: Professional Roles for MSW/MDiv Dual Degree Graduates
Chaplaincy
Hospital Prison Higher Education/University Military Police/Firefighters Athletic Leagues Clinical Social Worker
Individual Family Small Groups Ordained Religious Leader/Clergy/Pastor
Substance Abuse Counselor
Admissions Requirements & Registration
Prospective MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program students typically must apply to each school separately and simultaneously, and must gain admission to each school according to its standard criteria. Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College – MSW Program, Full-Time Pathway in the Clinical Practice method – SSSW Admissions Union Theological Seminary – Union Theological Admissions Applicants may indicate that they are applying for the Program by selecting a designated option on CUNY’s “Apply Yourself” application portal. Union Theological students who decide to pursue the Dual Degree Program after they have begun MDiv studies must apply and gain admission to SSSW prior to the end of their first semester at UTS. Likewise, Silberman students who decide to pursue the Program after they have begun MSW studies must apply and gain admission to UTS prior to the end of their first semester at SSSW. In both of these cases, individual modifications to the program pathway may be necessary and the student’s time to completion may be more than four years. Once matriculated in the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program, students must register at both the Silberman School of Social Work and Union Theological Seminary. For the first two years of the program, Union Theological Seminary serves as the student’s primary institution of record and handles the bulk of student registration; the Silberman School of Social Work then takes on this role during the student’s final two years in the program. Advisement
Each school maintains a dedicated advisor for students in the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program, who is able to answer questions and assist matriculated students with course registration, degree planning, and accessing resources for success: Ms. Pamela DeCuir
Dual Degree Academic Advisor
Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College
pdecuir@hunter.cuny.edu The Reverend Dr. Violet Lee
Dual Degree Academic Advisor
Union Theological Seminary
vlee@uts.columbia.edu MSW/MDiv Program Description
The 105-credit MSW-MDiv curriculum includes 48 credits from UTS, 51 credits from Silberman, and 6 integrated credits (three credits of which are allocated to each program for a total of 51 and 54 credits, respectively). It is designed to provide students with competencies in social work and theological principles, methods, and evidenced-based practice, as well as interdisciplinary competencies in understanding and addressing urban social problems and advocating for social justice issues. The curriculum is comprised of most existing courses within each discipline. The major components are summarized below. For the greatest level of detail on curricular requirements specific to Union Theological Seminary, please see UTS Academics. See here for UTS Course Descriptions . A. Required core and foundation courses
YEAR ONE UTS core courses: (23-27 credits)
Students will gain foundational knowledge and understanding of the historical and contemporary sources, methods, issues, and perspectives addressed within and by theological disciplines. Students will complete courses in four of the five core areas of the M.Div. curriculum: Bible, Church History, Theology, and Interreligious Engagement. See UTS Course Descriptions
BX 101 Introduction to the Bible (4 cr) -or-
OT 101 Introduction to the Old Testament (4 cr)/101a Contents of the Old Testament
CH 107 Introduction to Christian History: The First Millennium (2 cr) -or- CH 109 History of Christianity since Reformation (2 cr)
ST 103 Foundations in Christian Theology (3 cr) (or ST 104 Foundations in Christian Theology II in spring) (3 cr)
IE 102 Religions in the City (3 cr)
NT 101 Introduction to the New Testament (4 cr)/NT 101a Contents of the New Testament (1 cr) -or- Bible elective #1
CH 108 The History of Christianity Part 2: Western European Church History (c. 1000-c. 2000) (2 cr) -or- CH 101 Christianity in Historical Perspective (3 cr)
ST 104 Foundations in Christian Theology II (3 cr) or ST 103 Foundations in Christian Theology (3 cr)in the fall
CW 103 Introduction to Preaching and Worship (3 cr) -or- CA 102 Year 1 Semester breakdown UTS and SSW
| FALL | | SPRING | | BX 101 or OT 101/101a | 4-5 credits | | NT 101/101a or Bible elective #1 | 3-5 credits | | CH 107 or CH 109 | 2 credits | | CH 108 or CH 101 | 2-3 credits | | ST 103 (or ST 104 in spring) | 3 credits | | ST 104 (or ST 103 in fall) | 3 credits | | IE 102 | 3 credits | | CW 103 or CA 102 | 3 credits | | SSW 71700 | 3 credits | | SSW 71800 | 3 credits | + YEAR TWO Social Welfare Policy foundation courses (6 credits)
Students will gain a foundation in social welfare policies and their relevance to social service delivery and practice. - SSW 701xx Social Welfare Policy and Services I - Course in 701xx series to be determined in consultation with adviser.
- SSW 702xx Social Welfare Policy and Services II - Specialized courses in the 702xx series to be determined in consultation with adviser.
