The MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Full-Time Advanced Standing MSW Program students attending on a full-time basis generally complete the program in one academic year. Part-time students, both in the Part-Time Advanced Standing MSW Program and Full-Time Advanced Standing MSW Program attending part-time, complete it in two.
Advanced Standing students must have completed a degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate social work program. Students without a BSW should refer to Social Work, MSW.
About the School of Social Work
The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at UW–Madison is consistently ranked among the best schools of social work in the country. Faculty prepare social work professionals at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Through the preparation of social work practitioners, scholars and educators, faculty and students explore and seek to understand the nature of social problems, their impact on vulnerable populations, and ways to critically analyze and promote the achievement of a just, equitable, healthy, and productive society.
Social work faculty are noted for their scholarly work in developing a conceptual understanding of social work practice and policy, and in producing research in important social problem areas. For example, faculty took a leadership role in the development of the generalist model of practice that is now used by most social work programs. Faculty members have made valuable research contributions in the fields of aging, child welfare, developmental disabilities, and family and inter-generational caregiving, as well as in educational attainment and life-course decision-making, end-of-life care for older adults and palliative care, health disparities, homelessness, poverty, social policy, welfare reform, and child support. Drawing on strong faculty, excellent students, and the resources of a world-renowned university in a community rich with social and human service programs, there is much to offer prospective students: individualized, faculty-taught field education for master's students, nationally renowned faculty with a strong interdisciplinary focus, and hands-on research training in a highly individualized program of study for doctoral students.
The school offers unique opportunities for students to receive state-of-the-art professional training through its field education program. Student practice opportunities range from experiences in institutional and community-based settings to working with families and other significant care-givers, with individuals and groups, and in policy and service delivery issues.
Mission
The mission of the School of Social Work is to enhance human well-being and promote social and economic justice for people who are disadvantaged to achieve an equitable, healthy, and productive society. The school aims to:
- Create, advance, strengthen, and integrate interdisciplinary knowledge for students and the profession through research, scholarship, and practice.
- Educate students to become highly-skilled, culturally-competent and ethical practitioners who will provide leadership for the profession of social work within the state of Wisconsin and nationally.
- Promote change at levels ranging from the individual client to national, including empowering communities and populations that are disadvantaged and developing humane service delivery systems.
- Create and disseminate knowledge regarding the prevention and amelioration of social problems.
The School of Social Work is a professional school in the College of Letters and Science. As part of the college, the school maintains relationships with the other social studies and professional schools within the university system through interchange of faculty and students and through joint research and publication endeavors.
Admissions
Students apply to the Master of Social Work: Social Work Advanced Standing through one of the named options:
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
MSW Program Resources
Thanks to the generosity of friends and alumni, the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work also has a number of Awards and Scholarships available to MSW applicants and current MSW students, ranging from several hundred dollars to covering the full cost of tuition and fees, as well as training grants and other opportunities that can provide funding for students with specific career interests.
Students also have access to federal loans and work study.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Grades of C are accepted only if they are offset by an equal number of credits of A. Candidates who receive more than two grades of C (in courses that do not extend beyond one term) or a grade of D or F while in the program will be dropped from the MSW Program. Candidates who receive a grade of C in the Field and Integrative Seminar courses may continue only with permission of the faculty and may not offset the grade with a grade of A. (This policy does not apply to grades received for courses taken to meet the statistics prerequisite while in the program but it will affect the GPA). |
| Assessments and Examinations | None. |
| Language Requirements | None. |
Required Courses
Select a Named Option for courses required.
Named Options
A named option is a formally documented sub-major within an academic major program. Named options appear on the transcript with degree conferral. Students pursuing the Master of Social Work, Advanced Standing must select one of the following named options:
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Program Resources
MSW students can also take advantage of the College of Letters & Sciences SuccessWorks services, including their Canvas modules on jobs and internships.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate autonomous ethical and professional practice with appropriate use of consultation and supervision.
