Online Master of Social Work (MSW)

Advance Social Justice While Supporting the Underserved

Located in Virginia. Serving the World.

Your passion for helping others can lead to an impactful career. With the online MSW program from George Mason University, you can develop the expertise to advance equity, support social justice, and support vulnerable populations in your community. Our program offers accessible online classes that fit your busy schedule and provides hands-on experience through two different field placements.

Throughout Mason’s online MSW program, you’ll build knowledge for evidence-based practice in classes led by practicing social workers. Learn from their experience supporting clients in the U.S. and abroad, gaining a global perspective for your career. In addition to developing relationships with Mason’s faculty, who are active researchers and passionate social workers, you’ll network with peers who will be your future colleagues.

Did you previously earn a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited institution? You can apply for our Advanced Standing program and earn your MSW by taking 33 credits.

Discover the rich online learning experiences available exclusively from Virginia’s largest research university. Plus, capitalize on the proven career and advancement achieved by graduates of Mason’s online programs.

CSWE Accreditation

You Can Finish in 10 Semesters

Prepare to Seek Licensure

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Choose Between Two Specialized Practices

Learn to support clients through the family lifecycle as you prepare to work in schools, family service agencies, foster care, and other settings.

Prepare to address the physical and mental health challenges adults face during their lifespans, getting ready for careers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings.

Online Courses That Prepare You to Improve Lives

While seeking your MSW through Mason, you’ll learn to support underserved populations in courses that emphasize empowerment and systems transformation. We built the curriculum around a Social Justice Core that gives you interdisciplinary perspectives of human behavior, social policy, research methods, and clinical practice.

In addition to courses aligning with your Adults & Healthy Aging or Children, Youth, & Families specialization, you’ll take the following generalist courses:

Foundations of Social Work and Social Welfare

Get introduced to social welfare issues with a focus on the social work profession’s commitment to serving diverse and at-risk populations, as well as promoting social, economic, and environmental justice.

Poverty, Oppression, and Inequity

Investigate the root causes of poverty, oppression, and inequity while exploring the political, economic, and social factors that influence programs and services.

Human Behavior and Social Systems

Learn about ecological approaches to human behavior, bolstered by psychology, sociology, biology, and anthropology theories.

Community Practice Across the Life Course

Examine how poverty, income inequality, and other environmental factors influence life course development from conception to late adulthood.

Rigorous Academic Standards. Flexible Online Format.

At Mason, we design online programs to offer innovative experiences that propel your ambitions. Like our students on campus, you’ll benefit from our commitment to academic rigor and integrity while learning from the same renowned faculty. And the online format means you can seek an impressive graduate degree or certificate without leaving home, while stationed abroad, and even while traveling. Plus, access advising services online to get the guidance you need to graduate.

Support Positive Change in a Growing Career Field

With 9% projected employment growth, demand for social workers is expected to outpace most other fields.1 Mason’s online MSW program gives you a deep understanding of how to empower the success of individuals and families, helping you become an asset for social work organizations in your community.

8 Career Focuses for Mason’s MSW Graduates

  1. Aging/Gerontology
  2. Child Protection, Foster Care, and Adoption
  3. Family Services
  4. Health and Mental Health Practice
  5. International Governmental and NGOs
  6. Nonprofit Agency Management
  7. School Social Work
  8. Substance Abuse Services

Bringing Mason to Learners Worldwide

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 39,000 students from 130 countries and 50 states. With online programs that draw from our spirit as a leader in scholarship and research, Mason prepares graduates to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

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Sources:

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Social Workers. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/.

Professional Licensure Disclosure:

This program has been identified by George Mason University as one that may lead to a career requiring professional licensure/certification. Federal regulations require Mason to disclose information as to whether this program meets/does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in your state, or whether such a determination has not been made. Please consult our Licensure Disclosure Tool (https://provost.gmu.edu/licensure) for the disclosure statement specific to your desired state/program combination.