About the Program
The Amrita MSW is a two-year full-time residential program which requires high levels of dedication, concentration, long hours of work and sustained commitment from students. Its credit-based system allows tremendous flexibility in matters of course design, curricula, time-frame, teaching and learning methodologies, and evaluation procedures.
The two-year course comprising four semesters enables students to imbibe the fundamental principles of social work and practice them in real-life situations. Amrita’s MSW program incorporates a methodology through which students can evolve to a new level and help transform the society in which they live.
Offered by India’s only UNESCO Chair in Gender Equality and Women’s empowerment, Amrita MSW is a two-year full-time residential program which offers world-class opportunities in the field of Social Work (at the Amritapuri Campus).
The curriculum is on par with that of the best international institutions while taking into account the specific requirements of the Social Work profession in the Indian context. The MSW program maintains a healthy balance between classroom sessions and field practice.
Amrita has been in a long-standing cooperation with foreign universities, organizations and related institutions. These innovative programs prepare students to become advocates for social equality and social justice.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program started at the Coimbatore and Amritapuri Campus in 2007. The MSW Program is actively involved in providing evidence-based, quality oriented social work education through most advanced and emerging domains of practice, research and field interventions. It has also engaged itself in strengthening social work practice, research and field projects. The core values of love, honesty, and sacrifice for the welfare of all living beings in this earth permeate all aspects of learning, knowledge building and interventions.
The curriculum is also crafted in such a way that it provides a meaningful account of certain core processes that influence the day to day functioning of the larger society such as social justice, human rights, development and empowerment of the vulnerable/marginalized sections of the society.
The MSW courses offered at Amrita , enable students to appreciate the dynamics, variations and interfaces that pervade the Indian sub-continent through the culturally significant patterns of social stratification and exclusion such as caste, Class, gender, ethnicity and religion.
Amrita’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program is holistic and unique. It is both academic and experiential. It comprises of classroom and fieldwork components spread across four semesters. It encourages students to increase self awareness and their awareness and sensitivity towards others.
It integrates advanced concepts and developments in the field of Social Work with a deeper understanding of the traditional Indian value system. Students participate in the service activities initiated by the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s parent organization – Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
The program prepares students to independently undertake challenging assignments with oppressed, at-risk, vulnerable and general populations and helps them evolve as human beings with the commitment and service-orientation necessary to reach out to the most under-privileged sections of society.
The program is most suitable for those who would like to build a career in social work and gives them an opportunity to derive great joy by extending a helping hand to those in need, including the under-privileged populations in the society.
The program is strongly grounded with foundation courses catering to major social science disciplines, basic courses on perspectives and methods and elective courses in Physical and Mental Health, Community Development, Disaster Management, and Child Protection and Child Rights. The field learning component comprises of concurrent and block field work, rural practicum, and field study engagements.
To prepare the students for specialized, evidence and rights-based practice among the oppressed, at risk, vulnerable and general populations. The MSW program provides rigorous intellectual base, opportunities for skill development and a value-based educational experience.
The AMRITA MSW Advantage
- Among the 3 categories of Deemed Universities in India, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is placed in Category-1 by the MHRD, GOI Qualified and experienced full time faculty.
- Nationally and internationally recognized experts as visiting faculty.
- To give students an opportunity to develop self-awareness and the ability to listen to others with deep understanding and sensitivity.
- Wide and diversified settings for concurrent field work, unmatched learning experience through closely supervised field work.
- Block placements and internships in nationally & internationally reputed (NGOs/ INGOs) and corporate organizations, government departments, as well as at the development projects of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
- Credit-based curriculum and continuous evaluation under semester pattern.
- A dedicated in-house ‘Training & Placement Directorate’.
- Students from different parts of the country including North and North East India.
- International alliances and excellent infrastructure facilities.
- Unparalleled benefits of living and studying in a huge campus.
The Amrita MSW program is unique in other ways also
There are experienced and committed faculty to facilitate higher learning. Amrita also receives visiting faculty from premier institutions.
- Great emphasis is placed on value-based education and there are classes on Yoga, Meditation and Indian Culture.
- Amrita provides excellent infrastructure facilities include classrooms equipped with audio visual capabilities, high-end computing labs with internet, sports and recreation, swimming pool, hostels etc.
- Students can specialize in (i) Physical and Mental Health (ii) Community Development (iii) Child Protection and Child Rights (CPCR) (iv) Disaster Management.
- In South India, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is the first to offer CPCR and Disaster Management as Social Work specializations.
- Emphasis is placed on scientific, research-based learning with thrust on vulnerability reduction, rights-based approach and social policy analysis. Students are exposed to relevant and advanced managerial and project management skills.
- The theoretical coursework is advanced and includes a field exposure component.
- Field placements are provided with INGOs, National level NGOs, Government Organizations, Industries and development projects undertaken by the Math.
- There is an automated Library Information System connected to the LAN in the Central Library for faster access to books. Several online journals are also available.
- A dedicated Training and Placement Cell offers training in soft skills and communicative English. The cell also helps place students in NGOs, Hospitals and Corporate Foundations.
- Our past recruiters include UAE Exchange-Abu Dhabi, Larsen & Toubro Limited, Friends of Tribals Society and Hand in Hand.
