Online MSW Program: 42 Units
If you hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) you may be eligible for our MSW program. The program can be taken full time or part time.
Curriculum
The MSW@USC curriculum explores emerging needs in the field to prepare social workers who can find comprehensive, integrative solutions to 21st-century challenges. Featuring a rigorous curriculum that mirrors the on-campus program, MSW@USC provides each student with a specialization in integrative social work, offering foundational training that prepares them to practice across client populations and settings. The 42-credit program can be further supplemented with one of five optional specialized tracks.
Courses are delivered online and taught by our award-winning faculty, and a team of placement experts help you find appropriate fieldwork sites in your own community. MSW@USC expands on the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work’s historic strengths while emphasizing early intervention, prevention and wellness, leadership and effective collaboration, core competencies (evidence-based practices and evidence-informed interventions), and implications of new findings in neuroscience.
Learn More About the Online MSW
Request information today to see how the MSW@USC can bring you closer to tackling today’s social work challenges.
MSW Program at a Glance
The online MSW program allows you to tailor your education to your goals while thoroughly preparing you to make a positive impact on your community. To fulfill the program requirements, you must complete the following:
Optional Program Tracks
As an MSW@USC student, you will first build a foundation in social work principles and practice and then have the option to focus your studies on your area of interest. You can design your curriculum by choosing one of the school’s optional tracks of study before you begin your classes:
Adult Mental Health and Wellness
Focus on the mental health and physical well-being of adults, ranging in age from young adults to seniors.
Children, Youth and Families
Address the needs of vulnerable children, youth and families while building supportive social environments.
Social Change and Innovation
Lead and drive positive change in communities, organizations, businesses and government.
Military Populations and Settings
Learn how to meet the unique needs of active military members, veterans and their families.
School and Educational Settings*
Prepare to help pre-K–12 students overcome external factors that hinder their ability to succeed in school. Students in all states may pursue this track but only California-based students can pursue the Pupil Personnel Services Credential.
Learn more about the optional program tracks within the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and explore what you will study.
*Students interested in the School and Educational Settings track may require a modified schedule to ensure a positive field placement experience. For additional information about field placement requirements, reach out to an admissions counselor at 877-700-4679 or sswvac@msw.usc.edu. California students who are interested in pursuing the Pupil Personnel Services Credential will be required to complete 45 units and other requirements after completion of the program. If you have questions or concerns about the program, please contact your academic advisor.
The School and Educational Settings track allows students who wish to practice in California the opportunity to pursue the Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC). This allows them to work as a social worker in school settings. Students who reside or intend to practice in a state outside of California may complete this track, but are not guaranteed licensure as a school social worker. Requirements may vary from state to state. Therefore, a student enrolling in this program and selecting the School and Educational Settings track should research the requirements in the state in which they reside or intend to practice.
Field Education
The MSW@USC program prepares you with crucial hands-on experience to tackle today’s social work challenges.
You will spend a minimum of 1,100 field training hours* online through the Virtual Field Practicum as well as in person through community-based field placement. You will work with a coordinator to choose a placement site that’s right for you.
*Students are required to complete a minimum of 100 field hours through attendance and participation with their field class, and orientation and evidence-based intervention training (if applicable).
2021 Curriculum
For students who are participating in the 60 unit curriculum, visit the 2021 curriculum page for more information.
Take the Next Step
Get in touch with an admissions counselor to discuss your goals and how the MSW@USC can help you lead positive change.