MSW/MDiv- Dual Degree
Andrews University has formed a collaborative between the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and the Department of Social Work in the College of Arts and Sciences to prepare students for service in occupations where social work and the pastoral mission of the church intersect.
The objectives of this program are:
1. To prepare students for various forms of ministry in which clinical and administrative skills in social work and theology are needed
2. To enable students to integrate both theological and social work knowledge, values and skills into a multifaceted approach to Christian service, thereby enhancing their usefulness as instruments of the Holy Spirit;
3. To sensitize students to nontraditional ministry opportunities by exposing them to theories and practice skills related to counseling approaches, person-in-environment, social and economic justice, human rights, and global perspectives from a Christian worldview.
Distinctive Features of the Program:
The program is designed to give students an integrated approach to both theology and social work.
Students can choose either a dual degree or an emphasis in either social work or theology. For those eligible for the dual degree in Track 1, the focus of instruction alternates between theology and social work from year to year so that students can best integrate and assimilate the content from one discipline to the other. Track 2 students will focus on seminary courses first to be followed by social work courses. For further explanation of Tracks, see Seminary bulletin.
Requirements for Admission:
Applicants for the MDiv/MSW dual degree program typically will have received a bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, BSW) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally recognized accrediting agencies in the United States, or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country. Application must be made separately to both the Theological Seminary and the Department of Social Work. Acceptance into one of the programs does not guarantee acceptance into the other.
Applicants must meet the admissions requirements for each program, including all required prerequisites for each degree program.
MDiv:
Track 1 MDiv students must fulfill one of the biblical language requirements before being granted regular admission into the dual program.
MSW:
1) Applicants to the social work program must complete the Graduate Record Exam prior to admission into the program;
2) Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in social work program courses;
3) No grade of D or F (or U) may count toward the MSW degree.
Credits for Each Program:
MDiv:
Track 1: Graduation requirements consist of the satisfactory completion of 113 semester credits with an overall grade point average of C (2.5) or better. Sixty eight credits are MDiv credits, 31.5 credits are social work credits, and 13.5 credits are shared between the 2 curricula in lieu of MDiv electives.
Track 2: Graduation requirements consist of satisfactory completion of 140 semester hours with an overall grade point average of C (2.5) or better. Ninety five credits are MDiv credits, 31.5 credits are Social Work credits, and 13.5 credits are shared between the 2 curricula.
MSW:
MDiv students are required to complete forty-five core credit hours for the two-year regular MSW program. Due to the strict requirements of the Council on Social Work Education’s accrediting mandates, these core courses must all be taught or co-taught within the department by faculty holding an MSW degree. However, these courses could be co-taught with faculty from the seminary. Occasionally, a student who has already earned a BSW from an accredited program may apply to this program. In this case, the student would be placed in the Advanced Standing program, and take either 33 credits (Advanced Standing) or 39 credits (Advanced Standing Plus). Students with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible to complete the Advanced Standing Program while those with a lower GPA must complete the Advanced Standing Plus requirements.
Since both the MDiv and MSW programs reduce total credits in order to reduce costs and achieve a more streamlined and efficient program, both degrees must be received simultaneously in order to fulfill the requirements of either degree. Although MDiv students can transfer 11 electives into the MSW program, they can only receive a tuition reduction if they are simultaneously enrolled in the MDiv Program. Students with an MDiv can also receive a tuition reduction upon admission into the MSW program.
Program Options:
1. Dual Degree: In this option, students are able to complete both the MDiv and the MSW in four years. Both degrees are conferred by Andrews University. Completion of the dual degree requires strict adherence to course sequence and curriculum design. The program will require students to take courses in summer sessions. The four year completion plan also assumes that the student has satisfactorily completed one of the biblical language requirements, and has a bachelor’s degree in theology or religion. The four year plan is designed to take Track 1 students 11 semesters and Track 2 students 12 semesters.
2. Social Work Emphasis: In this option, MDiv students choose 12 hours of elective credit in social work courses. Students may choose any Master’s-level social work course, either foundation or elective that would best equip them for pastoral ministry. These courses can fulfill the general elective requirement for Track I MDiv students.
3. Christian Ministry Emphases: There are two Christian Ministry emphases offered. The first is the Emphasis in Pastoral Care. Eight elective credits can be taken from the following courses:
CHMN503 (Marriage, Family & Interpersonal Relationships), CHMN508 (Tools for the Pastor’s Spouse), CHMN526 (Conflict Management in the Church), CHMN540 (Church and Urban Community), or CHMN553 (The Church and Social Issues). The second emphasis is in Youth Ministry. Eight elective credits can be taken from the following courses: CHMN619 (Religious Experience in Adolescence), CHMN626 (Ministry to At-Risk Youth), CHMN636 (Seminar in Youth Ministry) or CHMN657 (Counseling Youth and Young Adults).