Select one of the options below:
Social workers are here to advance social justice. With anti-oppressive skills as our foundation, we are anti-racist, promote equity and equality, and enhance human health and well-being across local and global systems.
Colorado State University's program features a nationally recognized advanced generalist approach, ensuring you develop a robust skill set during your master's in social work. Why choose an advanced generalist degree? Advanced generalist practitioners are equipped to work across a multitude of practice settings. As a graduate of our advanced generalist program, you will have the skills to be more holistic in service of your clients, work in policy, and beyond. It also affords you the flexibility to change careers, or better develop a new skill set after you graduate.
With one degree, you’ll be equipped for many career paths. You’ll gain skills to effectively practice with individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. You’ll be a leader, an ally, a communicator, and a strategist.
In addition to the core curriculum, the M.S.W. degree includes built-in electives. With these electives, you can take courses that align with your interests, which includes interdisciplinary electives and graduate certificate courses. You can also gain specialized knowledge by pursuing one of the following graduate certificates:
The master's in social work prepares you for diverse career opportunities. With intertwined coursework and internship experience, you’ll have the opportunity to complete over 600 hours of direct social work practice. There you will apply the knowledge, values, and skills you learn throughout the program in a social work agency setting.
Learn from knowledgeable and respected Colorado State University instructors through a combination of classroom and online coursework. In 2014, the school of social work celebrated two important milestones. The bachelor's program commemorated 40 years of accreditation and the master's program reached the 20-year mark. During this time, CSU's social work faculty have become national leaders in researching and elaborating the concept of “generalist” practice. All faculty bring their practice-based knowledge and diverse areas of expertise to the online classroom experience.
CSU's M.S.W. program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, which enables you to pursue professional licensure upon program completion. Additionally, the Master of Social Work is approved by the Colorado Department of Education for school social work licensure, if you elect to complete the additional course requirement (SOWK 560) or seek our graduate certificate in PreK-12 School Social Work.
In this episode, we hear from Mindy Van Kalsbeek, M.S.W. about some of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of being a social worker, including empathy, mindfulness, burnout, policy, social justice, and continuing education.
The hybrid program provides access to a graduate degree with the same accredited curriculum as the on-campus program, but in a different format. The learning format includes a combination of online asynchronous (on your own schedule) learning, synchronous (real-time) online learning, and in-person learning. The majority of instruction is delivered in the online learning environment, with each semester including one in-person class weekend and one synchronous class weekend. This approach allows for flexibility in how students balance work, life, and coursework.
The hybrid program also follows a cohort model of learning, centering the distance student experience in a community-learning environment. In this model, students progress through each course together, getting to engage with the same learning community throughout the duration of the program. Students receive exemplary instruction from experienced faculty while enjoying the benefits of peer support and connection with the cohort.
Note: Tuition rates are reviewed annually and subject to approval by the CSU Board of Governors. To support transparency and long-term planning, tuition increases for the MSW program will be implemented gradually by location and admission term. These increases are designed to phase in gradually to support current students and minimize disruption to their financial planning. Students admitted before the new rates will keep their original tuition for the standard program duration (three years for regular program; two years for advanced standing). Students on alternative academic plans that extend beyond the standard program duration may be subject to future tuition increases. All other SOWK graduate online courses, such as graduate certificate courses, will remain at $725 per credit for academic year beginning Fall 2025 but move to $747 per credit effective Fall 2026.
Colorado State University teaches a nationally-recognized advanced generalist curriculum which consists of foundation courses that follow the core areas of:
The foundation courses also feature a field placement in a human service agency, and coursework on social work values and ethics, populations at risk, diversity, and social and economic justice.
Concentration courses build on the foundation courses to include advanced content on:
The concentration courses also include a field placement, which will be secured for you in the community in which you reside.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Electives can be any SOWK course offered through CSU Online. Other electives outside the School of Social Work are possible but should be discussed and approved by School of Social Work advisor. Three-year students are required to complete three elective courses, Advanced Standing Students are required to complete one elective course.
“One of my biggest motivators is the desire to better my community and create systemic change for the children, youth, and families of Colorado. Social workers have a lot to offer, and I am confident my Master of Social Work from Colorado State University will equip me with the knowledge and skills to better serve my community and create more positive outcomes for children, youth, and families in the Child Protection System.”
