Public Administration / Social Work, M.P.A. / M.S.W.
Admissions
The College of Social Work and the Master of Public Administration program in the Department of Political Science, participate in a dual degree program that allows individuals to complete both the Master of Social Work and Master of Public Administration degrees in less time than if the degrees are completed separately. Students apply to the dual degree program option through the USC Graduate School. Application reviews, including required supplemental application materials required by the programs, and admission recommendations are made independently by the College of Social Work and by the Department of Political Science. Official notification of the admission decisions comes from the Graduate School. Students enrolled in both Master of Social Work and Master of Public Administration courses in any term may be subject to fees for both programs.
Students enrolled in either the social work or public administration program beyond their first year of graduate study cannot apply for the dual degree program. Part-time social work or public administration students may enroll in the dual degree program. Advanced-standing social work students enrolled beyond the summer bridge term cannot apply for the dual degree program.
Degree Requirements M.P.A. (39 Hours) / M.S.W. (60 Hours)
Students may complete the dual degree program by starting in either the Master of Social Work program or the Master of Public Administration program. Each program offers a typical sequence of courses; through academic advisement with a dual degree coordinator in each program, students select specific courses to satisfy the requirements for each degree. All curriculum and hour requirements must be satisfied in order to graduate from the dual degree program. Students in the dual degree program must complete the program within six academic years. See the Social Work, MSW and the Public Administration, M.P.A. bulletin entries or student handbook for additional information.
Two (2) SOWK elective courses can be satisfied by successfully completing POLI 770 and POLI 774 (6 credit hours total). SOWK 732 and SOWK 784 (6 credit hours total) may satisfy the MPA requirements. SOWK 784 requires coordination and contract with a MPA advisor to meet the terms of the internship. Thus the 60-credit hour MSW degree and 39-credit hour MPA degree can both be completed with a total of 87 credit hours.
The table below reflects the plan of study for a full-time student who begins the dual degree program in social work. Note that some of the courses beyond the first year of MPA and SOWK studies may be adjusted due to program or accreditation changes.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| SOWK 712 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment I | 3 |
| SOWK 714 | Diversity and Social Justice Issues for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 716 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment II | 3 |
| SOWK 781 | Field Instruction I: Generalist Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 791 | Social Work Research Methodologies | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 722 | Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Small Groups | 3 |
| SOWK 732 | Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities (shared course) | 3 |
| SOWK 742 | Social Welfare Policy Analysis | 3 |
| SOWK 777 | Advanced Theory for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 782 | Field Instruction II: Generalist Social Work Practice | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| POLI 770 | Perspectives on Public Administration | 3 |
| POLI 773 | Human Resources Administration in Government | 3 |
| POLI 771 | Public Data Analysis | 3 |
| MPA Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| POLI 774 | The Public Policy Process | 3 |
| POLI 754 | Public Accountability and Ethics | 3 |
| POLI 775 | Financial Administration | 3 |
| MPA Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOWK 779 | Advanced Social Work Interventions | 3 |
| SOWK 783 | Field Instruction III: Advanced Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 793 | Evaluation of Social Work Programs | 3 |
| MPA Elective 1 | 3 | |
| MPA Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 718 | Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 778 | Advanced Analysis of Social Policy, Programs, and Services | 3 |
| SOWK 784 | Field Instruction IV: Advanced Social Work Practice (shared course) 2 | 3 |
| SOWK Elective course | 3 | |
| SOWK Elective course | 3 | |
| POLI 753 | Capstone Seminar in Public Administration | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 87 | |
- 1
Students may elect to take these courses during summer sessions in order to meet curriculum requirements upon approval of the dual degree coordinator in each program.
- 2
SOWK 784 requires coordination and contract with the MPA advisor to meet the internship requirement of the MPA program.