{ goal } enriching lives

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK

{ reality }advocate for a just society

“ The MSW program helped me see things at a community-wide level. I learned that social work is not just a job, it’s a commitment to making a change.”

Kathleen Lemburg, MSW ’08

Supervisor, Family Case Management

Rock Island County Health Department

WHY ST. AMBROSE? Rooted in St. Ambrose’s values-based tradition and commitment to social justice,

the Master of Social Work program prepares students with the knowledge,

skills and ethical standards to become dedicated social work practitioners. Our

program emphasizes advanced empowerment social work practice with vulnerable

populations—looking not at a person’s limitations but at their strengths, and building

upon those abilities. Working collaboratively with diverse clients, our students learn to

promote self-advocacy by enabling individuals to build skills to better their lives.

Flexible formats and accessible faculty allow both working professionals and

full-time students to pursue a degree that is

highly respected in the field.

practice matters Students choose agency-

based field experience practicums from more

than 400 social service agencies throughout

the region. Our faculty members are integral to both field and classroom

experiences, ensuring theory and practice are mutually reinforcing. The

practicum experience prepares students for generalist social work practice,

developing their ability to select and use multiple approaches in working

with individuals, families and groups.

OVERVIEW> The St. Ambrose Master of Social Work program’s advanced empowerment practice

approach focuses on clients’ competencies, not deficits, and promotes the development

of skills and resources to remove social barriers for individuals and communities.

> The MSW curriculum is designed so that students take classes concurrently with

field experience, mutually reinforcing the practice of empowerment. Because faculty

also collaborate on integrating the curriculum, all of the different courses and field

experiences students take fit together, creating a multi-level understanding of the

practice of empowerment.

> The program recognizes the importance and necessity of effective advocacy, and

weaves those skills—such as reaching out to legislators—into the curriculum. As a

result, students learn how to influence policymaking as well as day-to-day issues in

the lives of their clients.

> Financial aid, including scholarships, loans and a limited number of assistantships,

is available, and we work with you to make your education affordable.

MSW students work with a faculty of

internationally known empowerment scholars

who have published and presented—

and continue to practice—within the

profession.

outcomes oriented> Approximately 90 percent of Ambrose graduates pass the Master of Social Work

licensure exam on their first attempt.

> The St. Ambrose MSW program prepares interested graduates for practice as a

public school social worker in Illinois or Iowa.

> According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work is

one of the fastest growing careers in the

United States. The profession is expected

to grow 30 percent by 2010.

Explore our program> Full-time, part-time and advanced

standing offered

> Saturday classes available

www.sau.edu/mswChat with us or schedule a campus visit to experience Ambrose firsthandEmail msw@sau.edu orcall 563/333-6379Graduate Student Recruitment Office563/333-6354

Apply online www.sau.edu/apply

our community Just as students learn to empower their clients,

we empower our students through focusing on their available strengths,

resilience and resources to achieve their goals. The Master of Social Work

Student Government Association (MSW-SGA) assists students in their

development as professional social workers, providing opportunities for

social justice action within the campus and larger communities. MSW

students have the opportunity to be involved in organizing and presenting

at the School of Social Work’s annual Social Justice Conference on global

topics such as human rights, immigration reform, and the U.N.’s millennium

development goals. The School of Social Work’s reputation for preparing

graduates to be leaders in their professions adds value to your degree, and

lifelong learning opportunities support alumni long after graduation.

{ }what’s NExT?

JabariWoods

from degree to career Our graduates are able to measure the

return on their educational investment not only through their own career

advancement, but perhaps even more importantly by their client’s ability

to effectively find and confidently use the resources available to them.

Master of Social Work alumni work in

> schools

> mental health and substance abuse

> family support

> community advocacy

> adoption and foster care

> child and family services

> homelessness prevention and outreach

{ goal } become empowered

{ reality } empower others

“ My social work professors all had a way of presenting empowerment,

of getting out there to make a difference with integrity. I learned that

standing for something means doing something about it. I’m big on

dreams, so I try to inspire kids to make an impact in their community

right now. ”Jabari Woods ’02, MSW ’05

School Social Worker

Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency

READ more profiles www.sau.edu/msw

Only at Ambrose > Drawn by our program’s reputation, and the success of our

alumni, Master of Social Work students graduate equipped with

a comprehensive knowledge base, practice competencies and

ethical standards for professional practice.

> Students learn and network through both urban and rural

field placements with a range of agencies and organizations

in the Quad Cities and surrounding area. When possible,

field placements can be arranged close to the student’s place

of residence.

> Students experience a spirit of cooperation and generosity in

our program and on campus, which reflects the quality of life

in the Quad Cities. They share classes with peers from the area

who appreciate the convenience and flexibility we offer local

residents, as well as with students who come here from locations

such as Des Moines and Springfield.

> Our Master of Social Work faculty members lead and serve

numerous community agency initiatives in such areas as

community development, child welfare, mental health and

health care.

{goal } work with individuals

{ reality } consider the bigger picture read more: www.sau.edu/msw

Meredith Chance, MSW ’09, Rockford, Illinois. ”The Social Policy course really got my classmates fired up. Before, we saw social work practice as one-on-one with clients. Now we can see how it works on the macro level—how governmental policy-making and legislation impact practices.”

The St. Ambrose University Master of Social Work Program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Our Mission St. Ambrose University—

independent, diocesan, and Catholic—enables its

students to develop intellectually, spiritually, ethically,

socially, artistically and physically to enrich their

own lives and the lives of others.

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