12 Best MSW Programs in North Carolina (Online & Campus) – 2024
Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Have you ever thought of becoming a social worker? Social workers are in high demand in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, community organizations, and state and local government agencies throughout North Carolina. They make good money, too: $63,110 annually. As a graduate of one of the MSW programs in North Carolina, you’ll never be bored with your work; there will always be fresh challenges to which you can bring creative problem-solving skills. Get started on an exciting new career trajectory today with this list of the 12 best MSW programs in North Carolina for 2024.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE MSW PROGRAMSWHAT ARE THE BEST MSW PROGRAMS IN NORTH CAROLINA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2024?
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 12 Best campus-based and online MSW Programs in North Carolina.
MSW Programs Offered: 2-Year MSW (On-Campus), 3-Year MSW (Chapel Hill- On-Campus & Winston-Salem On-Campus), 12-Month Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), and 20-Month Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
2-Year MSW Concentrations Offered: Direct Practice (DP); and Community, Management, & Policy Practice (CMPP)
3-Year MSW Concentrations Offered: Direct Practice and Community, Management, & Policy Practice
12-Month Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Direct Practice and Community, Management, & Policy Practice
20-Month Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Direct Practice and Community, Management, & Policy Practice
About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: The School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1920; this makes it one of the oldest social work graduate divisions in the U.S. MSW students on a tight budget will appreciate the University of North Carolina because it provides such a great return on their tuition investment. Both Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and The Princeton Review rank UNC-Chapel Hill near the top of their lists of best-value schools.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill MSW Program Details: What places UNC-Chapel Hill squarely among the best MSW programs in North Carolina? The many different educational options it offers. This MSW school in North Carolina offers four distinct master’s of social work degree tracks: a traditional 62-credit MSW curriculum that can be completed full-time in two years or part-time in three years, and a 39-credit Advanced Standing MSW curriculum that can be completed full-time in 12 months or part-time in 20 months. All four MSW tracks are offered on UNC’s Chapel Hill campus. The three-year 62-credit MSW curriculum is also offered on the Winston-Salem campus. The Advanced Standing tracks are only open to students who’ve completed a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Your first year of study will be dedicated to foundational classes from a generalist perspective. In your second year, you’ll have the option of specializing in either Direct Practice or Community, Management, & Policy Practice. The Direct Practice concentration is designed for future professionals who want to work one-on-one with individuals and in small groups. The Community, Management, & Policy Practice concentration is intended for future professionals who want to pursue administrative careers in advocacy, community organizing or human services agency leadership.
Fieldwork is a vital part of UNC-Chapel Hill’s MSW curriculum, as it is in all MSW programs in North Carolina. Students enrolled in the 62-credit track must complete 1,100 hours of supervised fieldwork before they can get their degrees. Students who are already working as social workers and who are enrolled in either of the part-time tracks may be able to gain permission to use their current employment as a fieldwork placement.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a four-year degree from an accredited college or university to be admitted into this MSW in North Carolina. Additionally, you’ll need to submit a resume, a statement of purpose and three professional references.
Key Highlights For University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill MSW Students
• UNC-Chapel Hill’s Department of Social Work collaborates with the State of North Carolina on a number of initiatives, including the Center for Aging Research and Educational Services (CARES), the Child Welfare Educational Collaborative, and the Family and Children’s Resource Center.
• The Department of Social Work’s faculty is actively involved in research projects in areas like gerontological services, child welfare, behavioral health and criminal justice services for individuals with mental illnesses.
• One hundred and twenty-eight MSW degrees were awarded by the University of North Carolina in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: 1-Year Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), Traditional 2-Year MSW (On-Campus), 2-Year Advanced Standing MSW (Online), and 3-Year MSW (Online)
About University of North Carolina at Charlotte: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte established its first MSW program in the year 2000. Its School of Social Work is a division within the College of Health and Human Services. The program has been ranked among the nation’s top 100 master’s degrees in social work by
U.S. News & World Report. In 2017, this MSW program in North Carolina received a $1.8 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop an Integrated Behavioral Health task force.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte MSW Program Details: UNC-Charlotte offers two full-time MSW tracks and two part-time MSW tracks. The full-time 60-credit traditional MSW curriculum and the full-time 39-credit Advanced Standing MSW curriculum are taught on the main university campus. You should be able to complete the full-time 60-credit track in two years and the full-time Advanced Standing track in one year. The Advanced Standing track is only open to students who have a bachelor’s degree in social work, and students accepted into this program join the 60-credit cohort during the second year of classes.
