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Virginia Commonwealth University · VCU School of Social Work

Master of Social Work Program online option

Master'sMSWMaster of Social Work

Overview

A CSWE-accredited online MSW (60 credits, or 42 in advanced standing) with clinical or macro practice concentrations and five pathways from 12 months to four years. Coursework is mostly asynchronous with three required synchronous classes per course each semester, and VCU arranges field placements in students' local communities (900 hours, or 750 in advanced standing).

Official program name
Master of Social Work Program online option
Awarded degree
Master of Social Work
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Degree level
Master's
University
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Administering location
Richmond, VAWhere 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
Clinical Social Work Practice · Macro Practice
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Required credits
60 credits (regular standing) / 42 credits (advanced standing)
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Duration
12 months (advanced standing) to four years (part-time) (12 months applies to the advanced standing pathway for B.S.W. holders)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Start terms
Fall, Spring, Summer
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Teaching language
English (not separately stated)
Why this program is listed

Online MSW option with required local field placements.

Source: online.vcu.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: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Campus visits
Campus visits: not verified
Practical placement
Practical placement required
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Class schedule
Mixed (live + self-paced)
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Study intensity
Full-time, Part-time
Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

In-person and practical requirements as published

  • Fieldwork Required

    900 field hours over two placements (regular standing) or 750 hours at one placement (advanced standing), mostly during regular business hours

    Agencies in the student's local community

    Source: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Curriculum

Curriculum details: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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
RequiredFour-year undergraduate degree in any major
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Minimum GPA
RecommendedMinimum 3 — Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or greater; lower GPAs reviewed
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Prerequisite courses
RequiredAt least one three-credit course each in behavioral and social sciences with a grade of C or higher
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredProfessional statement of intent
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required3 letters — Three letters of reference
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredCurrent resume or CV
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Application fee
Required$75 — $75 nonrefundable application fee
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Other requirement
OptionalAdvanced standing: B.S.W. from a CSWE-accredited institution no more than five years old, GPA 3.0, A/B/pass in senior field placement
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Tests

Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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.

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
In-state — In-state tuition per credit (online MSW)$634per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$38,040 = 60 credits × $634 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: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Out-of-state — Out-of-state tuition per credit (online MSW)$750per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$45,000 = 60 credits × $750 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: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Other published fees

Program fee per credit hour (in addition to library and technology fees)
$100 per creditMandatory
Source: onlinesocialwork.vcu.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

  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

  • Council on Social Work Education — Graduate professional curriculum accredited by the Council on Social Work EducationSource: online.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

State authorization

  • VCU participates in NC-SARA, which allows students from NC-SARA-approved states to enroll in VCU's programs; state regulations determine whether VCU may offer a place to students located outside Virginia. Official pageSource: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Professional licensure

  • The clinical concentration typically fulfills Virginia's educational requirements for clinical social work licensure (additional supervision and an exam are required); the macro practice concentration was not developed to meet clinical licensure requirements in any state. State-by-state disclosureSource: onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
  • All programs, regardless of modality, are required to provide general (public) and direct (individual) disclosures to students in programs that lead to licensure or certification. State-by-state disclosureSource: academics.provost.vcu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

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

International applicants

Not verified for this online program.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 10, 2026.
  1. academics.provost.vcu.edu/assessment-accreditation-and-compliance/compliance/professional-licensure- — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026
  2. online.vcu.edu/online/programs/msw-social-work/ — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
  3. onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/ — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
  4. onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/academics/licensure/ — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026
  5. onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/ — Official admissions page, verified October 10, 2026
  6. onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 10, 2026
  7. DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026

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

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