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Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in New Hampshire - Campus, Online, and Hybrid

Updated: February 10, 2021

The University of New Hampshire (UNH), a public research university in Durham that is part of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), is currently the only school in the state through which students can earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. However, UNH has a number of program options for those interested in pursuing an MSW degree, including a campus-based program, an online program, and a hybrid program that combines online coursework with classes that are held at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester (UNH Manchester). In addition, UNH’s MSW program has an advanced standing track for students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited undergraduate program. The advanced standing track is offered on campus at the university’s Durham campus and in an online format.

UNH’s MSW programs are offered through the university’s CSWE-accredited Department of Social Work, which is housed within UNH’s College of Health and Human Services. All of the program options have an advanced generalist focus with specializations in: Addictions and Substance Abuse; Children, Youth, and Families; Disabilities; and Health and Mental Health.

Details about the MSW programs offered by UNH, as well as information about additional options for New Hampshire residents who are interested in pursuing an MSW degree, are provided below in the following sections:

Traditional MSW Programs in New Hampshire

A traditional MSW program is a full-length master’s degree program that provides training and instruction in foundational and advanced social work practice. Traditional MSW programs require applicants to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; however, a bachelor’s degree in a social sciences field (e.g., social work, sociology, psychology) is often not required for admission. These programs consist of roughly two years or four full-time semesters of coursework, including at least 900 hours of field education. Students who enroll part-time in a traditional MSW program typically take three to four years to earn their degree.

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) offers a traditional MSW program in several formats through its CSWE-accredited Department of Social Work. The program’s curriculum has an advanced generalist focus, which means the program provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work. Students in the program can choose from among four specialization options: Addictions and Substance Abuse; Children, Youth, and Families; Disabilities; and Health and Mental Health. The program has four field internships that provide students with 1,240 hours of field education. UNH’s traditional MSW program is offered in a fully campus-based format at the university’s Durham campus with a two-year full-time enrollment plan and three- and four-year part-time plans; an online format that does not require campus visits and which can be completed in 28-months; and a hybrid online format that has a three-year completion time and which includes Saturday classes at UNH’s Manchester campus, along with online coursework.

Advanced Standing MSW Program in New Hampshire

Many MSW programs offer an advanced standing track that is designed specifically for graduates of CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs. Advanced standing programs are reserved for students who have already completed all or most of their foundational training and instruction in social work practice, including at least 400 hours of field education, at the undergraduate level, and thus do not need to repeat this foundational coursework or practicum experience. As a result, advanced standing students typically only have to complete the second year of a traditional MSW program and are therefore able to earn their graduate degree in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment. As part of an advanced standing MSW program, students must also complete enough field education hours to reach the 900 total hours required by the CSWE for program accreditation. Thus, advanced standing programs generally require at least 450 to 500 hours of field education.

It is important to note that admission to a program’s advanced standing track is not guaranteed even for students who hold a BSW degree, as programs may have additional eligibility requirements, such as a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. BSW program graduates who do not qualify for a program’s advanced standing track can still earn their MSW by enrolling in a traditional MSW program.

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) offers an advanced standing MSW program that requires students to hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program and to have attained an undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher. In addition, UNH will accept students who are transferring from an accredited MSW program into its advanced standing program, provided they have completed their first year of graduate studies. Advanced standing students at UNH complete coursework and field education placements for the advanced generalist concentration year of the traditional MSW program, including 600 hours of field education, and choose from four specialization options: Addictions and Substance Abuse; Children, Youth, and Families; Disabilities; and Health and Mental Health. The advanced standing track is offered in an on-campus format at UNH’s Durham campus and an online format. The completion time for full-time students in the advanced standing track is 16 months; part-time students can complete the advanced standing program in 24 months.

Additional MSW Program Options for New Hampshire Residents

New Hampshire residents who are interested in earning an MSW degree can do so through the programs offered by the University of New Hampshire (UNH), or they can explore programs offered by out-of-state schools that accept applicants from New Hampshire. For students who are willing to relocate for graduate school, there are schools in the neighboring states of Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts that offer campus-based and hybrid MSW programs. In addition, there are numerous online programs offered by schools in other states that accept students from New Hampshire that can be completed without having to relocate.

Online MSW programs offer all or most of their required coursework using distance-based instructional technologies and typically allow students to complete field education in their general area of residence. Online programs also provide students with access to a range of specialization options, including programs in advanced clinical practice and macro practice social work. Some online programs offer additional specialization options in areas such as military social work or gerontology social work. While many schools offer online MSW programs that do not require any campus visits, some programs have a limited number of required campus residencies. These residences are typically short in duration and scheduled to accommodate students who are travelling from out-of-state. For a program to be classified as an online program on MasterofSocialWork.com, it can require up to two campus visits per year. Programs that require three or more campus visits per year are classified as hybrid or hybrid-online programs.

Additional information about out-of-state schools that offer online MSW programs is available on our Online MSW Programs page.