How to Become a Social Worker
Social work is a fulfilling and challenging field. In general, social workers help people identify, prevent, and solve problems. More specifically, that might mean assisting a family with securing affordable housing, finding the right interventions for a child with learning disabilities, or helping locate and prepare an adoptive family for a child in foster care. Many social workers enjoy the variety and direct influence of their careers.
Social work is a growing career field in the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has projected the number of social work jobs will grow by 16% from 2016 to 2026. That’s more than twice the projected growth rate of the average occupation. Larger social and economic trends such as widening inequality, rapid urbanization, and an aging population are helping spur growth in the social work profession. Social workers who want to serve in healthcare or in policy development and administration can secure many of the field’s highest paying positions.
Featured Online Social Work Degrees
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- LocationCampbellsville, KY
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationChristian
- Cost Per Credit$399
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Develop an understanding of the basics of social work while also gaining hands-on, practical experience in the field with the online Bachelor of Social Work program from Campbellsville University. Through the program, you’ll learn the historical and contemporary principles of social work, as well as the theoretical perspectives related to the field. You will also discover the necessary skills for performing generalist social work practice in a variety of areas: communities and organizations, individuals, families, and groups.
View Website for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Request Info -
- LocationBristol, TN
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationPresbyterian
- Cost Per Credit$305
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King University’s online Bachelor of Social Work degree program is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to become global citizens and make an impact in an in-demand career in social work or human services. Choose between three concentrations — nurse educator, administrator, and PNP — and learn to apply advocacy and intervention strategies to support individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.
View Website for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Request Info -
- LocationAurora, IL
- Accreditation(s)HLC
- Religious AffiliationPrivate
- Cost Per Credit$425
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Develop the skills and knowledge needed to begin social work practice with the online Bachelor of Social Work degree completion program from Aurora University. You’ll be prepared to work with communities, groups, families, and individuals in a variety of settings as well as with diverse populations and problems.
View Website for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Request Info
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Social workers can have a lot of choice about where they work and what they do with their professional lives. Career paths for social workers include medical social work, rehabilitation counseling, clinical counseling, child and family social work, marriage and family therapy, and teaching social work at the postsecondary level. Social work professionals can work with a variety of diverse populations such as senior adults, children, and people with chronic illnesses. Federal, state, and local governments employ social workers, as do hospitals, hospice care facilities, and faith-based organizations.
How to Become a Social Worker
Becoming a social worker starts with pursuing the right education. Once a prospective social worker has secured an appropriate academic credential, the next step requires getting a state license to practice. After that, social workers move up in their profession as they gain experience and applied knowledge in the field.
The steps to becoming a social worker vary somewhat depending on the prospect’s current position. Traditional college freshmen or sophomores may pursue a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, complete licensing exams for their state, and enter the profession directly as young social workers. More mature adults who hold bachelor’s degrees in other fields might start with graduate education before securing a license to practice.
Career-switchers at any age need to find the degree that is both appropriate for them and meets state licensure requirements. Students can choose between an on-campus, online or hybrid degree program at either the graduate or undergraduate level, but meeting licensure requirements may be easier for students who earn their degrees from a school headquartered in their respective states.
Social Worker Education Requirements
Fundamentally, social workers need a solid education to practice their profession. That can be an undergraduate degree, such as a BSW, or a graduate degree, a Master of Social Work (MSW). While many MSW programs focus on helping current social workers, both degrees can serve as entry points for new professionals.
A BSW helps aspiring social workers prepare for entry-level jobs in child welfare, family services, substance abuse or use, and public health. Most BSW programs require 120 credit hours to graduate. Typically, those hours include a mix of general education courses, major courses, a minor, and electives. A BSW also requires up to 500 hours of field experience that students usually complete over multiple semesters. Full-time students can complete a BSW in four years. Part-time students juggling other responsibilities may take longer, but CLEP tests, life experience credits, and transfer credits may shorten the time to graduation.