YEAR TWO UTS core courses: (18-20 credits)
Students will complete their foundational Bible and History courses and will develop practical skills in courses taken in the fifth core area, Practical Theology. See UTS Course Descriptions
BX 201 The Arts of Reading: Exegetical Practicum (3 cr) -or- Bible elective
CH 107 Introduction to Christian History: The First Millennium (2 cr) -or- 109 History of Christianity since Reformation (2 cr) -or- CH elective (2-3 cr)
Theology elective (ST, CE, PR) (3 cr)
PS 101 & PS 110 (for CPE) or practical theology elective (3 cr)
CW 104 Fundamentals of Preaching (3 cr) -or- CA 102
IE elective (3 cr)
UTS or SSSW general elective (3 cr) YEAR TWO Semester breakdown UTS and SSW
| FALL | | SPRING | | BX 201 or Bible elective #2 | 3 credits | | CW 104 or CA 102 | 3 credits | | CH 107 or 109 -or- CH elective | 2-3 credits | | IE elective | 3 credits | | Theology elective (ST,CE, PR) | 3 credits | | UTS general electives, (e.g., denominational requirements)* | 3 credits | | PS 101 & PS 110 (for CPE) -or- practical theology elective | 3 credits | | UTS or SSSW general elective* | 3 credits | | SSW 701xx Social Welfare Policy I | 3 credits | | SSW 702xx Social Welfare Policy II | 3 credits | Summer CPE - recommend elective (6 credits) *The required number of UTS general elective credits ranges from 10-14 credits depending on a student’s Option A or Option B choices in the Biblical, Historical, or Practical fields. Most electives carry three credits but some may carry one or two credits (e.g., SU courses sand guided readings). YEAR THREE
Students will learn concepts relevant to each phase of the life cycle within the conceptual framework of human behavior and its interaction with the social environment. Human Behavior in the Social Environment (6 credits)
Foundation Practice Method: Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (6 credits)
The method-based concentration at the Silberman School of Social Work, known as the Practice Method, is integral to students’ academic and professional experiences throughout the MSW Program. Students in the MSW-MDiv Dual Degree Program must enroll in the Clinical Practice with individuals, Families, and Small Groups (CPIFG) Practice Method. In Year Three, they will develop foundational competencies in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment including psychotherapy and counseling; client-centered advocacy; consultation and evaluations. Foundation Field Practicum (6 credits)
The foundation-level field practicum is a crucial component of Field Education at the Silberman School of Social Work. Please see immediately below for more detail about Field Education. Integrative Professional Seminar (3 credits)
All MSW-MDiv students take two semester-long courses that are meant to synthesize and integrate learning, first at the end of year three and again at the end of the program in year four. Known as the Integrative Professional Seminar, these courses focus on integrating students’ identities as both social workers and faith-based practitioners to help launch them as professionals. YEAR Three Semester breakdown UTS and SSW
Summer CPE - recommended elective (6 credits) *The required number of UTS general elective credits ranges from 10-14 credits depending on a student’s Option A or Option B choices in the Biblical, Historical, or Practical fields. Most electives carry three credits but some may carry one or two credits (e.g., SU courses sand guided readings). *** The Integrative Professional Seminar satisfies both UTS and Silberman requirements Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3 credits)
Advanced Practice Method: Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (3 credits)
In Year Four, students will develop advanced competencies in assessment, diagnosis and treatment including psychotherapy and counseling; client-centered advocacy; consultation and evaluations. Advanced Field Practicum (6 credits)
The advanced-level field practicum is a crucial component of Field Education at the Silberman School of Social Work. Please see immediately below for more detail about Field Education. Social Work Research (6 credits)
Students will learn basic research methods and data analysis within the context of social work. Integrative Professional Seminar (3 credits)
All MSW-MDiv students take two semester-long courses that are meant to synthesize and integrate learning, first at the end of year three and again at the end of the program in year four. Known as the Integrative Professional Seminar, these courses focus on integrating students’ identities as both social workers and faith-based practitioners to help launch them as professionals. YEAR Four Semester breakdown UTS and SSW
* The required number of UTS general elective credits ranges from 10-14 credits depending on a student’s Option A or Option B choices in the Biblical, Historical, or Practical fields. Most electives carry three credits but some may carry one or two credits (e.g., SU courses and guided readings). **Silberman requires two 3-credit electives. Silberman will accept three UTS elective credits in satisfaction of one 3-credit Silberman course. *** The Integrative Professional Seminar satisfies both UTS and Silberman requirements. Field Education
As professional practice degrees, both the MSW and MDiv require students to engage in supervised field placements, in which they have the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge and theories to real-world situations. All MSW-MDiv students complete field placements that incorporate into practice the knowledge, values, and skills of both disciplines. Because SSW field requirements are greater than those of UTS, SSSW will take the lead in assigning and supervising field instruction. SSSW and UTS will also identify a field advisor who holds the MSW or MDiv and knowledge of both disciplines to supervise field placements, and field instructors with experience providing instruction in dual degree programs. Students will complete between 900 and 1,200 hours of supervised field practicum as required for licensure as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in New York State. These practica are taken in Years Three and Four, with SSW 76100 and SSW 76200 in Year Three (Foundation Field Practicum) and SSW 76300 and SSW 76400 in Year Four (Advanced Field Practicum) B. Elective courses
Students complete seven elective courses spread between Years Two, Three, and Four, to be selected based on their academic and professional interests and goals in consultation with their academic advisor. At least one elective course should be taken from each school. UTS strongly recommends that dual degree students, particularly those on the clinical MSW path, take one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for 6 credits that will count toward their MDiv elective requirements. |
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