Program Website: Social Work Dual Degree – Hiram College

How the 3+2 Social Work Program Works

The social work program at Hiram isn’t a traditional major. Rather, it’s a 3+2-year program that partners with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland to allow you to get your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years instead of six. The program prepares you not only for social work testing requirements, but also for a diverse range of careers.

You start by completing 90 credit hours at Hiram College in your chosen major, usually sociology or psychology. Within those 90 hours, you complete all your core requirements, major requirements, and social or behavioral science requirements for the 3+2 program. You must complete these 90 credit hours within three years, which means you’ll complete your capstone project in your junior year. Successful students are highly motivated and self-directed as they complete this accelerated program.

Pursuing a minor in the 3+2 social work program is possible but challenging. To complete all the requirements for your minor on top of your core, major, and 3+2 requirements, you need to start pursuing the 3+2 program by the time you are in your second semester at Hiram.

During your third year at Hiram, you will go through a rigorous application process to the Master of Science in Social Administration (equivalent to the Master of Social Work, or M.S.W.) at Case. The two-year program has a 100-year history of educating social workers and is ranked first in Ohio and ninth in the nation for social work, so it is highly selective.

After you complete all your academic and admission requirements, you will gain entry to Case’s MSSA program. At the end of your first year at Case, you’ll graduate from Hiram with a Bachelor of Arts degree in your chosen major. After that, you will complete your fifth and final year of school at Case.

A Career-Focused Social Work Bachelor's-Master's Degree Program

The MSSA degree fulfills many of the requirements of social work licensure in all 50 states. To become licensed in any state, you must also complete the licensure exam and complete supervised hours (post-master’s). For an explanation of the various licensing requirements for social workers, visit the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB).

Social work is a profession dedicated to helping people function in their environment. After graduation, you can pursue a diverse number of careers in a growing field. They include the areas of:

  • child welfare
  • substance abuse counseling
  • health care
  • public policy
  • industry and business
  • school social work
  • gerontology
  • mental health service

For more information about the MSSA degree program at Case, including information on the specializations Case offers, visit their social work program page. If you have any questions about the social work degree program, please feel free to contact our faculty and staff.

Hiram College offers a 3+2 Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Social Administration affiliation with Case Western Reserve University for future social work professionals.

After spending three years at Hiram College, students who meet academic and admission requirements advance into Case’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences’ two-year M.S.S.A. program. Most students who participate in this program choose to major in sociology at Hiram College, but students of any major who meet required semester credit hours can matriculate.

Program Requirements

In order to advance into the M.S.S.A. program at Case Western Reserve University, students must complete the following while at Hiram:

  • Apply for admission into the M.S.S.A. program before the second semester of junior year (includes interview)
  • Complete at least 24 semester credit hours in the social and behavioral sciences before the end of junior year
  • Maintain a cumulative grade-point average 3.2

Upon completing the first year of the M.S.S.A. program (31 semester credit hours), a student will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College.

Financial Aid

During the student’s two years at Case Western Reserve University, students are fully enrolled in that institution. Hiram College financial aid packages do not carry over, so students must apply for financial aid through Case.

Recommendations

Students must work closely with Hiram College faculty liaisons (James Rhodes, Ph.D. and Jennifer McCreight, Ph.D.) in order to ensure all requirements are met. They recommend students interested in the 3+2 social work program meet with Case’s Mandel School Admission Office during their sophomore year. The Hiram College liaison can help set up that appointment.

Policy Notes:

  • Students will retain their email during their absence.
  • Students may keep their iPad during their absence.  If a student does not complete their Hiram College degree, they will be billed.
  • Students are not permitted to live on campus or use facilities, including health and counseling services, while away since they are not maintaining full-time student status.