Are you interested in learning more about social work degrees in Minnesota to jump-start your career in the rewarding helping profession and expand career options for working with diverse vulnerable populations overcoming adversity? Read on for the list of accredited social work degrees in Minnesota.
Nicknamed the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," there are nearly as many top-notch educational opportunities for aspiring professional social workers in Minnesota as there are bodies of water.
Situated in the eastern half of the historic Minnesota Territory in the Great Lakes region as the 12th most extensive and 21st most populous state, it is no surprise that Minnesota serves as a major center of transportation, industry, business, government, forestry, mining, recreation, and education for the Midwest. For those interested in pursuing the plentiful career opportunities for serving the social needs of the diverse Midwestern region, the following is the numerous social work degree programs given the stamp of approval by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) within Minnesota.
Featured Social Work Programs
Augsburg College
Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW)
Following the generalist approach to emphasize respect for client self-determination and use of client strengths with empowerment for serving individuals, families, groups, organizations, or whole communities, the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program is designed to prepare entry-level social work practitioners to advocate for social change for the well-being of their culturally diverse clients. For a total of 120 semester units, the curriculum integrates professional practice methods, social work values, research skills, field practicum experience, and a liberal arts academic core to prepare graduates for practice in a wide variety of areas in social work services.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
With an emphasis on developing competence as a professional generalist social worker with advanced practice skills and leadership qualities, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program builds on the university's 140-year history of service to the community by helping graduate students connect their passions to the world's greatest needs. Designed to develop social workers for practice that promotes social justice and empowerment toward the well-being of people in a diverse global society, the program requires the completion of 66 semester credits and at least 920 clock hours of approved field practicum experience.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(612) 330-1725
[email protected]
Program Website
Bemidji State University
Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW)
Intended to prepare undergraduate students for generalist social work practice that is grounded in civic commitment and embraces cultural responsiveness in today's increasingly diverse global community, the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program is available with a traditional on-campus track or a new blended track with both on-campus and online coursework. After completing a strong liberal arts foundation, students must successfully complete at least 72 credits in major core courses addressing the biological, psychological, and social aspects of human development and interactions. During the senior year, students are also expected to participate in a supervised internship at a Minnesota human service agency.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
Hagg-Sauer Hall Room 379
1500 Birchmont Drive NE
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 755-2880
[email protected]
Program Website
Bethel University
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
As one of the few Christian social work programs in the five-state area that enables students to integrate their faith into their work serving others, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is focused on developing a range of prevention and intervention methods so that graduates can advocate for human rights and social justice with oppressed populations. Along with the completion of at least 122 semester credits in the four-year program, undergraduate students are required to complete two supervised field experiences for a total of 560 clock hours and are encouraged to study abroad during interim for further practical learning opportunities.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
3900 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112
(651) 638-6443
[email protected]
Program Website
College of Saint Scholastica
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)
Within the context of the college's Benedictine tradition, the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program is designed to prepare ethical generalist social work practitioners to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, or living in poverty. Offered in an accelerated cohort-based learning model on-campus at the Duluth, Inver Grove Heights, Brainerd, and Cloquet locations, the degree can be finished in just two years with the seamless transfer program. The curriculum emphasizes professional documentation, ethics, evidence-based practice strategies, and supervised practicum for at least 570 hours of field experience.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Building on a strong generalist foundation to prepare graduate students for advanced clinical practice in a variety of settings, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program can be completed in one year for those with an accredited bachelor's degree in social work and two years for those with an unrelated undergraduate degree. Focused on advanced clinical practice, the curriculum emphasizes the skills for assessment, diagnosis, evidence-based intervention, treatment, and group therapy dynamics. After completing the required 900 hours of supervised field practicum, graduates are qualified for obtaining licensure as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Minnesota.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
1200 Kenwood Avenue
Duluth, MN 55811
(800) 447-5444
[email protected]
Program Website
Concordia College
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Designed to prepare undergraduate students for a career as a licensed social worker while reaping the benefits of a well-rounded liberal arts education, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is focused on equipping graduates with the knowledge and experience needed to make a profound impact on the lives of vulnerable populations in need. By confronting disadvantage through a framework of scientific inquiry and human rights, the program prepares competent and effective social work practitioners to promote individual and community well-being. Throughout the 120-credit program, students are actively engaged in foundational academic curriculum, hands-on community service projects, and clinical field experiences with a culminating 480-hour senior internship.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
901 8th St. South
Moorhead, MN 56562
(218) 299-3558
[email protected]
Program Website
Metropolitan State University
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
With the mission of helping undergraduate students build the values, knowledge, dispositions, and skills inherent in social work practice with individuals and families, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is focused on training generalist entry-level social work practitioners for meeting the needs of the increasingly racially diverse Twin Cities communities. In the four-year program, students are expected to complete coursework in social work practice, racial/ethnic analysis, social policy, social welfare, community research, advocacy, and human behavior. For acceptance into the major program, students must successfully pass a criminal background check and have significant prior work or volunteer experience with people of color.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
