12 Best MSW Programs in Minnesota (Online & Campus) – 2025
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Looking for a career in Minnesota that pays well, is in demand, and will allow you to satisfy your love of helping others? Licensed social workers in the North Star State average $64,080 a year, and their employment opportunities are projected to increase by 12 percent in the next 10 years. MSW programs in Minnesota are streamlined to meet your needs, whether you’re a working student who will benefit most from an online MSW program or want to take advantage of your academic background in social work and enroll in an accelerated program. One of the schools on this list of the 12 best MSW programs in Minnesota for 2025 could be the right one for you.
WHAT ARE THE BEST MSW PROGRAMS IN MINNESOTA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 12 Best campus-based and online MSW Programs in Minnesota.
1) University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - Saint Paul
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Mental Health; Community Practice; Families & Children; and Health, Disability, & Aging
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Mental Health; Community Practice; Families & Children; and Health, Disability, & Aging
Students in either track can choose among four clinical concentrations: Clinical Mental Health; Community Practice; Families & Children; and Health, Disability, & Aging.
University of Minnesota MSW Program Details: UMN’s traditional MSW program consists of 53 credits and a minimum of 1,020 hours of fieldwork. Like other traditional social work master’s programs in Minnesota, the curriculum consists of foundational social work courses, specialization in one of the four areas listed above, and fieldwork. The Advanced Standing MSW track requires 34 credits, which focus on your chosen clinical concentration.
Foundational social work courses include “Human Behavior & the Social Environment,” “Practice Methods: Individuals & Systems,” and “Practice Methods: Families & Groups.” Most courses are offered during the day, Thursdays through Saturdays, but a few are offered in the evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Full-time students should be able to finish the traditional MSW course in two years and the Advanced Standing MSW course in a single year. The University of Minnesota also offers part-time tracks to accommodate the needs of working students. Part-time students enrolled in the traditional MSW track can complete the course in three or four years of study, while part-time students enrolled in the Advanced Standing track can complete the course in two or three years.
Field practicums are scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays. You can also complete your practicums in summer block format. The University of Minnesota partners on fieldwork placements with more than 200 social and human services organizations throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding communities.
University of Minnesota MSW Admission Requirements: Applicants to this traditional MSW in Minnesota must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants to the Advanced Standing MSW track must have a Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) degree. You must submit a personal statement, a writing sample, and a resume with your application.
Key Highlights For University of Minnesota MSW Students
• In 2021, the University of Minnesota awarded 114 MSW degrees.• UMN’s MSW program is the 46th best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.
• The University of Minnesota offers four joint degrees in conjunction with its MSW: a dual MSW/Master’s of Public Health (MPH) with emphases on either community health education or maternal and child health in partnership with the School of Public Health, a dual MSW/ Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) in collaboration with the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and a dual MSW/ Master of Public Policy (MPP) in partnership with the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
2) University of Saint Thomas - Saint Paul
MSW Programs Offered: Regular Standing MSW (On-Campus), Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), and Hybrid MSW (Hybrid)
Regular Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Practice with People of Immigrant & Refugee Backgrounds and Practice with Older Adults
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Practice with People of Immigrant & Refugee Backgrounds and Practice with Older Adults
Hybrid MSW Concentrations Offered: Practice with People of Immigrant & Refugee Backgrounds and Practice with Older Adults
University of Saint Thomas MSW Program Details: The traditional MSW program consists of 63 credits and 1,000 hours of fieldwork. Like other accredited MSW programs in Minnesota, the curriculum consists of foundational MSW coursework, clinical specialization coursework, and fieldwork. Foundational MSW classes include “History and Philosophy of Social Work,” “Theory and Practice of Social Work I & II,” and “Human Behavior and the Social Environment.” Full-time students should be able to complete this traditional MSW program in Minnesota in two years.
The Advanced Standing MSW track is a 30-credit curriculum that includes 600 hours of fieldwork. The one-year program is essentially the second year of the traditional two-year track.
Both MSW tracks are set up for the convenience of working students. If you enroll in the campus track, your classes will be scheduled Mondays through Thursdays in the late afternoons and early evenings. If you sign up for the hybrid program, you’ll access most of your educational materials online using asynchronous technology, but you’ll spend three Saturdays per semester from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm on campus.
