In our MSW Program, students may exempt from certain foundation year courses. There are two routes to course exemptions. The first route is to show you have taken an approved social work course(s) in a CSWE accredited Social Work Program; or have an approved non-social work course (for statistics, research methods and/or psychopathology). The second route is by taking exemption exams.
Overview
Those entering the program who do not have a BSW from a CSWE accredited program may seek exemption from one or more of the foundation year courses in one of two ways: (1) Course Review or (2) Exemption Exam(s).
Exemption by Prior Coursework Review
Exemption by course review is a process whereby a student shows they have taken a course(s) that meet the required foundational social work content, including the statistics prerequisite. To determine if you took a similar course eligible for exemption, first review the UW-Madison Social Work Generalist Course Descriptions. Exemptions are not granted for Advanced Practice coursework.
If you have taken one or more equivalent course(s), complete the Course Exemption Form. It will be reviewed for meeting program requirements. Submit the form AFTER you’ve been admitted and have confirmed to attend our MSW program. If the course(s) taken are not on the Social Work/Social Welfare Course Equivalency Chart, a syllabus is required along with the Course Exemption Form.
You may count up to 7 undergraduate credits from prior courses with an earned grade of B or better to your MSW degree. For courses taken as a UW-Madison undergraduate, courses must be numbered 300 or above. Additional courses listed on your course exemption form that meet criteria for exemptions may exempt you from taking the same course(s). However, students completing more than 7 credits of prior coursework with grades B or better will still be limited to 7 credits, and are required to take additional courses in the MSW program to meet the 49-credit minimum credit requirement.
To be eligible for exemption, prior coursework must meet the following criteria:
- previously taken course(s) must have been taken in an accredited CSWE accredited program, except for research methods or psychopathology. Coursework for research methods or psychopathology make be from a non-social work discipline.
- UW-Madison undergraduate courses: Previously taken course(s) must be numbered 300 or above
- previously taken course(s) must not be older than five years from date of graduation to date of starting the MSW program
- must have earned a grade of ‘B’ or better
Courses eligible for exemption by Prior Coursework Review are:
- Soc Work 612 Psychopathology in Generalist Social Work Practice
- Soc Work 650 Methods of Social Work Research
- Soc Work 710 Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice in Social Work
- Soc Work 711 Human Behavior and the Environment
- Soc Work 400, 441, and 442 only if coursework was taken in a CSWE accredited BSW program but a BSW degree was not awarded. Please consult with an advisor.
Exemption by Exam
An exemption exam is a way to demonstrate sound understanding of foundational generalist social work content required for our MSW Program. Exemption exams are intended for students who have had prior exposure to the required content. This option is recommended for students who have taken a similar course, but NOT eligible for exemption by prior coursework review. If a student passes an exemption exam, they will earn credit for that course and do not need to take the corresponding class;and does not need to be supplemented with additional coursework to meet the minimum 49 credit requirement.
- Exemption exams are offered before the start of each semester. Two hours are allotted for each exam and exams are proctored virtually. Exams are free. Exemption exams are only offered to admitted students and students may only take each exam once.
- Exemption exams are offered for the following generalist courses:
- Soc Work 605/708 The Field of Social Work
- Soc Work 606/709 Social Policy
- Soc Work 612 Psychopathology in Generalist Social Work Practice
- Soc Work 650 Methods of Social Work Research
- Soc Work 710 Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice in Social Work
- Soc Work 711 Human Behavior and the Environment
Overview
Students entering the program with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program, not older than five years from date of graduation to date of starting the MSW program, will receive Advanced Standing (see Prospective Students for more information about Advanced Standing) upon entry to the program and are exempt from all foundation year courses except psychopathology.
Students with a BSW from other CSWE accredited program will need to demonstrate that an appropriate course was taken to satisfy our MSW program requirements for psychopathology. The psychopathology requirement may be met in 3 ways: (1) Prior Coursework Review, (2) Exemption Exam, or (3) Taking Soc Work 612.
