On-Campus

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Social worker in discussion with patient
On-Campus

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Become a justice-oriented clinical social worker.

Gain skills to excel with a program grounded in social responsibility and respect for human rights. 

Prepare for success in the social work profession.

In the MSW program at St. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ University, we encourage you to be curious, engage in tough conversations, and advance human and social justice rights.  We support our ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s to be divergent thinkers and to question the status quo.

Advanced Standing (AS) options are available for ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s with CSWE-accredited bachelor’s degrees in social work; Regular Standing (RS) options are available for all other ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s. Our MSW ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s are placed in more than 200 fieldwork settings at leading regional social work employers and gain valuable hands-on clinical experience – 600 clinical fieldwork hours for AS ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s, and 1000 hours for RS ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s (400 foundational and 600 clinical).

As a clinical social worker, you'll join the largest group of mental health service providers in the nation and meet the needs of your clients by: 

  • Gaining clinical skills to empower individuals, small groups, and families, as well as a range of age groups - from children to adolescents and older adults
  • Advocating on issues of poverty, discrimination, mental illness, developmental disabilities, and addressing systems of oppression
  • Serving immigrants and refugees, persons with disabilities, and those who have experienced trauma
  • Understanding the role of grief and loss, and facilitating healing for diverse populations
  • Becoming aware of the larger contexts of clinical care: agency-level policy, supervision, and macro-level systems of change
  • Reflecting deeply on your own assumptions, how they intersect with others, and learning to appreciate a variety of spiritual perspectives

In addition to course work, St. Kate's has partnered with agencies that serve diverse and underrepresented communities through our Clinical Social Work Expansion Project (CSWEP) grant funded by the Minnesota Department of Health.  These agencies host ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s during their fieldwork experiences, and the grant helps offset some of the tuition expenses.

A dual-degree option with our Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies (MAHS) program is also available for ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s seeking to integrate holistic healing practices into clinical social work. To enroll, ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s apply as dual-degree MSW and MAHS ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s. Once accepted, ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s develop a plan for completing both degrees with the support of an advisor from each program. Upon completion, ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s are awarded two master's degrees.

Prepare to use your knowledge, values, and skills to demonstrate the intrinsic value of all humankind in a unified purpose to serve those in need and promote social justice and human rights. This program is open to ´ºÓêÖ±²¥s of all genders.

Program at a Glance

Format: On campus, evenings

Start: Summer (AS-1), Fall (all other options)

Time to completion:  1, 2 or 3 years (Advanced Standing); 2, 3 or 4 years (Regular Standing)

Credits required: 33 (AS), 51 (RS)

Tuition per credit: $760 (2024-25 rate)

Total tuition: $25,080 (AS), $38,760 (RS)

 

Rates are subject to change each June 1. Tuition and fee information

All applicants will be reviewed for MSW scholarships

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Plan of Study

Sample plans of study for the full-time tracks are below; extended tracks are also available. For course descriptions and other details, consult the .

Year 1

  • Summer Session I
    GRSW 5000 History and Philosophy of Social Work (3cr)
    GRSW 6810 Social Work Practice Research (3cr)
  • Summer Session II
    GRSW 6250 Social Policy and Advocacy Practice (3cr)
    GRSW 6450 Clinical Assessment (3cr)
  • Fall Semester
    GRSW 6030 Methods of Clinical Social Work I (3cr)
    GRSW 6070 Field Practicum and Seminar III (3cr)
    GRSW 6500 Clinical Supervision and Program Management (3cr)
    GRSW Elective (3cr)
  • Spring Semester
    GRSW 6040 Methods of Clinical Social Work II (3cr)
    GRSW 6080 Field Practicum and Seminar IV (3cr)
    GRSW Electives (3cr)

Year 1

  • Fall Semester
    GRSW 5000 History and Philosophy of Social Work (3cr)
    GRSW 5010 Theory and Practice of Social Work I (3cr)
    GRSW 5050 Field Practicum and Seminar I (3cr)
    GRSW 5400 Human Behavior and the Social Environment (3cr)
    GRSW 5800 Social Work Research Methods (3cr)
  • Spring Semester
    GRSW 5020 Theory and Practice of Social Work II (3cr)
    GRSW 5060 Field Practicum and Seminar II (3cr)
    GRSW 6250 Social Policy and Advocacy Practice (3cr)
    GRSW 6450 Clinical Assessment (3cr)
    GRSW 6810 Social Work Practice Research (3cr)

Year 2

  • Fall Semester
    GRSW 6030 Methods of Clinical Social Work I (3cr)
    GRSW 6070 Field Practicum and Seminar III (3cr)
    GRSW 6500 Clinical Supervision and Program Management (3cr)
     
  • Spring Semester
    GRSW 6040 Methods of Clinical Social Work II (3cr)
    GRSW 6080 Field Practicum and Seminar IV (3cr)
    GRSW Electives (6cr)

Career Outcomes

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