Advanced study in social work and nonprofit management is available through a dual degree program co-sponsored by the School of Social Work and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.
The program allows students to earn a Master of Social Work and Certificate in Nonprofit Management with a minimum of 63-66 (SWAPPP and clinical concentrations, respectively) credits rather than the 75 credits necessary if the two degrees were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earn both degrees.
Program goals
The objectives of this dual degree and certificate program are to:
- Prepare graduates to understand the nonprofit sector’s relationship to the for-profit and government sectors
- Develop graduates’ knowledge on how to build a fundraising and donor communication plan model
- Prepare graduates to understand how to budget and evaluate the financial management practices of nonprofit organizations
- Prepare graduates to have the skills to analyze and implement laws impacting nonprofit organizations and their governance
Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree and certificate program are the following:
- Graduates holding these degrees will gain knowledge and skills in nonprofit governance, management, fundraising, and program development and evaluation, which they will need to become leaders and change agents in this rapidly growing sector.
The nonprofit management certificate must be conferred prior to or during the same semester as the M.S.W. conferral. Students receive both degrees upon graduation from VCU.
Student learning outcomes
See the individual program pages for student learning outcomes.
Other information
Advising
The student is assigned an adviser from each program to develop a plan of study. Advisers coordinate regarding program curriculum as appropriate. M.S.W. advisers guide students to understand the plan of study and to advise on elective courses for clinical students and are encouraged to meet with advisers within the Wilder School.
Admission requirements
Students must meet the admission requirements for each program. Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into the other. See the individual program pages for admission deadlines and other requirements, as they may vary by concentration.
To view a list of the current admission deadlines, visit the School of Social Work’s website.
Application procedures
To enroll in the Certificate in Nonprofit Management simultaneously with the M.S.W., students must complete a graduate application for the certificate program and pay the required fee to Graduate Admissions; however, no supporting information is required for students who are already enrolled in good standing in the M.S.W. program.
Applicants will need to complete an online application through Graduate Admissions, pay the application fee and submit a personal statement expressing their interest in the program and indicating that they are currently in the M.S.W. program. Students may email the Graduate School to arrange for references, resume/CV and transcripts already on file from the M.S.W. program to be added to the application.
Dual degree and certificate requirements
As standalone programs, the M.S.W. comprises 60 credits while the certificate requires 15 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share 12 credits in the administration, planning and policy concentration, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 75 to 63. Students in the clinical practice concentration share nine credits with the certificate, decreasing total credits to completion from 75 to 66.
In the dual degree and certificate program, these courses within the M.S.W. satisfy requirements in the certificate:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Social work generalist courses satisfy certificate requirement PADM 650 | 3 | |
| Policy, Community and Organizational Practice I and Policy, Community and Organizational Practice II | ||
or SLWK 608 | Social Work Practice in Organizations and Communities for Advanced-standing Students | |
| Social work administration, planning and policy practice concentration courses satisfy certificate elective credits 1 | 3 | |
| Strategies for Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice | ||
or SLWK 712 | Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice I | |
or SLWK 713 | Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice II | |
| Certificate courses satisfy M.S.W. electives | 6 | |
| Fund Development for the Nonprofit Sector | ||
| Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Total Hours | 9-12 | |
The clinical practice concentration courses do not satisfy any certificate requirements, thus shares only nine credits in the dual degree and certificate program.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| M.S.W. requirements | ||
| • Generalist courses | ||
| SLWK 601 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I | 3 |
| SLWK 602 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice I (satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650) | 3 |
| SLWK 603 | Power, Privilege and Oppression | 3 |
| SLWK 604 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups I | 3 |
| SLWK 605 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups II | 3 |
| SLWK 606 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice II (satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650) | 3 |
| SLWK 609 | Foundations of Research for Social Work Interventions and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 610 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II | 3 |
| Field instruction (select one option) | 6 | |
| Generalist Field Instruction I and Generalist Field Instruction II | ||
| Block Generalist Field Instruction | ||
| • Concentration requirements (select one concentration) | 15 | |
Administration, planning and policy practice | ||
| Specialization Research for Understanding and Assessing Social Work Interventions and Services | ||
| Concentration Social Policy | ||
| Strategies for Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice (may satisfy concentration elective) | ||
| Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice I (may satisfy concentration elective) | ||
| Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice II (may satisfy concentration elective) | ||
Clinical practice concentration | ||
| Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | ||
| Clinical Social Work Practice I | ||
| Clinical Social Work Practice II | ||
| Specialization Research for Understanding and Assessing Social Work Interventions and Services | ||
| Concentration Social Policy | ||
| • Field instruction (required for either concentration; select one option) | 6 | |
| Specialization Field Instruction I and Specialization Field Instruction II | ||
| Specialization Block Field Instruction | ||
| Specialization Field Instruction Extended Semesters I and Specialization Field Instruction Extended Semesters II and Specialization Field Instruction Extended Semesters III | ||
| • Electives | 9 | |
| Six credits satisfied by certificate requirements PADM 656 and PADM 659; students must choose three additional elective credits from approved electives | ||
| Certificate requirements | ||
| PADM 650 | Principles of Nonprofit Management (satisfied by M.S.W. generalist courses, including SLWK 608 for advanced standing students) | 3 |
| PADM 656 | Fund Development for the Nonprofit Sector (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| PADM 659 | Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| PADM 661 | Nonprofit Law, Governance and Ethics | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 63-66 | |
Students in the administration, planning and policy concentration satisfy the concentration elective with SLWK 711, SLWK 712 or SLWK 713. Students in the clinical practice concentration must work with the program chair to choose three credits from the Wilder School or elsewhere in the university.
