14 Best (16-MONTH) MSW Online Programs
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
What Are The Best (16-MONTH) Traditional MSW Online Programs In The Nation?
(Based on our
Ranking Methodology, the following are the 10 best 16-month traditional MSW online programs. These MSW programs are for students who have earned their degree in a non-BSW field. You can complete these programs in 16 months or less.)
Concentrations Offered: Individuals and Families, Organizations and Communities, Evaluation and Research, and Policy Practice and Advocacy
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Fordham University’s 62-credit online Master’s of Social Work program has three components: a generalist phase, a specialist phase, and fieldwork. You’ll spend your first two four-month terms learning the foundations of social work practice by taking courses like “Contemporary Social Welfare Policy,” “Integrating Human Rights and Justice in Practice,” and “Social Work Practice With Individuals Across the Lifespan.” Once you’ve completed these core classes, you’ll choose one of four specialty practice domains: Individuals and Families, Organizations and Communities, Evaluation and Research, and Policy Practice and Advocacy. While students can access instructional materials online whenever they’d like, classes meet weekly in synchronous sessions.
You’ll begin doing fieldwork at the same time you start taking didactic coursework. One of Fordham’s expert field placement advisors will work hard to identify an appropriate preceptor and site within 60 miles of where you live. Admissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, and this 16-month online master’s in social work program accepts new cohorts in January, May, and September.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Full-time students can complete this program in four terms (16 months.) Part-time students can opt to enroll in a six-term (24 months) or an eight-term plan of study.
Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and submit a letter of recommendation, a resume or a CV, and a personal statement with their application.
Why Choose This Program
• Interested in working to improve the criminal justice system? Fordham University offers a joint MSW/Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
• The student-to-faculty ratio in Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service is 18:1.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE MSW PROGRAMS
Concentrations Offered: Disaster and Collective Trauma and Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Tulane University’s 60-credit online Master’s of Social Work program offers two concentrations: Disaster and Collective Trauma and Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family. Distance learning courses like “Diversity and Social Justice: Theory and Practice,” “Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II,” and “Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups” are taught using synchronous technology. Between classes, fieldwork, and studying, full-time students can expect to spend between 25 and 50 hours a week on schoolwork.
This 16-month online MSW program requires 900 hours of fieldwork, which you’ll start in your very first semester of enrollment. Your fieldwork assignments will be scheduled in your own community. This is another one of the 16-month MSW programs online that offers three start dates each year in the fall, spring, and summer.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Unlike Tulane’s campus-based MSW track, the university’s online social work master’s degree offers full-time and part-time options. You can finish the full-time track in four semesters (16 months) and the part-time track in eight semesters (32 months.)
Admission Requirements: Admission into this program is highly competitive. You must have a track record of involvement in social justice-related causes for consideration. Your undergraduate GPA must be 3.0 or higher. Two professional references, a resume, and a statement of interest must accompany your application.
Why Choose This Program
• Interested in learning how to help manage disaster recovery at the community level? Tulane University offers a graduate-level certificate in Disaster Resilience Leadership.
• Tulane University offers three joint degree options: an MSW/JD, an MSW/Master’s of Public Health (MPH), and an MSW/Master’s of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership (MS-DRL.)
• 91 percent of Tulane grads enrolled in the university’s clinical track pass their certification exams on the very first try.
Concentrations Offered: Clinical Practice and Community Practice
Program Length: Clinical Practice (16 Months) and Community Practice (16 Months)
Program Details: Baylor University’s online MSW curriculum uses synchronous and asynchronous technologies so that you can learn at your own speed while enjoying collaborative interactions with your instructors and fellow students. The 58-credit program offers two specializations: Clinical Practice and Community Practice. You’ll spend your first two semesters taking foundational social work courses like “Human Behavior Theory: Person & Environment,” “Human Diversity & Social Justice,” and “Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families” before beginning coursework in your concentration. Your studies will culminate with a capstone project that will allow you to contemplate a challenge you’ve encountered during your fieldwork in the context of what you’ve learned in the classroom.
The total fieldwork required for this program is 1,025 hours spread out over two sets of 14-week terms. During your first fieldwork stint, you can expect to spend 16 to 18 hours per week in the field; during the second stint, 20 hours. Your fieldwork assignment will be based in an agency or organization within easy driving distance of your home. This 16-month online master’s in social work program accepts new students in January, May, and August.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Full-time students can graduate from this program in four terms (16 months.) Part-time students can choose between a six-term (24 months) track and an eight-term (32 months) track.
