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Social Work, MSW

Earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Seattle University. Prepare for impactful careers with a focus on social justice and clinical counseling.

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About this Program

Educating Advanced Clinical Social Workers Focused on Social Justice and Community

Advance your career and maximize your impact with advanced clinical social work education that’s focuses on social justice and community.

Seattle University's Master of Social Work (MSW) program prepares graduate students to become competent and effective specialized clinical social workers who 

  • value and respect diversity, 
  • anchor economic and social justice as central to their practice and 
  • seek to use their knowledge, values and skills to advance equity in access to excellent clinical social work practice

Our program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

As one of the best schools for social work, our advanced clinical MSW program is uniquely suited to prepare you to make a difference. 

Two Program Options to Advance Your Career

We offer two paths to receiving your degree, depending on the amount of social work education you come into the program with. 

Change Your Career: Two-Year Path

The two-year path of study is for applicants with an undergraduate degree in a major other than social work. Two-year students complete 66 credits and 1000 hours of field practicum and start in the fall.

Grow Your Career: Advanced Standing (AS) Path

The advanced standing path of study is for applicants with a baccalaureate degree in social work or social welfare from a CSWE-accredited program. Advanced standing students complete 39 credits and 600 hours of field practicum and start in the summer.

Social Work Graduate Degree at a Glance

Learn this degree from the Department of Social Work will contribute to your career goals. Then, explore course requirements and see how impactful a Seattle University degree can be.

The Master of Social Work program prepares students to develop values, skills and knowledge in advanced clinical social work practice, including:

  • Assessment of vulnerabilities, strengths and resilience in individuals, families and groups in social, cultural and historical contexts
  • Evidence-based and culturally responsive interventions to restore and enhance functioning
  • Advocacy for economic and social justice and human rights
  • Critical and professional use of self for service and social change.

Read our social justice statement here.

View Plans Of Study And Schedules

Our Master in Social Work program allows students to choose an optional sub-specialization in:

  • Addictions counseling
  • Medical/health social work
  • Trauma-informed practice

Students in the Two-Year MSW program may choose a sub-specialization before their second year. 

Students in the Advanced Standing program may choose a sub-specialization before the fall quarter of their start year. 

Practicum and electives can be tailored toward the student's choice. Sub-specializations are not certificates, nor do they require additional coursework.

 

The social work program prepares graduate students to become competent and effective specialized clinical social workers who value and respect diversity, anchor economic and social justice as central to their practice, and seek to use their knowledge, values, and skills to improve human well-being. 

We have adopted the following nine competencies (as of June 2015) in line with the Council for Social Work Education - Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (CSWE EPAS) as our own learning outcomes. These standards are common to all undergraduate and graduate social work programs.  

Graduates of Seattle University’s MSW program should be able to:

  • 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.

What You’ll Learn

Learn about the classes you’ll take as a student here.

Explore Social Work

Learn about how the Master of Social Work program prepared Jamie Vo to be a clinical social worker and school-based therapist.

Designed for Your Success

A dicussion between students

Practicum: Real-World Experience

The MSW program offers field placements in diverse setting such as mental health counseling agencies, hospitals, child welfare organizations, schools, senior services, state and local justice systems and community-based programs focusing on children and adolescents, homelessness, immigration, domestic violence, and trauma. 

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Engaging Courses for In-Depth Learning

Ever wonder what it would be like to sit in on an MSW class? Take a look at a sample lecture to get a feel for how a lecture might be given in one of our classes.

Aerial View of Fountain

Up to $51,000 in Grant Money with Washington State Behavioral Health Workforce Development Initiative

Joining our program makes you eligible for (and uniquely suited for!) the Washington State Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative (WDI). Awardees work in approved community-based behavioral health or tribal agencies during their practicum and after graduation.

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Master of Social Work Field Placement

Along with social justice theory, mental health diagnosis and treatment and policy classes, you will take courses which center on social justice and build your skills in anti-oppressive practice. This helps prepare you for the MSW program field placements in diverse setting such as:

  • mental health counseling agencies,
  • hospitals,
  • child welfare organizations,
  • schools,
  • senior services,
  • state and local justice systems,
  • and community-based programs focusing on children and adolescents, homelessness, immigration, domestic violence, and trauma.

Learning is enhanced by small class size and professors who have community-based clinical experience.

Many Career Opportunities

Below you will find just a few of the many organizations where MSW students have gained employment after graduation.

  • Asian Counseling and Referral Services
  • Bailey-Boushay House
  • Bellevue Fire CARES
  • Catholic Community Services of Western WA
  • Cerebral
  • The Child Center
  • Cascade Behavioral Health 
  • City of Mercer Island Youth and Family Services
  • City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
  • Discovery Mood and Anxiety Program
  • Department of Social and Health Services
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Downtown Emergency Service Center
  • Dura Vocational Services
  • Encompass
  • Fairfax Behavioral Health
  • Fred Hutch Cancer Center
  • Harborview (HMHAS)
  • Harborview Medical Center
  • ICHS PACE
  • Impact Puget Sound Elementary
  • Insight Behavioral Health (now called Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center)
  • King County Department of Public Defense 
  • King County Drug Court
  • The Little School
  • The Mockingbird Society
  • Multicare
  • Navos
  • Northpoint the Evergreen-Seattle, WA
  • Northwest Kidney Centers
  • Optimism Counseling
  • Poverty Action Network
  • Sea Mar Community Health Centers
  • Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
  • Seattle Children's Hospital
  • Seattle Counseling Service
  • Seattle Goodwill
  • Seneca Family of Agencies
  • Solid Ground
  • Sound
  • Southwest Network Behavioral Health
  • Swedish
  • Therapeutic Health Services
  • Trivium Life Services
  • UW Medicine
  • Veteran's Health Administration
  • Water Street Mission
  • Washington Council for Behavioral Health
  • Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
  • You Grow Girl!
  • Youth Care

CSWE Benchmarks

Seattle University’s MSW Program successfully achieved benchmarks for all CSWE competencies. 

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From Our Alumni

Kevin Skiena, ‘20

“Seattle University does have a more clinical focus than the other programs I had been looking at, while still providing a great education on social justice and policy issues. I don't think I realized at the time the value for me in going to a smaller program. I felt like my classmates and professors all got to know each other better because of it —and that the school as a whole is more responsive to our concerns as students.”

Master of Social Work

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Get in Touch

If you have any questions about the program or application, we’re here to help!

Ashley Miller

Senior Admissions Counselor

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