Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in Florida - Campus and Online

There are 12 universities in the state of Florida that currently offer Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs. Nine of these schools are part of the State University System of Florida (SUSF), which includes the University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, and Florida State University. There are also three private, non-profit universities in the state that offer MSW programs.

All 12 Florida universities offer traditional MSW programs that require a bachelor’s degree for admission, but that do not require applicants to have earned an undergraduate degree in social work. For students who graduated from a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), all 12 universities also offer programs that are designed specifically for students who hold a bachelor’s in social work degree. These programs, which are often referred to as advanced standing MSW programs, require a BSW degree for admission.

In addition to campus-based MSW programs and MSW programs that utilize a hybrid format that combines online and campus-based instruction, there are six schools in Florida that offer fully online MSW programs both for traditional and advanced standing students. All of the MSW programs offered by the following Florida universities are, as noted below, fully accredited by the CSWE.

• Barry University (Accredited)
• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Accredited)
• Florida Atlantic University (Accredited)
• Florida Gulf Coast University (Accredited)
• Florida International University (Accredited)
• Florida State University (Accredited)
• Saint Leo University (Accredited)
• Southeastern University (Accredited)
• University of Central Florida (Accredited)
• University of North Florida (Accredited)
• University of South Florida (Accredited)
• University of West Florida (Accredited)

The MSW programs offered by the schools listed above are detailed in the sections below. For convenience, traditional programs are grouped separately from advanced standing programs, and, within each section, primarily campus-based programs are grouped separately from online programs. For more information, see the following sections:

• Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Florida
• Traditional Online MSW Programs in Florida
• Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Florida
• Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Florida
• Directory of All MSW Programs in Florida

Traditional MSW Programs in Florida

Applicants to a traditional MSW program are required to have completed a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited college or university. However, traditional programs do not require applicants to have earned their bachelor’s degree in social work or to have studied social work at the undergraduate level. While some programs may give preference to applicants who have an undergraduate degree in social sciences or a related field, there are traditional MSW programs that will accept students who have bachelor’s degrees in almost any field, assuming they can demonstrate why they wish to pursue a master’s degree in social work.

Traditional MSW programs are full-length master’s programs, which means they are typically comprised of four full-time semesters of coursework and field education, a signature pedagogy of social work training that involves supervised work experiences at social service agencies and other places where social work services are provided. The CSWE requires MSW programs to provide traditional students with a minimum of 900 hours of field education. While full-time students generally take two years to earn an MSW in a traditional program, many programs are designed to allow students to enroll on a part-time basis, which can extend the time to completion by one or more years. There are also accelerated programs that allow students to take courses year-round and graduate in approximately 16 to 18 months.

The state of Florida is home to twelve universities that offer traditional MSW programs. Six of these schools offer online programs and 11 have campus-based and/or hybrid programs that blend in-person and online instruction.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Florida

Barry University has a traditional MSW program with a Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice curriculum that is offered in a fully campus-based format at the university’s main campus in Miami Shores and at its Gardens Professional Center in West Palm Beach. This is 63-credit traditional program that includes 1,000 required hours of field education. The program is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or disciple. In addition, the School of Social Work at Barry University prefers applicants to have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. (Applicants whose GPA is below 3.0 may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis). Traditional students can earn their MSW degree in 16 months of full-time enrollment or 28 months of part-time enrollment.

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M) offers a traditional, campus-based MSW program with a Community-Based Social Service Administration specialization that is designed to prepare students for macro practice social work in urban and rural settings. The program, which is offered through Florida A&M’s College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, consists of 67 credits, including two 450-hour field placements for a total of 900 hours of field education. To be eligible for the program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last 60 hours of college coursework. Traditional students can complete Florida A&M’s MSW program in two years of full-time enrollment or choose part-time enrollment and graduate in four years.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) offers a traditional MSW program through its Sandler School of Social Work. The program is primarily site-based, with classes meeting at FAU’s Boca Raton campus, but it does incorporate some online instruction. Students in the program complete a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum designed to prepare graduates for clinical practice with children, adolescents, adults, elders, couples, families, and groups. In addition, students in the program have the option of pursuing a certificate in Child Welfare, Healthy Aging, or Addictions. Bachelor’s program graduates are eligible for FAU’s MSW program provided they have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the most recent 60 credits of college-level coursework. Traditional students can complete the program, which includes 1,000 hours of required field education, in two years if they enroll on a full-time basis, or in three or four years of part-time study.

