Master of Social Work

• Diverse Career Opportunities: With an MSW, you can work in various sectors such as healthcare, education, child welfare, mental health, and community organizations. The degree opens doors to roles like clinical social worker, policy analyst, or program director.
• High Demand for Skills: The world is constantly evolving, and so are the needs of its people. Trained social workers are in high demand to address issues ranging from mental health crises to social justice advocacy. Social work is a steadily growing field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for social workers is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations, offering strong job security and growth potential.
• Career Opportunities and Advancement: An MSW opens doors to a broad range of career opportunities in diverse settings, including healthcare, education, community organizations, and government agencies. The degree also provides a platform for advanced positions and specializations, such as clinical social work, school social work, and social work administration.
• Making a Difference: Social work is a profession dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities deal with challenges and improve their well-being. With an MSW, you can make a tangible impact on people's lives and contribute positively to society by addressing issues such as mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and inequality.
• Advanced Clinical Skills: The MSW program will provide you with advanced skills in assessment, intervention, and case management, enabling you to effectively support and advocate for your clients.
• Licensure: An MSW from a CSWE accredited program offers specialized training in various areas of practice, making you eligible to become a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and possibly a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The LCSW enables you to provide certain therapeutic and mental health services, with the opportunity of expanded career options. Learn more about social work licensure.

The accelerated MSW pathway allows students from any major to use MSW classes towards upper-level undergraduate coursework. Students participating in the MSW Accelerated Pathway should meet the following qualifications:

• Must be a Commonwealth University student
• At least junior or senior status
• Any major
• 3.0 GPA or above
• Complete the MSW Graduate Admissions Application
• If accepted, students will be enrolled as provisional admission
• Secure Advisor approval

Provisional admission: Students participating in the Accelerated MSW Pathway will need to maintain the following while participating in the program:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Graduate with an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Achieve a B+ or higher in MSW courses taken

MSW Accelerated Pathway Splash Sheet

Degree Requirements Degree Works Future Class Schedules

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Summer 2025. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Summer 2025, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, Degree Works.

• Applicants must have an earned baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized U.S. regional accrediting association or an equivalent degree from an institution outside the U.S.
• Grade Point Average: A minimum GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required. Following Commonwealth University guidelines, applicants with a GPA of 2.7 to 2.99 may be considered for provisional acceptance.
• Application Statement: Applicants must submit a statement that addresses the following. The statement should be no more than five double-spaced pages and address each item. This statement will be reviewed for content and writing quality:
  • Why have you chosen social work as a profession?
  • What are your goals in pursuing an MSW?
  • How are your values consistent with the ethical principles of social work as articulated by the National Association of Social Workers?
  • What is your experience working or volunteering in a helping capacity?
  • What is your experience working with diverse groups of people?
  • What will be your greatest challenges in pursuing a master’s degree in social work?
• Resume: Applicants will provide a resume that includes both volunteer and paid experience.
• References: Applicants will provide the names and contact information of three professional references who will then be contacted to provide letters of recommendation. One reference will be from a current or recent employer, and one will be from an educational setting. References from personal relationships will not be accepted.
• Life Experience: As per the guidelines of our accrediting body, the Commonwealth MSW program does not give academic credit for life experience.
• Interview: An interview with members of the admissions committee may be required in some circumstances.
• Credit for BSW Classes: Prospective students who have completed undergraduate social work coursework, but do not qualify for advanced standing, may apply for exemption to first year equivalent MSW classes that they earned at least a B in.
• Transfer Credits: Students who are accepted to the program may transfer primary social work courses from a CSWE accredited MSW program. Electives may be transferred from other applicable graduate programs. These credits must have been earned in the past five years while the student was in good standing in the academic program. Only grades of a B or higher will be accepted for transfer. Pass/fail grades are not accepted. Workshop or otherwise condensed courses will not be accepted. CU policy limits the transfer of graduate credits to nine. However, this limit may be increased with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies. If you wish to apply for a waiver, please inquire with the MSW Program Director.

Advanced Standing Admissions

Students who are accepted into the advanced standing program will complete only the Specialized Curriculum (second year) in order to earn an MSW. All general admissions criteria apply with the following changes:

• Undergraduate degree in social welfare or social work: Applicants must have an earned undergraduate degree (BSW, BA, BS) from a CSWE accredited baccalaureate program. Additionally, BSW programs recognized through CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services, or that are covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors will be accepted. All applicants must have earned a 3.2 in their major (on a 4.0 scale) in order to be eligible for advanced standing. Applicants without a 3.2 GPA but with unusual circumstances may be considered for admission for advanced standing when they provide a written argument for exception to this requirement in the admissions essay.
• References: Applicants will provide the names and contact information of three professional references who will then be contacted to provide letters of recommendation. References from personal relationships will not be accepted. One reference must be from a BSW field supervisor, liaison, or field faculty. At least one reference must be from a BSW faculty member.
  • Advanced standing students with a BSW degree earned 5 or more years prior to application, who have issues or concerns related to submitting their BSW Internship Evaluation and/or acquiring a reference from their field supervisor, liaison, or faculty, should still apply, Please reach out to the Program Director or MSW Field Director for guidance and information on alternate documentation.
• Advanced standing applicants will also submit a copy of their final BSW field internship evaluation.

