Online MSW – Individual and Family Clinical Cognate Our Master of Social Work degree is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
60
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Learn How to Effectively Serve Families with Liberty University’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 100% online Master of Social Work (MSW) – Individual and Family Clinical cognate can help you turn your passion for serving others into a rewarding career.
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 will 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 two 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).
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 learn from 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
- SOWK 625 – Social Policy, Justice, and Advocacy
- SOWK 645 – Psychopathology and Addiction
- SOWK 650 – Diversity and Cultural Humility*
- SOWK 680 – Applied Research and Ethics
*Course guide coming soon
Degree Information
- This degree falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
- View the Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
- Students will complete a 400-hour placement and a 600-hour placement. Each placement can be completed as a block or extended over two semesters.
- A background check is required for students before enrollment in practicum courses.
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.
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
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 the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Full Time | $565/Credit |
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Graduate Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
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
- Complete the Department Questionnaire or online here.
- Department approval
- 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.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
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
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
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 – $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)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this program have any field experience requirements built in?
You will add at least 1,000 hours of field experience to your résumé prior to graduation.
Does this program meet any licensure requirements?
This program may satisfy the requirements needed to sit for social work licensure exams. Be sure to research the licensure requirements in your state.
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