Top-Recommended CSWE-Accredited MSW & BSW Programs Online
Every BSW and MSW we recommend comes with CSWE-accreditation, and the flexibility and ease-of-access you can only get from an online program.
See what these stand-out universities are doing to make our list of top-recommended social work degrees.
- Last Updated: Feb 2025
CSWE-ACCREDITED PROGRAMS 2025
Focusing on evidence-based interventions and incorporating a Christian worldview, GCUs CSWE-accredited programs produce compassionate social workers who can think on their feet.
- No application fee
- No GRE or GMAT required with 2.8 undergrad GPA
- Multiple supervised field experience placements to satisfy license requirements
- Classes start weekly
- SAT or ACT scores not required
- No application fee
- Transfer-friendly credit acceptance policy, with evaluation specialist assigned
- 78% of applicants accepted in recent cohort
- Applicants as young as 16 considered
- Classes start weekly
Earn your BSW or MSW from ASU’s award-winning School of Social Work, consistently recognized as:
- #1 for International Students – Institute of International Education
- #1 in innovation for ten years running, beating out even Stanford and MIT
- #11 in Social Work Research – National Science Foundation
- Advanced standing track can be completed in one year
- Two internships included, providing 960 hours of field experience
- Meets eligibility requirements for clinical licensure
- Respected faculty at the ASU Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Include:
- Fellow of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
- Member of the National Academy of Public Administration
- Fellow of the American Psychological Association
- Classes Start August 21, 2025
- Easy application pathway for students who don’t meet standard admissions
- Award-winning faculty includes:
- Fulbright Scholars
- Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research
- Fellows of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare
- Classes Start May 19, 2025
The Syracuse Falk College Online MSW prepares social workers capable of applying technology-driven solutions to the classic social services domains of economic justice and community advocacy.
- License exam pass rates beat the national average
- 1,000 hours of fieldwork, with support in securing placements
- Accelerated advanced standing option available
- Two concentration options:
- Advanced Integrated Practice for general licensure
- Advanced Clinical Practice for clinical licensure
- With multiple annual start dates, you’ll find classes starting soon.
The DU Graduate School of Social Work is all about social work powered by purpose. Earn your MSW online from a top-ranked school with a serious commitment to social equity.
- Traditional online MSW can be completed in under two years
- Advanced standing option for BSW graduates can be completed in just 12 months
- Faculty hail from diverse backgrounds and practice specialties
- 200 hours of field experience can be completed through a virtual field experience option
- Classes start March 2025
With affordable tuition, military-supportive policies, and transfer-friendly admissions, Liberty shows its commitment to doing the right thing. That’s exactly what makes LU Online the place to earn your social work degree.
- Tuition rates held steady, with no increases for 9 years
- Military-friendly school, offering tuition discounts and support to service members and vets
- Application fee waived this week
- Apply online in just five minutes
- Transfer-friendly admissions, with up to three credit hours accepted
- 100% online
- Two field placements, providing 1,000 total hours of hands-on experience
- Classes start March 17, 2025
- Transfer-friendly admissions, with up to 75% of total credit hours allowed to be transferred in
- One virtual intensive session, with the rest of the program online
- Gain real world experience through two semester-long field placements
- Classes start March 17, 2025
With an 80-year track record of academic excellence and graduates that consistently have the highest social work licensing exam pass rates in the state, the KU College of Social Work delivers for its online graduate students.
- Ranked #1 for social worker license exam pass rates in Kentucky
- Veterans apply for free
- Military-friendly school with dedicated support teams and student advising
- 97% of UK social work students receive financial aid
- Home to six centers and labs where cutting-edge research is taking place
- With multiple annual start dates, you’ll find classes starting soon.
Maryville has been challenging the status quo in higher ed for a century and a half. Earn your BSW from a true innovator in higher education.
