Master of Social Work | Individual and Family Clinical

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Credit Hours

Online* with 1 virtual intensive

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | March 23, 2026 | May 18, 2026

Explore How to Serve Families with Liberty’s MSW – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate

Do you want to dedicate your career to making a difference in the lives of individuals and families? Maybe you’re new to the field of social work and want an advanced degree that can help you stand out in applicant pools. If you’re interested in a social work career, conferring Liberty University’s online Master of Social Work (MSW) – Individual and Family Clinical can help you turn your passion for serving others into the career you have been dreaming of.

As an individual and family clinical social work student, you will study the impact that various factors have on the lives of families and children. You can also gain real-world experience through 1,000 hours of field experience and practicums – so you can enter the workforce with knowledge of social work that is both practical and theoretical. In addition, this degree program is designed to help you gain clinical licensure. While some states require Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) to practice for at least 2 years before earning licensure, this degree program can help prepare you to sit for the LCSW exam. As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, we know what students need to be successful. You can rest assured that the individual and family clinical cognate for our Master of Social Work online program has been designed to help you pursue your career goals.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly a quarter of American children under the age of 18 live in a single-parent home, which is almost triple the global average.** Single parents face tremendous challenges, and as a social worker, you can help. Our carefully designed, in-depth curriculum can increase your awareness of social work issues and help you develop effective, lasting solutions to real-world problems. Partner with us and prepare to make a measurable impact on the lives of the parents and children who need help the most.

Each state has unique requirements for becoming a licensed social worker. Be sure to research the requirements in your state.

*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.

**Fact Tank, Pew Research Center, at U.S. has world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households (viewed online April 8, 2021).

Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026

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600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Master of Social Work – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate?

At Liberty, we don’t just train social workers. We train principled, ethically driven, and sought-after professionals who leave the graduation stage running. We seek to inspire a burning passion within students like you. With our MSW degree, you can train to become an enthusiastic advocate for families and children who are facing challenges that may seem insurmountable.

The online format of our individual and family social work degree allows you to study under knowledgeable professors with years of real-world experience in a uniquely Christian learning environment – all from the comfort of home. Most of our courses are also offered in an 8-week format with no set login times, so you can complete your weekly assignments when it is most convenient for you.

Your interest in individual and family clinical social work may have been sparked by trends that exist in your local community. You may see local issues that you want to address, and at Liberty University, we want to help you address those issues quickly. That’s why we allow you to complete your field experience requirements at an approved site near you – so you don’t have to wait until after graduation to serve the parents and children of your community.

What Will You Study in Our MSW Program –Individual and Family Clinical Cognate?

Our online Master of Social Work – Individual and Family Clinical cognate offers a broad yet in-depth overview of the challenges facing today’s social workers.

Throughout this degree program, you will study general social work concepts, human behavior in various social environments, and best practices for serving individuals and families. You will also study social policy and justice, diversity and cultural humility, advanced social work methodology, psychopathology, and addiction.

Additionally, the field experience required in this degree program allows you to put your online training into practice. Through one 400-hour placement over 2 semesters and an accompanying 600-hour field placement, this Master of Social Work degree online can help you become better prepared for career success and social work licensure exams.

Potential Career Opportunities

Liberty’s Master of Social Work online program can help you pursue administrative and supervisory positions in the field of social work. Some of the roles you may qualify for include:

Child and family social worker
Medical social worker
Mental health therapist
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.

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Degree Completion Plan

State Licensure Requirements

Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Liberty’s MSW Online Degree

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.5 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Contact information for 2 recommenders from professional sources (i.e., not family/friends). This form can be submitted online (login required) or by email to luoverify@liberty.edu. These individuals should be qualified to address the applicant’s ability to complete the graduate-level work, disposition, and ability to become a counselor, as well as their maturity, motivation, and ethics. Some examples of individuals that may be suitable include professors, employers, or leaders in an organization where the applicant volunteers.
Statement of Purpose (400-word minimum):
- In roughly 150 words, complete the following prompt: I desire to earn a Master of Social Work degree and attend Liberty University because…
- In roughly 150 words, complete the following prompt: I show a posture of learning and respect when interacting with diverse individuals, families, and groups by…
- In roughly 100 words, discuss the following prompt: Please share about a personal challenge in your life and discuss how you have worked through this challenge. (Please do not share about a challenge with your job.)
Complete the Department Questionnaire (online form or PDF).
ACD – Department Admission Review approval required – upon all documents being received on the checklist, the application will be sent to the department for review.
- Listed recommenders are contacted by the department and a decision review will not be started until all recommender responses have been received, at which point decisions will be made within 1-2 business days (24-48 hours).
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
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)

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions for the Master of Social Work – Individual and Family Clinical

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Online MSW – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate Our Master of Social Work degree is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Explore How to Serve Families with Liberty’s MSW – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Master of Social Work – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate?

What Will You Study in Our MSW Program –Individual and Family Clinical Cognate?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

State Licensure Requirements

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Liberty’s MSW Online Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Master of Social Work – Individual and Family Clinical

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Are you ready to change your future?

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