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The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a master's degree
Master's degree

A master's degree provides a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of profession. Within the area studied, graduates possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theory and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, Critical thinking and/or professional application; and the ability to problem solving a...
 in social work
Social work

Social work is a discipline involving the application of social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people, groups, and societies....
.

In the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, M.SW degrees must be received from a graduate school
Graduate school

A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees, such as Doctorate with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous Undergraduate education degree....
 that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education
Council on Social Work Education

The Council on Social Work Education is is the premiere association for social work education in the United States of America, with 3,000 educators, students, and practitioners as its members....
 (CSWE). The MSW requires two years of graduate study, in combination with two years' internship, also called field experience. While some students obtain a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) before pursuing a Master's, most MSW programs accept applicants with undergraduate degrees in a broad range of liberal arts degrees.

Most MSW programs allow students to choose a clinical track, which focuses on direct practice with clients, or a community practice
Community practice

Community Practice is a branch of social work in the United States that focuses on larger social systems and social change, and is tied to the historical roots of United States social work....
 track, with a focus on political advocacy, community organizing
Community organizing

Community organizing is a process by which people living in proximity to each other are brought together in an organization to act in their common self-interest....
, policy analysis and/or human services management.






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The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a master's degree
Master's degree

A master's degree provides a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of profession. Within the area studied, graduates possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theory and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, Critical thinking and/or professional application; and the ability to problem solving a...
 in social work
Social work

Social work is a discipline involving the application of social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people, groups, and societies....
.

In the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, M.SW degrees must be received from a graduate school
Graduate school

A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees, such as Doctorate with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous Undergraduate education degree....
 that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education
Council on Social Work Education

The Council on Social Work Education is is the premiere association for social work education in the United States of America, with 3,000 educators, students, and practitioners as its members....
 (CSWE). The MSW requires two years of graduate study, in combination with two years' internship, also called field experience. While some students obtain a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) before pursuing a Master's, most MSW programs accept applicants with undergraduate degrees in a broad range of liberal arts degrees.

Most MSW programs allow students to choose a clinical track, which focuses on direct practice with clients, or a community practice
Community practice

Community Practice is a branch of social work in the United States that focuses on larger social systems and social change, and is tied to the historical roots of United States social work....
 track, with a focus on political advocacy, community organizing
Community organizing

Community organizing is a process by which people living in proximity to each other are brought together in an organization to act in their common self-interest....
, 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 MSW and a Public Administration degree, MSW and Public Health, or MSW and Law. The MSW practice scope has broadened in recent years to include the specialty practice areas of geriatrics and veterinary social work.

The MSW is considered a terminal degree in the field of clinical 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.

Though 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
Columbia University School of Social Work

The Columbia University School of Social Work is a professional program within Columbia University. With an enrollment of over 900, it is one of the largest social work programs in the United States....
 offers an M.S. degree in social work, the School of Social Service Administration of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park, Chicago neighborhood of Chicago. Although an older university by the same name existed prior to its founding, the modern University of Chicago credits its founding to the oil magnate John D....
 confers an A.M. 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
Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, with some residence halls on the south end of campus located in Cleveland Heights, Ohio....
 confers the MSSA (Master of Science in Social Administration) degree.

See also

  • Bachelor of Social Work
  • Doctor of Social Work
    Doctor of Social Work

    The Doctor of Social Work is a professional, social work specific academic degree for experienced social work practitioners who wish to further their careers by gaining doctoral level education and training in advanced practice, teaching and supervision, research and/or policy analysis....


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