- No entrance exams
- No application fee
- Complete you application in 20 minutes
- 100% online coursework
- Transfer-friendly admissions with easy credit transfers
- Field placements ensure job-readiness
- Classes start May 2025
The strong tradition of academic excellence at Aurora combined with flexible and affordable degrees, offer the right combination for today’s social work students.
- Personal support for every student, from enrollment through graduation
- More than 85 percent of faculty hold the highest degree in their fields
- A full suite of career services to assist with job placement
- Internship placements pair students with faculty mentors in the field for instant feedback on job-related questions
- Uses freely available education resources instead of expensive textbooks
- Accepts transfer credits from other four-year institutions
- Complete the BSW and qualify for Aurora’s advanced standing MSW
- Specializations in Addiction or Child Welfare
- Classes Start March 10, 2025
- A premier clinical social work program that prepares students for LCSW licensure
- Uses Simucase for a simulation-based education that puts you in virtual situations for realistic training
- Uses free education resources where possible to keep costs down
- Faculty with extensive real-world experience
- Concentrations in:
- Addictions
- Child Welfare
- Forensic Social Work
- Gerontology
- Health Care
- Leadership Administration
- Military and Veteran Social Work
- Professional Educator License in School Social Work (PEL)
- Dual Degrees Offered:
- MSW/MBA
- MSW/MPA (Master of Public Administration)
- Classes Start March 10, 2025
Guided by the values of the Sister of Mercy, social work programs at Carlow promote personal growth with coursework heavy in compassion and professionalism.
- Yellow Ribbon program participant offers extra support and tuition discounts for vets, service members, and their families
- A diverse community that welcomes and empowers students with support from peers and faculty
- A strong, historical commitment to social justice ensures your social work education draws from a tradition of community service
- Fall and spring field placements with classroom seminar support
- At least 50 hours of volunteer service for extra hands-on experience
- Experienced professors active in their areas of social work expertise
- Complete the BSW and qualify for the Carlow Advanced Standing MSW
- Specializations in:
- Crisis and Trauma
- Forensic Social Work
- Healthcare Social Work
- Restorative Justice
- Classes Start Spring, Summer, & Fall
- Trauma-informed, evidence-based program to prepare for advanced practice
- Personalized coaching to assist each student in achieving individual goals
- World-class faculty active in social work research who publish regularly in professional journals
- Specializations in:
- Direct Practice
- Macro Practice
- School Social Work
- MSW/MBA dual degree option available
- Classes Start Fall & Spring (Advanced Standing Starts Available in Summer)
Originally established as a teacher’s college, EOU takes the same thorough approach to preparing social workers today, offering a generous credit transfer policy and experienced faculty who deliver real-world expertise.
- No GRE or GMAT required
- Emphasizes hands-on learning, either in your current workplace or in paid placements
- Offers an advanced generalist curriculum with trauma-informed practice
- Integrates rural social work content to prepare students to support underserved communities
- Part-time option can be completed in just 22 months
- Classes Start in Fall & Spring
As one of the first colleges of public health in the US, GMU leads the nation in intersectional, inclusive, inter-professional social work research and practice.
- Recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as one of the top research universities in the US
- Long-established community connections ensure interactive learning
- Social Justice Core emphasizes empowerment and systems transformation in social work
- Faculty research grounds the curriculum in evidence-based practice
- Complete your degree in as few as 10 semesters
- Two available stipend programs in Child Welfare and Behavioral Health offer cash assistance for select students
- Ranked as one of the Top 10 Best Online MSW Programs by Forbes Advisor
- Concentrations in:
- Adults & Health Aging
- Children, Youth, & Families
- Classes Start Spring and Fall (Summer for Traditional and Accelerated options)
With more than 150 years of dedication to rigorous faith-based academics, King comes with a grounding in ethics and professionalism that social work students trust.
