In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The US MSW requires two years of graduate study, in combination with two years (900 hours) of internship, also called field experience. While some students obtain a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) before pursuing a Master's, most US MSW programs accept applicants with undergraduate degrees in a broad range of liberal arts degrees.
Most US MSW programs allow students to choose a clinical or direct practice track, which focuses on direct practice with clients, or a macro practice track, with a focus on political advocacy, community organizing, policy analysis and/or human services management. While the clinical track tends to be more popular, there has been a resurgence in community practice concentrations recently. There are also opportunities at many universities to obtain joint degrees, such as an US MSW and a Public Administration degree, US MSW and Public Health, or US MSW and Law. The US MSW practice scope has broadened in recent years to include the specialty practice areas of geriatrics and veterinary social work. In some schools the curriculum is based on a generalist model which integrates the practice of social work.
The US MSW is considered a terminal practice degree in the field of social work. The DSW (Doctorate of Social Work) or Ph.D in social work are the final degrees offered in the field of social work. The DSW is considered the professional doctoral degree, while the Ph.D in social work is viewed as the research or academic doctoral degree. There are few DSW programs in the United States.
Though US Master of Social Work is by far the most common degree title used by graduate social work schools in the United States, it is not universal. For example, Columbia University School of Social Work offers an M.S. degree in social work, the School of Social Service Administration of the University of Chicago confers an M.A. degree, and both the University of Texas and the University of Wisconsin–Madison confer the MSSW (Master of Science in Social Work) degree. The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University confers the MSSA (Master of Science in Social Administration) degree.
Clark Atlanta University's Whitney M. Young School of Social work is also credited with creating the administration of social work from the "Afro-centric" prospective. Clark Atlanta's school of social work has also had various stalwarts in the profession affiliated with it such as W.E.B. DuBois, Dorcas Bowles, Whitney Young, Hattie Mitchell, Naomi Ward and Rufus Lync
BSW - Bachelor of Social Work
MSW - Master of Social Work
- Abilene Christian University (BSW)
- Adelphi University (BSW, MSW)
- Alabama A&M University (MSW)
- Alvernia College (BSW)
- Anderson University (BSW)
- Andrews University (MSW)
- Arizona State University (BSW, MSW)
- Arkansas State University (BSW)
- Ashland University (BSW)
- Atlantic Union College (BSW)
- Auburn University (BSW)
- Augsburg College (BSW, MSW)
- Aurora University (BSW, MSW)
- Austin Peay State University (BSW)
- Avila University (BSW)
- Ball State University (BSW)
- Barry University (BSW, MSW)
- Barton College (BSW)
- Baylor University (BSW, MSW)
- Belmont University (BSW)
- Bemidji State University (BSW)
- Bennett College (BSW)
- Bethany College, West Virginia (BSW)
- Bethany College, Kansas (BSW)
- Bethel College (BSW)
- Bethel College - Minnesota (BSW)
- Bloomsburg University (BSW)
- Bluffton College (BSW)
- Boise State University (BSW, MSW)
- Boston College (MSW)
- Boston University (MSW)
- Bowie State University (BSW)
- Bradley University (BSW)
- Brescia University (BSW)
- Briar Cliff University (BSW)
- Bridgewater State College (BSW)
- Brigham Young University (BSW, MSW)
- Brigham Young University, Hawai’i Campus (BSW)
- Bryn Mawr College (MSW)
- Buena Vista University (BSW)
- Buffalo State College (BSW)
- California University of Pennsylvania (BSW)
- Cabrini College (BSW)
- California State University, Bakersfield (MSW)
- California State University, Chico (BSW)
- California State University, Fresno (BSW, MSW)
- California State University, Long Beach (BSW, MSW)
- California State University, Los Angeles (BSW, MSW)
- California State University, Sacramento (BSW, MSW)
- California State University, San Bernardino (MSW)
- California State University, Stanislaus (MSW)
- Calvin College (BSW)
- Campbellsville University (BSW)
- Capital University (BSW)
- Carlow College (BSW)
- Carthage College (BSW)
- Case Western Reserve University (MSW)
