MSW Program Policies and Procedures

MSW students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in any academic term. Any student falling below a 3.0 in any given term will be placed on academic probation and be required to develop a plan for raising the GPA above 3.0. Students who fail to raise their GPA over 3.0 after 15 credits will be dismissed from the program. 

No grade lower than a “B-” counts toward degree completion. Students who complete a course with a letter grade of “C+” or below will be given one additional opportunity to retake the course as long as all GPA requirements can be met. Students may have a maximum of two withdrawals per course (notation of AW or W) with a maximum of three attempts per course. Students must be aware that the sequential coursework policy will often require students to take time off to repeat the course work. 

Please note: A notation of Withdrawal (W) or Administrative Withdrawal (AW) is considered an attempt. 

See the MSU Denver Graduate Catalog for the university policy on Academic Performance. 

Attendance is expected in all classes. Failure to attend class reflects poor professional conduct and compromises knowledge acquisition. Students who miss class may seek assistance from their peers regarding missed material. Students are encouraged to review the syllabus for the instructor’s additional policies on missed classes, as class attendance is defined by the instructor and dictated by the delivery method (online, in-person or synchronous). A student missing more than two classes must contact the instructor and it is the discretion of the instructor as to what the consequence of absences will be. No student may miss 25% or more of any course. Attendance is defined by the instructor. It is the students’ responsibility to know and follow instructors’ attendance requirements. Students who miss 25% or more will receive a grade of “F” in the course. Students receiving an “F” must contact the Office of Social Work Student Services ([email protected]) for a modified degree plan in advance of the start of the succeeding semester. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept—it is here, shaping the way we work, learn, and interact with the world. As a social worker and student, AI will influence your practice, whether through client interactions, research, administrative tasks, or policy advocacy. It is not a question of whether AI should be used but how it should be engaged with ethically, responsibly, and in alignment with the core values of social work.  

AI has the potential to enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and increase access to critical information. However, it also presents ethical challenges, including issues of bias, misinformation, and professional integrity. Social workers must develop competency in using AI responsibly—ensuring transparency, maintaining accountability, and upholding the dignity and worth of every person.  

Additionally, the ethical use of AI extends beyond its immediate application in practice. The environmental impact of AI cannot be ignored. The energy consumption required for AI models, the extraction of resources for hardware, and the resulting electronic waste all raise concerns about sustainability. Ethical social work practice includes recognizing these broader implications and making informed decisions about technology use.  

The following questions are designed to guide your engagement with AI in ways that uphold social work values, including service, integrity, competence, and social justice. They are not rigid rules but reflective prompts to help you navigate the situational complexities of AI use—considering your needs, your clients’ needs, and the broader social and environmental impacts.  

Ethical Framework for the use of AI in social work  

1. Are you using AI to better the profession or your ability to excel as a social worker? 
2. Did you acknowledge any AI use to ensure accountability and professional integrity?  
3. Did you verify that the references provided are current, relevant, and accurate?  
4. Are you ensuring the information you use or upload is free from bias 
5. Are you consistently working to make AI accessible to your clients if they choose to engage with it? 

Only students who are formally accepted into the MSW program with degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking status may register for any graduate level social work course. 

Students are responsible to: 

• Per department standards, all courses address late work policies in the canvas course shell and students must be aware of the general guidelines and individual instructors late paper policy. 

• Turn in the correct paper for the assignment due. If a student turns in a paper intended for another class, it will be graded based on the assignment due. If that student discovers his/her mistake, contacts the instructor and emails the correct paper to the instructor, it will be graded as a late paper. 

• Turn in a paper in a file format that opens in Word. The instructor will notify the student and give the student a limited amount of time to resubmit the paper. It will be graded as a late paper. 

• Turn in assignments by the due date and submitted in the proscribed method. If a paper is late, it will be graded as a late paper. Each week a paper is late a 10% deduction will be given. 

• Discuss exceptions to the above with the instructor. On rare occasions where students know their paper will be late due a personal crisis, the instructor may modify the above policy. 

Students can switch sections and add/drop courses without approval up to the 100% add/drop date in any given semester (see the academic calendar for exact dates). 

After this deadline, students must submit a request to the Office of Social Work Student Services via the Registration Adjustment Request Form. This form is to be used by students as the first step in requesting a registration adjustment, which includes: 

• Adding a course after the start of the semester (late add request) 

• Requesting a section switch mid-semester 

• Requesting a section switch for a linked course 

This request should include the current section the student is registered for (for section switches), the section they would like to switch to or be added to (for section switch and late add requests), and the reason they are requesting this switch after the deadline. The Office of Social Work Student Services, Operations, and Finance will reach out to the student via email when a decision has been made or if additional information is needed. 

Note: Submitting a request does not guarantee approval and the request will only be reviewed if there are extenuating circumstances. A decision will be made on a case-by-case basis and if there is space in the new/requested section. 

Students who have a concern about a course instructor or grade should contact the instructor to discuss and seek resolution regarding their concerns. 

If a student needs further advice on the issue, they may discuss with their advisor or the program director. The advisor and program director do NOT have supervisory authority, so such a meeting would be to advise the student on steps and processes in place for problem-solving. In alignment with university policy, the student may take such matters directly to the chair and should be aware the chair will probably (unless dealing with severe situations) ask what steps the student has taken before bringing the concern to their office. 

Students are advised to review the university policy regarding Grade Appeals.  

If the concern regards unlawful discrimination, the student is advised to read and follow the complaint process through the Office of Equal Opportunity. 

