Academic Planning and Advising

This page includes tools and resources to help plan your course schedule and track your degree progress.

It is important that you track your degree progress from the start of your program. Your curriculum plan is based on your home program and the academic quarter and year you began. Your start date indicates your bulletin, which is what dictates your degree requirements for graduation and what informs your degree audit. 

Follow the steps to ensure you are using the correct documents for your degree planning packet. 

Step 1: Choose your home program below.

Step 2: Select the term you entered/began the program.

Step 3: Utilize the associated course planning documents to plan and track your degree progress.

For all course scheduling, visit the Live Schedule in MyDU for the most up-to-date course information. Navigate there through the following steps: MyDU > Register for Classes > Browse Schedule.

Denver Campus MSW Program Curriculum and Course Planning

When did you enter the program?

 

 

Before Summer 2020

If you started the program in Summer 2020 or before, please contact gssw.denvercampus@du.edu.

  • Denver Campus students starting before summer 2020 must successfully complete 90 total credits.
  • Denver Campus advanced-standing students starting before summer 2020 must successfully complete 60 total credits.

 

 

Between Summer 2020 and Summer 2023

 

 

Fall 2023 and After

The Denver Campus MSW Degree Planning Packet includes all degree and prerequisite requirements, curriculum overviews, and pathway requirements. 

Denver Campus MSW Degree Planning Packet

  • Course Planning Tools

    *For maximum functionality, please download the file and open in Microsoft Excel. DU provides Microsoft Office access for students: information can be found here. 

    Watch this video for a tutorial on how to utilize your Degree Planner. 

  • Special Topics Courses

    Given the ever-changing nature of social work practice, theory and research, topics of importance emerge each year that have particular relevance for a period of time or may be emergent topics that will have relevance for the future of social work. As such, special topics courses are typically offered on a one-time basis, providing content that is not currently incorporated into the standard MSW curriculum. Topics may be related to social work practice, theory or research and vary from term to term; they may be limited by program administrators, faculty or student interest.

    Are you taking two special topics courses?

    If you want to register for more than one special topics course, since they all have the same course number (SOWK 4990), You need to register for one, and then send an email to GSSW.Registrar@du.edu with the following information:

    Subject line: Two special topics course registration request
    Include:

    • Your complete name 
    • DU ID number 
    • Course Name
    • Course Number, Section 
    • CRN of the special topics course you already registered
    • Course Name
    • Course Number
    • Section
    • CRN of the special topics course you want to add

     

    Are you planning on using a special topics course to fulfill a concentration requirement?

    To use a special topics course to substitute for a requirement, you will also need to submit a signed Substitution or waiver form for it to populate your degree correctly. You will only be able to substitute a special topics course for a curriculum requirement if it matches the category you aim to fill. For example, a special topics course designated as a Values requirement can only substitute as a Values course. The TYPE of course must match for a substitution to be considered. Pay attention to course designations.

     

    Visiting Student Option: special topics are listed as Social Work: Denver (for Denver Campus) and are available to any GSSW student as per our Visiting Student Policy, in which students can take up to 10 credits of graduate course work outside of their home MSW program. Submit a Visiting Student Application by the posted deadline for enrollment consideration. Tuition is charged at home program rate.

    Fall 2023

    All special topics courses will be listed as SOWK 4990 but will have a unique Course Reference Number (CRN) number:

    Special Topic Course Title

    Instructor

    Modality

    Day/Time

    Digital Storytelling for Social Justice

    SOWK 4990-3 (Values) - CRN: 4655
    3 credits

    TBD

    Online

    Wednesday 4:30 – 7:20 p.m.

    Non-Violent Compassionate Communication

    SOWK 4990-4 (Values) - CRN: 4656
    3 credits

    TBD

    On Campus

    Tuesday 8 –10:50 a.m.

Four Corners MSW Program Curriculum and Course Planning

When did you enter the program?

 

 

Before Summer 2020

 

 

After Summer 2020

Western Colorado MSW Program Curriculum and Course Planning

When did you enter the program?

 

 

Before Summer 2020

 

 

After Summer 2020

Online MSW Program Curriculum and Course Planning

When did you enter the program?

