Online Master of Social Work (MSW)

Competitive applicants typically have a ‘B’ (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) cumulative GPA in the last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of their undergraduate coursework.

Note: If you don’t meet the minimum GPA requirement, admission will still be considered using each component of your application, taking into consideration your professional and academic background.

All applicants must submit:

• Graduate admission application and application fee.
• Official transcripts.
• Program-specific admission essay.
• Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume.
• Three letters of recommendation, including academic and professional references.
• Proof of completion of 240 hours of social work or human services experience within the past five years. To document, you can download the social work or human services experience form and upload it with your resume and statement of education and career goals.

For your two applied field education experiences, you can expect your internship to take approximately 16 hours per week in each semester for a total of 960 hours throughout the entire program. The inability to pass a background check or fingerprint clearance can limit the opportunities available and impair your ability to secure the required internships for this program.

The admission committee will use your statement of education and career goals to evaluate your knowledge of your career choice, your understanding of and commitment to the mission of the ASU School of Social Work and your passion for the social work profession. Your statement will also be used to assess your written communication abilities.

Your statement should be four to six pages double-spaced using a 12-point font and one-inch margins. When formulating your essay, please use the prompts listed below as paragraph headings. For the admission committee to appropriately review your statement, you must address all five guideline statements, including:

1. Your experience, background and relationships that influenced your selection of social work as your professional career, such as family, education, employment, diversity experience, volunteer involvement and personal characteristics. Additionally, please include challenges or barriers you’ve faced in your pursuit of higher education, what motivated you to persist and how you overcame them.

2. Your understanding of the responsibilities of the social work profession and specifically the role and responsibilities that you wish to be able to assume as a professional social worker. Additionally, please address how you’ve incorporated social work values in your human service experiences and interactions with others.

3. Your reasons for selecting the ASU School of Social Work program and your thoughts on how the mission statement addresses your short- and long-term career goals.

4. Your understanding of social justice as it relates to social work and how you’ll address the inadequacies of our social systems to combat racism. The ASU School of Social Work is committed to social justice, including the dignity and worth of all individuals. Social workers must maintain a commitment to equity by fighting to eradicate racism and all forms of injustice.

5. Your plan for managing the rigorous demands of graduate education with your required 960-hour professional field practicum (two internships), employment and personal obligations.

You can also download the template for your statement of education and career goals for more information about the format.

An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.

If you hold a Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program, you may be eligible for ASU’s online Master of Social Work – advanced standing – advanced generalist program. This MSW advanced standing pathway allows you to complete your degree in as little as one year by building on your prior academic experience.

A Master of Social Work is a graduate degree that prepares you for advanced practice across a variety of settings. Graduates work in roles such as clinical social work, community outreach, policy and advocacy, program administration and human services. An MSW can also position you for leadership opportunities and specialized practice in areas such as health care, mental health, child welfare and public policy.

Yes. This online social work degree is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, a credential required to pursue social work licensure in most states. As a graduate, you’ll be prepared to seek licensure through your state’s licensing agency. Requirements vary by state and may include additional steps beyond earning your degree.

Yes. You can apply to ASU’s MSW master’s degree without a Bachelor of Social Work. Strong candidates come from a variety of backgrounds, including health care, education, government and community organizations. Applicants without a BSW will follow the standard program pathway, while those with a qualifying BSW may be eligible for the accelerated advanced standing option.

Students in the online MSW program complete 960 hours of supervised practicum experience across two internships. Each placement lasts two semesters and provides hands-on experience in real-world social work settings. You’ll work with the School of Social Work’s Practicum Education Office to identify internship sites in your geographic region that meet school and CSWE standards, with support from ASU and the practicum agency.