The part-time 60-credit MSW curriculum and the part-time Advanced Standing MSW curriculum are taught online, utilizing both synchronous and asynchronous classes. Enrollment priority is given to North Carolina residents, and all students must be living in the U.S. to participate in these distance learning options.
Throughout the first year, MSW students complete a generalist curriculum. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one of the accredited MSW programs in North Carolina that does not offer a specialized curriculum per se in its second year. However, students are required to take courses relevant to practice with individuals, groups, families, organizations and communities. Additionally, students can take elective courses in areas of particular interest.
Fieldwork is a vital part of all the best MSW programs in North Carolina, and UNC-Charlotte is no exception. If you’re enrolled in the 60-credit program, you’ll be expected to complete 1,064 hours of fieldwork, and if you’re enrolled in the 39-credit track, you’ll be expected to complete 600 hours of fieldwork.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte MSW Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Additionally, you must submit a resume, a statement of purpose and three professional letters of recommendation.
Key Highlights For University of North Carolina at Charlotte MSW Students
• You’ll have the opportunity to earn graduate certificates in Substance Abuse Counseling, Gerontology, Non-Profit Management, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Play Therapy and Early Childhood Mental Health (in conjunction with UNC-Charlotte’s College of Education).
• MSW students have the chance to earn a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction School Social Work License.
• In 2020, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte awarded 89 MSW degrees.
MSW Programs Offered: Two Year JMSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing JMSW (On-Campus)
About University of North Carolina: The University of North Carolina-Greensboro is unique among the best MSW schools in North Carolina because its MSW program is a joint social work program offered in conjunction with North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (NCA&TSU), a historically Black college. Students accepted into this program are enrolled at both universities, and the full range of instructional support is available at both universities. This MSW in North Carolina prepares students for practice in a multicultural clinical setting.
University of North Carolina MSW Program Details: This joint MSW in North Carolina offers two full-time tracks. The traditional 60-credit MSW program is intended to be completed in two years while the 42-credit Advanced Standing program is designed to be completed in one year. Classes are taught both on the UNCG and the NCA&TSU campuses. Students must have an undergraduate social degree from an accredited college or university to be accepted into the Advanced Standing MSW program.
The first 30 credits of coursework in the 60-credit program are devoted to a generalist curriculum. Classes include “Social Work and Social Justice,” “Social Work Practice and Human Diversity” and “Family Theory and Intervention”.
In the second year, students take courses in advanced clinical practice, advanced research and organizational practice from a clinical perspective. These classes aim to impart awareness of patterns of social, economic and health inequalities that may affect therapeutic relationships. Students also take two electives. Students are encouraged to select electives such as “Substance Abuse,” “Families of Individuals with Special Needs” and “Psychology of the Exceptional Child” that are not specifically affiliated with the MSW curriculum offered by UNCG and NCA&TSU.
Students enrolled in the 60-credit track must complete 1,112 hours of fieldwork while students enrolled in the 42-credit track must complete 672 hours of fieldwork. Placements are made to social and human services agencies located within a 150-mile radius of the Greater Greensboro Metropolitan Area. Under certain circumstances, students may be allowed to use their place of employment as a fieldwork placement site.
University of North Carolina MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered for this program. You’ll also need to have taken undergraduate classes in statistics and human development with a grade of “C” or higher.
Key Highlights For University of North Carolina MSW Students
• The joint MSW program offers two fellowships funded by the Health Resources Administration Services: the Integrated Behavioral Health and Racial Equity Scholars program and the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program (OWEP).
• The diploma you’ll receive when you graduate from this program will bear the imprimatur of both the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
• UNC Greensboro awarded 31 MSW degrees in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
About North Carolina State University: U.S. News & World Reportrates North Carolina State University’s MSW program among the top social work master’s programs in North Carolina and the nation. And since NC State is a public university, you’ll probably pay less for your social work education here than you would at one of the MSW programs in North Carolina that are affiliated with a private university. NC State’s School of Social Work is a division of its College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
North Carolina State University MSW Program Details: NC State’s traditional 60-credit MSW program, designed to be completed in two years, is taught on campus. You’ll spend both years pursuing a generalist curriculum that will teach you a wide range of skills you’ll be able to apply to many different therapeutic settings. Classes will include “Human Behavior & the Social Environment,” “Social Justice” and “Advanced Practice With Individuals”. You’ll also be able to take electives like “Social Work in Schools,” “Direct Practice With Older Adults” and “Hunger and Homelessness” that will allow you to hone competencies in specialty areas of interest.
