Serve Your Community by Earning an Online Master of Social Work Degree
Are you passionate about helping others cope with challenges in their lives? Do you want to help raise awareness on behalf of people in your community? Liberty’s Master of Social Work (MSW) – Advanced Generalist can help you take the next step in your education and become a licensed social worker.
Our program can help you pursue administrative and supervisory roles in the field of social work. You’ll learn how to identify people and communities in need of help. Additionally, our different cognate options will help you focus your studies on the training you need for your long-term career goals. This degree can also help prepare you to sit for social work licensure exams** — so you can pursue the credentials you need to further your career.
This program offers a general cognate and an individual and family clinical cognate. No matter which option you choose, you’ll receive advanced generalist training in social policy, research, and practice — as well as the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in your field.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
**Please note: Each state has unique requirements for becoming a licensed social worker. Be sure to research the requirements in your state.
Why Choose Liberty’s Master of Social Work Online Degree Program?
We’ve designed our MSW degree online to help you thrive as a student and as a professional. You can develop the tools needed to serve diverse populations, engage in research-informed practice, and create social policies rooted in biblical truth.
- Faster-Than-Average Job Growth | The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the field of social work will grow 13% from 2019-2029.* This growth rate is much higher than other career fields, meaning you can be more confident in your long-term career outlook with this degree.
- Flexible, 100% Online Cognates | At Liberty, we believe that furthering your education shouldn’t mean having to sacrifice your family, career, or involvement in your community – so our MSW degree is offered 100% online.
- Practical Learning | You will complete at least 1,000 hours of field experience as well as practicums, allowing you to gain marketable skills and on-the-job training.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Social Workers, 2019 (visited June 24, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.
Master of Social Work – Advanced Generalist Cognates
When you pursue the Master of Social Work, you will choose one of the following cognates to personalize your degree to your unique professional goals.
General
Individual and Family Clinical
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What Will You Learn in Our Master of Social Work Degree?
Liberty’s Master of Social Work is designed to build on your previous education and experience. Our program can help you prepare to work directly in the field or pursue roles in policy development.
Through our master’s of social work online program, you can gain the skills you need to maintain your own health and safety as well as learn some of the guiding values and ethics used in social work. You will also study how to develop a holistic approach to social work by taking into account the social, biological, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the human experience.
MSW Cognates
Our general cognate allows you to direct your studies in the areas that best meet your professional and personal goals with 12 free elective hours that you can use to focus on advanced studies in social work and human behavior. The individual and family clinical cognate emphasizes clinical and family social work and provides training in addiction and psychopathology.
For more information on which MSW cognate may be best for you, check out the separate degree pages linked in the specializations tab. You can also review some of our featured courses to get a better understanding of what you will study.
Featured Courses
- SOWK 501 – Generalist Social Work Concepts
- SOWK 555 – Generalist Social Work Practice with Groups
- SOWK 625 – Social Policy, Justice, and Advocacy
- SOWK 680 – Applied Research and Ethics
Career Opportunities for Master’s in Social Work Graduates
- Agency director
- Medical social worker
- Mental health therapist
- Program director
- School social worker
- Social work supervisor
Please note: Some roles may require licensure in social work, and each state has specific requirements for licensure. Be sure to research the licensure requirements in your state.
Highlights of Our Online Master of Social Work Degree
- We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility. Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. Earning your online MSW degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
- Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
- Complete at least 1,000 hours of field experience prior to graduation.
- Help meet the requirements to sit for social work licensure exams.
- Develop core skills needed to work in schools, hospitals, adoption agencies, nursing homes, group homes, and mental health clinics.
- Learn how to provide social work services to diverse populations in a variety of settings.
Master of Social Work Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
- Download and review the Degree Completion Plan for the general cognate.
- View our Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
- Requires 2 field experiences: a 400-hour placement over 2 semesters and a 600-hour block placement
- Requires a background check for practicum courses
Military Benefits
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.
As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Admission Requirements for Our Master of Social Work
Applicants must have a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.5 GPA or above for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information.
All applicants must submit the following:
- Admission application
- Application fee*
- Official college transcripts
- Unofficial college transcripts may be accepted with a completed official transcript request form**
- Contact information for 2 recommenders
- Statement of Purpose
- Department questionnaire
- Department approval
- Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)
*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.
**An official transcript is needed within 60 days of acceptance or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first.
Transfer Policies
At Liberty, we want to help you make the most of your prior education by allowing you to transfer in previously earned college credit. That’s why you can transfer in up to 50% of your total credits for a master’s or doctoral program!
Some restrictions apply. Please visit our Transfer Policy page for more information.