Admission Requirements: To apply to this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a solid liberal arts foundation. Additionally, you must submit an application essay and three recommendations.
Why Choose This Program
• For students interested in developing a broader knowledge base, Baylor University offers three joint degrees: an MSW/Master’s of Business Administration (MBA), an MSW/ Master of Divinity (MDiv), and an MSW/ Master of Theological Studies (MTS.)
• Is your Christian faith important to the MSW track you choose? Baylor University is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and incorporates spirituality into its holistic approach to social work education.
Concentrations Offered: Adult Mental Health & Wellness, Children, Youth & Families, Social Change & Innovation, School & Educational Settings and Military Populations & Settings
Program Length: Adult Mental Health & Wellness (4 Semesters), Children, Youth & Families (4 Semesters), Social Change & Innovation (4 Semesters), School & Educational Settings (4 Semesters) and Military Populations & Settings (4 Semesters)
Program Details: The University of Southern California’s innovative approach to social work education focuses upon finding real solutions to societal problems. The 48-credit social work master’s degree consists of 30 units of core MSW and 18 units in one of five specialties: Adult Mental Health & Wellness, Children, Youth & Families, Social Change & Innovation, School & Educational Settings, and Military Populations & Settings. Core MSN courses include “Human Behavior and the Social Environment,” “Professional Self-Care, Wellness, & Resilience in Integrative Social Work Practice,” and “Critical Decision-Making in Integrative Social Work Practice.”
You must complete 890 hours of community-based fieldwork to graduate from this program, a weekly commitment of 16 to 20 hours. The university will match you with an internship in the social service agency or organization that’s best suited to meet your educational goals. This 16-month online master’s in social work program offers multiple start dates throughout the year.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Students enrolled in this program full-time can complete it in four semesters (16 months.) USC also offers a part-time enrollment option from which you can graduate in eight semesters (32 months.)
Admission Requirements: This program is only open to applicants who maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout their bachelor’s degree studies. You must submit a resume, statement of purpose, and two references with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• As an online USC MSW student, you’ll participate in a 210-hour Virtual Practicum where you’ll have the chance to interact with actors playing the role of clients in crisis.
• The University of Southern California is another one of the 16-month MSW online programs that offers a dual MSW/JD degree.
Concentrations Offered: Direct Practice and Community, Administration & Policy (CAP) Practice
Program Length: Direct Practice (16 Months) and Community, Administration & Policy (CAP) Practice (16 Months)
Program Details: Howard University’s 60-credit MSW curriculum features two concentrations: Direct Practice and Community, Administration & Policy Practice. Within the context of those two concentrations, Howard University offers six subspecialties: Family and Child Welfare Services, Criminal Justice, Mental Health, Health, Social Gerontology, Displaced Populations
Before you begin delving into your specialty area, you’ll take foundational MSW courses like “Human Behavior & Social Environments I & II,” “Research Methods for Social Workers,” and “Intervention Planning & Strategies.” You’ll have to take a comprehensive exam after you finish all your core and specialty coursework.
You’ll complete 1,000 hours of fieldwork in community agencies and organizations that align with the MSW concentration you’ve chosen and are located in your own community. Howard University admits new cohorts into its 16-month online MSW program in January, May, and September.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: If you enroll in Howard University’s online MSN program full-time, you’ll graduate in four terms (a year and a half.) Part-time students will graduate in nine terms (three years.)
Admission Requirements: To be accepted into this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 60 credits in the liberal arts. Submit three letters of recommendation, two essays, and a resume with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• Want to expand your career opportunities? Howard University offers joint MSW/MBA, MSW/MDiv, MSW/MPH, and MSW/ Bachelor of Arts in Human Development degrees.
• Howard University is one of the nation’s best-known historically Black colleges, and its social work master’s degree primarily focuses on the Black experience in the U.S.