Depending on the nature of the concern, the Social Work department may initiate the Informal or Formal Review process to facilitate resolution. The student and the department should also be aware of university policies related to Student Complaint Policy, Student Code of Conduct, as well as Student Rights. 

Students must complete the master’s degree within six calendar years from the term they initially enroll. Students should check the program website and/or specific program section of the catalog to determine specific degree requirements. 

Time Limit Waiver Request: MSW students who experience unexpected, life-changing events may request a waiver of this policy in writing to the Department of Social Work. Approval will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will be reviewed by the Chair, MSW Program Director, Director of Social Work Student Services and the student’s academic advisor. Requests must be submitted in writing to the Office of Social Work Student Services at [email protected]. 

All written communication in the classroom environment (online and on campus) will be in American Psychological Association (APA) style and it is the responsibility of the student to become familiar with APA style requirements.  Students are advised to purchase a copy of the most current edition of the APA Publication Manual and become familiar with the style. Instructors are not responsible for teaching the requirements. 

No credit is given for learning gained through life experience or previous work experience, and no life experience or previous work experience credit may be used toward the MSW degree.

MSW students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in any academic term. Any student falling below a 3.0 in any given term will be placed on academic probation and be required to develop a plan for raising the GPA above 3.0. Students who fail to raise their GPA over 3.0 after 15 credits will be dismissed from the program. 

No grade lower than a “B-” counts toward degree completion. Students who complete a course with a letter grade of “C+” or below will be given one additional opportunity to re-take the course as long as all GPA requirements can be met. Students may have a maximum of two withdrawals per course (notation of AW or W) with a maximum of three attempts per course. Students must be aware that the sequential coursework policy will often require students to take time off to repeat the course work.   

The University policy on incomplete grades can be found here. 

In rare occasions, student face an unusual circumstances that prevents them from completing course work in time. Incompletes are NOT guaranteed and are approved only by the faculty member teaching the course and must be approved by the chair of the department. These should be given in rare situations when students are experiencing a crisis or situation beyond their control. Students must have already completed a large proportion of work in the course before it can be approved. See the full university incomplete policy and process for requesting an incomplete here and below. 

Incomplete Policy 

The Incomplete notation indicates that a student is achieving satisfactory progress in a course but is unable to complete all class assignments due to extenuating circumstances, such as documented illness, military leave, disability, internships that fall outside traditional semester timeframes, or circumstances beyond their control. The Incomplete notation is composed of an “I” (noted on the student’s transcript) and the student’s default grade (A, A-, B+, B, etc.), which is the grade the student has earned at the time course grades are first entered for the course.  

An Incomplete notation may be assigned only if the student meets all these minimum requirements:  

• The student has participated in an academically-related activity after the 60% mark of the course’s part of term. Academically-related activity involves active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study as defined by the last date of attendance.   

• The student has completed more than 50% coursework and/or course contact hours, as determined by the faculty member or department chair if the faculty member is not available.  

Incomplete grade notations are offered at the faculty member’s discretion, or at the discretion of the department chair if the faculty member is not available. Satisfying the minimum university requirements for an Incomplete notation does not guarantee that one will be awarded. Departments and programs may establish higher minimum standards for awarding Incomplete notations. Incomplete notations based upon accommodations related to a student’s documented disability should be determined in consultation with the Director of the Access Center or their designee.   

When an Incomplete notation is awarded, the following process applies:  

• When entering final course grades, the faculty member registers the Incomplete notation, the student’s default grade, and the student’s last date of attendance.  

• The faculty member and student submit the Incomplete Agreement Form to the Office of the Registrar. This form establishes the outstanding work that the student may/should submit within a designated timeframe.  

• The faculty member and student finalize additional Incomplete notation requirements established by their department or program, if any exist.  

•  The maximum timeframe for a student to submit remaining coursework is the end of the subsequent full term (i.e., the end of the next Fall or Spring semester). However, faculty members may require a shorter timeframe for submission of incomplete coursework, which will be documented on the Incomplete Agreement Form.  

• When all remaining course work has been submitted and evaluated, when the student indicates that they have submitted all work they will be able to within the timeframe the faculty member will enter a change of grade form.  

• If the work designated on the Incomplete Agreement Form is not completed within the established timeframe, the “I” notation will convert to the default grade submitted by the faculty member.  

Deadlines vary according to course’s formal schedule, also known as “part of term.” Students should refer to the Part of Term  dates published by the Office of the Registrar to review part of term date ranges, withdrawal deadlines, and such. 

Students may not graduate with an “I” on their MSU Denver academic record if:  

• The course in which the “I” was assigned is required for graduation, or  

• The default grade assigned for that course would result in an overall GPA less than 2.00.  

If you need to take a leave of absence from the MSW Program, please let your academic advisor know or email [email protected]. We will make sure everything is in order for your leave so that you come back to a fresh re-start.  

All MSW coursework, including electives, must be completed and passed in the required sequential order as listed in the MSW Curriculum maps, and students must maintain continuous enrollment. Students who fall out of sequence may incur delays to graduation and must reach out to the Office of Social Work Student Services. A revised academic plan will be created between the student and their academic advisor. Students who fall out of sequence and do not seek advising for a new plan of completion will receive an automatic Student Success Assessment. 

The Master of Social Work Program does not provide an option to test out of any Social Work coursework at the graduate or undergraduate level. 

Departmental Note: MSW students should NOT withdraw from a course without first contacting the Office of Social Work Student Services at [email protected]. Withdrawal from a course is likely to affect a student’s academic standing, course sequencing and degree plan. 

Students should be aware that any kind of withdrawal can have a negative impact on some types of financial aid and scholarships. For further information, click on read the Withdrawals page.