Students with a BSW from UW-Madison do not need to complete the Course Exemption Form.
Exemption by Prior Course Review – Generalist Psychopathology
Exemption by prior coursework review is a process whereby a student shows they have taken a course that meets the required foundational social work content for psychopathology. To determine if you took a similar course eligible for exemption, first review the UW-Madison Social Work Generalist Course Descriptions.
If you have taken an equivalent psychopathology course, complete the Course Exemption Form. It will be reviewed for meeting program requirements. Submit the form AFTER you’ve accepted your admission to attend our MSW program. If the course(s) taken are not on the a syllabus is required along with the Course Exemption Form.
To be eligible for exemption, prior coursework must meet the following criteria:
- UW-Madison undergraduate courses: Previously taken course(s) must be numbered 300 or above
- Previously taken course(s) must not be older than five years from date of graduation to date of starting the MSW program
- Must have earned a grade of ‘B’ or better
Exemption by Exam – Generalist Psychopathology
An exemption exam is a way to demonstrate sound understanding of foundational generalist social work content required for our MSW Program. Exemption exams are intended for students who have had prior exposure to the required content. This option is recommended for students who have taken a similar course, but NOT eligible for exemption by prior coursework review. If a student passes an exemption exam, they will earn credit for that course and do not need to take the corresponding class; credit for the class will appear on a student’s transcript and does not need to be supplemented with additional coursework to meet the minimum 49 credit requirement.
Advanced Standing students may take an exemption exam for SW 612 in May, prior to entering the MSW program, to meet the psychopathology requirement. Two hours are allotted for each exam and exams are proctored virtually. Exams are free. Exemption exams are only offered to admitted students and students may only take each exam once.
Exemption Exams are typically offered before each new semester begins. All exams are open to both Full-Time MSW Program and Part-Time MSW Program students unless otherwise noted. Exams will last two hours, are offered virtually, and are free. Students may only take each exam once. Students should take an exam before the they are intending to take the corresponding course, so it is known if they must take the course as planned. Study materials are found below. Students who pass an exemption exam will receive credit for that course, which will appear on their transcript; therefore, they are exempt from taking the course(s) in the MSW Program.
Students are required to register for each exam they are interested in taking no later than one week before the scheduled date of exam(s). Complete the registration form found on the Exam Registration tab on this page. If you have a conflict with the scheduled date of an exam, please contact pt-course-exemptions@socwork.wisc.edu to discuss if you may take the exam at a separate time. Once registered, you will receive an additional email with instructions about the exam one week prior to the scheduled exam date.
| Exemption Exam | Next Scheduled MSW Program Exam |
| SW 605/708 Field of Social Work | August 7, 2024, 6-8pm |
| SW 606/709 Social Policy | August 8, 2024 6-8pm |
| SW 612 Psychopathology for Generalist Social Work | August 12, 2024, 6-8pm |
| SW 650 Research Methods | August 13, 2024, 6-8pm |
| SW 710 Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice in Social Work | August 5, 2024, 6-8pm |
| SW 711 Human Behavior and the Environment | August 6, 2024, 6-8pm |
MSW Exemption by Exam Registration
Exemption Exam Details/Study Materials
SW 605/708 Field of Social Work
SW 605 provides a basic introduction to the history, evolution, and current status of the profession of social work and social welfare institutions. It covers historical and political development that shaped the emergence and role of the social work profession and highlights critical issues for the profession as we move into the 21st century.
Students preparing for the 605 exam should review and study the following:
Day, P., & Schiele, J. (2013). A new history of social welfare (7th. Ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Popple, P. & Leighninger, L. (2005 or 2008) Social work, social welfare and American society (6th or 7th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Trattner, W. (1999). From poor law to welfare state: A history of social welfare in America(6th ed.). NY: The Free Press.