Concentrations Offered: Clinical Practice and Administration, Planning and Policy Practice
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Virginia Commonwealth University’s 16-month online MSW program entails 60 credits. During your first two terms, you’ll be immersed in a generalist curriculum, taking classes like “Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II,” “Power, Privilege and Oppression,” and “Foundations of Research for Social Work Interventions and Services.” After that, you’ll begin pursuing your Clinical Practice or Administration, Planning and Policy Practice specialization.
You’ll be responsible for completing 1,050 hours of fieldwork as well. You’ll begin your fieldwork assignment with generalist placements during your first two terms before going on to apply what you’re learning in your specialization classes in real-life settings under the supervision of an agency-based field instructor. As a distance learning student, you’ll do fieldwork at a community organization in your own community. Virginia Commonwealth University accepts new students into its online social work master’s program each fall.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Your MSW at Virginia Commonwealth University will take 16 months to two years to complete. If you enroll part-time, you can graduate in three to four years.
Admission Requirements: This program is only open to applicants who’ve earned a bachelor’s degree within the past five years with a GPA of 3.0 or better. Your application must be accompanied by a statement of interest and three letters of recommendation.
Why Choose This Program
• Virginia Commonwealth University ranks high in social welfare research: In 2023, the university received more than $3 million in research grants.
• At Virginia Commonwealth University, you can earn a joint MSW/MPH or joint MSW/JD degree.
• Students enrolled in VCU’s Clinical Practice concentration can take coursework that meets the educational requirements for the School Social Work Certification offered through the Virginia Department of Education.
• Other MSW-relevant certifications offered by Virginia Commonwealth University include Aging Studies, Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, Gender Violence Intervention, and Nonprofit Management.
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Simmons University’s 65-credit, 16-month online MSW program features more than 1,000 hours of practicum education. You’ll begin your field assignment by participating in a Simulated Practicum Experience before moving on to a community-based agency for your subsequent three terms of fieldwork. The university will help you identify and secure a practicum placement close to your home.
Simmons University offers a generalist social work curriculum with classes like “Human Behavior in the Social Environment,” “Dynamics of Racism & Oppression,” and “Substance Use and Social Work.” However, through the pursuit of relevant electives and certificates, ample opportunities are offered for specialization. Like several other 16-month MSW programs online, Simmons University accepts new students in January, May, and September.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Simmons University offers four tracks for finishing your MSW degree. The accelerated track is an intensive track that allows you to graduate in just 16 months, while the full-time track will enable you to take a standard course load and graduate in 23 months. Need more time? The extended track gives you 32 months to graduate, and the extended plus gives you 40.
Admission Requirements: Besides possessing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, all applicants must have relevant professional or volunteer experience. Submit a resume, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• Simmons University offers three certifications for students looking to build advanced skills: Mental Health Practice, Trauma Practice, or Clinical Practice with Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families.
• More than 90 percent of Simmons University’s MSW faculty members are actively engaged in clinical practice within the Boston community.
Concentrations Offered: Alcohol & Drug Counseling, Gerontology, Mental Health, Military Social Work, and Psychosocial Oncology
Program Length: Alcohol & Drug Counseling (4 Semester), Gerontology (4 Semester), Mental Health (4 Semester), Military Social Work (4 Semester), and Psychosocial Oncology (4 Semester)
Program Details: The University of Louisville’s 60-credit social work master’s degree aims to impart expertise to the coming generation of social workers in five specialization areas: Alcohol & Drug Counseling, Gerontology, Mental Health, Military Social Work, and Psychosocial Oncology. Before you embark upon your specialization studies, though, you’ll learn social work fundamentals with classes like “Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II,” “Social Welfare Policy I & II,” and “Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice Practice.” Coursework uses asynchronous technology so that you can learn at your own speed.
This 16-month online master’s in social work program also includes 950 hours of fieldwork. Practice coursework and practicums must be taken concurrently. A field coordinator from the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science will match you with a social agency that will suit your educational aspirations in your own state of residence. You can start this MSW program in the spring or fall semester.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Full-time students can complete this degree in four terms (16 months), and part-time students in eight (32 months).
Admission Requirements: This program is only available to applicants with bachelor’s degrees from an accredited college or university. Application materials must include two recommendations, a resume, and an admissions essay. If your undergraduate grade point average was less than 3.0, you must address this in your admissions essay.
