Choosing the Best MSW for You
7 Min Read
Whether you are thinking about becoming a social worker or seeking to advance your current career, there are many factors to consider when looking at accredited social work programs. Social work is a broad field. It offers opportunities ranging from owning a clinical practice or working in a social service agency to being a social justice advocate, HR executive, or college professor.
Before you select a Master of Social Work (MSW) program, it’s extremely important for you to identify your goals, interests, and the type of work you wish to do after graduation. Considering these items in advance helps you find the right school and program to prepare you for the job you desire.
Focus on CSWE-Accredited MSW Programs
One of the most important things you should do when looking at a Master of Social Work program is to verify whether a school is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This accreditation signifies that the school adequately prepares students to be effective practitioners by meeting certain core competencies in social work education.
Widener offers a CSWE-accredited MSW program, which is important because many states require practitioners to have an accredited degree to become a licensed social worker (LSW). Additionally, many agencies require you to be licensed before or soon after you are employed. To become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a master’s degree and two years of post-graduate experience in a supervised clinical setting are required.1
Note that licensure requirements vary by state. Before enrolling in an MSW program, be sure to check the requirements for the state where you plan to practice.
What Are Your Career Goals?
Determining your career goals is an important step when you search for an accredited MSW program. Think about your future and the direction you want your career to go. It’s also wise to figure out what kind of work you would like to do. Are you hoping to work with at-risk adolescents in an urban high school, elderly patients in a hospice care facility, or clients through your own private practice?
There is a wide range of jobs for professionals who have completed an accredited social work program. The more you can narrow down the specifics of your ideal career, the easier it will be to find a Master of Social Work program that provides you with the education and experience you will need to achieve it.
Many schools offer CSWE-accredited MSW programs with areas of concentration or a variety of electives. With many different options, you can customize your education to your background, previous work experience, and area of interest. Widener University offers electives that span addiction, intellectual and developmental disabilities, human sexuality, child welfare, and investigating a person’s biographical timeline to better support them.
Additionally, some schools offer dual degree programs that allow you to earn two degrees simultaneously.2 For instance, Widener University’s dual degree MSW/MEd in human sexuality studies provides practitioner-level training. Widener also has one of the only doctoral programs in human sexuality studies available from a fully accredited university in the United States.
Determine the Level of Education You’ll Need
The median salary for social workers was $58,380 per year in May 2023.3 However, your salary and the types of roles you can pursue might depend on the level of education you attain.
How Much Is a Master’s in Social Work?
Once you have determined the level of education needed to achieve your career goals, you will need to consider the cost of completing your degree. In most cases, students can receive financial aid for MSW programs in the form of federal loans. At Widener, U.S. military service members and veterans can access cost-effective tuition available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Yellow Ribbon program, and the Montgomery GI Bill® and Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit programs.*
Some MSW programs allow students to transfer credits, reducing the tuition required to complete their master’s education. Widener also offers an Advanced Standing Master of Social Work track, providing lower program costs to students who earned a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work in the last six years.
How Long Do Master’s in Social Work Programs Take?
Many accredited social work programs take two to three years to complete. With Widener’s online Advanced Standing MSW, eligible students can waive seven courses required of students in the Regular Standing track.
Meeting admission requirements can become another time-intensive aspect of MSW programs. Some social work master’s programs require applicants to have a minimum GPA and submit scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Although students need an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 to begin Widener’s Master of Social Work program, GMAT and GRE scores are not required for admission, making this process less intensive.
Field Experiences
Graduate-level social work programs offer field experiences focusing on hands-on learning in real-world settings. At Widener University, you can take the skills and knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom and put them into action through field experiences in settings that align with your career goals, such as:
- Hospitals
- Child advocacy centers
- Homeless shelters
- Outpatient drug and alcohol facilities
Additionally, Widener’s dual MSW/MEd program includes practicum courses that provide experience with clinical cases involving diverse populations in a variety of settings.
Choosing a Modality
Another consideration is whether to attend classes on campus or pursue an online degree. Online Master of Social Work programs are often designed for adult learners who need to be able to keep working and have the flexibility to complete their degrees from home.
Career Placement
In addition to the reputation of the school and the caliber of its faculty, you should consider whether the school offers career advice and networking opportunities with potential employers. While many schools offer field placement opportunities in traditional settings, such as family service agencies, you should check to see if they offer placements that match your personal career goals and areas of interest. It is important to make sure the school you choose to attend offers a CSWE-accredited MSW program, has a good reputation, and offers the kind of coursework you need to prepare for your career in social work.
Take the First Step Today
If you are ready to continue your social work education, Widener’s online Master of Social Work is an excellent option. Benefit from our CSWE accreditation and clinical curriculum that delivers specialized skills in trauma and social justice. If you are interested in a clinical social work degree with a focus in human sexuality studies, you can pursue our Hybrid Dual Master of Social Work/Master of Education in Human Sexuality Studies. To learn more, call 844-386-7321 to speak with a program manager or request more info.
Sources and Disclaimer
- CareersInPsychology.org. “Deciding On a Social Work Degree Program.” Accessed September 2, 2016, https://careersinpsychology.org/deciding-social-work-degree-program/.
- Sella, M., The New Social Worker. “Choose the Right Graduate School for You.” Accessed September 2, 2016, http://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/education–credentials/Choosing_the_Right_Graduate_School_for_You/.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Social Workers.” Accessed August 26, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.