Social Work

Master of Social Work

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30 - 60 Credit Hours*

to Graduate
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Up To 18 Hours

Transfer Credit
Cost per Hour

$617

Per Credit Hour

Become an Innovative Leader and Advocate in the Field of Social Work

EKU’s 100% online master of social work (MSW) is designed with your success in mind. The program provides students with the advanced skills needed to become adaptable, innovative leaders and advocates. The MSW program offers maximum flexibility in course of study with employer-based field placements and few prerequisites. EKU’s MSW program provides the opportunity to gain direct experience and offers full-time and part-time options so you can take courses at your own pace. MSW graduates are prepared to serve as interprofessional social workers and are positioned to take on key roles across organizations and communities.

*Advance Standing Option: 30 Credit Hours; Regular Option: 60 Credit Hours

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Benefits
Certificates
Careers

Benefits of EKU Online

Rooted in practical coursework, our fully-online MSW program blends academic and professional preparation for interprofessional social work practice. Interprofessional social workers draw from social work theory and research to inform and evaluate the delivery of ethical, culturally inclusive practice. You will take courses to practice interprofessional social work, which include guided elective courses in an Interdisciplinary University Certificate (IUC) program. IUC programs provide you unparalleled access to unique courses across disciplines that enable you to customize the MSW curriculum. Flexibility in elective course work allows you to maximize your academic experience, enhance your credentials and gain a competitive edge in the job market.

  • Candidacy status for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)*
  • Accelerated 8-week terms
  • Multiple start dates
  • Full- and part-time options
  • Access 24/7 to course assignments  
  • Reduced tuition for active duty military members and their spouses
  • 75% of EKU degree holders find jobs in Kentucky, a higher percentage than any other university in Kentucky
  • No campus visits required
  • Free textbooks through EKU BookSmart
  • Free online tutoring and career services assistance
  • Generous credit transfer policy
  • Expert faculty who provide interactive feedback and a collaborative approach to learning
  • Practicum experience with flexible practicum placement      

Social Work Certificates

Complement your Master of Social Work degree with a specialized certificate. Select one of five specialty areas, based on interests and career goals, and earn a certificate in that area as you complete your degree – at no additional cost.

Building on diverse perspectives, the MSW program prepares interprofessional social workers through an interdisciplinary approach to education. Interprofessional social workers build transformative partnerships by employing micro (individual), mezzo (group and family), and macro (organization and community) level practices to advance the social welfare of diverse clients and constituents. These certificate programs will complement your application of social work skills needed for positions in highest demand.

Designed for working professionals, certificates are an excellent way to customize your MSW for your own needs. This maximizes your flexibility to gain a competitive edge as an interprofessional social worker.

Career Opportunities

Social work is a versatile, purpose-driven profession that prepares you to positively impact the lives of individuals and families, as well as the performance of groups and organizations. A degree in social work can open doors to new job opportunities that can strengthen our communities.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 11 percent through 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth and compensation will be driven by increased demand for healthcare and social services. Relative to a number of factors within a community, the most competitive employers include hospitals, government agencies, and educational institutions based in urban areas.

Find your career

Curriculum

Our regionally accredited online program is made up of high-quality courses and taught by experienced professors dedicated to student success. EKU’s curriculum blends academic and professional preparation through course topics such as crisis intervention, addictions, and race and ethnic relations.

Degree Requirements

A total of 60 credits are required to graduate. The full program can be completed in 24 months. Individuals with a bachelor degree in social work from a CSWE accredited institution may qualify for Advanced Standing. Advanced Standing recipients require 30 credit hours to graduate and may do so in as little as 12 months.

View the MSW degree requirements:

Please review the admissions requirements before applying for this or any program. If you have questions about the program or are planning to register for classes, please speak to the program advisor.

Transfer Credits

Students may transfer up to 18 hours of credit from accredited institutions. Please note that a minimum of 15 credit hours in this degree program must be completed at Eastern Kentucky University.

As required by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) standards, the EKU MSW program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

Sample Courses

For a full list of course descriptions please see section 7 of the University graduate catalog.

