Master of Social Work (MSW)
Reflect. Connect. Transform.One Weekend a Month. A Lifetime of Impact. Earn your CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work in a flexible, high-impact hybrid format designed for working professionals, career changers, and aspiring clinical workers. Here, at UIndy’s MSW program, reflection inspires action, connection drives change, and clinical skill transforms lives.
Hybrid Immersion Program
- Flexibility & Rigor – Immerse in monthly in-person sessions aided by online flexibility
- Licensure Ready – Prepare for LSW, LCSW, & LCAC through structured clinical practice
- Reflective & Clinical – Engage in socially transformative evidence-based training
- Tailored Field Placements – Experience hands-on support for practicum success
- Cohort Learning – Collaborate with peers in a structured, supportive learning community
- Community Driven – Cultivate a social work identity within a thriving professional community
About the Master of Social Work Program
Hybrid Immersion Format
UIndy’s High-Impact Immersion MSW blends online flexibility with monthly in-person sessions held on Fridays and Saturdays. The in-person sessions include course instruction, reflective activities, and community engagement.
Between sessions, students complete asynchronous coursework focused on evidence-based practice, cultural humility, and social work theory.
Between sessions, students complete asynchronous coursework focused on evidence-based practice, cultural humility, and social work theory.
Curriculum & Concentrations
Our MSW program offers two tracks based on your previous education:
| Tracks | Duration (full-time) | Credit hours | # of Classes | Eligibility | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Standing | 1 year | 33 | 11 | BSW from a CSWE-accredited program | May Summer Session |
| Regular Standing | 2 years | 60 | 20 | Bachelor's degree in any other discipline | August Fall Session |
- Children, Family, & Community Concentration – Prepare for culturally responsive practice with children and families in public and private social-service agencies, child-welfare systems, schools, clinics, and related settings.
- Mental Health & Addictions Concentration – Prepare for culturally responsive practice across diverse mental health and addiction service environments, including outpatient, residential, community-based, and crisis-response settings.
- Integrated Health & Social Advocacy Concentration – Prepare for culturally responsive practice in integrated health contexts, spanning medical systems, community health environments, and macro-level advocacy settings.
More details on the concentrations and curriculum
Field Placement
Complete 620 hours (advanced standing) to 930 hours (regular standing) of supervised clinical fieldwork, supported by our placement team. Each semester includes 300 on-site hours plus a seminar to integrate practice and reflection. Learn more about field timelines, requirements, and seminar expectations on our Field Education page.
Who Should Apply?
Our program welcomes diverse learners united by a shared commitment to transformative social work. Whether you're advancing your current practice or starting a new path, this MSW is built to meet you where you are.
- Working Professionals in Social Services – Deepen your clinical skills, earn licensure, and continue serving while you study through a flexible format.
- Career Changers – Transition into social work from fields like education, healthcare, criminal justice, or corporate sectors with a focus on anti-oppressive practice.
- Recent Graduates – Accelerate your clinical training and enter the workforce with strong reflective and practice-based competencies.
- Emerging Leaders – Expand your impact through advanced coursework in policy, leadership, and systems change.
If you’re seeking a program that balances flexibility with connection, clinical rigor with critical thinking, and personal growth with professional transformation - this program offers a purposeful path forward to advancing your career.
Tuition & Scholarships
UIndy’s MSW program offers one of the most competitively priced hybrid graduate social work degrees in the state. Our program is intentionally designed to provide high-impact, transformative learning through monthly in-person immersion weekends, clinically rigorous instruction, and personalized field placement support. While others may offer similar flexibility, we combine it with purposeful connection, community, and clinical excellence. See full information for tuition and fees.
