Non-degree seeking graduate students
The MSW Program offers full-time and part-time study options. We offer courses all day, from morning until evening, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. We also offer some evening courses on Monday.
Cost of classes
While graduate tuition is considerably more expensive than undergraduate tuition per credit hour, taking a course at the graduate level allows students to transfer credits to the MSW or YDL program in the future (assuming the previously mentioned criteria are met). Graduate School tuition rates and fee information is available on the OneStop tuition page.
MSW student Nora Beckstrand at Hope Village, her field placement in Windhood, Namibia.
Full program option (53 credits)
If your bachelor’s degree is not a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), or you completed an accredited B.S.W. more than seven years ago, you will enroll in our Full Program option. In addition to coursework, you’ll complete two field placements; the first of at least 420 hours plus a field seminar and the second of at least 600 hours.
The Full Program has both full-time and part-time enrollment options:
- Full-time students take at least 12 credits each semester, and can usually complete the MSW program in two academic years.
- Part-time students take at least two classes per semester, or one class and plus field placement hours, and can usually complete the M.SW program in three to four academic years.
More specifics about the program are available online.
See a program that's a good fit for you? Get ready to apply.
Advanced Standing Program (at least 34 credits)
If you have completed your CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree in the last seven years, you may enroll in our MSW Advanced Standing Program. (Applicants who have experience in the field of human services but who do not have a CSWE-accredited B.S.W. degree are not eligible for advanced standing.)
The Advanced Standing Program has a minimum of 34 credits; the MSW Program director will work with you after you’re admitted to determine if you need to take more credits based on your undergraduate curriculum and history. In addition to coursework, you’ll complete one field placement of 600 hours.
Applicants who have credits or a master's degree in a related field should consult our policies on transferring credits into the MSW program.
The Advanced Standing Program has both full-time and part-time enrollment options:
- Full-time students take at least 12 credits each semester, and can usually complete the MSW program in a 12-month calendar year.
- Part-time students take at least two classes per semester, or one class and plus field placement hours, and can usually complete the MSW program in two to three years.
Taking classes with the intention of applying to the MSW program
Students may take 5000-level social work classes for graduate or undergraduate credit without being enrolled in the MSW Program. Students may transfer such credits into their MSW degree program if:
- They earned a grade of at least a B (3.0), and
- They earned the credits within seven years of enrolling as a degree-seeking student, and
- They registered using the 99PRD Student Status Form and paid graduate-level tuition (if the student registers for undergraduate credit, the class cannot later be used for graduate credit).
A maximum of eight (8) hours of graduate credit, taken as a non-degree-seeking student, can be transferred into the Full Program and six (6) hours into the Advanced Standing Program. Taking classes as a non-degree-seeking student does not guarantee acceptance to the MSW Program.
For information on registering for classes as a non-degree seeking student contact the graduate program coordinator.
Other courses at the 5000-level can transfer to the MSW program as electives.
Taking classes with the intention of applying to the YDL program
Students may want to take classes before being enrolled in the Youth Development Leadership Program.
Please email Bao Lee-Yang leeyang@umn.edu if you are interested in taking classes with the intention of applying to the YDL program.
Recommended classes
Full program
Students who qualify for the Full Program should begin with classes that are part of the MSW foundation curriculum. We recommend beginning with the following classes:
- SW 5051: Human Behavior and the Social Environment (2 credits)
- SW 5101: Historical Origins and Contemporary Policies and Programs in Social Welfare (3 credits)
Advanced standing program
Students who qualify for the Advanced Standing Program should consider 5000-level courses (excluding the 5051 and 5101 foundation courses above) and 8000-level courses. At the 8000-level, students must meet the course prerequisites and obtain permission from the instructor.