A bachelor’s in psychology can help you build a good foundation for future social work education, and you can potentially find entry-level jobs related to social work with a bachelor’s degree.

However, to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), you will need more than a psychology bachelor’s degree—you will need to earn a Master of Social Work.¹

1. Individuals considering the Master of Social Work program should be aware that state certification/ licensure requirements and eligibility to apply for certification/licensure vary from state to state. While certification/licensure is not a requirement for certain types of jobs, in some states, it may be required for any positions titled ‘Social Worker’ and to refer to yourself as a Social Worker in professional settings.

Expect a higher education requirement for some teaching jobs in social work programs at different types of colleges and universities.

According to the 2020 Annual Survey, 89.8% of full-time faculty in social work programs hold a master’s in social work, with 48.9% holding a research-focused doctorate in social work. In addition, over half of full-time faculty hold a license in social work.

Every institution will have their own expectations for education, but earning your master’s degree and becoming licensed is a good first step to increasing your qualification to become a professor, assistant professor, instructor or lecturer.

You will study a variety of topics in a social work master’s degree program. Our class topics include:

• Human Behavior in the Social Environment I and II
• Generalist Social Work with Individuals/Groups
• Generalist Practice with Organizations/Community
• Social Work Research Methods and Application
• Social Policy and Services
• Advanced Clinical Social Work Theory and Practice
• Advanced Psychosocial Assessment & Clinical Diagnosis

View our full MSW program curriculum.

How long it takes depends on what education and experience you’ve already earned.

If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-social work major, you can potentially complete an MSW program in around 2 years and prepare to become a social worker.

If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW), you may qualify for faster programs designed for students who have already completed some social work undergraduate coursework.

While the field of social work has evolved to become more diverse and specialized, core master’s degree courses prepare you for a wide variety of job possibilities.

Choose the MSW specialization best reflecting the social work career path you want to walk.

Job titles can vary widely with overlap across each specialty. Your choice of specialty today doesn’t necessarily preclude you from pursuing job possibilities in other areas.

Mental Health

• Behavioral Health Therapist 
• Mental Health Social Worker 
• Psychiatric Social Worker 
• Psychosocial Coordinator 
• Residential Therapist 
• Substance Use Disorder Clinician 
• Suicide Prevention Specialist 
• Therapist 
• Victim Advocate 

Medical 

• Home Health & Hospice Social Worker 
• Hospice Social Worker 
• Medical Social Worker 
• Oncology Social Worker 
• Residential Treatment Coordinator 
• Social Work Case Manager 

Children, Families, and Aging

• Adoption Social Worker 
• Adult Protective Services Worker 
• Child Protective Services Supervisor (CPS Social Worker) 
• Domestic Violence Advocate 
• Family Protection Specialist 
• Family Resource Coordinator 
• Family Service Worker 
• Foster Care Social Worker 
• Gerontology Social Worker 
• Pediatric Social Worker 
• School Social Worker 
• Veteran Affairs (VA) Social Worker 
• Youth Specialist 

Educational and licensing requirements can vary by state and employer across both jobs. The disciplines are distinct enough to demand separate master’s degree curriculums.

The primary difference between clinical social workers and mental health counselors is the scope of their duties and the education required to perform them. Generally, counselors focus solely on mental health issues, while clinical social workers carry a wide variety of responsibilities including and beyond mental health care.

Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) includes more involvement in managing your clients’ support network and larger community. While clinical social workers can potentially adopt a direct, active role in diagnosing and treating mental health issues, it’s not the sole purpose of the profession as it is for mental health counselors.

Social workers provide assistance to individuals, families and communities to address problems in their everyday lives. They can work in a “macro” role directly coordinating with organizations or policymakers, or a “micro” role focusing on individuals and their families. 

The social work job description varies—social workers can have a wide variety of duties: 

• Find those in need of help 
• Work with people in all stages of life from birth to end of life 
• Assess their situation: what they need, who supports them, what their goals are and develop interventions and strategies to help 
• Collaborate with community resources to offer a network of care and refer clients accordingly 
• Diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional health problems 
• Maintain clear case files and records 
• Raise awareness and advocate for solutions at the local, state, or even national level 
• Navigate crisis situations, such as child abuse, family and community violence, or health emergencies 

Yes, you can elect an extended 4-year part-time program as an alternative to the 2-year full-time plan. The extended 4-year plan spans 12 semesters as opposed to 6 semesters in the full-time plan.