North Carolina State University also offers a 39-credit Advanced Standing MSW program for individuals who graduated from an accredited college or university with a degree in social work. This MSW curriculum tracks the second year of the traditional 60-credit program and includes the same choice of electives.
Fieldwork is an essential component of this MSW in North Carolina as it is for all master’s in social work programs in North Carolina. NC State’s fieldwork requirements are significantly higher than the Council on Social Work Education standards. MSW candidates in the 60-credit track must complete 1,344 hours of fieldwork to graduate, while MSW candidates in the Advanced Standing track must complete 672 hours of fieldwork to graduate. North Carolina State University partners on placements with human services agencies and organizations throughout the Research Triangle Metropolitan Area and surrounding parts of Wake and Orange Counties.
North Carolina State University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university to be accepted into NC State’s MSW program. Applicants to the 60-credit program will need an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, while applicants to the Advanced Standing program will need an undergraduate GPA of 3.5.
Key Highlights For North Carolina State University MSW Students
• NC State offers a joint MSW/Juris Doctor (JD) degree in conjunction with Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.
• To graduate, students must complete a year-long capstone project, which includes a needs assessment and evaluation of social work interventions.
• One hundred and fifteen students received MSW degrees from the North Carolina State University in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: Full-Time MSW (On-Campus), Part Time MSW (On-Campus), and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
Full-Time MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical and Macro
Part-Time MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical and Macro
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Clinical
About University of North Carolina-Wilmington: From international fieldwork opportunities to specialized certificate programs, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington has a lot to offer prospective MSW students. This MSW school in North Carolina collaborates with the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative to offer unique educational opportunities to social workers interested in specializing in child welfare, which may help them find employment with North Carolina’s Department of Social Services following graduation. UNCW’s School of Social Work is associated with its College of Health & Human Services.
University of North Carolina-Wilmington MSW Program Details: The University of North Carolina-Wilmington offers a traditional 62-credit MSW program, which you can finish in two years if you go to school full-time. If you go to school part-time, you can finish it in three years. Both traditional MSW tracks are taught on campus.
Students who’ve completed an undergraduate degree in social work can enroll in UNCW’s 37-credit Advanced Standing MSW track. This curriculum is also taught on campus and should take one year to complete (including summer “bridge” classes).
Like nearly all of the best MSW programs in North Carolina, the first year of UNCW’s MSW program consists of foundational courses taught from a generalist perspective. In your second year, you will have the opportunity to specialize in one of two concentrations. The clinical concentration will train you to identify and treat individuals, families and groups. The macro concentration will teach you how to become an effective administrator within a human services agency or organization.
Other educational opportunities will also be available to you. The University of North Carolina-Wilmington sponsors a Substance Use Disorders and Addictions Certificate program as well as a Gerontology Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in conjunction with the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences.
Field education is an essential component of UNCW’s MSW program as it is for all MSW programs in North Carolina. Students enrolled in the 62-credit MSW program must complete 900 hours of fieldwork while students enrolled in the 37-credit program must complete 600 hours of fieldwork. Students will be assigned fieldwork placements in schools, community nonprofits, child welfare agencies, transitional housing programs and other social service agencies and organizations throughout Wilmington and other parts of southeastern North Carolina.
University of North Carolina-Wilmington MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need to have graduated from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher if you want to attend UNCW’s MSW program. Your undergraduate education will need to have included classes in human development and statistics as well as introductions to psychology and sociology.
Key Highlights For University of North Carolina-Wilmington MSW Students
• UNCW offers global social work field opportunities through partnerships in London, Ireland and India.
• You can satisfy the academic requirements necessary for attaining school social work licensure at this MSW school in North Carolina.
• In 2020, 69 students received master’s of social work degrees from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.