- Catholic University of America (BSW, MSW)
- Cedar Crest College (BSW)
- Cedarville University (BSW)
- Central Connecticut State University (BSW)
- Central Missouri State University (BSW)
- Chatham College (BSW)
- Christopher Newport University (BSW)
- Clark Atlanta University (BSW, MSW)
- Cleveland State University/University of Akron (MSW)
- Cleveland State University (BSW)
- College of Mount Saint Joseph (BSW)
- College of New Rochelle (BSW)
- College of Saint Catherine/University of Saint Thomas (BSW, MSW)
- College of Saint Scholastica (BSW)
- College of Saint Rose (BSW)
- Colorado State University (BSW, MSW)
- Colorado State University - Pueblo (BSW)
- Columbia College (BSW)
- Columbia College - South Carolina (BSW)
- Columbia University (MSW)
- Concordia College (BSW)
- Concordia University Wisconsin (BSW)
- Coppin State College (BSW)
- Creighton University (BSW)
- Daemen College (BSW)
- Dana College (BSW)
- David Lipscomb University (BSW)
- Defiance College (BSW)
- Delaware State University (BSW, MSW)
- Delta State University (BSW)
- Dominican College of Blauvelt (BSW)
- Dordt College (BSW)
- Eastern University (BSW)
- East Carolina University (BSW, MSW)
- East Central University (BSW)
- Eastern Connecticut State University (BSW)
- Eastern Mennonite University (BSW)
- Eastern Michigan University (BSW, MSW)
- Eastern Nazarene College (BSW)
- East Tennessee State University (BSW)
- Eastern Washington University (BSW, MSW)
- Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (BSW)
- Elizabethtown College (BSW)
- Evangel University (BSW)
- Ferrum College (BSW)
- Florida A & M University (BSW, MSW)
- Florida Atlantic University (BSW, MSW)
- Florida International University (BSW, MSW)
- Florida State University (BSW, MSW)
- Fordham University (BSW, MSW)
- Fort Hays State University (BSW)
- Freed-Hardeman University (BSW)
- Frostburg State University (BSW)
- Gallaudet University (BSW, MSW)
- Gannon University (BSW)
- George Mason University (BSW)
- Georgia State University (BSW, MSW)
- Georgian Court College (BSW)
- Gordon College (BSW)
- Goshen College (BSW)
- Governors State University (BSW, MSW)
- Grace College (BSW)
- Grambling State University (BSW, MSW)
- Grand Valley State University (BSW, MSW)
- Hardin-Simmons University (BSW)
- Harding University (BSW)
- Hawaii Pacific University (BSW)
- Heritage College (BSW)
- Hope College (BSW)
- Hood College (BSW)
- Howard Payne University (BSW)
- Howard University (BSW, MSW)
- Humboldt State University (BSW)
- Hunter College of the City University of New York (MSW)
- Idaho State University (BSW)
- Illinois State University (BSW, MSW)
- Indiana State University (BSW)
- Indiana University (BSW, MSW)
- Indiana Wesleyan University (BSW)
- Iona College (BSW)
- James Madison University (BSW)
- Jackson State University (BSW, MSW)
- Jacksonville State University (BSW)
- Johnson C. Smith University (BSW)
- Juniata College (BSW)
- Kansas State University (BSW)
- Kean University (BSW, MSW)
- Kentucky Christian College (BSW)
- Keuka College (BSW)
- Kutztown University (BSW)
- Lamar University (BSW)
- La Salle University (BSW)
- La Sierra University (BSW)
- Lehman College, City University of New York (BSW)
- Lewis-Clark State College (BSW)
- Limestone College (BSW)
- Lincoln Memorial University (BSW)
- Livingstone College (BSW)
- Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (BSW)
- Loma Linda University (MSW)
- Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus (BSW)
- Long Island University-C.W. Post (BSW)
- Longwood University (BSW)
- Louisiana College (BSW)
- Louisiana State University (MSW)
- Lourdes College (BSW)
- Loyola University of Chicago (BSW, MSW)
- Lubbock Christian University (BSW)
- Luther College (BSW)
- MacMurray College (BSW)
- Manchester College (BSW)
- Mansfield University of Pennsylvania (BSW)
- Marist College (BSW)
- Malone College (BSW)
- Marshall University (BSW)
- Marian College of Fond du Lac (BSW)
- Marygrove College (BSW)
- Marywood University (BSW, MSW)
- McDaniel College (BSW)
- Meredith College (BSW)
- Mercy College (BSW)
- Mercyhurst College (BSW)
- Methodist College (BSW)
- Metropolitan State College of Denver (BSW)
- Miami University (BSW)
- Michigan State University (BSW, MSW)
- Middle Tennessee State University (BSW)
- Midwestern State University (BSW)
- Millersville University of Pennsylvania (BSW)
- Miles College (BSW)
- Minnesota State University Moorhead (BSW)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato (BSW)
