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

There are four schools that offer Master of Social Work (MSW) programs in the state of Utah: Brigham Young University (BYU); The University of Utah; Utah State University (USU); and Utah Valley University (UVU). Among the MSW programs offered by schools in Utah are five that are either entirely campus based or that provide a mix of online and campus-based coursework. Only one school in Utah, The University of Utah, currently offers a fully online MSW program.

All four schools offer traditional MSW programs, which do not require a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree for admission. Three of the four schools also offer advanced standing MSW programs, which are programs designed specifically for students who hold a BSW degree conferred by an undergraduate program with accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Currently, BYU only offers a full-length traditional MSW program.

All four schools that offer MSW degrees in the state of Utah are fully accredited by the CSWE, as noted in the following list:

• Brigham Young University (Accredited)
• The University of Utah (Accredited)
• Utah State University (Accredited)
• Utah Valley University (Accredited)

Each of the MSW programs offered by universities in Utah are described in the sections below. Programs are grouped based on whether they are traditional or advanced standing programs and by instructional methods, with online programs grouped separately from programs that are fully or partially campus-based. Programs that require more than two campus visits per year are classified as hybrid programs, whereas programs that require two or fewer campus-visits per year are classified as online programs.

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

Traditional MSW Programs in Utah

All four of the universities that offer MSW programs in Utah have at least one traditional MSW pathway designed for qualified candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree. Traditional MSW programs are full-length graduate programs that provide training and instruction in clinical and/or macro practice social work and which culminate in the conferral of a master’s degree in social work. Like master’s programs in many other fields, traditional MSW programs generally consist of four semesters of academic requirements and can thus be completed in two years of full-time study. Students also have the option to pursue an MSW through part-time enrollment, which allows students to continue working while pursuing their degree. Most part-time pathways can be completed in three or four years.

Field education is a signature pedagogy of MSW programs and is required in order for a program to achieve accreditation from the CSWE. During field practicums, students gain hands-on, in-person experience working under the supervision of a qualified preceptor. Traditional MSW programs require a minimum of 900 hours of field education that must be completed at social work organizations and human services agencies approved by the program. Students in online MSW programs are generally allowed to complete field education hours at organizations and agencies in their geographical area.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Utah

Brigham Young University (BYU) has a traditional, campus-based MSW program with a curriculum that focuses on social work practice with families and children. Students in the program can choose between two areas of emphasis: Clinical Social Work; and Social Work Research. The Clinical specialization is designed to prepare students to become licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), while the Research specialization in meant for student who would like to pursue a doctoral degree after completing their MSW. BYU’s MSW program is a full-time program that takes 20 months to complete and which includes 1050 required hours of field education.

The University of Utah offers several traditional, campus-based MSW program options: a full-time, two-year program with classes that are held at the university’s main campus in Salt Lake City; a three-year, part-time program with evening classes that are held at the Salt Lake City campus; and a three-year, part-time program that holds classes in the evenings at the university’s St. George Graduate Center. The Salt Lake City programs have an advanced generalist curriculum that provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work and which gives students a choice of seven focus areas: Aging; Child Welfare; Forensic Social Work; Global Social Work; Health; Mental Health; and Substance Use.

The St. George program only offers the Mental Health focus area and enrolls a new cohort of students every three years. The next cohort is scheduled to start in the fall of 2023, then after that a new cohort will start in the fall of 2026, and so forth. All of the traditional, campus-based MSW program options offered by The University of Utah require students to complete a minimum of 900 hours of field education.

Utah State University (USU) has a traditional, campus-based MSW program with an advanced generalist specialization that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work. The program is offered in a two-year format for full-time students at USU’s main campus in Logan, and in a three-year, part-time format on the Logan campus and at a number of USU’s Statewide Campuses (contact USU for more information on the locations of these programs). Full-time and part-time students in the program must complete a total of 974 hours of field education, including a 24-hour professional seminar.

Utah Valley University (UVU) offers a hybrid MSW program for traditional students. The program provides a mix of campus-based coursework and online instruction and requires students to complete two 450-hour practicums for a total of 900 hours of field education. UVU’s traditional MSW program is a full-time program that takes two years to complete. The program’s curriculum has an advanced generalist focus, which means that it provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work. Students can also select electives from emphasis areas in Addictions, Mental Health, and Engaging with Diverse Populations.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Utah

The University of Utah offers a traditional MSW program in a fully online format that does not require any campus visits. This is a full-time program that is designed to be completed in two years and requires a minimum of 900 hours of field education at sites approved by the program. Students typically devote two days per week to field education during the first year and three days per week in the program’s second year. The program has an advanced generalist curriculum with a focus on mental health in social work.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Utah

Advanced standing MSW programs are programs designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from an undergraduate program that is accredited by the CSWE. These programs require fewer credits and field education hours compared to traditional programs and can thus be completed in less time. A typical advanced standing program takes one year of full-time enrollment to complete. Students who enroll part-time in an advanced standing program can generally finish their degree in two years. While field education requirements vary by program, most programs require 450 or more hours of field education for advanced standing students.

It is important to note that BSW graduates are not guaranteed admission to advanced standing programs. Many advanced standing programs require students to have completed their BSW program within the last five to seven years, and some programs have additional admissions requirements, such as a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. BSW graduates who are not eligible for an advanced standing program can still earn an MSW degree by enrolling in a traditional program.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Utah

The University of Utah has two campus-based advanced standing MSW programs, one that is offered at the university’s main campus in Salt Lake City, and one that is offered at The University of Utah’s St. George Graduate Center. The Salt Lake City advanced standing program gives students seven options in terms of focus areas for their studies, which include: Aging; Child Welfare; Forensic Social Work; Global Social Work; Health; Mental Health; and Substance Use. The St. George program only offers the Mental Health focus area.

Both programs have an advanced generalist curriculum that provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work, and both programs are designed to be completed in three semesters, which includes 600 hours of field education. To be eligible for these programs, applicants must have earned a BSW degree within the last seven years.

Utah State University (USU) offers a one-year, full-time advanced standing MSW program that begins with a summer session seminar and continues with two semesters of coursework and field internships. The program has an Advanced Generalist Practice specialization, which means that students receive training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work. Students in the program are required to complete 524 hours of field education internships. To be eligible for USU’s advanced standing MSW program, applicants must hold a BSW degree conferred within the last five years and have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better in all undergraduate social work courses.

Utah Valley University (UVU) offers an advanced generalist MSW program that has an advanced standing track for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Within the advanced generalist curriculum, students have the option of selecting electives from three different emphasis areas, which include Addictions, Mental Health, and Engaging with Diverse Populations. This is a hybrid program in which students take a mix of campus-based and online classes. Advanced standing students must complete 450 hours of field education and can graduate in one year of full-time enrollment. The program begins with a summer session, during which students take five credits of bridge courses to prepare them for the program’s advanced coursework.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Utah

The University of Utah’s School of Social Work offers an online, advanced standing MSW program with a focus on Mental Health in Social Work. This program only admits students who have earned their BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution within the last seven years. This 45-credit program can be completed in as few as three semesters of full-time study, and includes courses in psychopathology, mental health practice, diversity and social justice, and therapeutic practices for substance use. Students also complete a 450-hour advanced field practicum.

All Master of Social Work Programs in Utah

T Traditional programs, Advanced Standing programs, Campus programs, Hybrid programs (campus and online instruction), Hybrid-Online programs (3 to ~6 campus visits per year), Online programs (fully online to 2 campus visits per year)

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