MSW Programs Offered: Regular MSW (On-Campus), Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), and Advanced Standing MSW (Online)
Regular MSW Concentrations Offered: Individuals & Families and Community & Organizational Practice
Advanced Standing On-Campus MSW Concentrations Offered: Individuals & Families and Community & Organizational Practice
Advanced Standing Online MSW Concentrations Offered: Individuals & Families and Community & Organizational Practice
About Appalachian State University: Appalachian State University is an excellent option for students who want an affordable MSW education: As a member of the Tar Heel State’s state university system, App State’s tuition is among the lowest charged by any of the accredited MSW programs in North Carolina. The program sensitizes future social workers to the cultural nuances of the Appalachian region that spans more than 200,000 miles from New York State to Alabama. The university’s Department of Social Work is affiliated with the Beaver College of Health Sciences.
Appalachian State University MSW Program Details: App State’s traditional MSW program consists of 60 credits. It’s taught on campus. Full-time students will be able to complete the curriculum in two years while part-time students can take four years to complete the curriculum.
Additionally, Appalachian State University offers two Advanced Standing MSW tracks for students who’ve earned a degree in social work during their undergraduate schooling. The full-time track can be completed in one year, while the part-time track can be completed in two years. Both tracks are taught on campus. The Advanced Standing MSW program typically consists of 33 credits (though faculty may ask Advanced Standing students to take an additional 6 “bridge” credits).
App State also offers its Advanced Standing MSW curriculum as an online option that can be pursued full-time (one year) or part-time (two years). This program blends synchronous and asynchronous courses. Synchronous courses are typically scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
App State offers two second-year concentrations. Individuals and Families prepares students to go into one-on-one clinical practice following graduation. Community and Organizational Practice teaches students how to develop and implement services and programs at the community, organizational and societal levels.
As with all MSW schools in North Carolina, fieldwork is vital to Appalachian State University’s graduate social work curriculum. Students enrolled in the traditional 60-credit program must complete a minimum of 960 hours of field education while students enrolled in the Advanced Standing program must complete a minimum of 480 hours of field education.
Appalachian State University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university to be accepted into this program. App State is one of the MSW programs in North Carolina that does require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
Key Highlights For Appalachian State University MSW Students
• Appalachian State University is unique among MSW programs in North Carolina in that its two second-year concentrations have been deliberately designed to complement one another: Students specializing in one concentration will also gain vital exposure to content from the other concentration.
• App State’s MSW curriculum has been designed to showcase issues of specific concern to the Appalachian region.
• Throughout the 2019-2020 school year, Appalachian State University awarded 52 master’s degrees in social work.
MSW Programs Offered: Full-Time Regular MSW (On-Campus), Full Time Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), Part Time Regular MSW (Hybrid), and Part-Time Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
About East Carolina University: One of the significant advantages East Carolina University’s MSW program has over many other social work master’s programs in North Carolina is that it meets the requirements for professional licensure in all states within the continental U.S. But many program graduates stay in the area after they receive their diplomas to provide care to the underserved communities of eastern North Carolina. ECU’s College of Health and Human Performance oversees its MSW program.
East Carolina University MSW Program Details: ECU offers a full-time 60-credit traditional MSW program and a full-time 42-credit Advanced Standing MSW program on its main campus in Greenville. Additionally, the university offers part-time traditional and Advanced Standing MSW programs in a hybrid format. These hybrid programs involve synchronous and asynchronous online courses as well as face-to-face instruction on Saturdays at the Greenville, Rocky Mount and New Bern campuses.
Only students who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work are eligible to enroll in ECU’s Advanced Standing MSW program. The Advanced Standing curriculum is equivalent to the second year of coursework in the traditional MSW degree.
The first year of the traditional program consists of generalist classes that lay a foundation for social work expertise. Students go on to specialize in Clinical-Community Social Work from a Relational Perspective as their second-year concentration. Relational perspective theory draws upon the work of Erich Fromm and sees the most powerful driver of human behavior as the need to form relationships. Second-year classes include “Introduction to Clinical-Community Practice from a Relational Perspective,” “Trauma Informed Practice with a Clinical-Community Relational Perspective” and “Group Practice with a Clinical-Community Relational Perspective.”
Fieldwork is a vital part of all MSW programs in North Carolina, and East Carolina University’s MSW program is no exception. If you’re enrolled in the traditional 60-credit master’s degree in social work curriculum, you will be expected to complete 1,008 hours of field education. As an Advanced Standing degree candidate, you will be expected to complete 672 hours of field education.