- Minot State University (BSW)
- Mississippi College (BSW)
- Mississippi State University-Meridian (BSW)
- Mississippi State University (BSW)
- Mississippi Valley State University (BSW)
- Missouri Western State College (BSW)
- Molloy College (BSW)
- Monmouth University (BSW, MSW)
- Morgan State University (BSW)
- Morehead State University (BSW)
- Mount Mary College (BSW)
- Mount Mercy College (BSW)
- Murray State University (BSW)
- Nazareth College of Rochester (BSW)
- New Mexico Highlands University (BSW, MSW)
- New Mexico State University (BSW, MSW)
- Newman University (MSW)
- New York University (BSW, MSW)
- Niagara University (BSW)
- Norfolk State University (BSW, MSW)
- Northern Arizona University (BSW)
- North Carolina A&T State University (BSW)
- North Carolina State University (BSW)
- Northwestern College (BSW)
- Northeastern State University (BSW)
- Northern Michigan University (BSW)
- Northwest Nazarene University (BSW)
- Northwestern State University of Louisiana (BSW)
- Oakwood College (BSW)
- Olivet Nazarene University (BSW)
- Ohio State University (BSW, MSW)
- Ohio University (BSW, MSW)
- Our Lady of the Lake University (BSW, MSW)
- Pacific Lutheran University (BSW)
- Pacific Union College (BSW)
- Philadelphia Biblical University (BSW)
- Philander Smith College (BSW)
- Pittsburg State University (BSW)
- Plattsburgh State University of New York (BSW)
- Plymouth State College (BSW)
- Portland State University (MSW)
- Prairie View A&M University (BSW)
- Presentation College (BSW)
- Providence College (BSW)
- Radford University (BSW, MSW)
- Ramapo College (BSW)
- Rhode Island College (BSW, MSW)
- Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (BSW)
- Regis College (BSW)
- Roberts Wesleyan College (BSW, MSW)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (BSW)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (BSW, MSW)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Newark Campus (BSW)
- Sacred Heart University (BSW)
- Saginaw Valley State University (BSW)
- Saint Joseph College (BSW)
- Saint Mary's College (BSW)
- Saint Louis University (BSW, MSW)
- Salem State College (BSW, MSW)
- Salisbury University (BSW, MSW)
- Salve Regina University (BSW)
- San Diego State University (BSW, MSW)
- San Francisco State University (BSW, MSW)
- San José State University (BSW, MSW)
- Savannah State University (BSW, MSW)
- Seton Hall University (BSW)
- Shepherd College (BSW)
- Shippensburg University (BSW)
- Siena College (BSW)
- Simmons College (MSW)
- Skidmore College (BSW)
- Slippery Rock University (BSW)
- Smith College (MSW)
- Southern Adventist University (BSW)
- Southern Arkansas University (BSW)
- South Carolina State University (BSW)
- Southern Connecticut State University (BSW, MSW)
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (BSW, MSW)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (BSW, MSW)
- Southeastern Louisiana University (BSW)
- Southern University at New Orleans (MSW)
- Southern University and A & M College (BSW)
- Southern University at New Orleans (BSW)
- Southeast Missouri State University (BSW)
- Southwest Missouri State University (BSW, MSW)
- Southwestern Adventist University (BSW)
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University (BSW)
- Spalding University (BSW, MSW)
- Springfield College (MSW)
- Spring Arbor University (BSW)
- St. Ambrose University (MSW)
- St. Olaf College (BSW)
- State University of New York at Stony Brook (BSW, MSW)
- State University of New York, University at Buffalo (MSW)
- State University of New York, College at Brockport (BSW)
- State University of New York, College at Fredonia (BSW)
- Stephen F. Austin State University (BSW, MSW)
- Syracuse University (BSW, MSW)
- Tarleton State University (BSW)
- Taylor University (BSW)
- Temple University (BSW, MSW)
- Tennessee State University (BSW)
- Texas A&M University - Commerce (BSW)
- Texas Christian University (BSW)
- Texas Tech University (BSW)
- Texas State University - San Marcos (BSW, MSW)
- Texas Woman's University (BSW)
- Troy State University (BSW)
- Tulane University (MSW)
- Tuskegee University (BSW)
- Union University (BSW)
- University of Akron (BSW)
- University of Alabama (BSW, MSW)
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (BSW)
- University of Alaska Anchorage
- University of Alaska Fairbanks
- University at Albany, State University of New York (BSW, MSW)
- University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (BSW, MSW)
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock (BSW, MSW)
