Online Social Work Degrees

Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the 60-credit master of social work at UA Little Rock prepares graduates for advanced clinical practice and leadership roles in social work. The online MSW, open exclusively to Arkansas residents, takes three years to complete, including in-person field internships.

The curriculum consists of 36 credits in foundation and concentration classes, six credits of electives and an 18-credit field internship requirement totaling 1,200 practice hours. Each online course spans five synchronous sessions each semester. The internship coordinator works with distance learners to find approved field placements near their place of residence.

For students seeking a focus on clinical and community practice, the 60-credit master of social work at IU Online combines foundational courses with training in specialized practice areas.

The advanced generalist foundational coursework addresses diversity, social justice, social policy, and social work practice in organizations, communities, and societies. Distance learners can select one of five concentrations in military social work, e-social work, telebehavioral health social work, mental health, or addictions. Applicants to the MSW program must have a bachelor’s degree and submit official transcripts, a statement of interest, a writing sample, and a resume.

Through a curriculum grounded in Christian principles, Campbellsville University’s master of social work emphasizes trauma-informed practice. The curriculum offers clinical, substance use disorder, and faith-based areas of focus. Distance learners take all coursework online in eight-week sessions and may complete their in-person fieldwork placements at clinical settings of their choice.

The MSW, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, requires between 60 and 69 credits. Bachelor degree holders in fields other than social work typically finish the degree in two years. Applicants with undergraduate social work degrees may enter the advanced standing MSW program allowing them to complete degree requirements in less than one year.

Featuring a flexibly designed asynchronous format, UNE's online master of social work develops evidence-based clinical practice skills in a curriculum that emphasizes social justice and inclusion. The MSW program offers two pathways. Students who hold a bachelor’s in a field other than social work pursue the 60-credit traditional pathway. A 30-credit advanced standing pathway admits students with a bachelor of social work degree from a CSWE-accredited program.

Students specialize in one of four focus areas: school social work, medical social work, advanced clinical studies, and trauma-informed practice. Flexible practicum options, including traditional, block, simulation, and onsite placements, accommodate the needs of distance learners.

NMSU’s master of social work prepares graduates for advanced generalist practice with vulnerable populations in multicultural settings. The fully online curriculum includes some synchronous coursework.

The MSW requires 60 credits, taken over two to three years. Advanced standing students who enter the program with a bachelor’s in social work complete 30 credits, finishing all degree requirements in one year. The two and three-year plans of study require two practicum placements totaling 950 hours. Advanced standing enrollees complete one 500-hour practicum. Distance learners choose their own practicum placements and arrange for transportation to sites.

Designed to accommodate individuals with work or personal obligations, the online master of social work at A&M-Commerce offers flexible options. Students take all coursework in an asynchronous format enabling them to progress at their own pace.

Distance learners may pursue two tracks. For those who enter without a bachelor’s in social work, the 57-credit foundation generalist track requires two years to complete full-time or four years part-time. The 33-credit advanced generalist track takes one year to finish. It is designed for students with a bachelor’s of social work from an accredited program. The MSW prepares graduates for licensure by the state of Texas as a licensed master social worker.

A flexible online program developed for self-directed learners, Rutgers’ 60-credit master of social work provides a two-year, full-time option or a three-year, part-time option. Students who hold a bachelor’s in social work from an accredited program enter the 39-credit advanced standing option that takes between one and two years to complete.

The program features two clinical specializations in management and policy or clinical social work. Online learners may also apply for certification in interpersonal violence and trauma or in Latina/o initiatives for service, training, and assessment. Rutgers offers a fixed cost-per-credit tuition rate for online students, regardless of residency.

The only online master’s of social work degree in North Dakota, the MSW program at UND prepares graduates for licensure as clinical social workers.

Bachelor degree holders in a field other than social work enter the 60-credit online generalist option. Students in the 36-credit advanced generalist option must have completed a BSW from an accredited program. Both options use a synchronous format delivering coursework in real-time with some on-campus requirements. Distance learners may complete the required 500-hour field placement in their local communities.

UND provides financial support to qualified MSW students who commit to working in an approved child welfare agency in North Dakota when they graduate.

The master of social work at Brescia University, a Catholic liberal arts college, features a unique curriculum that incorporates the Caritas philosophy into social work through a focus on human rights and social and economic justice. All online courses meet weekly over 15 weeks, delivered through a synchronous, real-time format.

The 60-credit MSW option for students with a bachelor's in a non-social work field takes two years to complete. The 30-credit advanced standing MSW is designed for students with a BSW from an accredited program. It features a full-time option that can be completed in one year and a part-time option that takes three years.

Reflecting the university’s identity as a Native American Serving Institution and a Minority Serving Institution, USC Pembroke’s master of social work emphasizes advanced generalist practice in rural and underserved communities and with indigenous populations.

The online MSW admits bachelor's degree holders from non-social work fields and requires between 50-62 credits. Students may choose 24-month, full-time or 36-month, part-time plans of study. Graduates of accredited BSW programs enter the 35-credit advanced standing option, which can be completed in 12 months if attending full-time or 24 months part-time.

USC Pembroke offers scholarships to economically disadvantaged MSW students identifying as Native American, African American, Hispanic, or multiracial.