East Carolina University MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher from an accredited undergraduate institution if you want to be admitted into this MSW in North Carolina. You’ll also need to submit three professional references, a resume and a statement of purpose.
Key Highlights For East Carolina University MSW Students
• This MSW program in North Carolina offers opportunities to pursue certificates in substance abuse and gerontology, as well as licensure for school social work.
• ECU’s hybrid part-time MSW program is one of just two such online MSW programs in North Carolina, and it is specifically designed to meet the needs of working adults.
• East Carolina University handed out 68 MSW degrees throughout the 2019-2020 academic year.
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional Two-year MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing Accelerated One-year MSW (On-Campus)
Traditional Two-year MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
Advanced Standing Accelerated One-year MSW Concentrations Offered: Advanced Generalist Practice
About North Carolina Central University: North Carolina Central University is a historically Black university, and its MSW program focuses on preparing culturally competent practitioners skilled at intervening and working within systems that particularly affect marginalized individuals. Another plus? NCCU is part of the Tar Heel State’s public state university system, so tuition is comparatively less than it might be at accredited MSW programs in North Carolina administered by private universities.
North Carolina Central University MSW Program Details: NCCU offers two tracks for its master’s of social work degree. Both tracks are offered on its campus in Durham. The traditional 58-credit MSW program takes two years to complete and can only be pursued full-time.
To qualify for the 35-credit Advanced Standing MSW program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university. You can only pursue the Advanced Standing MSW degree full-time, and it will take you one year to complete. The courses you take during your year of Advanced Standing MSW studies will be the equivalent of the second year of traditional MSW studies.
The first year of the two-year program is dedicated to courses that will lay the foundations for your social work practice. First-year classes include “Foundations of Social Welfare and Social Work,” “Foundation of Data Analysis” and “Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families”.
The second-year concentration is Advanced Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities. This specialty is designed to help you work directly with clients in need of one-on-one intervention but with an understanding of the more significant social justice issues that may be impacting your client. Second-year classes include “Social Work and Psychopathology,” “Leadership, Administration and Community Practice” and “Forensic Social Work.”
Fieldwork plays a vital role in the NCCU MSW experience just as it does in all MSW programs in North Carolina. During their first year, students in the traditional MSW program spend 16 hours a week at their field placement. During their second year, students in the traditional MSW program spend 24 hours a week at their field placement. Advanced Standing MSW students spend 24 hours a week at their field placement.
North Carolina Central University MSW Admission Requirements: Applicants must be graduates of accredited colleges or universities. You’ll need to have maintained a GPA of 2.75 or higher if you want to enroll in the traditional MSW program and a GPA of 3.0 or higher if you’re going to enroll in the Advanced Standing MSW program.
Key Highlights For North Carolina Central University MSW Students
• To graduate from this MSW in North Carolina, you must complete a capstone research project demonstrating your mastery of the MSW curriculum and your ability to synthesize what you’ve learned in the classroom with your experiences during fieldwork practicums.
• The Department of Social Work is affiliated with the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.
• Fifty-six graduates received master’s of social work degrees from North Carolina Central University in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus), Weekend Part-Time MSW (On-Campus), and Full-Time MSW (On-Campus)
Advanced Standing MSW Concentrations Offered: Children & Family Services and Mental Health
Weekend Part-Time MSW Concentrations Offered: Children & Family Services and Mental Health
Full-Time MSW Concentrations Offered: Children & Family Services and Mental Health
About Fayetteville State University: Fayetteville State University is a historically Black college, and its School of Social Work’s MSW program focuses on the unique needs of Black families, neighborhoods and communities. Tuition for FSU’s master’s degree in social work is quite affordable, particularly when compared with tuition at private MSW schools in North Carolina because FSU is part of the University of North Carolina system. The School of Social Work is a division of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Fayetteville State University MSW Program Details: Fayetteville State University offers a full-time traditional 61-credit MSW track, a full-time 35-credit Advanced Standing MSW track and a part-time traditional 61-credit MSW track. All three MSW tracks are taught in person at the Fayetteville campus. To accommodate the needs of working students, classes in the part-time track are conducted on Saturdays and Friday evenings.
You’ll only qualify for the Advanced Standing track if you’ve completed your foundational social work classes as an undergraduate major and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work. Your single year of coursework will correspond to the second year of the traditional MSW curriculum.