You can opt to integrate your fieldwork with your classroom studies or to complete your fieldwork in a full-time block from late May through August. St. Thomas. University maintains collaborative partnerships with a variety of agencies and practice settings throughout the metropolitan Twin Cities area and more rural parts of Minnesota. You’ll spend 12 to 16 hours a week doing fieldwork during your first year of the traditional program and 16 to 22 hours a week during your second year. All students involved in block summer fieldwork placements will work 40 hours a week.
University of Saint Thomas MSW Admission Requirements: Advanced Standing MSW applicants will need a Bachelor of Social Work degree from a recognized university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and the equivalent of one year of paid or volunteer experience with a social or human services organization. Traditional MSW students must have a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and preference is given to students with 1,500 hours of paid volunteer social work experience. Class size for both the traditional and Advanced Standing MSW tracks is limited to 16 students.
Key Highlights For University of Saint Thomas MSW Students
• One hundred and fifteen MSW candidates graduated from St. Thomas University in 2021.• STU sponsors an integrated behavioral health care (IBHC) training program, which carries a $10,000 stipend and multiple experiential learning opportunities.
• Saint Thomas University partners with the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Special Education Programs on a Trauma Informed Interdisciplinary Practices (TIIP) program that provides a $10,000 grant.
• STU offers a joint MSW/Juris Doctor (JD) degree with the School of Law.
3) University of Minnesota-Duluth - Duluth
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (Hybrid) and Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist (Child Welfare, Mental Health/Clinical Social Work, and Macro/Community-Based Social Work Practice)
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist (Child Welfare, Mental Health/Clinical Social Work, and Macro/Community-Based Social Work Practice)
University of Minnesota-Duluth MSW Program Details: UMD’s MSW program optimizes flexibility by tailoring electives and field placement opportunities to students’ unique interests. The traditional MSW track comprises 51 credits and 900 hours of fieldwork, while the university’s Advanced Standing MSW track requires 34 credits and 480 hours of fieldwork. Students enrolled in the Advanced Standing MSW track can begin classes in the summer or the fall, but students enrolled in the traditional MSW track can only start courses in the fall.
Like other MSW programs in Minnesota, the two-year traditional track is a mix of introductory social work classes, advanced classes that focus on practice specializations, and fieldwork. In your first year, you can expect to take courses like “Social Work with Diverse Populations,” “Individual, Family and Group Practice I & II,” and “American Indians and Social Policy.” Students only have to come to classes on campus one day a week; the remainder of the time, they can access their educational materials online.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth partners with more than 200 social service agencies within Duluth and surrounding communities for fieldwork placements. UMD’s fieldwork placement services are so exceptional that it is one of the few social work programs nationwide to receive a Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training grant from the Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA.)
University of Minnesota-Duluth MSW Admission Requirements: UMD prefers to accept students with professional experience in human services settings. Applicants to the traditional MSW track must have a bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0; applicants to the Advanced Standing MSW track must have a BSW. You’ll need to submit a statement of purpose, a writing sample, three professional references, and a resume with your application.
Key Highlights For University of Minnesota-Duluth MSW Students
• The University of Minnesota-Duluth conferred 124 MSW degrees in 2021.• U.S. News & World Report ranks UMD’s MSW program the 94th best in the country.
• The College of Education and Human Service Professions houses the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies, which partners with tribes, county agencies, and non-profits in Minnesota to help improve American Indian child welfare practice throughout the Land of Lakes.
4) St. Catherine University - St. Paul
MSW Programs Offered: Regular Standing MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
Regular Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Social Work Practice
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Social Work Practice
St. Catherine University MSW Program Details: Like other MSW schools in Minnesota, St. Kate’s prepares students pursuing its 51-credit traditional MSW track with a deep dive into foundational social work through classes such as “History and Philosophy of Social Work,” “Theory and Practice of Social Work I & II,” and “Social Policy and Advocacy Practice.” Other coursework includes classes in the clinical practice specialty and 1,000 hours of fieldwork. The traditional MSW track has a full-time two-year completion option and part-time three-year and four-year completion options.
The 33-credit Advanced Standing MSW track includes 600 fieldwork hours, clinical practice specialty courses, and a handful of foundational MSW coursework. Full-time students can complete it in a single year, but part-time two-year and three-year completion pathways are also available.
The program seeks to accommodate the needs of working students, so all classes are scheduled for the evenings. The Advanced Standing MSW track begins in the summer, while the traditional MSW track begins in the fall.
