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Master of Social Work

Master'sMSWMaster of Social Work

Overview

A 60-credit clinical Master of Social Work with online courses and a minimum of 900 hours of in-person field practicum near the student. Two specializations are offered, and the program is in candidacy for CSWE accreditation.

Official program name
Master of Social Work
Awarded degree
Master of Social Work
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Degree level
Master's
University
Administering location
University Park, PAWhere the university or its administering campus is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Subject
Specializations
Children and Families · Mental Health and Substance Use
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Required credits
60-credit online program
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Duration
Two years full-time (five courses each semester for four semesters, fall and spring) (Full-time study)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Start terms
Fall
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Teaching language
English (not separately stated)
Why this program is listed

MSW with all courses online and an in-person field practicum at the student's location.

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We list online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from institutionally accredited US universities. Eligibility rules

Online format and attendance

“Online” is not one format. Delivery, campus visits, practical placements and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the university states it.
Academic delivery
Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.Coursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Campus visits
Campus visits: not verified
Practical placement
Practical placement required
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Class schedule
Not verified
Study intensity
Full-time, Part-time
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

In-person and practical requirements as published

  • Practicum Required

    Minimum of 900 hours of field practicum; full-time students complete 225 hours per semester over four semesters.

    About 15 hours per week (full-time); 5–10 hours per week (part-time) · Student's location

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Curriculum

Practicum

Other

  • The program is in candidacy for accreditation by the CSWE Board of Accreditation (not yet accredited).
    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Specializations, concentrations and tracks

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Prior degree
RequiredUndergraduate degree with a broad liberal arts foundation from an accredited college or university
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 3 — Minimum B average (3.0 on a 4-point scale) in all undergraduate work
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Transfer credit
OptionalAdvanced standing for applicants with a CSWE-accredited BSW earned within five years and a minimum 3.25 GPA
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Credit for prior learning
Not requiredNo credit is granted for prior life, volunteer or employment experience
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredGoal statement of 1,000 to 1,500 characters
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required3 letters — Three references
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredRésumé or CV
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not required
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    March 15 (start August 23); applications reviewed on a rolling basis after the deadline as space allows · for Fall

    The university does not print a year with this date.

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
Graduate, 11 or fewer credits per semester$1,048per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$62,880 = 60 credits × $1,048 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Graduate, 12 or more credits per semester (flat rate)$12,572per semester · 2026-2027Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Scholarships and financial aid

Awards published by the university for this program or for online students at this level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; financial aid availability does not make a program “fully funded”. Scholarships & funding guide

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation, authorization and licensure

Three separate questions: is the university accredited, can it enroll students from your state online, and does the program meet licensure requirements where you live?

Institutional accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

No programmatic accreditation verified for this program. Institutional accreditation does not imply it.

State authorization

  • Penn State participates in NC-SARA (accepted as a SARA institution on January 25, 2017) and is individually approved to offer programs in California. Official pageSource: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Professional licensure

Accreditation and state authorization do not establish that a program meets licensure requirements in your state.

International applicants

  • International students may apply; English proficiency is required, and institutional, federal or state financial aid requires US citizenship, US national status or permanent residency.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 10, 2026.
  1. DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  2. worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-social-work-masters-degree — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
  3. worldcampus.psu.edu/state-authorization — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026
  4. worldcampus.psu.edu/state-authorization/disclosures — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this university? Claim the profile

Similar programs at other universities

Same degree level and subject group. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Texas Tech University logo

Texas Tech University

Online Master of Social Work

Master'sMSWMaster of Social Work
Subject: Social Work (BSW, MSW, DSW)
Administering location: Lubbock, TXUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.
In-person requirements: Practical placement required
Duration: Standard Program: two years; Advanced Standing Program: one calendar year (Advanced standing is for recent undergraduate social work graduates) · 59 credits
Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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University of Central Florida

Master of Social Work (MSW), Online

Master'sMSWMaster of Social Work
Subject: Social Work (BSW, MSW, DSW)
Administering location: Orlando, FLUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student. · Part-time
In-person requirements: No mandatory campus visits; practical placement required
Duration: 3 years (traditional track); 16 months (advanced standing track) (part-time cohort) · 62 credits
Tuition: Tuition: $487.45 per credit · All online students
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Grand Canyon University logo

Grand Canyon University

Master of Social Work

Master'sMSWMaster of Social Work
Subject: Social Work (BSW, MSW, DSW)
Administering location: Phoenix, AZUniversity location, not a residency requirement
Online format: Online coursework + local placementCoursework is online; a clinical placement, practicum, internship, fieldwork or student teaching is completed in person, usually near the student.
In-person requirements: Practical placement required
Duration: Duration not verified · 62 credits
Tuition: Tuition: $610 per credit · All online students
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

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