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has an MSW program that it offers through its Marieb College of Health & Human Services and its Department of Social Work. The program has a 60-credit curriculum for traditional students. Applicants are expected to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of undergraduate coursework. FGCU’s MSW program has a Clinical Social Work curriculum with an optional Medical Social Work concentration. Traditional students in the program are required to engage in 1,000 hours of field education and can graduate in two years of full-time enrollment or four years of part-time enrollment.

Florida International University (FIU) has a traditional, campus-based MSW program that is offered through the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work. Traditional students in the program are required to complete 60 credits, which includes 920 hours of field education. The program has a Clinical Practice Social Work focus. Students in the program have the option of pursuing certificates in Addictions, Child Welfare, and Social Work Practice for the Elderly. All traditional students in the Stempel College MSW program are required to engage in 920 hours of field education and can earn their degree in four semesters (two years) of full-time enrollment. To be eligible for this program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale in all upper-division undergraduate coursework and a grade of C or better in biology, statistics, and 12 credits of social science coursework.

Florida State University (FSU) offers a campus-based MSW program for traditional students in two locations: Tallahassee; and Panama City. At the Tallahassee campus, the program has a Clinical Social Work concentration that allows students to earn optional certificates in Child Welfare and Gerontology/Aging Studies, as well as a Social Leadership macro practice concentration with an optional certificate in Leadership in Executive and Administrative Development. Both concentrations require traditional students to complete 61 graduate credits, including 944 hours of site-based field practicums. The Panama City campus only offers the Clinical Social Work concentration and does not have certificate options. All of FSU’s traditional MSW program options are designed to be completed in 20 months (five semesters) of full-time enrollment. Traditional student may opt to earn their degree on a part-time basis provided they graduate within seven years of starting the program.

Southeastern University offers a traditional MSW program with a Clinical Social Work Practice specialization that prepares students for direct practice with individuals, families, and groups. The program is campus-based and holds classes at Southeastern University’s Lakeland campus two evenings per week when school is in session. In addition, traditional students are required to engage in 900 hours of field education while earning their degree. To be eligible for this program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. Southeastern also requires applicants to have completed college courses in psychology, English composition, and statistics with a passing grade of C or better. This program is designed to be completed in five semesters of full-time enrollment.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) has a campus-based MSW program with a 62-credit traditional track for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or discipline. Applicants are also required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. The program offers a Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities curriculum that includes 1,000 hours of required field education. Students have the option of completing a nine-credit Military Social Work Graduate Certificate while earning their MSW degree at UCF. This program has a full-time completion plan that takes two years and a part-time completion plan that leads to graduating in three years.

The University of North Florida (UNF) offers an Advanced Generalist Practice MSW program with a traditional track in which face-to-face courses are taught during the late afternoon and evening hours at UNF’s Jacksonville campus. The Advanced Generalist Practice curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work. It includes 900 required hours of field training. Applicants to UNF’s traditional MSW program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of undergraduate coursework. This program has a two-year, full-time enrollment track and a four-year track for students who prefer part-time enrollment.

