Social Work (MSW)

With KU’s Master of Social Work, you will be prepared to apply your passion for helping people in a fulfilling career promoting personal, family and community well-being. The MSW prepares you for advanced specialized clinical practice and leadership roles in diverse social situations. The 64 credit (44 credit for advanced standing) MSW program may be completed in a variety of face to face and online formats for full and part-time schedules including an executive schedule design. 

Social workers provide invaluable service on the front lines of mental health, addiction, conflict resolution, advocacy and community development. Their work environments and areas of specialization range from private practice, health organizations, schools, mental health organizations, children and youth agencies, nursing homes, veterans services, prisons, substance misuse clinics, and human services agencies. 

Working closely with our engaged faculty, you’ll learn the researched and proven ways to solve problems for the greater good—one family at a time. You’ll collaborate with faculty and human service providers to provide service to persons at risk, intervene with families in crisis, make connections and change the social environment to support the families of today and tomorrow.

The advanced year provides a concentration, developing depth, breadth and specificity in knowledge of the family in its social environment. Students develop further specialization through elective course offerings and a 960-hour agency-based practicum experience. This specialized program of study is achieved through each student's choice of six, 1-credit elective courses from a broad range of topics, from therapeutic interventions to agency administration and policy development.

Potential areas of specialization are wide and varied:

• Child and Family Social Workers support troubled parents, advocate for children’s rights in court, and help youth find homes through adoption.
• Criminal Justice Social Workers assist the incarcerated, ex-offenders, their families, or crime victims to help them move forward.
• Medical Social Workers work in hospitals, homecare, or rehabilitative settings.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers service people with clinical mental health or addiction.
• School Social Workers advocate for the fair and equal treatment of all students and they work to remove barriers and connect families with resources in public and private education settings.

Sample Career Options

• Medical Social Workers
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
• School Social Workers
• Child Welfare
• Human Resources
• Marriage and Family

Student Learning Outcomes