- University of Arkansas at Monticello (BSW)
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (BSW)
- University of California at Berkeley (MSW)
- University of California at Los Angeles (MSW)
- University of Chicago (MSW)
- University of Cincinnati (BSW, MSW)
- University of Connecticut (MSW)
- University of Central Florida (BSW, MSW)
- University of Denver (MSW)
- University of Detroit Mercy (BSW)
- University of Findlay (BSW)
- University of Georgia (BSW, MSW)
- University of Hawai’i at Manoa (BSW, MSW)
- University of Houston (MSW)
- University of Illinois at Chicago (BSW, MSW)
- University of Illinois at Springfield (BSW)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MSW)
- University of Iowa (BSW, MSW)
- University of Indianapolis (BSW)
- University of Kansas (BSW, MSW)
- University of Kentucky (BSW, MSW)
- University of Louisiana at Monroe (BSW)
- University of Louisville (MSW)
- University of Maine (BSW, MSW)
- University of Maine at Presque Isle (BSW)
- University of Mary (BSW)
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (BSW)
- University of Maryland - Baltimore (BSW, MSW)
- University of Memphis (BSW)
- University of Michigan (MSW)
- University of Michigan-Flint (BSW)
- University of Minnesota-Duluth (MSW)
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (MSW)
- University of Missouri-Columbia (BSW, MSW)
- University of Missouri-Kansas City (MSW)
- University of Missouri-St. Louis (BSW, MSW)
- University of Mississippi (BSW)
- University of Montana (BSW, MSW)
- University of Nebraska at Kearney (BSW)
- University of Nebraska at Omaha (BSW, MSW)
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (BSW, MSW)
- University of Nevada, Reno (BSW, MSW)
- University of New England (MSW)
- University of New Hampshire (BSW, MSW)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MSW)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte (BSW)
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro/North Carolina A&T State University (BSW, MSW)
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke (BSW)
- University of Northern Iowa (BSW)
- University of North Dakota (BSW, MSW)
- University of North Texas (BSW)
- University of Oklahoma (BSW, MSW)
- University of Pennsylvania (MSW)
- University of Pittsburgh (BSW, MSW)
- University of Saint Francis (BSW, MSW)
- University of South Carolina (MSW)
- University of South Dakota (BSW)
- University of South Florida (BSW, MSW)
- University of Southern California (MSW)
- University of Southern Indiana (BSW, MSW)
- University of Southern Maine (BSW)
- University of Southern Mississippi (BSW, MSW)
- University of Tennessee (BSW, MSW)
- University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (BSW)
- University of Tennessee, Martin (BSW)
- University of Texas at Arlington (BSW, MSW)
- University of Texas at Austin (BSW, MSW)
- University of Texas-Pan American (BSW, MSW)
- University of Toledo (BSW)
- University of Utah (MSW)
- University of Vermont (BSW, MSW)
- University of Washington (BSW, MSW)
- University of West Florida (BSW)
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (BSW)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (BSW, MSW)
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (BSW, MSW)
- University of Wyoming (BSW, MSW)
- Utah State University (BSW)
- Valparaiso University (BSW)
- Valdosta State University (MSW)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (BSW, MSW)
- Virginia Intermont College (BSW)
- Virginia Union University (BSW)
- Viterbo University (BSW)
- Walla Walla College (BSW, MSW)
- Warren Wilson College (BSW)
- Wartburg College (BSW)
- Washburn University (BSW, MSW)
- Washington University (MSW)
- Wayne State University (BSW, MSW)
- West Chester University (BSW, MSW)
- Western Carolina University (BSW)
- Western Connecticut State University (BSW)
- Western Illinois University (BSW)
- Western Kentucky University (BSW)
- Western Michigan University (BSW, MSW)
- Western New England College (BSW)
- Western New Mexico University (BSW)
- Westfield State College (BSW)
- West Texas A&M University (BSW)
- West Virginia University (BSW, MSW)
- Wheelock College (BSW, MSW)
- Whittier College (BSW)
- Wichita State University (BSW, MSW)
- Widener University (BSW, MSW)
- William Woods University (BSW)
- Winona State University (BSW)
- Winthrop University (BSW)
- Wright State University (BSW)
- Xavier University (BSW)
- Yeshiva University (MSW)
- York College of the City University of New York (BSW)
- Youngstown State University (BSW)