Social Work (MSW)

Who Should apply?

Mason’s online MSW program is ideal for students of all academic backgrounds. Whether you are a current social work professional looking to build on your Bachelor of Social Work or you’re new to the field, this program is designed to help you take the next step toward a career in advancing social justice through direct client service. Work experience is not required, just a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is required.

Graduates are prepared to enter a variety of social work settings including, but not limited to, aging and disability services, family assistance, alcohol and drug abuse counseling, international NGOs, child protection, lobbying and advocacy, poverty alleviation, employee assistance, and school social work.

Why Choose Mason?

Students choose Mason’s online MSW because of its:

• Renowned faculty of experts and researchers with years of experience
• Curriculum developed around social justice and systems transformation
• Advanced Standing option available for those qualified
• Competitively priced value for a respected master’s degree program – Ranked a top 10 Best Online MSW Programs of 2022 by Forbes Advisor
• Financial aid programs and lifetime access to Mason’s career services
• Program requirements for the online Master of Social Work are adapted to face the challenges of social work practice

Requirements: 60 total credit hours

Courses for George Mason University’s online MSW are offered in a convenient, part-time, online format that is mostly asynchronous so you can study when and wherever works best for you. Students will also complete two supervised field practica which are in-person learning opportunities in local communities to apply their social work learning to real-world practice. The online curriculum mirrors Mason’s on-campus program.

Specializations

Mason’s MSW program offers a choice between two specializations: 1) Adults & Healthy Aging or 2) Children, Youth, & Families. To graduate with the MSW degree, students must successfully complete the generalist courses and the courses for one specialization. Before beginning specialization courses, students must complete all generalist courses.

Certification

By completing this program, you may be eligible to sit for one of these national licensing exams:* Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Generalist Courses:

• SOCW 600 Foundations of Social Work and Social Welfare
• SOCW 623 Human Behavior and Social Systems
• SOCW 644 Community Practice Across the Life Course
• SOCW 656 Poverty, Oppression, and Inequity
• SOCW 659 Organizing and Advocating for Change
• SOCW 660 Foundations of Direct Practice
• SOCW 671 Research Methods for Social Workers
• SOCW 672 Generalist Field Practicum and Seminar I
• SOCW 673 Generalist Field Practicum and Seminar II
• SOCW 674 Psychopathology

Elective Courses:**

Select at least 1 or up to 4 courses from the following:

• SOCW 653 Immigration Policy
• SOCW 654 Social Policy for Children and Youth
• SOCW 655 Aging Programs and Policies
• SOCW 663 Global Human Rights Policy
• SOCW 676 Selected Topics in Social Work and Social Change
• SOCW 684 Social Work and the Law
• SOCW 685 Organizational Leadership for Social Workers
• SOCW 664 Creative Arts in Social Work Practice
• SOCW 667 Advanced Group Theory and Practice
• SOCW 675 Selected Topics in Clinical Practice
• SOCW 677 Family Therapy
• SOCW 678 Trauma and Recovery
• SOCW 679 Military Social Work
• SOCW 682 Substance Abuse Interventions
• SOCW 710 Behavioral Health Interventions

Specialization in Children, Youth, and Families (CYF)

Core Courses:

• GCH 500 Foundations of Public Health
• SOCW 630 Forensic Social Work Practice
• SOCW 650 Advanced Social Work Policy Practice Skills
• SOCW 683 Clinical Practice with Children, Youth, and Families
• SOCW 688 Program Evaluation for Social Workers

Specialization in Adults and Healthy Aging (AHA)

Core Courses:

• GCH 500 Foundations of Public Health
• SOCW 640 Clinical Practice with Adults
• SOCW 650 Advanced Social Work Policy Practice Skills
• SOCW 688 Program Evaluation for Social Workers
• SOCW 689 Clinical Practice with Older Adults

Field Practicum Courses

Generalist Practicum Courses:

• SOCW 672 Generalist Field Practicum and Seminar I
• SOCW 673 Generalist Field Practicum and Seminar II

Specialized Practicum Courses:

• SOCW 696 Specialized Practice Field Practicum and Seminar I
• SOCW 698 Specialized Practice Field Practicum and Seminar II

Advanced Standing

Courses:

• 33 total credit hours
• 1 MSW Generalist Course
• Specialization Core Courses
• 12 total credit hours of elective courses (at least one must be a macro elective)