St. Kate maintains close partnerships with more than 200 community organizations and human services agencies throughout the Twin Cities, where students will be assigned to participate in fieldwork experiences.
St. Catherine University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for admission into the traditional MSW program. Applicants to the Advanced Standing MSW track must have a BSW.
Key Highlights For St. Catherine University MSW Students
• Throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, St. Catherine University awarded 34 Master’s of Social Work degrees.• St. Kate offers a dual MSW/Master’s of Arts in Holistic Health Studies (MA) study plan.
• This MSW school in Minnesota is the recipient of a Clinical Social Work Expansion Project (CSWEP) grant funded by the Minnesota Department of Health that increases its outreach to diverse and underrepresented communities throughout the Land of Lakes.
5) Augsburg University - Minneapolis
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (Hybrid) and Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Multicultural Clinical Practice (MCCP) and Multicultural Macro Practice (MCMP)
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Multicultural Clinical Practice (MCCP) and Multicultural Macro Practice (MCMP)
Augsburg University MSW Program Details: As a graduate social work student at Augsburg, the majority of your educational materials will be delivered online using asynchronous technology, but you will be required to attend classes at the university’s campus in Minneapolis every other weekend on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings and afternoons (typically eight times a semester.)
The traditional MSW track comprises 61 credits for MCCP students and 60 credits for MCMP students, while the Advanced Standing MSW track requires 39 credits for MCCP students and 38 credits for MCMP students. Traditional MSW students must complete 920 hours of fieldwork, but Advanced Standing MSW students need only complete 500 hours.
If you’re enrolled as a full-time student, you should be able to complete the traditional MSW track in two years; part-time students should be able to complete it in four years. The Advanced Standing MSW program can be completed in 13 months by full-time students and in 25 months by part-time students.
Augsburg University participates with other best MSW schools in Minnesota, such as the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas, in an annual fieldwork fair where students can evaluate potential fieldwork placement sites and meet with prospective field instructors.
Augsburg University MSW Admission Requirements: Augsburg University’s traditional MSW track is only open to applicants with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. You’ll need to have a BSW to qualify for the Advanced Standing MSW program. You’ll need to submit a resume, two professional references, and a personal statement with your application.
Key Highlights For Augsburg University MSW Students
• Seventy-nine students received MSW degrees from Augsburg University in 2021.• Augsburg offers dual MSW/Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degrees for students pursuing the MCMP specialization.
• Students enrolled in this MSW in Minnesota can participate in short-term study abroad experiences in Slovenia, China, South Africa, Mexico, India, and other international destinations.
6) Walden University - Minneapolis
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional MSW (Online), Traditional Fast Track MSW (Online), and Advanced Standing MSW (Online)
Traditional MSW Concentrations Offered: Addictions, Child & Family, Healthcare, Military, and Trauma
Traditional Fast Track MSW Concentrations Offered: Addictions, Child & Family, Healthcare, Military, and Trauma
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Addictions, Child & Family, Healthcare, Military, and Trauma
Walden University MSW Program Details: Walden operates on a quarter system. The traditional MSW and the fast-track traditional MSW both comprise 92 quarter credits. (If you want to earn a certificate in a focus area, you’ll need to complete 97 quarter credits.) The fieldwork requirement is 900 hours. Like other MSW programs in Minnesota, didactic coursework is split into foundational MSW courses and classes that focus on the five specializations Walden offers.
Foundational MSW courses include “Changing Lives, Changing Society: Introduction to Social Work,” “Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II,” and “Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice.” Additionally, Walden University offers two six-week social work skills labs that consist of five weeks of online sessions and one three-day intensive that you can complete virtually or at Walden’s campus in Minneapolis.
The 52- to 57-credit Advanced Standing MSW track requires 500 hours of fieldwork. You’ll take the same number of specialization courses but only half the foundational courses that are mandatory for traditional MSW students. You’ll also be responsible for participating in one social work skills lab.
Students should be able to complete the traditional MSW track in 11 quarters (just under three years) and the fast-track traditional SW option in eight quarters (two years.) The Advanced Standing MSW track can be completed in six quarters ( a year and a half.)
You’ll be responsible for finding fieldwork assignments in your community, but fieldwork sites and preceptors must meet Walden University’s rigorous criteria.