The University of South Florida (USF) has a traditional MSW program that it offers at its main campus in Tampa and at its USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. Both campuses offer a 60-credit Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum for traditional students that includes 900 required hours of field education. The program offered on USF’s main campus in Tampa has a full-time track that can be complete in four semesters, as well as a part-time track that takes eight semesters to complete. The Sarasota-Manatee campus only offers the part-time enrollment option. Applicants to USF’s MSW program are required to hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

The University of West Florida (UWF) offers a Clinical Social Work Practice MSW program in a traditional, campus-based format that consists of 60 credits of coursework, including 900 hours of required field education. The program, which is offered by UWF’s Department of Social Work and College of Education and Professional Studies, is designed to be completed in two years of full-time enrollment. However, students in the program have up to five years to earn their degree if they choose to enroll on a part-time basis. Applicants to UWF’s traditional MSW program are expected to have a bachelor’s degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Florida

Barry University has a part-time MSW program that is offered in a fully online format for traditional students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or discipline. The program has the same admissions and curricular requirements as the campus-based program offered by the School of Social Work at Barry University. Applicants are expected to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a four-point scale in their last 60 credits of college coursework. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be considered for admissions on a case-by-case basis. Traditional students in the online MSW program complete a 63-credit curriculum that has a Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice focus and includes 1,000 hours of required field education. The program is designed for part-time students who take two courses per semester and graduate in 28 months (eight semesters).

Florida State University (FSU) has an MSW program that is offered in an online format that requires traditional students to attend two weekend-long campus-based sessions and complete 944 hours of site-based field instruction. The program has a Clinical Social Work concentration that prepares students to apply for a license to practice as a clinical social worker in the state of Florida and many other states. This is a 61-credit traditional program that is designed for part-time enrollment. Most students in the program take two courses per semester and graduate in roughly three years.

Saint Leo University offers an online MSW program with an Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice specialization that utilizes a cohort model in which groups of students begin and progress through the 62-credit curriculum together and graduate either in two years of full-time enrollment or three years of part-time enrollment. Students in the program are required to attend one clinical residency at Saint Leo’s Florida campus that lasts for two days. In addition, online students are responsible for completing four 256-hour field practicums at program approved sites for a total of 1,024 hours of field education. The program is available to students who live in Florida, Georgia, Illinois. Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers its traditional MSW program in a fully online format that does not require any campus visits. The program has a 62-credit Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities curriculum that requires traditional students to engage in 1,000 hours of site-based field education. Applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and to have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. The program is designed for part-time enrollment and can be completed in three years.

The University of South Florida (USF) offers its traditional MSW program in a fully online format that has the same admissions requirements and curriculum as the program offered on campus by USF’s School of Social Work. Applicants to the program must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. The program has a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that requires traditional students to engage in 900 hours of site-based field education. The online program is offered part-time and takes eight semesters to complete.

The University of West Florida (UWF) has a fully online MSW program with a traditional track for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or discipline provided their cumulative undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. The program has a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that requires traditional students to complete 60 credits, which includes 900 hours of site-based field education. Traditional students in UWF’s online MSW program can earn their degree in two years of full-time study or three to five years of part-time enrollment.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Florida

To be eligible for an advanced standing MSW program track, students are required to have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Students who are granted advanced standing status receive credit for the foundational social work courses and field instruction they have already completed during their undergraduate program and are thus able to earn an MSW degree in roughly half the time it takes for traditional students. Advanced standing students who are enrolled on a full-time basis in an MSW program can generally earn their degree in one year, during which they must engage in several hundred hours of field instruction (between 400 and 600 hours is common for advanced standing students). Part-time students who have advanced standing status typically earn their degree in two years.

It is important to note that BSW graduates may not automatically qualify for an MSW program’s advanced standing track. Many programs require advanced standing applicants to have earned their BSW degree within the last five to ten years, and it is not uncommon for advanced standing program tracks to have other admissions requirements, such as a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

All 12 of the schools in Florida that offer MSW programs have at least one advanced standing program track, and there are six schools that offer fully online advanced standing programs.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Florida

Barry University’s Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice MSW program has an advanced standing track for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program conferred within the last five years and who have a 3.0 GPA in all of their social work major courses. The program is offered on campus in two locations: Miami Shores, at the university’s main campus; and West Palm Beach, at the Gardens Professional Center. Advanced standing students are required to engage in 580 hours of field education and can graduate in seven months of full-time enrollment (two semesters) or in 16 months of part-time enrollment (four semesters).