Why Choose This Program
• The University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work and Family Science sponsors the HBCU Cardinal Express to Success, an initiative designed to increase the number of advanced social work practitioners of color by recruiting and educating students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
• If none of UofL’s formal concentrations appeal to you, then you can use electives to create a curriculum that will allow you to attain the knowledge base and skills needed to work with the population that most interests you.
Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
Program Length: 4 Semesters
Program Details: Delaware State University is home to the only social work master’s degree program in the First State. This 16-month online MSW program involves 60 credits. It emphasizes an Advanced Generalist Practice curriculum with classes like “Generalist Practice with Policy, Communities and Organizations,” “Advanced Generalist Practice: Individuals and Personality & Psychopathology,” and “Administration, Management & Supervision.” Though DSU offers a generalist approach to social work, the university’s curriculum meets the licensing requirement for clinical work with mentally ill clients. Course delivery relies upon asynchronous technology so that you can access educational materials at any time of the day or night.
To graduate, you must complete 900 hours of fieldwork spread out over four semesters. You can expect to spend 12 to 13 hours a week at the community agency you’ve been assigned to throughout your first internship and 15 to 16 hours a week thereafter. Delaware State University will assist you in finding a fieldwork placement near your home. DSU accepts new students into its online MSW program in the fall and spring.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: You can complete this program as a full-time student in four semesters—fall, spring, summer, and the following fall. If you prefer to take fewer classes and enroll part-time, you can complete this program in six to eight semesters.
Admission Requirements: This program is only available to applicants who’ve completed a bachelor’s degree while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. You must submit three professional references and a personal statement with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• DSU offers a number of credentials in conjunction with its MSW program, including drug and alcohol licensing and trauma certification.
• Though Delaware State University is a historically Black university, it welcomes students from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist
Program Length: 12 Months
Program Details: The University of Alaska Anchorage’s MSW program aims to address the shortage of social workers in rural and urban regions throughout the Last Frontier State. Though this program is online, you must be in Alaska to enroll. The 61-credit curriculum has an Advanced Generalist focus. It includes courses like “Human Behavior in the Social Environment,” “Engaging Diversity through Justice and Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice,” and “Social Welfare Policy and Services.”
This MSW program includes 960 hours of fieldwork at an established social service agency located in Alaska. In your second year of studies, you’ll participate in a capstone project designed to apply social work theory to a real-life challenge you’ve encountered in your fieldwork. The University of Alaska Anchorage’s MSW program has a rolling admissions policy and accepts new students in the spring and fall.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Students can complete this program in two years of full-time study or three to four years of part-time study.
Admission Requirements: Submit three professional reference letters, a personal statement and a writing sample, and a resume with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• The University of Alaska Anchorage’s MSW program is the only CSWE-accredited MSW program in the state.
• 96 percent of University of Alaska Anchorage MSW graduates who take the LCSW licensing examination pass it on their first attempt.
What Are The Best (16-MONTH) Advanced Standing MSW Online Programs In The Nation?
(Based on our
Ranking Methodology, the following are the 4 best 16-month advanced standing MSW online programs. These MSW programs are for students who have earned their BSW. You can complete these programs in 16 months or less.)
Concentrations Offered: Trauma Informed Advanced Clinical Practice
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Barry University’s 32-credit Advanced Standing MSW is a part-time enrollment option so that working social workers and other professionals can structure their educational schedule around their employment obligations. This 16-month online master’s in social work program offers a Trauma Informed Advanced Clinical Practice concentration that requires courses like “Introduction to Trauma and Resilience,” “Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals,” and “Mind Body Connection: The Neurobiology of Clinical Practice.” Though you’ll be able to access your educational materials online whenever you like, you’ll participate in at least one synchronous class session a week so that you’ll have the opportunity to engage meaningfully with your instructors and fellow students.
The university will work with you to find a community agency placement where you can fulfill your 580-hour fieldwork requirement. You’ll only have to complete 8 to 10 hours of fieldwork each week. Like several other Advanced Standing 16-month MSW online programs, Barry University’s social work master’s degree program accepts new students in the summer.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Barry University only offers its Advanced Standing MSW program as a part-time option, so it will take you four terms (16 months) to graduate.