Field Education

• Our Field Education Office works to support students completing a field practicum course. Field education faculty help match students to a social work practice setting that has been screened by the field education professionals. Students will learn in a real-life setting that will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the competencies necessary for entering social work practice. Students will have opportunities to demonstrate social work competencies in their home community through local, in-person internships. We work with over 400 field practicum agencies in Northern Virginia, the Washington Metropolitan area (DMV), and within the United States (50 states).
• Two Types of Field Placements
  • Typical: Field Education Office matches students with affiliated agencies who are a part of a large data base of agencies that have worked with our students. This data base also includes agencies in other states that have worked with Mason online students. Field Practicum hours must mirror the agency’s hours of operations. Programs, Field Instructors, and Supervision must be available during this time.
  • Employment-Based Field Practicum (EBP) Requirements
    • A student holds full-time employment with an eligible social service agency with social work-related job responsibilities.
    • A student has worked for the agency for at least six months and/or completed the employment probation period by the start of their field practicum.
    • Letters of reference from the Program Director and Supervisor stating the support of the EBP arrangement.***

*Licensing requirements differ by state, but the MSW degree is the qualifying degree for any state license.
**Elective curriculum is subject to change. Students are required to take four electives with one being a macro elective to meet the graduation requirements of the program. GCH 500, Foundations in Public Health, will be a required course as one of these four electives. Please note, not all electives are offered in the online format. Currently, the electives offered online are SOCW 654, SOCW 655, SOCW 675, SOCW 677, SOCW 678, SOCW 682. If you have additional questions, please reach out to an Admissions Representative.

***Additional requirements for EBP will apply.

Tuition & Fees (2023–2024):

Tuition is $795 per credit hour. An additional charge of $35 per credit hour applies for a Distance Learning fee.

Financial Aid:

For information on loans and scholarships, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid. For information regarding grants, tuition waivers, and other merit aid, please inquire with your graduate department.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for social workers is high and expected to grow 16 percent by 2026—a rate more than double that of all other positions.¹

Mason’s MSW graduates go on to fill roles in a wide variety of fields, including:

• Aging/Gerontology
• Family Services
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services
• International Governmental and NGOs
• Child Protection, Foster Care and Adoption
• Housing/Homelessness Programs
• Community Development
• Health and Mental Health Practice
• Forensic Social Work
• Lobbying and Advocacy
• Disabilities
• Nonprofit Agency Management
• Domestic Violence
• Poverty and Welfare
• Employee Assistance
• School Social Work

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Social Workers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm (visited October 28, 2018).

If you are unable to find the answers to your questions, submit a Request For Information form or contact our admissions representative via the contact information below.

Phone: 703-348-5006
Email: online2@gmu.edu

How do I apply?

Applicants for the online MSW should apply here.

Admission FAQs

How long does it take to complete the program?

The part-time online MSW is 60 credit hours and can be completed in 10 semesters.

When are classes held?

MSW classes for part-time online students are offered in an asynchronous format, meaning they can be viewed interactively at your convenience. However, there may be opportunities for synchronous participation in some courses.

How do I plan for the field education courses with a practicum experience?

The “in-person practicum” will occur within your community. This is the most common model for online MSW programs. Students will be expected to complete the practicum during regular business hours (8am – 5pm). Personnel who are required to supervise students do not commonly work on evenings and weekends. There are some options for completing the practicum within your work setting if certain qualifications are met, otherwise students will be expected to plan to set aside 16 to 20 hours per week.

What is an asynchronous format?

Learning online in an asynchronous format means that you can complete your degree in the times and locations that are best for you. Field practicum courses must be in-person during regular work hours.

Coursework is delivered through a variety of prerecorded video lessons, readings, or game-based learning tasks that you’ll complete according to the due dates in the syllabus, but this doesn’t mean you learn alone. Instead, you’ll get to know faculty and your peers in discussion posts, virtual office hours, group assignments, peer-initiated study groups, online chats and video when everyone logs in at the same time to hold discussions and work together.

What accreditations do George Mason and the MSW program hold?

The MSW is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). George Mason University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

How much does it cost to apply?

While there is a $75 application fee, there are multiple times throughout the year that the fee may be waived.

What are the admissions recommendations?

• Completed online application
• $75 application fee
• Resume
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose essay
• Undergrad GPA-minimum 3.0 
• GPA Addendum Essay if undergrad GPA below 3.0
• All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts*
• Required courses Statistics, English Composition, History or Government, Social Science – listed in Experience Grid
• Work or volunteer experience in related field highly recommended
• One Letter of Recommendation must be from a supervisor

Are there additional requirements for Advanced Standing?

• Students must have received a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program
• BSW must have been received in the past 5 years
• 2 Letters of Recommendation (one must be from BSW program director or full-time faculty)
• BSW field evaluation
• Undergrad GPA minimum of 3.2 (must submit undergraduate and graduate transcripts)
• Video interview

*All official transcripts with a degree conferral need to be approved and processed by the second semester. Degree conferral’s typically post 2-3 months after courses close.