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M) has a campus-based MSW program that is offered in an advanced standing format for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. In addition, applicants are expected to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last 60 credits of coursework and a grade of C or better in all social work major courses. This is a 32-credit program that includes 450 hours of field education. It is designed to be completed in two semesters of full-time enrollment. Offered through Florida A&M’s College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, the program provides students with training in macro practice social work with a concentration in Community-Based Social Service Administration.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) offers its Clinical Social Work Practice MSW program in an advanced standing format for qualified graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs who earned their degree within the last five years and achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of college-level coursework. This is a 30-credit advanced standing program that is primarily campus-based, although some of the program’s coursework is delivered via online instruction. Advanced standing students must complete two 300-hour field practicums for a total of 600 hours of field education. FAU’s Sandler School of Social Work gives MSW program students the option of earning certificates in Child Welfare, Healthy Aging, or Addictions while completing their degree. Advanced standing students have a choice between a two-semester, full-time completion plan or a part-time plan that takes four semesters.

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) offers an advanced standing MSW program track for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program that was conferred within the last five years. Additionally, advanced standing applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in all of their social work major courses. The FGCU MSW program has a Clinical Social Work focus and an optional concentration in Medical Social Work. It requires advanced standing students to complete 500 hours of field education. The completion time for the program is one year for full-time advanced standing students and two years for advanced standing students who opt to enroll on a part-time basis.

Florida International University (FIU) has a 33-credit advanced standing MSW program track that is open to BSW-program graduates who attended a CSWE-accredited program, graduated with a 3.25 GPA in their upper-division undergraduate courses, and earned a grade of C or better in statistics, biology, and 12 credits of college-level social sciences coursework. The program, which is offered through the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, has a Clinical Practice Social Work focus and offers students the option of earning certificates in Addictions, Child Welfare, and Social Work Practice for the Elderly. Advanced standing students in the program are required to complete 576 hours of field education and can graduate in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time enrollment. This is a fully campus-based program.

Florida State University (FSU) has an MSW program that is offered at campuses in Tallahassee and Panama City. Both locations have an advanced standing program track that accepts applications from CSWE-accredited BSW programs. The Tallahassee campus program gives students two options for specialization: Clinical Social Work with optional certificates in Child Welfare and Gerontology/Aging Studies; and Social Leadership with an optional certificate in Leadership in Executive and Administrative Development. For the Panama City campus program, only the Clinical Social Work concentration is offered. FSU requires students to engage in 512 hours of field education as part of its 39-credit advanced standing program track. Students with advanced standing status can complete their degree in one year of full-time enrollment or earn their degree on a part-time basis provided they complete all of their graduate requirements within seven years.

Southeastern University offers its campus-based MSW in an advanced standing format for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Applicants whose BSW was conferred more than ten years ago are required to submit a letter to the program demonstrating that they have remained up to date with their professional knowledge in order to be considered for admission, and all applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of coursework. Southeastern University’s MSW program has a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that requires advanced standing students to engage in 500 hours of field education and that can be completed in as few as nine months. Classes for the program are held two evenings per week at Southeastern University’s main campus in Lakeland.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) has a campus-based MSW program with a 32-credit advanced standing track for qualified applicants who graduated from a CSWE-accredited BSW program within the last six years and have a cumulative GPA of 3.3. or higher in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. Advanced standing students can complete the program in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment. The program has a Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities curriculum that requires advanced standing students to engage in 600 hours of field education. UCF’s School of Social Work also offers a nine-credit graduate certificate in Military Social Work that can be completed as part of its campus-based MSW program.

