About UNE's Social Work 4+1 B.S.W./M.S.W. Program
If you’re interested in getting both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work, UNE’s 4+1 B.S.W./M.S.W. program may be for you. This program allows you to complete your B.S.W. and your M.S.W. in a total of just five years, saving you both time and money. In addition to financial advantages, the 4+1 Track offers more flexibility in the graduate-level application process as well as in graduate-level course selection.
Why UNE for your B.S.W./M.S.W.
No matter which facet of social work you envision yourself in — be it school social work, substance use and recovery services, family counseling, prison social work, or another realm — our combination undergraduate/graduate program in Social Work will be your ticket to a successful career.
Benefit From a Seamless Transition and Other 4+1 Perks
There is something to be said for continuity. By attending UNE from your first year through your graduate year, you will know your professors, the University, and the School of Social Work on a level that other graduate students will not.
Moreover, you’ll benefit from the following perks. It pays to do the 4+1 in more ways than one.
- Financial Advantages
- One year’s worth of tuition savings
- Waived graduate application fee
- Prioritization for graduate scholarship funds (if your application is submitted before Feb. 1)
- Option to substitute an interview for the personal statement required for the graduate application
- Option to take an extra elective course rather than the standard bridge course
Benefit From an Immersive Education Experience With Purpose
Engage in Cross-Disciplinary Learning
More than ever before, employers are seeking graduates who are trained in team-based, collaborative care. As a comprehensive health professions university, UNE offers you the unique opportunity to learn with and from students and faculty from various majors in the health professions as well as the liberal arts. You will be immersed in cooperative learning and emerge prepared for a successful career as part as an interprofessional team.
Get Hands-On Experience
At UNE, we believe that an education in social work requires real-world experience. Solidify your sense of purpose and expand your career horizons as you gain practical skills through meaningful community-based service learning opportunities, exciting fieldwork placements, simulated therapy sessions, research opportunities that are available to you even as an undergraduate, and perhaps even global travel.
Follow Your Passions
Social work is an expansive field that offers a great deal of opportunity for specialization for those who desire it. You may opt to earn a certificate in Mental Health Rehabilitation or choose to work toward certificates in Applied Arts and Social Justice, Trauma Informed Practice, and Training in Aging and Diversity (TRIAD). These enriching certificates allow you to hone your skills and knowledge in focus areas of your choosing and signal future employers that you have credentials that set you apart from others.
Apply Now or Request Information
Academic Standards and Application Requirements
To apply to the 4+1 B.S.W./M.S.W. Social Work program, you must be a current B.S.W. student at UNE who anticipates successful completion of the B.S.W. degree. You may apply to the 4+1 program as early as the fall semester of your senior year and as late as the deadline as outlined in your Gradvantage materials. You are not required to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) prior to enrollment.
- Submittal of application through the Graduate Centralized Application Service (GradCAS)
- Expected successful completion of UNE’s Bachelor of Science in social work degree
- Submittal of current undergraduate transcript. Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is preferred. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 will have an opportunity to provide additional information and context in the GradCAS application.
- Submittal (through GRADCAS) of contact information for two people who could serve as references. These individuals should be able to speak to your academic abilities and/or professional experiences and must not be friends or family members.
- Submittal of a personal statement* (through GRADCAS) or completion of an interview with a member of the admissions committee. *Please refer to the GradCAS application for specific writing prompts and additional information.
- Submittal (through GRADCAS) of a current resume or CV
- All UNE 4+1 B.S.W./M.S.W. candidates must reference their Gradvantage contract for the year that they entered UNE. Gradvantage criteria are HERE (Jan. 15 deadline for application submission and March 1 deadline for submission of all completed materials)
4+1 Curriculim
Students in the 4+1 social work program must meet all Westbrook College of Health core requirements and all major requirements as outlined in the Bachelor of Science of Social Work curriculum.
In addition, students must fulfill the following program requirements (typically in the fifth year of study):
| Program Requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| SSW/SSWO 552 Contemporary Theory of SW Practice: Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SSW/SSWO 553 Advanced Social Work Practice with Families | 3 |
| SSW/SSWO 597 Advanced Psychosocial Assessment | 3 |
| SSW/SSWO 565 Administration and Supervision | 3 |
| SSW/SSWO 580 Field Practicum III/Seminar | 4 |
| SSW/SSWO 582 Field Practicum IV/Seminar | 4 |
| SSW/SSWO 585 Substance Use: A Social Work Perspective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total B.S.W./M.S.W. 4+1 Program Credits | 35 |
|---|
Enjoy Two One-of-a-Kind Locations in Maine
UNE’s 4+1 program in Social Work on our Maine campuses gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to location. During your undergraduate years, you’ll enjoy the scenic beauty of the Biddeford Campus’ waterfront views and endless possibilities for outdoor recreation. And in your final year, you’ll study on our cozy Portland Campus, a classic New England quad with brick buildings and tall trees. Just ten minutes from downtown, you’ll enjoy Portland’s robust arts and culture scene as well as the wide variety of eateries that led to the city being named “Foodiest Small Town in America” by Bon Appetit.