VCU School of Social Work

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education. Accreditation standards establish educational policy and minimum curriculum requirements for our Master of Social Work programs.

M.S.W. program graduates are prepared to work in a wide range of practice settings, including hospitals, mental health, family service agencies, schools, criminal justice, policy practice and administrative settings. Starting salaries for entry level M.S.W. positions are approximately $36,000-$42,000.

The School of Social Work offers three programs that lead to the Master of Social Work:

• The advanced standing program, which requires that the applicant has earned a B.S.W. degree during the previous five years, a total GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.2 for the last 60 hours.
• The 60-credit hour program.
• The distance education program (part-time)

Prospective Student Welcome Days

The School of Social Work M.S.W. Program encourages you to participate in one of our Prospective Student Welcome Days. Find out more and register.

Advanced standing program

The advanced standing program leads to a Master of Social Work upon completion of 39 credit hours, taken over the course of three continuous semesters (summer, fall and spring). In the summer term, students take three two-credit-hour courses and field instruction for 21 hours per week. In the following fall and spring semesters, students continue in their chosen concentration. Students select one of two concentration options: clinical social work or social work administration, planning and policy practice (SWAPPP).

The advanced standing program is a full-time program only and cannot be pursued on a part-time basis.

60-credit hour program

The 60-credit hour program at VCU leads to a Master of Social Work upon completion of 60 credit hours, and may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. The first 30 credits make up the foundation curriculum of the program, and the final 30 credits make up the concentration curriculum consisting of two options: clinical social work or social work administration, planning and policy practice (SWAPPP).

Full-time study requires that students complete 15 credit hours in both the fall and spring semesters for two academic years. Four three-credit courses and a three-credit field internship are required each semester. The foundation internship requires 14 hours a week (two days) for two consecutive terms. The concentration internship requires 21 hours per week (three days) for two consecutive terms. Students will complete a total of two practice internships, one in the foundation year and another in the concentration year.

» Courses by title and semester offered [PDF]

Structured part-time study requires students to complete a minimum of six (but no more than nine) credits every fall and spring semester, totaling 60 credits at the end of four years. Part-time students complete the two required internships during the second and fourth years of study, making full-time employment during this time very difficult. One of the two field placements can be completed as a block placement requiring 40 hours a week typically in the summer following completion of all foundation or concentration work.

• Structured part-time policies [PDF]
• Structured part-time program options [PDF]
• Courses by title and semester offered [PDF]