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Social Work - MASTER'S (MSW)
CIP CODE 44.0701.00
DEGREE OVERVIEW
In the Master of Social Work program, students prepare for advanced level and supervisory positions in micro and mezzo clinical practice and macro administrative practice, leadership, and advocacy.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
- The MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
- Students select between clinical practice or macro-level practice.
- Clinical practice students
- Learn evidence-based assessment, diagnosis, and intervention with children, youth, adults, and families.
- Specialize in one of four areas offered: Aging, Health, Mental Health and Substance Misuse, or Children and Families.
- Macro-level practice students
- Learn strategies for community needs assessment, program leadership, and policy advocacy.
- Concentrate their studies in community and administrative practice.
- Clinical practice students
- Quick admissions process for students with a 3.0 or better in the last approximately 60 undergraduate credit hours of their bachelor’s degree. Students with less than a 3.0 will have to submit additional documentation. No GRE required.
- The BSW degree is not required to obtain the MSW degree. About half of our MSW students earned a bachelor’s degree in another discipline.
LEARN MORE
- Admissions requirements
- Degree curriculum
- Degree information in the University Catalog
- Speak to an MSW admissions counselor and see MSW admissions criteria
- MSW program options
- MSW program overview
- Program accreditation
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
- The MSW degree is one of the most versatile degrees leading to numerous career paths and preparing students for advanced level positions in one of the fastest growing career fields.
- Graduates work in direct clinical practice in a variety of areas such as mental health, substance misuse, aging/gerontology, health care, schools, public health, suicide prevention, disabilities, intimate partner violence, veteran/military care, LGBTQIA+ communities care, and children and families.
- Graduates become leaders in government agencies, private organizations, corporations, and non-profits. They analyze and develop policy and promote social, racial, and economic justice through advocacy, community organizing, and administrative practice.
- Many MSW graduates later establish social work private practices in therapy and counseling or become activists, social entrepreneurs, elected leaders, professors, and lawyers.
DEGREE OPTIONS
- Advanced Standing students (earned a BSW degree and meet quick admissions requirements) must complete 38 credit hours (includes required internship credit hours). Traditional students (no BSW degree) must complete 61 credit hours (includes credit hours for two required internships).
- Fully online options for in-state and out-of-state students.
- Offer part-time and full-time degree plan options.
- We offer classes in the day and evening for your convenience.
- Many of our classes are offered every semester, allowing students to finish faster.
MSW Arlington Campus Option
- Students will complete course requirements in traditional in-person classes on the UTA campus.
- Students attending classes on campus can choose three specialties: Mental Health and Substance Misuse, Health, or Children and Families.
- Advanced Standing full-time students (earned a BSW degree and meet quick admissions requirements) can complete the degree in 12 months and traditional full-time students (no BSW degree) can complete the degree in 24 months.
- Depending on a student’s selected focus, the program can be started summer, fall, or spring.
- Students will complete a field internship practicum with a local agency or organization.
Learn more about the MSW Arlington Campus-based option
MSW Fully Asynchronous Online Option
- MSW online students have four choices to specialize in: Mental Health and Substance Misuse, Aging, Children and Families, or Community and Administrative Practice.
- Students living within the U.S. or on military installations can apply and complete the program fully online. Students can start summer, fall, or spring.
- Students will complete a field internship practicum in their geographical region/location with an agency or organization.
Learn more about the MSW fully online option
WHY CHOOSE US?
- The UTA MSW program is consistently ranked among the top 20% of MSW CSWE-accredited social work programs and No. 5 in the nation for military veteran friendliness.
- Our MSW online program is ranked in the top 10 for affordability and academic quality in several different rankings.
- Very few MSW programs offer more than three specialty options for students to choose. We offer five specialties: Aging, Health, Community and Administrative Practice, Mental Health and Substance Misuse, and Children and Families.
- We have 100% online and in-person full-time and part-time options. Depending on a student’s area of focus, the program can be started in summer, fall or spring.
- Large number of full-time faculty with years of clinical practice, program leadership, policy advocacy, research, and teaching experience.
- SSW offers six graduate certificates (Administrative Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Policy Leadership, Community Leadership, Military Social Work Certificate, and Military, Family, and Veteran Care Graduate Certificate) and almost a dozen dual degree master’s program options.
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