Many master’s programs in social work only accept students whose undergraduate degree came from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE accreditation means a school’s program can help students secure graduate education and better-paying jobs in the industry. Choosing an accredited program is vital to establishing a social work career.
The MSW builds on the skills and information students learned in the BSW to prepare them for clinical positions, community advocacy roles, or social advocacy posts in social work. MSWs that lead to initial licensure as a social worker usually include a practicum or internship requirement. Most MSW degrees require 60 credits and take two years to complete for learners who hold a bachelor’s degree in a different field.
While MSW programs typically accept students with any undergraduate major, applicants should generally have taken 30 credits in the social sciences and at least one statistics course. Students with a BSW may qualify for an advanced standing Master of Social Work, which needs 34-39 credits and takes one year to finish since they do not need leveling classes that a career-switcher needs to have.
About 2% of social workers launch their careers with a DSW or a Ph.D., according to the National Association of Social Workers. Typically, experienced social workers who have master’s degrees will enroll in these programs to become college professors, researchers, or agency executives. A DSW emphasizes applied research, clinical practice, and advanced practice leadership. This program can be completed in 24 months. A Ph.D. program focuses on pure research and theory development, and students usually need 3-5 years to earn a degree.
Social Worker Licensing Requirements
States pass laws to protect their most vulnerable citizens and ensure the quality of their social service professionals. That’s why social worker licensing requirements vary by state. In almost all cases, however, licensure depends on passing a social work licensing exam, holding an appropriate educational background from a CSWE-accredited school, and clearing a criminal background check.
Applicants for state licensure need to have a BSW or an MSW. Usually, students in their last semester of a degree can also apply for the exam. In most states, students qualify for one of four licenses:
- Licensed Bachelor of Social Work (LBSW)
- Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW)
- Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Generalist (LMSW-AG)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
While each exam originates with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the qualifications to sit for the exams are different.
Prior to taking their exams, students need to show a clean criminal record or receive a waiver. Crimes involving assault, child abuse, theft, drug charges, or murder rarely — if ever — get waived. Misdemeanors, juvenile offenses, and less serious felonies might earn a waiver, however. While most social workers strive to see people rehabilitated, they also work with the most vulnerable populations. Hence, people with a criminal background should check not only with their prospective schools but also their state agencies to make sure they will qualify for the licensing exam.
Once they pass the appropriate exam, prospective social workers usually pay a licensing fee, submit an application, and wait to receive their license in the mail. Often, people who pass the exam can serve as social workers while they wait for their paperwork to clear the appropriate state agency.
How to Become a Clinical Social Worker
An LCSW provides mental health diagnoses and therapy similar to the work that a counselor or psychologist performs. Unlike psychologists, however, clinical social workers focus almost exclusively on front-line patient practice and rarely on research. Becoming an LCSW almost always requires holding an MSW with a clinical emphasis, completing supervised clinical experiences after graduation, and passing the LCSW exam. In 41 states, students who hold a Ph.D. or a DSW in lieu of an MSW may take the exam. Often students need to complete 2-3 years of post-educational experience as well as pass specific clinical education units prior to earning their licenses.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Social Worker?
Becoming a social worker can take four years for the undergraduate student who needs to complete a BSW and take the exam. It can take two years for an older student to earn the MSW and pass other licensure requirements. Becoming a clinical social worker can take ten years or more since the applicant must earn a bachelor’s degree, complete a master’s degree, and accrue the necessary hours of practice. Students who pursue their degrees part time may take longer to enter the profession, and licensure requirements may cause students in some states to need more time than their counterparts.
Social work encompasses a vast and diverse field of service, and prospective social workers are entering a profession that can prove fulfilling and challenging. Earning the right degree, passing the state exam, and clearing a criminal background check are all it takes to launch a career. From there, the options to specialize and serve in new areas of social work can lead professionals down diverse career paths.
