91ºÚÁÏ

• Six weeks composed of hybrid format — four weeks in NYC classes & two weeks of continued synchronous online coursework.
• Practicum in Israel during the fall and spring semesters in conjunction with HUJ and online coursework.
• Ideal for professionals looking for a hybrid style of learning. This six-semester program includes two summers broken down into 4-week long sessions in-person and an additional 3 weeks of synchronous online coursework. Practicum will be completed during the two fall and two spring semesters in Israel. As part of your MSW, you will learn about coping mechanisms, behavioral disruption, the ways emotional health can impact learning, and more. 
• Israel Roadmap: Layout of curriculum

• Begin practicum in Israel.
• Take the practice course at HUJ in conjunction with practicum.
• Complete an online elective through WSSW.
• Ideal for students who are finalizing their UG degree in the summer prior. This option allows you to begin practicum and practice in the fall and spring semesters prior to doing summers in NYC.
• Israel Roadmap: Layout of curriculum

Students are required to be in a field placement for a minimum of 600 hours during the academic year – 21 hours per week. This includes time with clients, other agency work, field supervision, and time for writing process recordings.

Since you are doing your practicum in Israel, a Hebrew-speaking country, we guarantee English-speaking placements for First-year students if needed. We do not guarantee second-year placements in English.

Practicum generally runs from October to June, with some exceptions for placements that require students to start in September. These exceptions can be discussed with your practicum advisor. Practicum runs straight through the fall and spring semesters without a built-in break. There is no Pesach break. If you need to take time off for whatever reason, it is imperative that you discuss this with both your practicum advisor and placement supervisor and make sure it is approved.

Practicum placement options in Israel are varied and cover a range of social service agencies, as well as other organizations that provide a variety of services. Placements are located throughout the country in cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ra'anana Herzliya, and others. Current practicum placement agencies include mental health clinics, family services, medical settings, at-risk youth, the elderly, gap-year programs, addiction treatment and more.

Practicum placements are facilitated through your practicum advisor, who will meet with you to discuss available options. They will guide you in identifying several potential options for practicum. At that point, students reach out to the supervisor or contact the placement to arrange an interview. Once you receive a positive response from a placement, you may decide whether or not to accept. If you do not receive a yes from any of the placements, your supervisor will explore other options with you so that you can move on to those. Some of the factors in choosing a preferred practicum placement are:

• Language required by the placement.
• Population
• Nature of the work at the placement
• Location

It can be helpful to identify which factors are most important to you when discussing options with your advisor.

The monthly practicum seminar is an opportunity for all students to meet, discuss practicum experiences, connect with each other, and learn. The program generally includes group processing and discussion, student presentations, a guest speaker, and brunch. The meetings are an integral part of the Israel Block program and a rich part of your educational experience.

All monthly meetings take place on Wednesdays at the YU campus, 40 Duvdevani St. in the main floor in the auditorium between 9:30 – 13:00. The monthly meetings are mandatory and are part of your grade for practicum. You may miss up to one monthly meeting per year.

To fill a critical need for affordable, English-language mental health services in Israel, 91ºÚÁÏ, together with Amudim Israel, has opened the Jerusalem Therapy Center. Providing professional care for English speakers, gap-year students and Israelis, the Center will offer mental health counseling that has become ever more important during prolonged lockdowns and affiliated stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

The Center will be run as a partnership between the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and Amudim Israel, a social services organization serving individuals and families impacted by trauma, addiction and other complex mental health-related issues. Staffed by Wurzweiler graduate students, recent graduates and other professionals who specialize in a variety of modalities and concentrations such as addiction, anxiety and trauma, the Center will address the pressing mental health needs of English-speaking immigrants, from those suffering psychologically from the pandemic to gap-year students away from home for the first time and new immigrants struggling to adjust to life in Israel

First Year Courses:

6003 – Generalist Social Work Practice I
This is the first of a two-semester sequence that provides students with introductory knowledge of social work methodology within the context of agency-based practice. The focus of this course is to help students build beginning professional relationships and assessment skills. The course provides a framework for the beginning student to gain an understanding of how to help people in any setting using a multiplicity of skills grounded in an ecological systems approach. Core principles and concepts such as starting where the client is, the worker's conscious use of self, and social work as a planned change process in which knowledge, values, skills, and purposes determine professional actions are studied in depth and provide the foundation for practice skills. This course is taken in conjunction with fieldwork. Broad-based practice skills are introduced, including basic interviewing skills, relationship building, assessment, problem-solving, sensitivity to issues of diversity and their impact on practice, and culturally competent practice with vulnerable and oppressed groups.

SWK 6004 – Generalist Social Work Practice II
This second generalist practice course builds upon material covered in Generalist Practice I and focuses on designing interventions based on bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessments and theories of practice. The course provides a deeper exploration of clinical work with individuals, families, groups, and communities with special attention given to several theories that guide social work. Practice and the application of practice skills to specific case materials. Evaluating one’s own practice and termination of the

student/client relationship are discussed. This course is taken in conjunction with the second semester of fieldwork and provides an opportunity for the integration of theory and practice for beginning social work students.

