Social Work Administrative & Advocacy Practice Concentration

The KU School of Social Welfare offers an advanced level MSW concentration in Social Work Administrative and Advocacy Practice. Students may complete this program in either Kansas City or Lawrence. The concentration of this program is client and community centered administrative and advocacy practice. Specialized course content is delivered by qualified faculty in conjunction with experienced practicum field instructors.

By the end of the student’s course of study in the SWAAP concentration:

1. Students will be expected to design or redesign a program of direct services to clients that maximize client outcomes.
2. Students will be expected to have the knowledge and skills necessary to manage the finances of a social work program or agency throughout the budget cycle.
3. Students will be expected to be knowledgeable about policies and effective interventions in their field of practice and to acquire the abilities needed to stay informed.
4. Students will be able to supervise and manage social workers and other human service staff; build teams and organizational cultures that maximize staff morale and job satisfaction; create and maintain workplaces that reflect, contribute to, and celebrate diversity in the larger community.
5. Students will be able to evaluate the impact of their management practices on client outcomes by learning to measure, collect and facilitate the use of program information.
6. Students will be able to apply the above mentioned skills and knowledge to their advocacy work in agencies, communities, and legislatures.
7. Students will be able to engage in social work administrative practice in a manner consistent with social work’s values and ethics and the themes of the School.
8. Student s will be thoroughly familiar with the concept of client-centered administrative practice and will possess numerous skills needed to implement this approach.
9. Students will acquire knowledge and skills that can be used when engaged in advocacy with and on behalf of clients, agency staff, communities, and “for resource allocation procedures that are open and fair”.

Fall Semester:
SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum (7)
SW 840 Social Program Design and Management (3)
SW 841 Advanced Policy and Programs (3)
SW 849 Mastering the Use of Financial Resources for Social Work Practice (3)

Spring Semester:
SW 804 Advanced Field Practicum (7)
SW 842 Using Outcomes for Administrative & Advocacy Practice (3)
SW 843 Strengthening Staff Performance in a Diverse Workplace ( 3)
SW 845/846/847 Administrative Practice Selective (3)