Walden University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree to be admitted into either of the two traditional MSW programs. You must have a BSW with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for admission into the Advanced Standing program.
Key Highlights For Walden University MSW Students
• In 2021, Walden University awarded 671 Master’s of Social Work degrees.• You can enhance your professional skills by adding a third course from a single focus area to earn certifications in areas like addiction, child and family services, and military social work.
• Walden offers optional licensure preparation services, including a practice licensing exam.
7) Minnesota State University, Mankato - Mankato
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional MSW (Hybrid) and Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
Traditional MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice
Minnesota State University MSW Program Details: MNSU’s MSW programs are full-time; traditional MSW students are expected to graduate in two years, and Advanced Standing MSW students are expected to graduate in one year. Classes are offered in a strict sequence. While this MSW in Minnesota is aimed at working students, with online educational materials and most courses at MNSU’s campus in Mankato offered on Fridays and Saturdays, you may find it challenging to continue working full-time.
Like other accredited MSW programs in Minnesota, MNSU’s social work curriculum is split into foundational core courses, a specialization core, and fieldwork. Students enrolled in the 59-credit traditional MSW track will take eight courses, while students enrolled in the 34-credit Advanced Standing MSW track will take one. Foundational MSW classes include “Foundations of Generalist Social Work Practice,” “Human Behavior in the Social Environment,” and “Culturally Responsive Communication in Social Work Practice.”
All students pursuing a Master’s of Social Work degree at Minnesota State University-Mankato must participate in a capstone project during which they integrate the social work theories they’ve learned in the classroom with a challenge that’s arisen during the experiences they have with individual clients, groups, and agencies they encounter during fieldwork.
Students enrolled in the traditional MSW program must complete 960 hours of fieldwork, while those enrolled in the Advanced Standing MSW program must complete 500 hours. Students participate in fieldwork for 20 hours a week during the spring and summer semesters. Fieldwork assignments are made to social and human services agencies within 150 miles of MNSU’s campus in Mankato.
Minnesota State University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need to apply separately to the College of Graduate Studies and Research and the School of Social Work. The traditional MSW track is open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0, while the Advanced Standing MSW track is open to applicants with a BSW. Preference is given to students with paid or unpaid experience working in a social service capacity.
Key Highlights For Minnesota State University MSW Students
• Minnesota State University-Mankato awarded 28 MSW degrees in 2021.• MNSU’s Department of Social Work participates in the Title IV-E Child Welfare Program (CWP), which offers stipends to students prepared to specialize in child welfare services.
• Minnesota State University-Mankato allows you to pursue fieldwork assignments at your place of employment.
8) St. Cloud State University - St. Cloud
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
St. Cloud State University MSW Program Details: The 59-credit traditional MSW track requires 900 hours of fieldwork, while the 32-credit Advanced Standing MSW track requires 600 hours. Classes are scheduled Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 8:45 pm and Thursdays from 3:30 pm to 9:15 p.m. to accommodate the needs of working professionals. To test your mastery of what you’ve learned, both tracks offer the option of either completing a thesis project or passing a comprehensive examination at the end of your studies.
Though this MSW in Minnesota doesn’t offer a formal concentration, many of the classes, such as “Advanced Generalist Practice with Refugees & Immigrants,” “Advanced Generalist Practice with Individuals and Families,” and “Advanced General Practice with Communities and Organizations,” are grounded in generalist social work practice. Full-time students can complete the traditional MSW program in two years, while part-time traditional MSW students have up to four years to graduate. Full-time Advanced Standing MSW students can complete the program in one summer session and two semesters, while part-time Advanced Standing MSW students can take up to four semesters and one summer session. Classes for both tracks begin in the summer.
Students work with the Field Education Director to arrange field placements at an approved site. The university maintains relationships with social and human services organizations and agencies throughout St. Cloud and other communities in Stearns and Benton Counties.
St. Cloud State University MSW Admission Requirements: Applicants to the traditional MSW program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, while Advanced Standing MSW applicants must hold a BSW. All applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. You must submit a letter of intent, a written essay, a current resume, and professional references with your application. As is the case with many of the best MSW programs in Minnesota, preference is given to applicants who can demonstrate paid or volunteer experience in a human services capacity.
Key Highlights For St. Cloud State University MSW Students
• Thirty-six MSW degrees were awarded by St. Cloud State University in 2021.• This is one of the MSW programs in Minnesota that uses the cohort model, and classes must be taken in a specific sequence.