Hear more about the work Chris is doing on CSU Source
"I would recommend the distance program for anyone wanting to maintain their current connections and life, and who wants a more intimate setting than just another online program can offer.”
"I was thrilled when I was accepted into the M.S.W. distance program. I work full time and I have two kids and a husband, so I needed to find a program that would fit into my lifestyle. I love the fact that this program can be completed online, but also has the opportunity to connect with peers and professors face to face.”
Read more about how Allie planned for success on CSU Source
"I knew this degree was going to lead me to a place where I could make a difference and be fulfilled in the work that I do.”
Read about Julie's experience juggling work, classes, and the COVID-19 pandemic on CSU Source.
We offer a program that supports independent learning combined with collaborative application. Online coursework prepares students for further content exploration and synthesis during the in-person, weekend class. The ability to lead both direct and indirect client-centered interventions is crucial to success in social work settings, making the student-to-student activities an invaluable learning experience.
"Advanced Standing" refers to the level of experience of a student applying to the program. Students who have a bachelor's in social work may be able to start the program with Advanced Standing status.
To qualify for the Advanced Standing program, you must have earned a bachelor's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program within the last seven years. Previous work or life experience does not count toward eligibility for Advanced Standing status. Advanced Standing students skip the first year in the program and join their cohort starting in year two. Additionally, the credit requirement is lower, as is the number of service hours required.
| Earned a BSW? | M.S.W. credits required | M.S.W. service hours required | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional | No | 62 | 900 hours |
| Advanced Standing | Yes | 39 | 630 hours |
The advanced generalist model in our M.S.W. program places emphasis on the knowledge and skills needed for interventions at multiple levels of practice, including individuals, families, groups, and communities. Other central themes are direct services, community and organizational practice, social policy analysis, and social work research.
The advanced generalist model in CSU’s M.S.W. program provides students with an increased ability to demonstrate advanced generalist competencies; integrate research into practice; analyze value and ethical dilemmas; add greater depth to the provision of service; and provide the skills to function as more independent social work practitioners. Additionally, this advanced skill level allows graduates to engage in interdisciplinary, collaborative public and private partnerships for advocacy, policy, practice, and advancing social justice.
Generalist social work is regarded both as a perspective and a practice approach because the social worker is taught to recognize the impact, influence, and potential resources available from the context where practice occurs.
The Traditional M.S.W. program is three-years and the Advanced Standing program is two-years. Review the above information to determine if you may be eligible for Advanced Standing. Both are part-time cohorts that include in classroom experience two weekends per semester and online instruction.
Yes, once you have submitted your CSU Graduate School Application (a short form and an application fee) you will be assigned an ID number. At that point you can begin working with CSU Office of Financial Aid to obtain financial aid. Eileen Griego, in that office, works directly with our distance M.S.W. students.
A comprehensive scholarship search tool is available on the College of Health and Human Sciences website.
Our program does not accept transfer students from other programs.
CSU’s Graduate School requires an overall undergraduate career GPA of 3.0 or above for unconditional admission. The School of Social Work’s Admissions Committee does not use GPA as a judgment metric, but instead rates applicants based on other factors as demonstrated through the answers to the essay questions in the application, an understanding of human service work, and references. Our admissions reviewers are able to advocate for strong candidates who have a cumulative undergraduate career GPA of at least 2.8, up to 3.0. If the Graduate School is convinced and offers admission, it would be conditional upon maintaining a 3.0 minimum GPA in the M.S.W. program for the first semester.
For those interested in applying but who have a career undergraduate GPA below 2.8 the Graduate School offers the Access Pathway. This requires an applicant to successfully complete at least six credits of regular, graduate-level coursework through CSU with a GPA of at least 3.0 to be considered for admission. Please refer to the CSU General Catalog’s Graduate and Professional Bulletin for more information.
Attendance is critical, as each in-person learning weekend represents a significant part of that semester's class time and learning activities. Each instructor determines attendance requirements for the class they teach, in alignment with the Program’s Attendance Policy. To review the Attendance Policy, refer to the M.S.W. Program Handbook.
Yes, prerequisite requirements include a minimum of 18 credits (6 standard college-level courses) of interdisciplinary liberal arts coursework, spanning social, behavioral, and biological sciences.
These courses must be completed and transcripts received by the first day of classes.
We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.