Admission Requirements: Applicants must have earned a social work baccalaureate from an accredited college or university within the past five years with a cumulative GPA of 3.0. You’ll need to supply a personal statement, two recommendation letters, and an evaluation from your undergraduate fieldwork with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• As a Catholic institution of higher learning, Barry University is committed to social justice in the Catholic meaning of the phrase, and its Department of Social Work seeks to analyze the roots of poverty, victimization, and violence.
• Each student in Barry University’s Advanced Standing MSW cohort is paired with a faculty advisor who will serve as a mentor through their studies and subsequent professional development.
Concentrations Offered: School Social Work, Medical Social Work, Advanced Clinical Skills, and Trauma Informed Practice
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Interested in becoming a school social worker or a hospital worker? University of New England’s 30-credit Advanced Standing MSW offers concentrations in School Social Work and Medical Social Work as well as Advanced Clinical Skills and Trauma Informed Practice. You’ll take courses like “Administration & Supervision” and “Advanced Psychological Assessment” in addition to coursework related to your chosen specialization track. All coursework is available online in an asynchronous format so that you can fit your academic responsibilities around the other commitments in your life.
You must complete 500 practicum hours to graduate from this Advanced Standing 16-month online MSW program. The University of New England is flexible regarding MSW practicums; you can choose between traditional, block, and SOS (Simulation and Onsite) formats to complete your fieldwork assignment. This 16-month online master’s in social work program accepts new students in the spring, summer, and fall.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: It will take you 16 months to graduate from the University of New England’s Advanced Standing MSW track.
Admission Requirements: Only applicants who maintained a 3.0 GPA while pursuing a BSW from an accredited college or university are eligible to apply to this program. Your application materials must include a goal statement, a resume, and two professional references.
Why Choose This Program
• University of New England Advanced Practice MSW students can research and identify their own fieldwork placements.
• The University of New England’s Advanced Practice MSW curriculum reflects the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
Concentrations Offered: Clinical Social Work Practice
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: Regis College offers a 30-credit Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum for students interested in pursuing the Advanced Standing MSW track. This 16-month online MSW program also includes a 600-hour experiential requirement during which you’ll pursue a fieldwork placement at a site in your own geographical location.
Courses include “Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis,” “Clinical Practice: Policies & Administration,” and “Advanced Clinical Practice with Individuals.” Courses meet over eight-week terms. Plan on spending approximately 12 hours a week studying and preparing for classes. Fieldwork seminars use a synchronous format, but you can access all your other educational materials at your own pace using Blackboard educational software. It’s up to you to make initial contact with potential fieldwork sites. Like several similar programs, Regis University’s Advanced Standing MSW has three start dates a year: spring, summer, and fall.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: Advanced Standing MSW students will be able to complete Regis University’s online program in four terms (16 months.)
Admission Requirements: To enter this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited college. Your undergraduate grade point average must be 3.0 or higher. You must submit two recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, and a resume with your application.
Why Choose This Program
• Even if you earned your BSW more than five years ago, you may still be eligible to enroll in this Advanced Standing MSW. The MSW program director reviews all applications on an individual basis.
• Need help with your schoolwork? Regis University’s tutoring services are open 24 hours a day.
Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
Program Length: 16 Months
Program Details: The University of New Hampshire’s Advanced Standing 16-month online master’s in social work program comprises 35 credits and 600 hours of fieldwork. The focus of this degree is Advanced Generalist Practice. Electives in addictions, children, youth, and families, disability, and health and mental health enable you to specialize within the larger concentration.
You’ll take courses like " Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice,” “Program and Practice Evaluation,” and “Program and Practice Evaluation.” Before embarking upon coursework related to Advanced Generalist Practice and your fieldwork, however, you must complete a 10-week preparatory internship and seminar. Like several other Advanced Standing 16-month online MSW programs, the University of New Hampshire admits a fresh cohort each fall.
How Fast Can You Complete This Program: It will take you 16 months to complete the University of New Hampshire’s Advanced Standing MSW program.
Admission Requirements: This MSW is only open to applicants who’ve graduated from an accredited BSW program within the last five years with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Three letters of recommendation and a personal statement must accompany your application.
Why Choose This Program
• UNH’s Department of Social Work also offers a graduate certificate in child welfare.
• The University of New Hampshire offers two dual MSW degrees: an MSW/JD and an MSW/Master of Science in Recreation Management and Policy (MS-RMP), a joint degree option that’s unique to UNH.
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Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.