You should be able to complete the full-time MSW track in two years and the full-time Advanced Standing track in one year. The traditional part-time track will take you three years to complete.
Two second-year concentrations are available for students pursuing this MSW in North Carolina. Children & Family Services will prepare students to work with minors and their support networks in a variety of different therapeutic settings. The Mental Health concentration aims to teach students how to intervene therapeutically in ways that will increase the functional capacity of clients with mental illnesses.
As with every one of the best MSW programs in North Carolina, fieldwork is an essential part of Fayetteville State University’s MSW program. Students enrolled in the traditional 61-credit MSW program must complete 900 hours of fieldwork; students enrolled in the Advanced Standing 35-credit MSW program must complete 500 hours of fieldwork.
Fayetteville State University MSW Admission Requirements: Admission into FSU’s MSW program is only granted to individuals who’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose as well as three letters of recommendation from professional references.
Key Highlights For Fayetteville State University MSW Students
• Fayetteville State University’s School of Social Work offers graduate certificates in Military Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Studies.
• Fayetteville State University partners with the U.S. Army to offer master's degrees in social work to active duty soldiers.
• In 2020, Fayetteville State University’s School of Social Work awarded 39 master’s degrees in social work.
MSW Programs Offered: Traditional 2 Years Full-Time MSW (Hybrid), Traditional 3 Years Part-Time MSW (Hybrid), Advanced Standing 1 Year Full-Time MSW (Hybrid), and Advanced Standing 2 Years Part-Time MSW (Hybrid)
About University of North Carolina at Pembroke: If you’re interested in becoming a social work practitioner in a rural setting, then the University of North Carolina-Pembroke’s MSW program may be precisely what you’re looking for. Many other MSW programs in North Carolina focus on the behavioral issues affecting individuals in urban settings, but UNC Pembroke teaches students the skills necessary for implementing social problems that occur outside of cities. The Department of Social Work is affiliated with the College of Health Sciences.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke MSW Program Details: UNC Pembroke’s MSW program is one of the best MSW programs in North Carolina for working students because all three tracks are offered in a hybrid format. The traditional MSW program consists of 62-course credits and can be completed in either two years if you attend classes full-time or in three years if you attend classes part-time.
UNC Pembroke also offers an accelerated Advanced Standing MSW program for students who want to continue their social work education after completing a bachelor’s degree in social work. The Advanced Standing option consists of 33 credits and is offered both as a 12-month full-time track and as a 24-month part-time track.
Online classes use an asynchronous format so that students with work and family obligations can learn at their own pace. Campus classes are scheduled either one afternoon and one evening a week or two evenings a week.
This MSW in North Carolina prepares students for practice within an advanced generalist model that emphasizes the importance of one-on-one therapeutic interactions as well as the importance of leadership within human services agencies and organizations.
As is the case with all accredited MSW programs in North Carolina, fieldwork is essential to the UNCP master’s of social work curriculum. Students enrolled in the two-year 62-credit track must complete 930 hours of supervised field education while students enrolled in the Advanced Standing 33-credit track must complete 500 hours of supervised field education.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke MSW Admission Requirements: You’ll need a baccalaureate from an accredited school for admission into this MSW in North Carolina. Undergraduate classes in biology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology and statistics are also prerequisites.
Key Highlights For University of North Carolina at Pembroke MSW Students
• Students enrolled in the University of North Carolina-Pembroke’s MSW program and who are employed in a North Carolina school have the option to take classes that fulfill the academic requirements for school social work licensure.
• UNCP was initially established in 1887 by Native Americans, and its social work program focuses on contemporary social issues that confront Native American communities.
• The University of North Carolina at Pembroke awarded MSW degrees to 52 students in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: Full-Time MSW (Hybrid), Part-Time MSW (Hybrid), Full-Time Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid), and Part-Time Advanced Standing MSW (Hybrid)
About Western Carolina University: As part of the University of North Carolina system, Western Carolina University is an affordable option for a social work education. The university has a long partnership with the Cherokee Nation, and its Department of Social Work recently received a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research to develop advanced care planning with the local Native American community. WCU’s Department of Social Work is a division of its College of Health and Human Services.
Western Carolina University MSW Program Details: Western Carolina University’s traditional 62-credit MSW program can be completed in two years if you attend classes full-time. You can also enroll in the traditional MSW program part-time and complete it in either three years or four years. All three tracks are offered in a hybrid format that combines online classes with face-to-face classes taught on campus.