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual program is 63-66.
Sample plan of study
Administration, planning and policy practice concentration
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| SLWK 601 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I | 3 |
| SLWK 602 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice I (partially satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650; students must also complete SLWK 606.) | 3 |
| SLWK 603 | Power, Privilege and Oppression | 3 |
| SLWK 604 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups I | 3 |
| SLWK 693 | Generalist Field Instruction I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| SLWK 605 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups II | 3 |
| SLWK 606 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice II (satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650) | 3 |
| SLWK 609 | Foundations of Research for Social Work Interventions and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 610 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II | 3 |
| SLWK 694 | Generalist Field Instruction II | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| Concentration year | ||
| PADM 656 | Fund Development for the Nonprofit Sector (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| PADM 659 | Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| SLWK 709 | Specialization Research for Understanding and Assessing Social Work Interventions and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 711 | Strategies for Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice (may satisfy certificate elective) | 3 |
| SLWK 712 | Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice I (may satisfy certificate elective) | 3 |
| SLWK 793 | Specialization Field Instruction I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 18 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Concentration year | ||
| PADM 661 | Nonprofit Law, Governance and Ethics | 3 |
| SLWK 710 | Concentration Social Policy | 3 |
| SLWK 713 | Social Work Planning and Administrative Practice II (may satisfy certificate elective) | 3 |
| SLWK 794 | Specialization Field Instruction II | 3 |
| Elective (selected from approved MSW electives) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 63 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual program is 63.
Clinical practice concentration
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| SLWK 601 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I | 3 |
| SLWK 602 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice I (partially satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650; students must also complete SLWK 606.) | 3 |
| SLWK 603 | Power, Privilege and Oppression | 3 |
| SLWK 604 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups I | 3 |
| SLWK 693 | Generalist Field Instruction I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| SLWK 605 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups II | 3 |
| SLWK 606 | Policy, Community and Organizational Practice II (satisfies certificate requirement PADM 650) | 3 |
| SLWK 609 | Foundations of Research for Social Work Interventions and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 610 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II | 3 |
| SLWK 694 | Generalist Field Instruction II | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| Concentration year | ||
| PADM 656 | Fund Development for the Nonprofit Sector (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| PADM 659 | Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (satisfies M.S.W. elective) | 3 |
| SLWK 703 | Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| SLWK 704 | Clinical Social Work Practice I | 3 |
| SLWK 705 | Clinical Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| SLWK 793 | Specialization Field Instruction I | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 18 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| Concentration year | ||
| PADM 661 | Nonprofit Law, Governance and Ethics | 3 |
| SLWK 705 | Clinical Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| SLWK 709 | Specialization Research for Understanding and Assessing Social Work Interventions and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 710 | Concentration Social Policy | 3 |
| SLWK 794 | Specialization Field Instruction II | 3 |
| Certificate elective (chosen in consultation with Wilder School program chair) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 18 | |
| Total Hours: | 66 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual program is 66.
Contact
Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D.
Director, M.S.W. program
beyqd@vcu.edu
(804) 828-2007
Additional contact
Myung Jin, Ph.D.
Associate professor and program chair
mhjin@vcu.edu
(804) 828-8812