Online Social Work Degrees
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- LocationDavenport, IL
- Accreditation(s)HLC, HLC
- Religious AffiliationCatholic
- Cost Per Credit$742
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With the mission to prepare competent and ethical social work professionals who advocate a just society, the Advanced Standing MSW online program at St. Ambrose University offers courses based on the empowerment method of social work. Empowerment social work emphasizes client system strengths and skill development to remove barriers toward growth. Explore this method and develop skills to strengthen your career through MSW online courses that prepare you for practice in healthcare, substance abuse, child welfare, and mental health practice. As you complete your online Advanced Standing MSW degree and study ethical standards for professional social work, you’ll utilize the empowerment method in your practice and help individuals focus on competence rather than deficits. You’ll also develop the skills to engage diversity and difference within your career as you evaluate, assess and intervene with client systems.
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- LocationAda, OK
- Accreditation(s)HLC
- Religious AffiliationPublic
- Cost Per Credit$264.25 In-State, $541.19 Out-of-State
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Our online human services degree can ready you to work in a variety of professional areas including family support, substance abuse, social services, care facilities, prison systems and more. Areas of concentration are counseling, aging and rehabilitation.
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- LocationPittsburgh, PA
- Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CCNE, CSWE, IACBE, ACEN
- Religious AffiliationCatholic
- Cost Per Credit$495
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Carlow University offers an Online BA in Psychology with multiple start dates a year and generous transfer credits. Students can also earn up to 12 advanced credits of graduate-level coursework at the bachelor’s level tuition rate, and fast track into grad programs upon completion. Graduate in as few as 12 months from a program built around small class sizes for personalized learning. Unique to Carlow, the Designing Your Life Course approach allows you to pursue and explore career options per customized course curricula.
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- LocationCampbellsville, KY
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationChristian
- Cost Per Credit$399
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Develop an understanding of the basics of social work while also gaining hands-on, practical experience in the field with the online Bachelor of Social Work program from Campbellsville University. Through the program, you’ll learn the historical and contemporary principles of social work, as well as the theoretical perspectives related to the field. You will also discover the necessary skills for performing generalist social work practice in a variety of areas: communities and organizations, individuals, families, and groups.
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- LocationBristol, TN
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationPresbyterian
- Cost Per Credit$305
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King University’s online Bachelor of Social Work degree program is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to become global citizens and make an impact in an in-demand career in social work or human services. Choose between three concentrations — nurse educator, administrator, and PNP — and learn to apply advocacy and intervention strategies to support individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.
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- LocationAurora, IL
- Accreditation(s)HLC
- Religious AffiliationPrivate
- Cost Per Credit$425
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Develop the skills and knowledge needed to begin social work practice with the online Bachelor of Social Work degree completion program from Aurora University. You’ll be prepared to work with communities, groups, families, and individuals in a variety of settings as well as with diverse populations and problems.
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- LocationLakeland, FL
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CCNE
- Religious AffiliationPentecostal – Assemblies of God
- Cost Per Credit$390
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Southeastern University’s online Bachelor of Science in Human Services program is for students who feel called to the interdisciplinary, vital, and rapidly growing human services industry. This degree prepares you to become a helper in multiple settings and environments. You will be qualified to work in environments such as clinics, nursing homes, social services agencies, substance abuse programs, homeless shelters, and community organizations.
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- LocationLakeland, FL
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC
- Religious AffiliationPentecostal – Assemblies of God
- Cost Per Credit$495
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Southeastern University’s Online Master of Arts in Human Services degree provides students with a theoretical and experience-based understanding of the human services profession. This non-clinical program allows you to choose a specialization based on the types of organizations and people you would like to help. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to serve others in a variety of human services settings.
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- LocationUtica, NY
- Accreditation(s)MSCHE ACBSP
- Religious Affiliation–
- Cost Per Credit$775
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With Social Work jobs estimated to increase 13% through 2029, Utica’s MSW graduates are positioned for success in an array of industries comprising higher education, nonprofit sectors, social services, criminal justice, academia, and public health. For careers which promote mental heath and recovery and building a more humane society, graduates of the online MSW are prepared for licensure exams in their homestate and prepared for immediate impact.