Second Year Courses:
Second-year students partake in an online synchronized class, Advanced Policy Advocacy, regarding social welfare policy in Israel. The class is one semester on Monday mornings between 8:30 and 9:30 via Zoom.

Second-year students apply for advanced fieldwork and advanced practice classes:

SWK6013 – Advanced Clinical Practice with Individuals & Families I
This advanced clinical practice course is designed to help students develop conceptual, practical, theoretical, and ethical frameworks that will inform their clinical skills with individuals, families, and couples in social service agencies. Specific practice theories are explored for their applicability to a refined assessment of client needs. Students formulate therapeutic interventions based on assessments that include an appreciation of the impact of the social, political, and agency context; race, ethnicity, social class, and status, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities, and religion; professional values and ethics; and relevant practice research findings on the populations they work with and for. Along with Advanced Field Work I, this course continues to build an integration of theory with practice and reinforces the importance of ongoing practice evaluation.

SWK 6014 – Advanced Clinical Practice with Individuals & Families II
In this course, students will acquire a theoretical framework for specific practice approaches and will develop a better understanding of the critical components of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment of individuals and families. This course focuses on integrating practice theory with actual practice experiences, applying a range of intervention techniques with a range of client populations, and examining the complex nature of the client/worker relationship. There is a particular emphasis throughout on applying professional values and ethics, issues of diversity, populations at risk, and social justice. The course specifically uses the family, different normative psychosocial stages, and particular diagnostic categories to elucidate the integration of clinical theory and practice.

at's the difference between the American program and the Israeli program?

There are several main differences, both technical and cultural.

Firstly, in Israel, classes, practicum, seminars, and virtually all educational experiences are in-person. This is due to both licensing requirements and profession culture in Israel.

Second, the academic year in Israel functions as one unit rather than two semesters. While technically there are both Fall and Spring semesters, the year runs from fall through spring; there is no option to start in spring. This can have various implications in the case where a student needs to take a leave of absence or other needs that arise mid-year.

Third, to be considered for the program in Israel, your application process will include an interview. This is to help ensure that the specific requirements of the Israel program can be an appropriate fit for you and vice versa.

Finally, professional and individual culture shape expectations for MSW students in Israel; it is important to keep in mind that your experience in NY may be different than what you may experience in Israel. For more comprehensive information, please feel free to schedule a meeting with a member of our Israel advisory team.

Any transfers mid-degree must go through both Dr. Nechama Munk, director of the Israel Program, and Dr. Jessica Kahn, director of the MSW program at WSSW.

Students may transfer from the US to Israel or vice versa between their first and second year, for a Summer or Fall start in Israel. There is no Spring start option in Israel.

In the event of a pressing need, students may be able to transfer to the US program between semesters.

No, due to licensing requirements and professional culture in Israel, all classes must take place in person. The exception is the 3 required electives, which may be taken online over the course of your studies.

Yes, students can work while in the program. Program requirements include 21 hours per week of practicum, Generalist Practice class once a week, and any

additional classes you may be taking. Additionally, the MSW degree is one that involves a process of personal growth and change, which also requires time and space. It is important for each individual applicant to consider their own personal circumstances, capabilities, and requirements when making the decision to work while studying.

Hebrew is not a requirement for acceptance to the program. However, fluency in Hebrew can increase your potential as a candidate for the program. The ability to speak in Hebrew will also broaden your options for field work placement; many of our placements require or strongly prefer students who can also work in Hebrew.

While the English-speaking community in Israel continues to grow constantly, Israel remains a Hebrew speaking country, and you may expect to be asked to speak, read, or write in Hebrew in any place of employment. We encourage all students to work on learning the language to broaden employment opportunities and engage with the professional community in Israel.

Yes, the cost per credit remains the same whether you are in the live virtual program or in the Israel program. You can find more information about tuition here: /osf/tuition-fees/graduate

Congratulations! Students who need to take maternity leave while completing their MSW should be in touch with their practicum advisor, supervisor, and Generalist Practice teacher. Students receive 6 weeks leave from their GP class at HUJ, from the date of birth. Practicum hours will need to be made up and will depend on the specific requirements of your placement and your own personal circumstances. There will be limitations on the amount of time you will be able to take off, depending on placement. If you will need to take maternity leave, please begin coordinating with your advisor as early as possible so we can best accommodate your needs while helping you meet your requirements for the program.

You do not need to find your own practicum placement. Each student is assigned a practicum advisor, who works with the student to find an appropriate placement.

Please keep in mind that practicum placement is a process. Student preferences are considered, yet your WSSW practicum advisor will make the final decision in regard to placement

In general, accredited bachelor's degrees from the US and Canada are accepted. Degrees from other countries need to go through a process of degree evaluation to be considered. If you have a question about a specific degree, please contact the admissions office. /wurzweiler/application-requirements