Best Online Master’s In Social Work

Located in Owensboro, KY, Brescia University offers a nine-month MSW for those with a BSW and 24-month program for students with an undergraduate degree in another field. You can choose between full-time or part-time options. Courses are 100% percent online and run for 15 weeks.

You can complete your MSW at UCF with a clinical specialization leading to licensure within nine months. The program includes a field placement that will be conducted in your home community. Due to state regulations, UCF is unable to admit students from Nebraska to this MSW program.

Arizona State University boasts a diverse and large social work program. Faculty provide expertise in a wide range of social issues, from gerontology to human trafficking and topics in between. You’ll complete 960 hours of intern placement in your local community.

Western New Mexico University has been providing social work education since 1893. Field experiences are required and are conducted in your home community. Asynchronous online classes allow for program flexibility.

This Kentucky Christian institution offers rolling admission for its Foundation, Advanced Standing, or Clinical Tracks. You’ll need 900 practicum hours of combined field experience (BSW and MSW) for degree completion. There’s no difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for online students.

Delaware State University was founded in 1891. This MSW program allows up to 28 transfer hours toward the MSW from accredited BSW programs. Emphasis is placed on experiential learning, and the program requires two internships.

This program is available to residents of Florida, Georgia, and Virginia. You have the option of a one-year Advanced Standing clinical program (BSW required) or a 3-year curriculum (includes 30 Foundation year credits.) The clinical program offers electives in Gerontology, Children’s Services, Military Social Work, Substance Abuse, and Traumatic Stress.

Rutgers University’s online MSW program lets you choose between clinical or management and policy studies. The MSW also offers in-program certificates in Aging and Health, Promoting Child and Adolescent Well Being, and Violence Against Women. You’ll be expected to complete two field placements as part of this MSW.

The University of Missouri’s Mizzou Online offers Advanced Clinical Practice or Policy, Planning, and Administration in Human Services options for its MSW. Both options require two practicums with the first one to be conducted in Missouri or contiguous states. The program only admits students from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois.

Aurora University offers a generous graduate transfer credits option if you’ve done some previous graduate social work studies. The program has a unique Forensic Social Work track focusing on Social Work in legal settings. Besides the five specialty tracks, A.U. also offers two dual programs in MSW/MPA and MSW/MPA.

You’ll need an MSW from a CSWE accredited program for admission to this Southern Texas university. UTRGV offers two Advanced Standing MSW degrees, Administration & Community Practice and Direct Practice With Latino Individuals, Families, and Groups. Practicum experiences are required for this degree.

Salisbury University’s MSW is focused on ethics and values in social work. You can choose between an Advanced Standing MSW (32 credit hours) or Regular MSW (62 credit hours). The program accepts students from Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and Delaware.

The University of Nevada, Reno offers both a Traditional and Advanced Standing MSW track with a generalist practice focus. Students enrolled in the Traditional track will complete a three-day residency at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Practicum experiences are required for both tracks.

You don’t have to have a BSW to enroll in Washburn University’s MSW program. You can choose to specialize in Health Care, JD/MSW Dual Degree, or School of Social Work concentrations. A limited number of courses are offered online with this program.

This particular online MSW program is specifically targeted to residents of rural Colorado. The School of Social Work will, however, consider out-of-state applicants on a case by case basis. Admission applications are accepted once a year, and you’ll be expected to complete up to 300 field placement hours per semester.

The University of Arkansas’ MSW can be completed in one year. This full-time only online Advanced Standing MSW requires 22 hours per week of field experience. The University of Arkansas School of Social Work accepts applications in January and tuition is assessed regardless of state residency.

This MSW includes a weekly, live, online class between 5-9 pm PST. The program requires both a capstone project and field placement for completion. You’ll be eligible for licensure with this program, but the school encourages you to contact your state licensing board to verify this program meets its requirements.

