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Master of Social Work (MSW)

Graduate Program Online

Related Programs:

What You'll Learn

Calvin’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program develops leaders who can address complex social issues, empower communities, and enact meaningful change.

You’ll be equipped with hands-on experience and essential skills like clinical assessment, intervention strategies, and advocacy—all through the lens of a Christian perspective. Calvin’s MSW provides flexible, fully online, synchronous courses meeting in the evening. We welcome students without a BSW to apply for the regular standing program and students with a BSW to apply for the advanced standing program.

  • Regular Standing: In this two-year program, the first year provides a strong generalist social work foundation, while the second year prepares students to specialize in either a clinical track or macro track. This program starts fall 2025 with 500 level generalist courses.
  • Advanced Standing: Launching summer 2026, this year-long program for students who have already earned a bachelor's degree in social work will start with 600 level advanced coursework and select either a clinical or macro track. 

As a new program, we're offering a $500 credit toward your first class for those who enroll in Calvin's MSW for starting in fall 2025. Additional scholarships may be available for Calvin Alumni. 

What Makes This Program Great

  • Built-in flexibility: Synchronous online and hybrid courses with in-person field education practicum experiences.
  • Faith-informed: Explore what it looks like to practice social work through the lens of faith and justice, seeing each person as an image bearer of God.
  • Practice-oriented: Develop valuable skills that can be applied immediately, such as ethical leadership principles, writing and documentation best practices, and a better understanding of legal responsibilities. 
  • Missionally focused: Guided by the core belief of the dignity and worth of every person, students will work toward the advancement of social justice in a variety of clinical and macro level settings through anti-racist, anti-oppressive social work practice.
Regular vs. Advanced Standing

Compare the programs

Regular Standing

  • 60 credits
  • Completed in two years full-time
  • Two field placements, 900 hours
  • Available part or full-time
  • Specialize in clinical or macro
  • For students without a BSW, or received a BSW more than seven years ago
  • $720 per credit

Advanced Standing

  • 36 credits
  • Completed in one year full-time
  • One field placement, 500 hours
  • Available part or full-time
  • Specialize in clinical or macro
  • For students with a BSW, received within the past seven yearsÌý
  • Meets GPA requirements
  • $720 per credit

Coursework

These first year courses will increase students' knowledge, skills, and understanding of the values connected to the nine CSWE competencies, to the strengths viewpoint, and to the Christian Reformed perspective, two competencies unique to Calvin's program.Ìý

  • SOWK 501: Social Work Foundations (2 credits)
  • SOWK 510: Spirituality, Faith, and Social Work (2 credits)
  • SOWK 520: Diversity, Inequity, and Social Justice (2 credits)
  • SOWK 550: Human Behavior and the Social Environment (2 credits)
  • SOWK 555: Introduction to Applied Social Research (2 credits)
  • SOWK 560: Social Welfare Policy (2 credits)
  • SOWK 571: Introduction to Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups (2 credits)
  • SOWK 575: Introduction to Practice with Communities and Organizations (2 credits)
  • SOWK 580: Field Education I (4 credits)
  • SOWK 581: Field Education II (4 credits)

These second year courses will build on the knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes learned in the generalist practice courses from year one. Second year courses will enhance understanding and practice, diving deeper into either a clinical or macro specialization track.Ìý

  • SOWK 610: Trauma Informed Social Work Practice (4 credits)
  • SOWK 620: Anti-racist, Anti-oppressive Social Work Practice (4 credits)
  • SOWK 630: Mental Health and Social Work (4 credits)
  • SOWK 680: Advanced Field Education I (4 credits)
  • SOWK 681: Advanced Field Education II (4 credits)

With a BSW already earned, Advanced Standing students jump right in to 600 level coursework, deepening their knowledge through the following courses, while also focusing on either a clinical or macro specialization. Students must have received their BSW within the past seven years and meet the GPA requirements to qualify.

  • SOWK 610: Trauma Informed Social Work Practice (4 credits)
  • SOWK 620: Anti-racist, Anti-oppressive Social Work Practice (4 credits)
  • SOWK 630: Mental Health and Social Work (4 credits)
  • SOWK 680: Advanced Field Education I (4 credits)
  • SOWK 681: Advanced Field Education II (4 credits)

The MSW Clinical Track builds on generalist practice by integrating expanded and extended social work competencies to prepare students to work with individuals, groups, and families in varying degrees of complexity and clinical settings.

Required Courses:

  • SOWK 632: Social Work Practice with Children and Infants (4 credits)
  • SOWK 633: Social Work Practice with Adolescents (4 credits)
  • SOWK 650: Advanced Practice with Individuals (4 credits)
  • SOWK 660: Advanced Practice with Families and Groups (4 credits)

The MSW Macro Track builds on generalist practice by integrating expanded and extended social work competencies to prepare students to work with communities and organizations in varying degrees of complexity and macro settings.

Required Courses:

  • SOWK 640: Ethical Leadership and Social Work Supervision (4 credits)
  • SOWK 670: Advanced Practice with Communities and Organizations (4 credits)
  • SOWK 675: Social Work Program Evaluation (4 credits)
  • One Course from the Public Health or Public Administration program

Admission Requirements

  • Commitment to the NASW values of social work

  • Completed , which includes an official transcript, minimum GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0), resume, and two letters of recommendation (one professional, one academic)

    Additional Advanced Standing admission requirements:

  • BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution earned within the last 7 years
  • minimum GPA of 3.0 in all 300 level undergraduate social work courses

FAQs

Yes! Our Field Education Director will assist you finding a suitable practicum placement site.

Students who have earned their BSW over seven years ago or their BSW was taken an an institution that is not CSWE accredited are not eligible for advanced standing, but may be eligible to waive up to four 500 level courses (SOWK 501, 550, 580, 581). Meet with the Program Director for more information.Ìý

You may request to transfer a maximum of 9 credits from other regionally accredited institutions (or a recognized foreign institution) to satisfy graduate degree requirements at Calvin.

Ìý

Students are invited to submit a request for transfer credits during the admissions process. All requests for transfer credits must relate to transfer-level coursework, including transfer requests for certificate programs. Ìý

Transfer credit will normally be awarded for courses that are Ìý

  • taken at a CSWE-accredited institution and represented on an official transcript by the credit-granting institution; Ìý

  • academic and similar in nature to graduate-level courses offered at Calvin; Ìý

  • completed with a minimum grade of B (or its equivalent); Ìý

  • approved by the program director (or designee); and Ìý

  • completed within seven years of enrolling in the graduate program at Calvin. Ìý

Transfer course work is not computed in the Â鶹Çø GPA.

Most classes are offered on Tuesday or Thursday nights from 6:30-8:30 pm (EST). Practicum seminar courses (SOWK 580, SOWK 581, SOWK 680, and SOWK 681) meet every other Monday night from 6:30-8:00 pm.

Unfortunately, no. The social work program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

The Â鶹Çø MSW Program is approved by the Higher Learning Commission and is currently seeking accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).Ìý

Faculty

The Â鶹Çø MSW Program is approved by the Higher Learning Commission and is currently seeking accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).Ìý

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