 

 

Before Summer 2020

  • Concentration Requirements

    *Requires concentration declaration, approval, and appropriate coordinating field internship for concentration requirements.

  • Curriculum Overviews

    Online MSW Program Curriculum Updates FAQ

  • Elective Options

    Qualifying Classes for Mental Health & Trauma Students

    • SOWK 4723: Social Work Practice in Health Care
    • SOWK 4700: Solution Focused Brief Therapy
    • SOWK 4325: Perspectives/Trends in Health and Wellness
    • SOWK 4521: Advanced Skills for Working with Military Families
    • SOWK 4643: Digital Justice in Social Work (if not taken as a Values requirement)
    • SOWK 4235: Disproportionality & Disparity Across Systems (if not taken as a Values requirement)
    • SOWK 4784: Suicide Assessments and Interventions

     

    Qualifying Classes for Health, Equity & Wellness Students

    • SOWK 4340: Leadership and Supervision Skills
    • SOWK 4345: Intersection of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Trauma
    • SOWK 4700: Solution Focused Brief Therapy
    • SOWK 4730: Cognitive Behavioral Therapies
    • SOWK 4752: Trauma Informed Assessment and Intervention
    • SOWK 4521: Advanced Skills for Working with Military Families
    • SOWK 4643: Digital Justice in Social Work (if not taken as a Values requirement)
    • SOWK 4235: Disproportionality & Disparity Across Systems (if not taken as a Values requirement)
    • SOWK 4784: Suicide Assessments and Interventions

    Reminder: Electives must be Concentration-level courses and must be taken after finishing Foundation requirements. If you have an elective, it is a requirement for degree completion.

 

 

Between Summer 2020 and Summer 2023

 

 

Summer 2023

 

 

Fall 2023 and After

MSW@Denver Degree Planning Packet

Other Online MSW Options
  • Human–Animal–Environment Interactions Coursework

    MSW@Denver online students may apply to take Human–Animal–Environment Interactions in Social Work (HAEI-SW) courses in the Denver Campus MSW program through the Visiting Student option. If you are interested in this option, please review the following process and disclaimers in full:

    • The HAEI-SW courses are taken sequentially:
      1. SOWK 4795 (3 credits; the only course available as a standalone course offering)
      2. SOWK 4796 (3 credits)
      3. SOWK 4797 (3 credits)
    • If approved, the HAEI-SW courses are counted as electives in your program.
      • MSW students have 6 total credits of elective requirements. If a MSW student is interested in taking all three courses, please note this would exceed the total credit requirements for your program.
      • Advanced-Standing MSW students have 9 total credits of elective requirements.
    • HAEI-SW online courses are held through the online learning management system, Canvas, rather than 2DU.
    • We cannot guarantee that courses will be offered each term and/or fully online throughout the academic year, as these are Denver Campus courses.

    Draft term-to-term course schedules can be found on the Registration Toolkit for planning purposes, or you can reference the online schedule through MyDU.

    • On the online schedule, under the course title, “Lecture” signifies an on-campus course and “Online/Distance” signifies an online course.
      • Students must apply for the courses through the Visiting Student Application. If approved, Visiting Students can take up to 10 credit hours outside of their "home" program. Students must submit their request through the online form at least 6 weeks before the start of the quarter.
        • Please be aware of the listed application due dates
        • Approval is not guaranteed, and courses are subject to availability
      • The Denver Campus summer term does not follow the typical 10-week structure that the MSW@Denver program follows. View GSSW academic calendars.
      • At this time, the HAEI-SW MSW Certificate of Specialization is specific to the Denver Campus program. As such, the HAEI-SW Certificate cannot be listed on your transcript even if you complete the three sequential courses. The courses will be listed as courses completed on your transcript. If you would like to document your completion of the HAEI-SW requirements, you may request a letter of completion from HAEI-SW Certificate Coordinator Nina Ekholm Fry.

     

    If you are interested in more learning opportunities related to human–animal interactions during or after your MSW@DU degree, please see the professional development offerings at University of Denver's Institute for Human–Animal Connection.

group of students smiling and posing

Advising - Ways to Connect

Advisors differ by MSW program. Please see your program below for details. 

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