Scholarships, graduate assistantships, and fellowships are competitively offered to support student success and reduce financial barriers. These funding opportunities recognize both academic merit and professional promise. Information for these financial supports is provided during the application process. Applicants who submit by the priority deadline receive first-round consideration for scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
- Dr. Phylis Lan Lin Foundation Scholarship - $5,000
- Dr. Phylis Lan Lin Bridge Scholarship - $2,000
- Graduate Assistant Positions - $5,000
- Mildred Reynolds Fellowship - Paid Practicum with Center for Aging and Community
- Community Behavioral Health Academy - Paid Practicum with Community Health Network
MSW Admission Overview
Before you begin the application, you need to determine which program path fits your academic background: Regular Standing or Advanced Standing. These pathways differ in length, credit hours, and eligibility requirements, and choosing the correct one will streamline your application.
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any field other than social work should review the Regular Standing requirements. This is a two-year, 60-credit program beginning each fall.
Applicants who have earned a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program should review the Advanced Standing requirements. This is a one-year, 33-credit option beginning each summer and has distinct eligibility criteria, including GPA expectations and recency of degree or licensure.
The sections below outline what you will need to apply, how to prepare your materials, and upcoming deadlines. If your academic history does not neatly fit one category, contact the admissions team for clarification.
- Complete the online application.
- Non-refundable $30 graduate application fee, paid during the application submission process.
- Up-to-date resume.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
- Bachelor's Degree other than a BSW or a BSW that was earned more than five years ago.
- A minimum GPA of 2.8. (A GPA of 3.0 or higher for the student's last 60 credits is preferred.) Students below the minimum GPA can petition the MSW Admission Committee for an exemption from the GPA criteria if they believe they have special circumstances.
- 18 undergraduate or graduate credits in social and behavioral courses (e.g. Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Anthropology, Economics) and a course in Statistics (if not taken as an undergraduate, must be taken no later than the first semester of foundation year).
- One essay response (2-3 pages, titled, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font) that demonstrates your alignment with the social work profession, as well as your critical thinking and writing skills. You may choose Option A (Personal Statement) or Option B (Social Problem Analysis).
- Option A - Statement of Personal Interest: Please write a professionally composed essay explaining your motivation for pursuing the MSW. Share what draws you to the profession, your long-term professional goals, and how your personal or professional experiences have prepared you for this path. Reflect on your personal strengths as well as areas for growth, and how graduate education will help you develop as a social worker. The admissions committee will use this essay to assess your commitment and readiness for graduate study.
- Option B - Social Problem Analysis: Please write a professionally composed essay in which you critically analyze a social problem that is important to you. Define the problem clearly, discuss its root causes and systemic dimensions, and explain why it matters for the social work profession. Your essay should demonstrate your ability to think critically and communicate ideas effectively. The admissions committee will use this essay to assess your readiness for graduate-level study and your capacity for critical and ethical reasoning.
- Two letters of reference (at least one academic or professional reference preferred).
- No GRE required.
- Priority Deadline: January 9th, applicants receive first-round consideration for scholarships and awards.
- Standard Deadline: March 20th, applicants eligible for remaining scholarships and awards.
- Application submissions are permitted after March 20th but may not be eligible for scholarships and awards.
- The program begins in August, the start of the Fall semester.
- Form for Direct Admit - If you meet the GPA requirements listed below, you are directly admitted into our program with minimal materials. No application needed!
- Up-to-date resume.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
- BSW from accredited (CSWE) school within the past 10 years OR a BSW acquired more than 10 years from the time of application to the MSW program with social work experience and an active/current LBSW. A course in Statistics is also required.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.8 in all courses and a minimum GPA of 3.2 in all social work courses. Students below the minimum GPA can petition the MSW Admission Committee for an exemption from the GPA criteria if they believe they have special circumstances.
- A course in Statistics. If you have not completed a statistics course, you may take one during the summer semester prior to starting the program.
- No GRE required.
- Direct Admit Form Deadline: January 9th, this includes an up-to-date transcript from your current BSW and completed BSW program.
- Direct Admit from submissions for Advanced Standing are NOT accepted after January 9th.
- The program begins in May, the start of the Summer semester.
Stay Informed About This Program
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