- Analyze US systems of oppression and their impact on the social welfare system; apply across micro, mezzo, and macro practice.
- Engage in advanced practices to continually further human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge, critical reflection, and analytic skills that inform anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice.
- Evaluate and apply research to inform practice and use practice experiences to inform research in a variety of practice areas.
- Demonstrate policy practice skills across micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in engaging, assessing, intervening, and evaluating practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
People
Professors: Lawrence M. Berger, MSW, PhD; Marah H. Curtis, MSW, PhD; Katherine Magnuson, PhD; Stephanie A. Robert, MSW, PhD; Marci Ybarra, MSW, PhD (School Director)
Associate Professors: Lauren Bishop, PhD; Tally Moses, MSW, PhD; Tova Walsh, MSW, PhD
Assistant Professors: Pajarita Charles, MPA, MSW, PhD; Lara Gerassi, MSW, PhD; LB Klein, MSW, PhD; Jooyoung Kong, MSW, PhD; Jessica Pac, PhD; Alejandra Ros Pilarz, PhD; Tawandra Rowell-Cunsolo, PhD
Clinical Professors: Audrey Conn, MSSW, APSW; Ellen Smith, MSSW
Clinical Associate Professors: Laura Dresser, MSW, PhD; Alice Egan, MSSW, APSW; Lynette Studer, MSSW, PhD; Angela Willits, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Assistant Professors: Jaime Goldberg, MSW, LCSW, PhD; Amanda Zuehlke, MSW, LCSW
A complete list of all faculty and staff in the school is available on the School of Social Work Directory.
Accreditation
Council on Social Work Education
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2029.
Social Work Competencies
At the conclusion the MSW program we expect graduate students to have achieved the following core competencies:
- 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
At the end of the advanced year, students are expected to have achieved the competencies at the generalist and specialist levels through the demonstration of generalist behaviors and advanced generalist behaviors in the advanced generalist specialization with an optional area of focus learned in classroom and field experiences—all of which are derived from social work knowledge, values, and skills.
Certification/Licensure
In the state of Wisconsin people with a Master of Social Work (MSW) are able to pursue certification and/or licensure. While certification/licensure is not a requirement for certain types of jobs, it is required for any positions titled ‘Social Worker’ and to refer to yourself as a Social Worker in professional settings. Information on applying for social work certification and licensure is provided in great detail on the School of Social Work's Professional Social Work Credentials & Continuing Education page. Contact the social work academic advisors in the Full- or Part-Time Programs (see contact information on the program website) for a complete list of requirements necessary for these credentials.
Clinical Practice Licensure
Students seeking preparation for licensure as a clinical social worker in the State of Wisconsin or State of Minnesota typically complete the mental health focus area.
School Social Work Licensure
Students seeking preparation for licensure as a school social worker in the State of Wisconsin typically complete the child, youth, and family welfare focus area.
ASWB exam Results
Association of Social Work Boards Masters exam results (includes both Part-Time MSW Program and Full-Time MSW Program graduates).
| Year of Exam | UW-Madison Graduates: All Attempts | National: All Attempts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 88 | No Data | |
| 2021 | 89 | 68 | |
| 2020 | 91 | 63 | |
| 2019 | 89 | 61 |
| Year of Exam | UW-Madison Graduates: First Attempt | National: First Attempt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 91 | 72 | |
| 2021 | 90 | 70 | |
| 2020 | 96 | 75 | |
| 2019 | 93 | 74 |
Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)
The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. The expectation is that institutions will determine whether each applicable academic program meets state professional licensure requirements and provide a general disclosure of such on an official university website.
Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations.
UW-Madison has taken reasonable efforts to determine whether this program satisfies the educational requirements for certification/licensure in states where prospective and enrolled students are located and is disclosing that information as follows.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed in the Contact Information box on this page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.
The requirements of this program meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin
The requirements of this program do not meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Not applicable
Updated: 1 June 2024