SW 606/709 Social Policy
Social Work 606 has three main purposes: To provide an overview of American social welfare policy, particularly income support policy (including descriptions of all the major social programs); to provide an analytic framework that can be used in understanding current social policy discussions; and to provide a brief overview of policy making processes. The course also includes content on the measurement of poverty, trends in poverty, causes of poverty, and the antipoverty effectiveness of various social programs.
Students preparing for the Policy exam should have knowledge of current events and should study:
Dolgoff, R. & Feldstein, D. (2013). Understanding social welfare: A search for social justice (9th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
The Social Work Library has this textbook on reserve now.
SW 612 Psychopathology for Generalist Psychopathology
Please be aware: If you exempt from this course and plan to seek licensure for clinical social work in the State of Wisconsin, you are strongly encouraged to take SW712!
This foundation course prepares social work students to recognize major mental health concerns across the lifespan. The course includes an introduction to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders (DSM) as the organizing framework for reviewing major mental disorders and critique of the current “medical model” approach to mental health in the United States. The course considers mental health issues from a generalist perspective including the role of the social environment, culture and stigma in mental health services, access and policy.
Students preparing for the 612 exemption exam should review and study the following:
- Review the SW 612 syllabus.
- Review the course materials on stigma and cultural formulation.
- Corcoran, J. & Walsh, J. (2015) Mental health in Social Work: A Casebook in Diagnosis and Strengths-based Assessment (2nd Ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
SW 710 Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice in Social Work
Social Work 710 (formerly 640) is designed to provide students with a knowledge base that should enable them to make their assessments and interventions more responsive to racial and ethnic differences. Typical themes include socio-economic inequality, discrimination, prejudice, stereotypes, assimilation, biculturation, cultural pluralism, traditional helping networks, etc. Problems are explored in light of the combined implications of having simultaneous membership in multiple groups — racial, ethnic, gender, class, and/or sexual-affectional orientation groups.
Students preparing for this exam should study and review:
Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo, 1962-. (2014). Racism without Racists: Color-blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.,
Anderson, Margaret L. & Collins, Patricia Hill (2016). Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology, 9th edition. Cengage Learning. ISBN: 978-1-305-09361-4
Tracy E. Ore, (2018). The Construction of Difference and Inequality: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality, 7th edition. Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978-0-190-64796-
Carbado, D. et al. (2013) “Intersectionality: Mappings the Movements of a Theory.” DuBois Review, 10:2 (2013) 303–312.
Takaki, Ronald T., 1939-2009. (1993). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
SW 650 Methods of Social Work Research
The purpose of SW 650 is to develop students’ understanding and skills in the approaches, techniques, and challenges of conducting social work research and to enable students to be competent and discerning consumers of social science literature.
Students preparing for the Research Methods exam should study:
Rubin, A. & Babbie, E. Research methods for social work (7th ed. or later). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thompson Learning. [NOTE: Chapters 22 and 23 will not be covered on the exam.]
SW 711 Human Behavior and the Envrionment
Social Work 711 surveys the behavioral science knowledge base of social work practice as it relates to understanding and intervening in the problems of clients and constituents. It draws together relevant social science theories – primarily from sociology and psychology but also from biology, anthropology, economics, history and political science – to form a multi-disciplinary view of human behavior. Current knowledge about individuals, both male and female, families, communities, including racial and ethnic minority communities, society and culture is included in the course. The primary social work practice goal is to facilitate the process of problem identification and assessment, and intervention planning at both direct and indirect service levels.
Students preparing for the 711 exam should study:
Hutchison, E. (2018). Dimensions of human behavior: The changing life course (6th ed.). CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
SW705 Basic Statistics for Social Work
Students preparing for the statistics exam should study any basic text in statistics. It is not advisable to take this exam unless you have taken a course in statistics.
- Course topics that must be covered include: distributions, measures of central tendency, dispersion and shape, the normal distribution, experiments to compare means, standard errors, confidence intervals, effects of departure from assumptions, method of least squares, regression, correlation assumptions and limitations, basic ideas of experimental design.
- A passing grade is required