Master of Social Work (MSW)
Put your passion for helping people and creating change to work ― with a Master of Social Work degree from Monmouth University.
Our nationally recognized 60-credit MSW program will provide you with the theoretical knowledge and field experience you need for professional social work practice in a wide range of settings, from schools and hospitals to mental health and correctional facilities. The MSW program at Monmouth University offers you the opportunity to:
- Secure social and economic justice, advance human rights, and improve the quality of life of vulnerable families, individuals, organizations, and communities locally, nationally and globally
- Practice with families and children, and international and community development
- Work in an extensive set of domestic and international field opportunities
- Provide access to multiple opportunities including applying to become licensed social workers and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselors
You’ll learn from faculty members who are accomplished scholars and whose teaching is informed by continued practice, and will proceed through the program with a tightly knit group of peers. Our classes are strictly enrollment capped, keeping class sizes manageable and fostering interaction and discussion.
A Cut above the Rest
MSW graduate David Perez '17 and the Long Branch Library are making an impact on youth literacy through the Fade to Books program.
Read about his efforts
"While working with Meridian Health I have discovered how important it is to advocate for your clients. Monmouth's School of Social work has given me the knowledge and confidence to work together with clients and family members during and after their hospital stay". - Kathleen Finch
Students getting immersed in the culture during an International Community Development field trip in Bangladesh.
Students showcasing elements that were part of the 40th anniversary of the Department of Social Work at Monmouth University.
See Our Program Faculty
Nationally Ranked Program
The MSW program is recognized by the US News & World Report for best graduate social work programs
Cohort Model
Monmouth University’s MSW curriculum follows a unique cohort model ensuring you will progress through our program with a close-knit group of peers with whom you will most likely keep in touch throughout your career. Your specific course sequence will depend on your concentration, full- or part-time status, and whether you are a regular 60-credit student or a 30-credit advanced standing student.
Dr. Michael Cronin's research interests and publications are in international social work, health care and social policy, disaster management, social gerontology, international humanitarian law, cultural competence, and diversity. He's also a Main Representative of the International Federation of Social Workers at the United Nations in New York.
Dr. Anne Deepak’s areas of research interest are in the delivery of diversity and social justice content in social work education, the application of a postcolonial feminist social work perspective to global social problems, and the dynamics of Global North-South partnerships.
Dr. Carolyn Bradley helps coordinate the LGBT Older Adult project, a joint initiative of the School of Social Work and the Unterberg School of Nursing & Health Studies.This project is dedicated to the investigation of how aging is impacted by the intersectionality of sexual orientation, stigma and minority stress. It also provides opportunities for bachelor and master level students to work with faculty to gather data from consumers and providers on aging issues within the LGBT community.
2015 marked the 40th anniversary of the Social Work Department at Monmouth University. The anniversary PDF has additional faculty highlights along with program details plus student and alumni testimonials.
Accreditation
The MSW program is fully accredited by the National Council on Social Work Education.
Program Application Requirements
Master of Social Work (MSW)
MSW Concentration: International and Community Development
MSW Concentration: Clinical Practice with Families and Children
- Possession of a baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.75 overall GPA and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the undergraduate major. Social work education is grounded in the liberal arts and contains a coherent, integrated professional foundation in social work (Council on Social Work Education–Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards). MSW applicants with a baccalaureate degree are required to have a strong liberal arts background with a minimum of one 3-credit course in each of the four areas of English, math, biology, and psychology. None of these four classes may be a CLEP*, they must be taken as college-level credit bearing classes. The program also prefers course work in history, sociology, political science, anthropology, and economics.
*CLEP College-Level Examination Program® - Three completed Monmouth University School of Social Work recommendation forms.
Recommendations must be submitted by professional references, and not by friends or relatives. - Narrative (four to five pages, double spaced) in response to the questions outlined on the Autobiographical Statement Form.
- Candidates for advanced standing must have a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program within six years of the date of application and submit the Monmouth University Advanced Standing Form.
- Candidates for Advanced standing must have completed a course in statistics within the last six years.
- In instances where the admissions committee has questions about an applicant’s references, personal statement, or academic record, the applicant may be required to attend an interview as part of the admissions process.
Social Work Certificate Program: Play Therapy (Post-Master’s)
- A master’s degree in a medical or mental health discipline (ex: MSN, MSW, MA), and eligibility for licensure in that discipline.