• St. Cloud State University offers several graduate certificates of interest to MSW students though they aren’t available through the Department of Social Work. The addictions certificate, for example, is available through the Department of Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy.
9) College of Saint Scholastica - Duluth
MSW Programs Offered: Regular Standing MSW (Hybrid) and Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
Regular Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Clinical Practice
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Clinical Practice
St. Scholastica offers a traditional MSW and an Advanced Standing MSW in a hybrid format. The concentration area for both MSW tracks is Advanced Clinical Practice.
College of Saint Scholastica MSW Program Details: This is one of the accredited MSW programs in Minnesota that combines web-based course delivery with weekly face-to-face seminars, small group activities, labs, and live lectures. Full-time students can graduate from the Advanced Standing MSW track in a year and from the traditional MSW track in two years. Traditional MSW students begin classes in September, while Advanced Standing MSW students begin in May.
The 63-credit traditional MSW track requires foundational MSW courses such as “Social Welfare Policy and Service Delivery,” “Foundations of Human Behavior in the Social Environment,” and “Foundations of Social Justice,” as well as fieldwork and specialization courses. The 38-credit Advanced Standing MSW track focuses solely on fieldwork and specialization courses.
The traditional MSW track includes 900 hours of fieldwork, while the Advanced Standing MSW track includes 450 hours. Students spend approximately 20 hours a week on fieldwork assignments, which are scheduled for the spring semester. Students work collaboratively with St. Scholastica’s Field Director to identify field assignments. The college maintains relationships with child welfare agencies; alcohol, drug, and substance abuse centers; schools; housing consortiums; and other social and human services organizations throughout Duluth and nearby communities bordering Lake Superior.
College of Saint Scholastica MSW Admission Requirements: Preferred applicants will have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last 60 credits of undergraduate work. Traditional MSW students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, while Advanced Standing MSW students must have a Bachelor’s in Social Welfare degree.
Key Highlights For College of Saint Scholastica MSW Students
• In 2021, the College of St. Scholastica awarded 30 MSW degrees.• St. Scholastica receives a grant from the Health Resources Services Administration’s Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training project to help train social workers who will practice and seek employment in rural and underserved clinical sites throughout northeastern Minnesota.
• MSW Students can use their current place of employment as fieldwork assignments if they engage in activities significantly different from their paid work.
10) Capella University - Minneapolis
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (Online) and Advanced Standing MSW (Online)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
Capella University MSW Program Details: Capella University uses the quarter system, and each quarter is typically 10 weeks long. The traditional MSW track comprises 88 quarter credits and 1,000 hours of supervised fieldwork, divided into 15 core courses, two electives, and five practicums. The Advanced Standing MSW track comprises 52 quarter credits and 600 hours of supervised fieldwork, split between eight core courses, two electives, and three practicums.
Like other accredited MSW programs in Minnesota, Capella University’s MSW curriculum includes foundational MSW coursework, concentration area coursework, and fieldwork. Foundational MSW coursework includes classes like “Mental Health Practice and Advanced Interventions: Theory and Practice,” “Integrative Technology in Advanced Social Work Practice,” and “Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice: Theories, Skills, Values, and Professional Practice.”
This MSW in Minnesota offers multiple start dates throughout the year as well as full-time and part-time completion options. You can take a single class at a time if that’s what best fits your lifestyle. Although most of the coursework is delivered online through synchronous and asynchronous technology using the GuidedPath structured learning format, students must attend two six-day residencies typically held at hotel conference centers in large cities.
Students work with Capella’s practice education office to identify and secure prospective fieldwork placements and preceptors close to where students live. Capella’s practice education office will vet these sites to ensure they can provide the level of instruction and supervision required by the university and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE.)
Capella University MSW Admission Requirements: You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with an undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 or higher for admission into the traditional MSW track. Advanced Standing MSW applicants must have a Bachelor’s of Social Work degree. You’ll need to submit a three-page essay, two letters of recommendation, and a resume or a curriculum vitae with your application.
Key Highlights For Capella University MSW Students
• Capella University awarded 209 Master’s degrees in Clinical/Medical Social Work in 2021.• Capella awards a $2,500 scholarship to all new MSW students to help defray tuition costs.
• Students in California, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota may need additional coursework for Licensed Clinical Social Worker licensure in their home states.
