Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) Online MSW Program

Metropolitan State University of Denver offers a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) program through its Department of Social Work. The program educates social workers to serve the needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations in a multicultural and global society. MSU Denver’s MSW program is rooted in an Integrative Practice approach, designed to equip students for a variety of professional roles — including clinician, therapist, leader, organizer, and activist — with a holistic, intersectional perspective grounded in racial, social, environmental, and economic justice.

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Earn an Online MSW From a Top-Ranked School at DU

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The MSW program is available in two tracks: a Regular (60-hour) Program open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline other than social work, and an Advanced Standing (36-hour) Program for applicants who hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program. Both tracks can be completed fully online or through a mixed-delivery format combining online, hybrid, and on-campus options. Students must be accepted into their chosen delivery format at the time of admission; any changes require departmental approval.

The program does not require campus visits for fully online students, though online courses may include synchronous activity requirements. Students in both tracks must complete a required field internship at a local agency. MSU Denver’s dedicated Office of Field Education works one-on-one with students to secure placements and maintains relationships with over 700 agencies throughout Colorado.

The MSW program at MSU Denver is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) Online MSW Program: Overview

Department: Department of Social Work at Metropolitan State University of Denver

Degree Types: Regular (60 credit hours); Advanced Standing (36 credit hours)

Program Structure: Online (fully online or mixed delivery) with field placements (no campus visits required for fully online students)

Instruction Methods: Primarily asynchronous; synchronous activity may be required in some courses

Academic Standards

Students in both tracks must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in any academic term. Students who fall below 3.0 in a given term are placed on academic probation and must develop a plan to raise their GPA; failure to do so within 15 credit hours results in dismissal. No grade below a B- counts toward degree completion — students receiving a C+ or below must repeat the course. Students who do not successfully complete a social work course with a B- or better after a second attempt will be dismissed from the program. All grades remain permanently on the graduate transcript; there is no Best Grade Stands policy at the graduate level.

Admissions Decisions

Applicants may be accepted, accepted with requirements, waitlisted, or denied. Accepted applicants may defer their start semester by up to one academic year without resubmitting a full application. Students who defer will be held to the policies and curriculum of the later term in which they officially begin the program.

Program Information – Regular Standing Students

Program Overview

Program Name: Regular (two-year) Program
Phone Number: (303) 615-0555

Program Requirements

Field Education Requirements: 1,080 hours (Foundation Internship Experience I and II + Advanced Internship Experience I and II)
Number of Credits Required: 60 credit hours

Program Length

Program Options: Full-time and Part-time
Program Length: Full-time students typically take 15 credits per semester; part-time students typically take 6–9 credits per semester
Program Start Dates: Fall admission only
Time Limit: Degree must be completed within six calendar years of initial enrollment

Admissions Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline other than social work from a regionally accredited institution (must be completed prior to the fall semester of enrollment)
Undergraduate prerequisites as listed on the MSW Program website must be completed prior to starting the program
Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (applicants below 3.0 may still apply; if accepted, additional requirements will apply)
Completion of all required application materials (components updated each admissions cycle on the MSW Program website)
GRE: Not required

Curriculum

Foundation Courses (27 hours): Covering social work theories, foundations of justice, social policy analysis, research and evaluation, groups and teams, practice with individuals and families, organizational and community practice, and two foundation internship experiences
Concentration Courses (21 hours): Advancing Justice in Organizations and Communities; Advanced Application of Clinical Social Work; Advanced Policy Advocacy Practice; Developing the Capstone Project; Implementing the Capstone Project; and two advanced internship experiences
Graduation Requirement Course (3 hours): Legal Issues Impacting Social Work Practice (may be taken in either the foundation or concentration year)
Electives (9 hours): Three 6000-level electives, selected from any SWKM 6000-level course not already required by the program

Program Information – Advanced Standing Students