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- LocationPittsburgh, PA
- Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CCNE, CSWE, IACBE, ACEN, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationCatholic
- Cost Per Credit$650
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Take advantage of Carlow’s “flexible hybrid format” earning an MSW that leaves graduates prepared for licensure exams. The format is designed for students to continue in their valuable roles, while earning a degree that opens up opportunities for more influential positions.. Graduate in as few as 18 months or pursue the MSW-MBA dual degree program for those pursuing additional specialization.
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- LocationPensacola, FL
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious Affiliation–
- Cost Per Credit$450
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UWF’s clinically focused online MSW program provides the knowledge and skills to enter the workplace prepared for advanced social work practice. You will complete a specialized study of medical and behavioral healthcare in this program, which blends clinical internships with hands-on learning. Students who hold a bachelor’s degree in social work can fast-track their studies and complete our online MSW clinical curriculum, while those without previous social work experience* can gain the experience they need through foundational coursework that prepares them for the rigors of social work practice.
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- LocationTeaneck, NJ
- Accreditation(s)MSCHE, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationPrivate
- Cost Per Credit825
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Fairleigh Dickinson University’s online Master of Social Work trains students to promote physical, psychological and social well-being for clients in their communities. It is delivered in a flexible online format and can be completed in two years. The Master of Social Work online program provides a comprehensive learning experience that combines social work theory with practical application. The online MSW degree features two program options, advanced standing and traditional.
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- LocationCampbellsville, KY
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationChristian
- Cost Per Credit$559
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The online MSW program from Campbellsville University prepares you for career advancement so that you can move out of entry-level positions in the field. With a curriculum rooted in ethical and Christian ideals, the program helps you develop an advanced understanding of the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for becoming a leader in social work. Accredited by the CSWE, this program offers the opportunity to pursue a career in a wide range of areas, including therapy and counseling, community mental health, child protection, the criminal justice system, public advocacy and home health. You could also enter a career in the VA or while on active duty in the military as an addiction or substance abuse counselor.
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- LocationAurora, IL
- Accreditation(s)HLC
- Religious AffiliationPrivate
- Cost Per Credit$600
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Develop a foundation in generalist clinical social work and specialized study with the online Master of Social Work from Aurora University. Through 1,050 hours of required field instruction, you’ll have the opportunity to apply theories to real-world situations. Customize your learning experience with optional specializations in faith-based social work, forensics, healthcare, leadership administration, and a professional educator licensure.
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- LocationFayetteville, NC
- Accreditation(s)SACSCOC, ACBSP, AACN, DPI, CSWE
- Religious AffiliationMethodist
- Cost Per Credit$400
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MU’s online Bachelor of Social Work degree delivers a multi-faceted that leaves graduates prepared academically, emotionally, and with needed accreditation for a meaningful career of impact and advocacy. Dedicated, experienced faculty deliver a highly specialized program designed to generate critical thinking, practical solutions, and outcomes of socio-economic justice resulting from advanced decision-making capabilities in the field. In addition to an interdisciplinary curricular approach covering courses in biology, psychology, and sociology, this Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited and NC-CWEC recognized program provides active internship opportunities qualifying participating students for Child Welfare placements upon graduation.
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- LocationChester , PA
- Accreditation(s)CSWE, CSWE
- Religious Affiliation–
- Cost Per Credit$898
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Widener University’s Online MSW program is a uniquely designed program created to address themes of trauma, both as a curricular theme and studying its cause and effect in the field of Social Work. With a firmer understanding of the area of study and its application, graduates are better equipped to serve clients, families, and communities, focused not only in career advancement but greatest impact. The CSWE-accredited degree offers both regular admission or Advanced Standing admission for students who have earned a Bachelor in Social Work.