- Accelerated programs can be completed in as little as 16 months
- Learn advocacy and intervention strategies to support a range of populations, from individuals to families to communities
- 400 hours of field practicum for hands-on learning
- More than 60 employment and field practicum partners
- Complete the BSW and qualify for King’s advanced standing MSW
- Yellow Ribbon program participant offers extra support and tuition discounts for vets, service members, and their families
- Financial aid is always offered to qualifying students
- Classes Start February 17, 2025
A small but popular liberal arts college that draws in expert faculty, Methodist nurtures the values and ethical decision-making critical to social work.
- Optional pathway in school social work and elective in Child Welfare Collaboration
- Accelerated, 8-week courses allow you to complete the program in as few as 3.5 years
- Small student-to-faculty ratio ensures individualized attention
- Yellow Ribbon program participant offers extra support and tuition discounts for vets, service members, and their families
- Minors can be added for additional expertise in:
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Marketing
- Classes Start April 7,2025
New Mexico Highlands delivers a multicultural, rural focus in social work and a family atmosphere that offers inclusive education in a close-knit environment.
- Offers training in DSM-5 for future clinicians participating in advanced clinical research
- Develop expertise with Hispanic, American Indian, and other cultures of the Southwest
- Cohort-based online degree creates tight bonds among students
- Just 15 students per instructor
- Complete the program in just 24 months full-time, or 36 months part-time
- Concentration available in Clinical Practice
- Classes Start in Spring
Sacred Heart is a nationally-recognized university where professors support social work students and challenge them to be their best.
- Named one of the Best Colleges in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report
- Listed as one of America’s top colleges by Forbes
- Offers an exclusive online recruiting system with 10,000 potential employers
- Part-time option can be completed in 3.5 years, or 20-months for advanced standing students
- Develop critical anti-racist thinking to promote social justice and equity
- Numerous scholarships and grants available
- Concentrations in either Direct Clinical Practice or Direct Community Practice
- Classes Start Three Times Per Year
Saint Mary’s has a long heritage of offering the kind of ethical and equitable education that empowers future social workers.
- No prerequisites and no experience necessary to enroll
- Can be paired with an Addiction Studies Certificate
- Dedicated Field Work Placement Coordinator to align field experiences with individual goals
- Strong student support, academic counseling, and writing centers
- The Winona Student Success and First Generation Initiative Center offers special support to first generation college students
- Classes Start in May 2025
With small class sizes and a real sense of community, the University of Montana takes a collaborative approach to education with a commitment to enhancing rural social work.
- No GRE required
- No BSW required
- Part-time enrollment allows flexibility and a three-year path to completion
- 900 practicum hours of fieldwork
- Practice-oriented course builds skills designed for group and community work
- Named one of the Best Schools of Social Work in the country by U.S. News & World Report
- Classes Start May and August 2025
Social work students at UWF get a forward-thinking education from a military-supportive school with expertise in medical and behavioral health social services systems.
- Sixteen week courses offer flexibility and speed
- Meets educational requirements for LCSW licensure
- Comes with clinically focused courses rooted in medical and behavioral healthcare
- Flexible credit transfer policy, recognizing military experience and outside certifications
- Ranked by U.S. News & World Reports as one of the Best Regional Universities, Best Public Universities, and Top Performers on Social Mobility for 2025
- Classes Start May 12, 2025
Winthrop offers a value-oriented education that embraces innovation while remaining rooted in a long tradition of academic excellence.
- Faculty include Fulbright scholars, publishers, and community leaders
- Rated among the Best Colleges in the South by The Princeton Review
- Named a Best Value College by Money Magazine
- Field placement assistance for online students
- Traditional MSW can be completed in as few as three years; advanced standing students can finish in two
- Participate in advanced social work research
- Satisfies education requirements for master’s level licensure
- Licensure exam pass rates exceed the national average
- Classes Start May 12, 2025
At Howard, a premier HBCU, social work is explored through the lens of the Black perspective in a place where faculty affirm lived experiences while challenging students to grow.