SWK 860 Interprofessional Micro Practice (3)
Opportunity to focus on the application of micro-level social work theories, skills, evidence-based interventions, and research methods for practice evaluation in order to engage in ethical, culturally inclusive, and evidence-based interprofessional micro social work practice.

SWK 870 Interprofessional Mezzo Practice (3)
Opportunity to focus on the application of mezzo-level social work theories, skills, evidence-based interventions, and research methods for practice evaluation in order to engage in ethical, culturally inclusive, and evidence-based interprofessional mezzo social work practice.

SWK 880 Interprofessional Macro Practice (3)
Opportunity to focus on the application of theories of change and social justice, community engagement, and research methods for program evaluation in order to engage in ethical, culturally inclusive, interprofessional macro social work practice.

Enrollment

Lindsey Turner

Lindsey Turner

Enrollment Advisor

Call or email Lindsey Turner for information about the Social Work Master’s Degree program.

Contact Info:
859-622-7927
Lindsey.Turner@eku.edu

Application Deadlines

Term Application Deadline Classes Begin
Fall A August 1 August
Spring A January 5 January
Summer A* May 1 May

 

*These start dates are only available for Advanced Standing students. All other students may begin in either Fall A or Spring A.

Admission Requirements

Applicants applying for admission to the 60-hour program must have:

  • a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency or foreign equivalent
  • a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 and a minimum of 3.0 on undergraduate social work courses and previous graduate work**

Advanced Standing status is reserved for students who have a baccalaureate degree in social work (BSW or BSSW) from a Council on Social Work accredited program. Advanced standing status enables a student to waive all foundation-level courses, except for the Foundation Capstone course. All applicants applying for advanced standing status must have:

  • a baccalaureate degree in social work (BSW or BSSW) from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
  • a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and graduated within five years of entry to the MSW program**

** Students who do not meet the minimum requirement(s) may be considered for provisional admission based on a review of the applicant’s transcript(s) and the strengths of the other elements in their application. Some work experience is preferred. Although GRE scores are not required for program admission, applicants may submit current scores from the GRE General Exam to supplement their application materials. GRE scores are valid for five years from the date of the exam.

*The Eastern Kentucky University master’s program has achieved Candidacy for Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.

Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it has made progress toward meeting criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  A program that has attained Candidacy has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the compliance standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.

Students who enter programs that attain Candidacy in or before the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation.  Candidacy is typically a three-year process and attaining Candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain Initial Accreditation.  Candidacy applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program.  Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

Additional Contact Information

Admissions: 859-622-2106
Academic Testing: 859-622-1281
Big E Central (Financial Aid & Student Account Services): 859-622-2361
Military & Veterans Affairs Office: 859-622-2345

Student Success

The staff make the EKU social work program easy to navigate and they encourage learning and expanding knowledge. Having a program advisor that is familiar and invested in the program was also a great help.

Mollie Lunsford HarrisEKU Online Social Work Student

Online Military Students

EKU Online offers veterans and active duty military students an unparalleled online learning experience that provides accessibility, convenience and flexibility.

Special Tuition for Active Duty* Military
Eastern Kentucky University offers reduced tuition expenses to $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and $325 per credit hour for graduate courses to all service members currently serving on active duty.

*Active duty is defined as on federal orders for 180 days or more.

“I’d like to thank the EKU College of Justice & Safety for the opportunity to complete my degree online. It’s very user-friendly, and everyone has bent over backwards to make this happen.”

– 1LT Heath Bergmann, EKU Online Graduate

Heath Bergmann
 
  • “I can confidently say that — as someone who doesn’t even live in the United States — EKU’s online program has been extremely accommodating and flexible. I can discuss advising appointments over email, and I can have my textbooks shipped to my address overseas.” – Sydney Garner Lewis
  • “As a first generation college student and now first generation graduate student this means more than a degree. This is proof that determination is everything.” – Tanner Hensley, EKU Online Social Work Student student
  • “I chose EKU because I am a unique student with unique needs, and EKU provides an avenue for students like me to succeed.” – EKU Online Psychology student Jason Tate
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