WCU is one of the MSW programs in North Carolina that also offers a 33-credit Advanced Standing MSW. Three of those credits are a summer preparation course upon whose completion you will join the second-year cohort of the traditional MSW track. This Advanced Standing program is also offered on both a full-time and part-time basis in a hybrid format.
WCU prepares students for advanced generalist practice. Required second-year courses include “Advanced Social Work Practice With Individuals, Families and Groups,” “Management in Human Service Organizations” and “Rural Community Advocacy”. However, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to delve more deeply into topics of more specific interest with electives like “Social Work and Mental Health,” “Cultural Competence in Substance Abuse Practice” and “Trauma-Informed Social Work with Children.”
As is the case with all the best MSW schools in North Carolina, fieldwork is used at WCU to teach students how to apply the theories, critical thinking and collaborative skills they’ve learned in the classroom to real-life situations. The traditional 62-credit MSW program requires 1,080 hours of fieldwork, while the Advanced Standing 33-credit program requires 672 hours of fieldwork.
Western Carolina University MSW Admission Requirements: Western Carolina University is one of the MSW programs in North Carolina that requires applicants to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Additionally, you must have a baccalaureate degree and some paid or volunteer experience with a human services agency or organization.
Key Highlights For Western Carolina University MSW Students
• Western Carolina University’s Department of Social Work offers professional development opportunities for social work professionals interested in earning certifications in addiction studies, school-based social work and culturally-based Native Health.
• WCU’s MSW students can participate in the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative Program, which provides the opportunity to be hired by North Carolina’s Department of Social Services at a higher pay grade following graduation.
• Forty-three students received master’s of social work degrees from Western Carolina University in 2020.
MSW Programs Offered: Two-Year MSW (On-Campus) and Advanced Standing MSW (On-Campus)
About Johnson C. Smith University: Johnson C. Smith University is a historically Black college, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the MSW programs in North Carolina that focuses on preparing students to address the need for mental health services and social justice in underserved communities. The university is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, but it accepts MSW students from all religious backgrounds. JCSU’s MSW program is administered by its School of Social Work.
Johnson C. Smith University MSW Program Details: Both of Johnson C. Smith’s two MSW tracks are taught on its Charlotte campus. Many of the courses are taught in the evenings to accommodate the needs of working students.
The 60-credit traditional MSW takes two years to complete. The first year is dedicated to foundational classes such as “Introduction to Cultural Competence,” “Human Behavior and the Social Environment” and “Social Problems and Policy.” The second-year concentration is an advanced generalist perspective. Classes include “Advanced Practice (Individuals and Families),” “Advanced Practice (Groups)” and “Advanced Practice (Organizations and Communities)”.
The 39-credit Advanced Standing MSW program is essentially the second year of the traditional MSW program and is designed to be completed in one year. You are only eligible to be admitted into this program if you have graduated from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Fieldwork is an essential part of Johnson C. Smith University’s master’s of social work degree program. If you’re enrolled in the traditional 60-hour MSW program, you’ll be required to complete 900 hours of fieldwork; if you’re enrolled in the 39-credit Advanced Standing MSW program, you’ll be required to complete 500 hours of fieldwork. Fieldwork placements include human and social service agencies throughout the Greater Metropolitan Charlotte Area and other parts of Mecklenburg County.
Johnson C. Smith University MSW Admission Requirements: Admission into Johnson C. Smith University’s MSW program requires a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Additionally, you will need to supply three letters of reference from individuals who can speak to your suitability for a social work career.
Key Highlights For Johnson C. Smith University MSW Students
• Johnson C. Smith University’s School of Social Work maintains an active partnership with the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative.
• Eighty-five students are enrolled in JCSU’s MSW programs.
• In 2020, Johnson C. Smith University awarded 42 master’s degrees in social work.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Are The Total Number Of Accredited MSW Programs In North Carolina?
As per the
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), currently, there are 14 accredited Master Of Social Work programs in North Carolina.
Total MSW Programs in North Carolina |
14 |
How Much Does An MSW Graduate Make Per Hour In North Carolina?
The average salary of an MSW graduate per hour in North Carolina is $30.07.
How Much Does An MSW Graduate Make Per Year In North Carolina?
The average salary of an MSW graduate per year in North Carolina is $62,540.
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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