Earning a degree in social work can take 12-48 months depending on the education you’ve already earned as well as your career aspirations in the field of social work.

If you want to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), you’ll need to earn a master’s degree. Other types of jobs in social work may require only a bachelor’s degree.

• I do not have a bachelor's degree. You can earn a BSW in 36 months (3 years). To become an LCSW, you can enroll in a BSW program, then in an Advanced Standing MSW program (12 months) in the future, representing a total of 48 months (4 years).
• I have a bachelor’s degree in another field. While you have the choice to enroll in a second bachelor’s degree (BSW), an MSW program takes less time (24 months) and positions you best for career advancement.
• I already have a BSW. You may qualify for our Advanced Standing MSW program, which can be completed in as little as 12 months (1 year). 

This can vary widely based on several factors, including employer, particular job duties, and state of employment.

For generalist roles in social work, a bachelor’s degree education is sufficient and may lead to licensure in your state of residence. To become a clinical social worker, you’ll need to earn a master’s degree.

Students seeking a 2-year pathway into the field of social work might consider our Associate of Science in Health and Human Services or Associate of Science in Criminal Justice programs. For jobs specifically in social work, we recommend a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, human services and criminal justice represent larger umbrellas under which exist entry-level positions which can provide valuable experience beneficial to a future career in social work.

Your state of residence and industry in which you want to work (e.g. child and family, school, healthcare, mental health) can potentially affect minimum education requirements. Contact our admissions team and we can help you determine which degree pathway is right for you.

The range of jobs you can potentially apply for with a master's in health and human services can make this number difficult to identify.

However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides figures for the occupational grouping Social and Community Service Managers, containing some of the most common types of professions in human services you can qualify for with a master's degree.

According to the BLS, Social and Community Services Managers earn an average annual salary of $86,100 per year ($41.39 per hour).* Pay can vary based on your education, experience level, and state of employment.

No, our program is designed both for practitioners already in the field as well as career changers coming from other focus areas, including fields like:

• Business Management
• Counseling, Life Coaching, or Psychology
• Criminal Justice
• Education
• Health Sciences
• Human Resources (HR)

Experience in the field may be an advantage for certain job opportunities, but the courses in our program will help introduce you to the health and human services field and prepare you to succeed in many types of leadership positions.

This depends on your specific career goals, namely if you want to continue specializing solely in social work, or if you want to branch out into health and human services more broadly.

The biggest difference between these two master’s degree curriculums is the MSW program prepares you to continue as a practitioner in the field as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).ⁱ

The Health and Human Services Leadership curriculum prepares you to advance from a role as a practitioner to a position in leadership or management. This is not a track to become an LCSW—rather, you would become more qualified to manage a team of social workers, or multidisciplinary team including social workers and other types of human services professionals.

i. 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.