Ball State Adds Social Work Master’s
(rendering courtesy Ball State University)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowBall State University has created a master’s program it says will address "urgent, statewide needs." The Master of Social Work program, the university says, will provide advanced clinical and management training for students beginning in the fall of 2019.
The program will teach students advanced clinical skills with individuals, families, and groups, as well as nonprofit management practice,s such as program development, budgeting, fundraising, personnel management, and leadership. Marilyn Buck, interim provost at Ball State, says the degree reflects the university’s commitment to social responsibility and to empowering graduates to transform lives.
"As the only Advanced Generalist MSW in Indiana, it will prepare social workers to solve complex problems through coursework, simulations, case studies, immersive experiences with real clients, and mentoring," Buck said in a news release. "A special emphasis will be on rural communities, where social workers need to be innovative and have a diverse skill set."
Ball State says new and emerging societal challenges such as the opioid epidemic have created a "dire need" for licensed clinical social works both in Indiana and throughout the country. The degree program will have coursework that focuses on addictions, gerontology, and health, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says are projected to have the highest rates of job growth over the next 10 years.
The program, along with the entire Department of Social Work at Ball State, will be housed in the $62 million Health Professions Building, which is currently under construction and expected to be complete in 2019.