11) Saint Mary's University of Minnesota - Winona
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional MSW (Online) and Advanced Standing MSW (Online)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Social Work
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical Social Work
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MSW Program Details: Saint Mary’s flexibility makes it one of the best MSW programs in Minnesota for working students. SMUMN’s MSW program is offered entirely online without any residency requirement. You can complete the 60-credit traditional MSW track in five consecutive semesters (just under two years) as a full-time student or in 10 consecutive semesters (just over three years) as a part-time student. Full-time students can complete the 30-credit Advanced Standing MSW track in three consecutive semesters (one year); part-time students can complete the Advanced Standing MSW track in five consecutive semesters (just under two years.) You can start either track in the spring, summer, or fall.
Saint Mary’s University’s curriculum is divided into three basic components: foundational MSW coursework, clinical MSW coursework, and fieldwork. Foundational MSW coursework includes classes like “Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II,” “Generalist Practice I & II,” and “Psychopathology.” Like other master’s in social work programs in Minnesota, the Advanced Standing MSW track is essentially the second year of the traditional MSW track without the foundational MSW classes.
Classes use an asynchronous model that allows students to access educational materials whenever it is most convenient for them to do so.
Traditional MSW students must complete 1,000 hours of fieldwork, while Advanced Standing MSW students are responsible for completing 600 hours. Students work collaboratively with Saint Mary’s field education director to identify fieldwork assignments near their homes and in their preferred area of specialization.
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MSW Admission Requirements: Advanced Standing MSW applicants must have a Bachelor’s of Social Work degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0; traditional MSW applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree and a GPA of 2.75. You’ll need to submit two professional references and a statement of purpose with your application.
Key Highlights For Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MSW Students
• Though Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a Catholic school, it’s committed to diversity and accepts students of all faiths and backgrounds.• Many of Saint Mary’s distance learning classes incorporate VoiceThread, a technology that allows students to simulate what it’s like to engage clients through interactive videos.
12) Bethel University – St. Paul
MSW Programs Offered: MSW (Online) and Advanced Standing MSW (Online)
MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Ethical & Professional Social Work Practice
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Ethical & Professional Social Work Practice
Bethel University MSW Program Details: Though you’ll access the majority of your educational materials online, both the 35-credit Advanced Standing MSW track and the 56-credit traditional MSW track have residency requirements: You’ll be required to spend one week every year at Bethel University’s campus in St. Paul participating in intensive workshops designed to bolster your clinical skills.
Full-time students can complete the traditional MSW track in 24 months. Like other MSW programs in Minnesota, Bethel’s MSW curriculum is divided between core MSW coursework, clinical coursework, and fieldwork. Core MSW coursework includes classes like “Diversity, Human Rights, Social Economic and Environmental Justice,” and “Trauma and Crisis in Social Work Practice.” The Advanced Standing MSW curriculum does not include the core MSW coursework, so full-time students should be able to complete this track in 15 months.
Both MSW tracks culminate with a capstone experience that will showcase students’ research skills and mastery of didactic materials as applied to a real-life challenge they’ve encountered during their fieldwork experiences.
Traditional MSW students must complete 900 hours of fieldwork, while Advanced Standing MSW students must complete 500. Field assignments will be made to social and human services agencies and organizations close to where students live and work.
Bethel University MSW Admission Requirements: For acceptance into the traditional MSW track, you must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Advanced Standing MSW students must have a Bachelor’s of Social Work degree. You’ll need to submit three professional reference forms, a resume, and an admission essay with your application.
Key Highlights For Bethel University MSW Students
• Bethel University is affiliated with an evangelical Baptist Christian denomination, and while the university accepts students from all backgrounds, its educational materials reflect a broadly Christian perspective.• Though Bethel University’s Master’s of Social Work degree has not yet been fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, program graduates are eligible for provisional LGSW licensure in Minnesota and license-level equivalents in other states.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Are The Total Number Of Accredited MSW Programs In Minnesota?
As per the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), currently, there are 13 accredited Master Of Social Work programs in Minnesota.| Total MSW Programs in Minnesota |
| 13 |
How Much Does An MSW Graduate Make Per Hour In Minnesota?
The average salary of an MSW graduate per hour in Minnesota is $30.16.How Much Does An MSW Graduate Make Per Year In Minnesota?
The average salary of an MSW graduate per year in Minnesota is $62,740.
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.
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