Admission Process

• Application Materials: Prospective students will submit materials via the School of Graduate Studies application portal. Information on how to apply can be found there. Application materials include: transcripts from undergraduate work; personal statement; resume; references, and admissions fees.
• Application Dates: Application materials will be evaluated on a rolling basis with a final deadline of May 5 for the Summer semester and August 5 for the Fall semester. Applications will be accepted until this date, or until the program is full.
• Evaluation of Material: The Social Work Admissions Committee will evaluate completed admissions packets on a rolling basis. Students will be informed of the outcome of their application in a timely fashion via their provided email address.

There are three outcomes to the application:

• Accepted Students are applicants who are approved to begin the program at the next starting date. Accepted Students who wish to defer beginning the program should consult with the program director.
• Provisionally Accepted Students are applicants who meet most, but not all, admissions criteria and must agree in writing to the terms of provisional admission (e.g. maintain GPA, complete missing undergraduate coursework) and timeline for completion (e.g. by the end of the first semester, by the time the program begins, etc.) in order to begin the program. Provisionally Accepted Students understand that they will not be allowed to begin or continue in the program if they do not meet the specific requirements set out by the Admissions Committee. Once the provisional requirements have been met, the Provisionally Accepted Student’s status will be updated to Accepted Student.
• Applicants who are not accepted for admission may reapply after consultation with the program director.

New MSW Student Orientation/Networking Day:

• Accepted Students who have enrolled in the MSW program are expected to attend the in-person MSW New Student Orientation in August on the Bloomsburg campus. It is an all-day event, and will typically be held on a Saturday, the second week of August. 

• Q: Do I need a degree in social work to be admitted?
  A: No- it’s an excellent fit for students from any undergraduate major. Some of the more common applicant majors are psychology, sociology, education, and criminal justice.
• Q: How are classes offered?
  A: We are committed to providing accessibility to returning students and offer classes in the evening to accommodate work, family, and life commitments. Our Master of Social Work program is transitioning to a fully online format. While we are eager to launch this option, the exact date will depend on the final approval of our accreditation body, the CSWE. In the meantime, courses are offered in flexible modalities to fit student needs. Some of these include online classes, blended hybrid, and mixed remote sessions.
• Q: What are the practicum requirements?
  A: In the Generalist year of the program, students complete 400 practicum hours over two semesters in the same agency. Specialization year/Advanced Standing students complete 500 practicum hours during that year in a different agency. Students may be approved for an employment based practicum if they are already working in a social service agency. Graduate assistantships may also be available to meet practicum requirements, pending available funding.
• Q: What are my career options with an MSW?
  A: Social workers are needed in a variety of different professional settings, including mental health, child welfare, criminal justice, community development, healthcare, and education.
• Q: What is the job outlook for social workers?
  A: With the renewed emphasis on social support and mental health, both regionally and nationally, the demand for social workers is estimated to continue to grow at a faster rate than other professions.
• Q: What is the Advanced Standing Program?
  A: This is for applicants who have an undergraduate degree in social work. If accepted into this option, they are essentially eligible to waive the requirements of the first year of the program and complete the MSW in about 11 months (BSW + 36 credits).
• Q: When can I start?
  A: Applications are accepted for the Summer semester. However, this is for electives only; the core program begins in the Fall.
• Q: Do I need to take the GRE in order to apply?
  A. No- the GRE is not required for admission.

Practicum Education is the Signature Pedagogy of Social Work Education, and is intended to provide students the opportunity to apply models, theories, and ethical concepts learned in the classroom to a variety of community practice settings.

Commonwealth University’s Social Work program has relationships with many community agencies and organizations, both in and outside of Pennsylvania, that allow students to gain meaningful practice experience with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. Possible agency settings include, but are not limited to, hospitals and other medical facilities, schools, county child welfare organizations, behavioral health and addiction treatment programs, juvenile and adult corrections programs, community service organizations, university-based student services and research programs, and programs that serve veterans and older adults.

The Council on Social Work Education requires that MSW students complete at least 900 hours of practicum experience in an appropriate practice setting in order to earn their degree.

Traditional, two-year program students will participate in four semesters of practicum, in two different agencies or practice settings, in order to meet this requirement. Advanced Standing students will participate in two semesters of practicum. Since these students bring at least 400 hours of field experience with them from their undergraduate programs, they will complete a minimum of 500 hours in an appropriate advanced generalist setting.

Students will work with the Practicum Director to secure their placements. While this process is collaborative, all sites must be vetted and approved by the Practicum Director before a placement can be finalized. Details on this process, and other related policies and procedures, will be available in the Practicum Education Manual.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior - Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context;
• Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice - Apply and communicate an understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
• Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice - Engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
• Engage in Practice - informed Research and Research - informed Practice - Use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research.
• Engage in Policy Practice - Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal levels that impact the well-being, service delivery, and access to social services.
• Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies, and use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.
• Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies, and select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.
• Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance the capacities of clients and constituencies; negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies; and facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
• Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program processes and outcomes; and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels..

• Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes