Master of Social Work

The TWU Master of Social Work degree program offers two programs of study. The first is a two-year Generalist degree for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than Social Work.

The second is geared towards students with a BSW degree from an accredited program. Students who qualify can enter the program with Advanced Standing status. For these students, the first Generalist year of the MSW is waived and they can complete the program in one year.

Students accepted into the Generalist program with full-time status will complete 10 foundation courses (30 credit hours) in the first year and 10 advanced courses (30 credit hours) in the second year. Students accepted into the Advanced Standing program with full-time status will complete 10 advanced courses (30 credit hours). Students will be required to choose one elective during the advanced year. Both groups of students will graduate with the same degree.

Admissions criteria

Admission to the Master of Social Work

Program Contact

Nathan Li, PhD., MSW
MSW Program Coordinator
940-898-2079
yli11@twu.edu

Application Deadline

Rolling Admissions - Priority Date: Feb. 15 annually
Admits for Fall only

Program Options

Apply for the Generalist Program if you have a Bachelor's degree in a major other than Social Work
Apply to the Advanced Program if you have earned a Bachelor's degree from an accredited BSW program within the last 7 years. If your BSW degree was earned more than 7 years ago, please apply to the Generalist program.

Admission Requirements

Minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 semester credit hours of coursework
Upload the following documents into your TargetX application
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume highlighting relevant education, experience, and employment.
- Master of Social Work Program Application form at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yX9JascFA7VgT3C4XglftbxVYhQtV1Wd/view?usp=sharing
Two recommendation letters: Please provide the names, email addresses, and phone numbers for two individuals familiar enough with you to assess your suitability for graduate-level study in social work.
- The MSW Admissions Committee recommends including letters from recent employers in social services, volunteer supervisors at social service agencies, supervisors from your field placements, and/or current or former faculty members.
- Advanced Standing applicants are advised to have at least one reference from individuals in their BSW program, such as the program director, a faculty member or a practicum instructor, who can speak to your performance.

Student handbook

Download the Master of Social Work Student Handbook PDF for the most comprehensive and up-to-date version.

Field education

Social work is a multifaceted profession and requires you to develop a knowledge, skill and value base that can support a complex array of activities across diverse settings. The field internship has historically been one of the key elements in social work education, providing an opportunity for you to build, integrate and apply your knowledge with a client population within an agency setting.

Under the guidance of agency field Instructors, students take on greater and greater levels of responsibility. Field internships provide you an opportunity to build a repertoire of skills and enhance your sense of identification with the profession. This important educational experience is often referred to as the signature pedagogy of social work education and signifies a transition to the professional work world. For all of these reasons, students often report that field is one of the most important and challenging parts of the curriculum.

For your convenience, we have provided links to access the Field Education Manual, Field Application, Learning Contract, Internship Evaluation and current CSWE Competencies. These PDF documents are intended to provide information to both you and your field instructor to ensure a successful field experience. Feel free to contact the Field Director at any time for additional information or questions.

CSWE Assessment of Student Outcomes

Our program is guided by the CSWE nine-core competencies that students are expected to acquire in our master’s program. These competencies detail the fundamental practice behaviors students develop and use in their new roles as professional social workers. The core competencies are:

Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice
Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
Engage in Policy Practice
Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities

Student Learning Outcomes

Visit the Assessment of Student Outcomes page.

Page last updated 9:43 AM, February 16, 2024