- No GRE required
- Graduate in as few as 12 months in the advanced standing track, or 16 months in the traditional track
- Personalized field placement services match students with areas of interest
- Up to four field education courses for more real world experience
- A Top-12 Social Work School as ranked by U.S. News & World Report
- Concentrations available in Direct Practice or Community, Administration, and Policy (CAP)
- Classes Start May and September 2025
As the first school of clinical social work in the country, degrees at Simmons are backed by a 100-year legacy and offer all the flexibility of contemporary online studies.
- Recently awarded the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Leadership For Public Purpose
- Innovative hands-on curriculum emphasizes practical skills
- Two practicum placements total more than 1000 hours
- State-of-the-art Social Work Clinical Simulation Education
- Scholarships available for qualifying students
- Extended and part-time tracks allow as many as 40 months to complete the program
- No more than 20 students per class
- Certificates offered in:
- Mental Health Practice
- Trauma Practice
- Clinical Practice With Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families
- Classes Start May 2025
- Innovative hands-on curriculum emphasizes practical skills
- Two practicum placements total more than 1000 hours
- State-of-the-art Social Work Clinical Simulation Education
- Scholarships available for qualifying students
- Extended and part-time tracks allow as many as 40 months to complete the program
- No more than 20 students per class
- Certificates offered in:
- Mental Health Practice
- Trauma Practice
- Clinical Practice With Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families
- Classes Start May and September 2025
How Do I Become a Social Worker in California?
To become a well-trained, well-rounded, and attractive candidate for social work jobs in California, a three-step path can get you there:
1. Earn a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
As you earn a BSW, you’ll be introduced to basic social work skills like interviewing and case management. However, not all future social workers earn a BSW. Some earn bachelor’s degrees in psychology, sociology, social justice, and other related disciplines.
2. Earn a Master of Social Work (MSW)
At the master’s level, students learn advanced social work principles and skills. This often includes crisis intervention, clinical counseling, leadership, policy development, and how to navigate complicated legal and ethical issues. MSW students can also specialize in a specific type of social work like child welfare or mental health and substance abuse. If you attend a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), you’ll also complete a minimum of 900 fieldwork hours.
3. Start Looking for Jobs
Armed with education and experience, you could be the perfect candidate for your dream job at the agency of your choice. From advocacy-focused nonprofits and government agencies to community-based service providers, California’s social service agencies need talented professionals of all kinds.
Depending on your goals, you may also want to pursue California state licensure. To learn more, check out our pages on state licensure requirements and becoming a social worker in California.
What Can I Do with a Master’s in Social Work?
Master’s degrees are the gold standard of the social work world, preparing graduates for any number of high-level frontline, administrative, or clinical counseling positions. Some of the roles you can take on with an MSW include:
- Policy advocate or analyst
- Crisis intervention specialist
- Researcher or research analyst
- Counselor
- Program director
- Victim advocate
- Community outreach coordinator
Even when employed under the general title of social worker, MSW graduates are prepared to handle more complicated cases than their bachelor’s-prepared peers. For instance, BSW-educated social workers in California’s public school system can connect parents to resources, but their more experienced MSW-educated colleagues can provide interventions that include behavioral therapy and counseling.
According to the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), an MSW will also give you the qualifications to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and run your own practice. As an LCSW, you’ll be equipped to provide life-changing mental health services. And as an independent practitioner, those skills will allow you to bring niche services to small communities and population groups that have fallen through the cracks.
How Long Does a Master’s in Social Work Take?
Most MSW programs require students to complete about 60 credit hours of coursework. For a full-time student, this is equivalent to two years or four semesters. If you already have a bachelor’s in social work, you can enroll in a 30-credit-hour advanced-standing program and earn your degree in as little as one year. And with online MSW programs becoming more prevalent, earning your degree is more accessible than ever.
If going to school full-time doesn’t fit your schedule, many programs also offer part-time options. Students enrolled in standard programs can take fewer classes per semester and earn their degrees in three to four years. Advanced-standing students in part-time programs can graduate in two years. Some programs even offer summer classes so you can take courses year-round, stay on schedule, and still have time to keep up with your other obligations.