The University of North Florida (UNF) has a campus-based MSW program that it offers in an advanced standing format for qualified students who hold a BSW degree conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last six years. In addition, advanced standing applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework. UNF’s MSW program has an Advanced Generalist Practice curriculum that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work. Advanced standing students are required to complete 500 hours of field education and can graduate from the program in one year of full-time enrollment.

The University of South Florida (USF) has a Clinical Social Work Practice MSW program with an advanced standing track that is offered at USF’s main campus in Tampa and at a secondary campus in Sarasota. To qualify for advanced standing status, applicants to the USF program must hold a BSW degree conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program and have a 3.0 or higher GPA in their most recent 60 credits of coursework. Advanced standing students in USF’s MSW program are required to engage in 600 hours of field education. The Tampa campus program has a full-time enrollment option that takes three semesters for advanced standing students to complete, and a five-semester part-time enrollment option. The Sarasota-Manatee campus program only offers the five-semester, part-time enrollment option.

The University of West Florida (UWF) has a 30-credit, campus-based advanced standing MSW program track that is designed to be completed in one year of full-time enrollment, during which students engage in 600 hours of supervised field education. Advanced standing students who would prefer to enroll on a part-time basis in the UWF program can do so but must complete all program requirements within five years of starting the program. UWF’s MSW program has a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum. To be eligible for advanced standing status, applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program conferred within the last seven years and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale in all undergraduate social work courses.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Florida

Barry University has a fully online advanced standing MSW program track that consists of 32 credits of coursework, inclusive of 580 hours of site-based field education. To be eligible for this program, applicants must hold a BSW degree earned within the last five years from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all courses from their social work major. The program has a Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice curriculum that is designed to be completed in four semesters of part-time enrollment, which can be done in 16 months.

Florida State University (FSU) has an online Clinical Social Work MSW program with an advanced standing track for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from an undergraduate program accredited by the CSWE. The Clinical Social Work curriculum is designed to prepare students for eventual licensure in clinical social work and includes 512 required hours of field education. This is a 39-credit advanced standing MSW program that is offered in a part-time format that takes most students two years to complete. The program is fully online and does not require any campus visits.

Saint Leo University’s online MSW program is offered in a 32-credit advanced standing format for students who graduated from a CSWE-accredited BSW program within the last five years and achieved a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 on a four-point scale. The program has an Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that includes two 256-hour field practicums for a total of 512 hours of required field education. In addition, online students are required to attend a two-day clinical residency on campus at Saint Leo. Advanced standing students in the program have a choice between a full-time enrollment cohort that takes one year to progress through the curriculum, and a two-year, part-time enrollment cohort. This program is currently only available to students who are residents of the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois. Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers a fully online MSW program with an advanced standing track that is designed to be completed in two years of part-time enrollment. The program’s 32-credit curriculum has a Clinical Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities focus and requires 600 hours of supervised, site-based field education. To be eligible for UCF’s advanced standing MSW program track, applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program that was conferred within the last six years. In addition, candidates for advanced standing status must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a four-point scale in their most recent 60 credits of college coursework.

The University of South Florida (USF) offers a fully online advanced standing MSW program track for graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs who attained a GPA of 3.0 pr higher in all social work major courses. The 35-credit program has a Clinical Social Work Practice curriculum that requires students to engage in 600 hours of site-based field education. Advanced standing students who enroll in USF’s online program can complete their degree in three semesters of full-time study. The program also has a five-semester part-time enrollment plan.

The University of West Florida (UWF) offers its Clinical Social Work Practice MSW program in a fully online format that has an advanced standing track for eligible applicants who received their BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last seven years. In addition, advanced standing applicants must have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their social work major courses. Advanced standing students in the program complete a 30-credit curriculum that includes 600 hours of field education. Full-time students can graduate from the program in one year; part-time students have up to five years to earn their degree.

Directory of All Master of Social Work Programs in Florida

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