Master of Social Work Online

1–3 Year Completion

30-60 Total Credits

100% Online

500-900 Hours Field Placement

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March is Social Work Month! Apply Today.

Pursue Your Passion & Promote Mental Health and Recovery

Address Complex Mental Health and Social Issues with A Focus on Clinical Social Work

Gain the recovery values, approach, and tools to create a more just and humane society by earning your Master of Social Work degree online with Utica University. Bring your vision for the promotion and treatment of mental health to life through a program that will equip you with the ability to respond to and provide innovative solutions that promote dignity, autonomy, and mental health among diverse populations.

Utica University’s fully online and flexible approach enables you to pursue your academic and professional goals while still maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Choose from our MSW – Advanced, which will allow you to complete the program at an accelerated pace if you’ve earned a BSW in the last six years*, or the MSW – Traditional, which has no BSW requirement. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for your state’s licensure exam(s).1 The MSW Program in clinical social work is currently a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation (CSWE-COA).3

+13% job growth through 2029, much faster than the average for all other occupations2

Top 10% of social workers earn more than $80,000 annually2

Positions in mental health and substance abuse are expected to grow by 17% by 20292

The Utica Difference: Recovery-Focused Principles

The curriculum in our Master of Science in Social Work program is unique in that it focuses on the recovery of individuals, families, and communities affected by trauma, substance use, and mental health disorders. We emphasize peer support, client dignity, embracing cultural differences, and self-improvement to help those in need.

Advanced Standing Program

With our advanced standing degree option, you can utilize your Bachelor of Social Work degree to move through the program more quickly. This option reduces the program length to 12-16 months while maintaining the same commitment to a high-quality social work education. This option will also save time by:

  • Reducing the credit hour requirement to 30
  • Reducing fieldwork hours to 500

Rigorous Coursework & Research-Based Skills Development

The coursework is grounded in the fundamentals of social work theory with a focus on practice to include diagnosis and assessment of mental health and substance use disorders, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, couples and family intervention, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Specific classes include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapies

Understand and apply counseling strategies that employ cognitive and behavior techniques to assist with understanding and solving problems from a strengths-based perspective

Mental Health Policy

Emphasis on achieving quality and addressing disparities in mental health policies and service delivery issues

Trauma and Recovery

Emphasis on diversity and use of social work ethics and values when working with survivors of abuse and trauma

Clinical Case Evaluation

Understand and apply the principles of single-case design to help evaluate and improve one’s clinical practice

Find Greater Career Options By Learning to Serve Others

Our practitioner-based faculty will ensure you’re fully prepared for state licensure and entry into one of the most diverse fields in health care. With clinical skills in compassion, empathy, communication, and problem solving, you can seek a wide variety of positions including:

  • Hospital, psychiatric, or group social worker
  • Social work program planner
  • Family therapist
  • Substance abuse counselor
  • Mental health policy analyst
  • Private practice clinician

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Disclaimers and Sources

  1. Professional licensure or certification may be required to practice, advance, or specialize in social work. The Utica University Online MSW program is registered in NYS, so it is designed to prepare students to apply for applicable licensure or certification in accordance with New York educational requirements for licensure. Students should consult with their state or provincial regulatory board to confirm requirements for licensure in their state. For more information on State Authorizations and licensure, please complete the Request More Information form or call now to speak to an Enrollment Counselor.
  2. “Social Workers | Occupational Outlook Handbook,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved March 2021 from https://www.bls.gov.
  3. Utica University’s MSW program in clinical social work is currently a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s commission (CSWE) on accreditation.

    Candidacy status affirms the program meets the initial criteria set by the CSWE to move forward with the accreditation process. This allows all students in the program to date to be recognized as graduating from an accredited program once the program achieves full accreditation, expected by 2024.

    Candidacy by the Council on Social Work Education’s commission on accreditation applies to all locations and delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation ensures that graduates have met the educational requirements to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) and provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

    For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

*Exceptions may be made to the six-year requirement, dependent on relevant work experience. For example, exceptions may be made for students who have substantial experience working in a social work setting that includes MSW staff and professional learning experiences since earning their BSW.