The University of Alabama doesn’t require a BSW for this graduate degree, but it does require a background in liberal arts. You can choose between two concentrations, Social Work with Children, Adolescents, and Their Families or Social Work with Adults and Their Families. This program also offers the unique opportunity to conduct field experience with the National Association of Social Work in Washington D.C.

The Social Work program at Texas State University is open to students with or without a BSW. This online program is offered part-time and full-time with two or three courses per semester, respectively. While Texas State provides this program to students from all states, internships and practicum experiences may not be available in Alabama.

Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, offers an online generalist MSW degree with a rural practice specialization. BSW-prepared students are able to apply for Advanced Standing directly, and non-BSW students are eligible for the Standard program. Advanced Standing students will not be required to repeat courses covered in BSW training.

The University of Utah’s online MSW has two focus areas in Health in Social Work and Mental Health in Social Work. You’ll need to choose a focus at the beginning of your second year, which will lead to certification. Practicum experiences are required.

The University of Texas-Arlington has three Direct Practice specialties focuses: Children & Families, Mental Health & Substance Abuse, and Aging. If you have a non-social work undergraduate degree, you’ll take both Generalist and Advanced Standing studies. With an accredited BSW, however, you may apply directly for the Advanced Standing curriculum.

If you live in the Bay Area of San Jose, California, this may be a good MSW option for you. This program is part-time and requires 16 concurrent hours of field experience. A capstone project is required.

This program is only one of three nationwide curricula addressing the issues of the growing Hispanic population. Fieldwork may be done in your home community or place of employment for currently working BSWs (with some restrictions). The MSW will prepare you for licensure in clinical or advanced practice settings.

U.S. News and World Report rates the MSW program at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in the top 100 “Best Graduate Social Work” programs. You can expect to complete 1,200 fieldwork hours in this program. There are five synchronous sessions per semester, using Adobe Connect.

This program prepares MSW graduates to work in South Dakota and surrounding areas. You’ll want to check with your home state to verify the coursework will meet your state’s licensure and certification requirements. Non-BSW students will begin in the Fall and BSW prepared students begin in the Summer.

This MSW allows you to specialize in: Health & Behavioral Health, Social Work Practice with Latinos, Political Social Work, or Individualized. There are 900 field experience hours required; or, you may want to investigate the unique field opportunities offered by the University of Houston. Field experiences may be conducted in your area.

With the Boston University online MSW, you can choose between a Traditional, Advanced Standing, or Human Service Experience track. The program requires attendance in live classroom sessions (online) held on Sunday or Monday evenings. You’ll complete one or two field practicums in your home community as part of this MSW.

The online MSW from the University of North Dakota is specially created for working students with or without a BSW. The program requires field experiences as well as either a capstone project, thesis, or independent study requirement prior to graduation. An attractive tuition feature is that you’ll pay in-state tuition regardless of your residency status.

The Indiana University MSW will expose you to various Social Work fields such as online, military, telebehavioral, and addictions. If you live outside of Indiana, you can expect to pay out-of-state tuition for this degree. This is an Advanced Generalist degree.

Edinboro University’s online MSW is available to students from all 50 states. Both the two-year MSW and the one-year program require field experiences of 900 and 500 hours, respectively. You’ll be required to identify possible field experience sites and obtain liability insurance.

You can choose from one of five specializations in a variety of concentrations. The program allows you to earn certification in PreK-12 School Social Work or Advanced Clinical Social Work while earning your MSW. While a hybrid program, the majority of study is offered online.

This distance education program will become available throughout Hawaii in 2020. The program requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and a background in liberal arts. You may be able to waive certain foundation courses by passing examinations offered during the orientation process.

This online MSSW from the University of Louisville offers five specializations, including a unique Psychosocial Oncology concentration. Fieldwork for online students can be conducted in your home community. The University of Louisville is ranked as one of U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools in Social Work.”

VCU’s MSW program uses a social justice and diversity approach. Students will learn how to identify and address personal, social, and community problems. The program includes two live sessions per semester.