700 East Seventh St.
Saint Paul, MN 55106
(651) 793-1302
[email protected]
Program Website
Minnesota State University Mankato
Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW)
Building a professional curriculum on a strong liberal arts base, the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program is focused on providing opportunities for undergraduate students to apply knowledge, skills, and values to tackle real-world problems impacting the vulnerable populations throughout the Midwest. With a generalist approach, the curriculum covers content on social work ethics, diversity, social justice, populations-at-risk, human behavior, social welfare policy, and social work research. As the capstone experience of the program, all students are required to complete a pre-professional internship of 150 hours plus a professional practicum experience of 440 hours in an approved local social service agency.
Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW)
Designed to prepare graduate students to work as professional advanced social workers in a variety of public and private social agencies with clients ranging from infants to senior citizens, the Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) program is ideal for those who wish to work directly with clients in social work leadership roles as program directors, supervisors, and agency administrators. With a concentration emphasizing practice in small rural communities, the curriculum requires the completion of 59 credits spread over two calendar years for a total of six semesters of graduate study. Furthermore, students must successfully finish a minimum of 960 clock hours of advanced practicum experience for practical application of acquired skills.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
358 North Trafton Science Center
Mankato, MN 56001
(507) 389-6504
[email protected]
Program Website
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Intended to prepare undergraduate students with a deep knowledge base and skill set related to social welfare to advance social justice, economic justice, and human rights on a local to global scare, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program leads to state licensure in Minnesota, North Dakota, and elsewhere with an impressive examination pass rate of over 95%. Throughout the four-year 120-credit program, students obtain diverse social work experience in the areas of child welfare, medical or psychiatric social work, mental health, domestic violence, chemical dependency, public policy, and more. In addition to classroom study, students are required to acquire practical hands-on skills by completing two human service field experiences and a 480-hour internship in preparation for entry-level licensed generalist social work practice or graduate school admissions.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
Lommen Hall Room 114
1104 7th Avenue South
Moorhead, MN 56563
(218) 477-2632
[email protected]
Program Website
North Central University
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)
Designed to train undergraduate students in the knowledge and skills needed for professional entry-level generalist social work practice, the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program is guided by a love for Christ and a commitment to service to God for the good of humanity. With an educational framework based on Christian and the code of ethics from the National Association of Social Work (NASW), the program builds upon a strong liberal arts foundation for developing a holistic approach to social work for nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of diverse client populations. In addition to the 124 credit hours of undergraduate coursework within the classroom, all social work majors are required to satisfactorily complete a 450-hour internship during their senior year for valuable practical experience.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
910 Elliot Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 343-4787
[email protected]
Program Website
Southwest Minnesota State University
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
With the mission of preparing undergraduate students to become qualified competent entry-level generalist social work practitioners in rural at-risk settings with an emphasis on direct service, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is structured to provide students with the professional foundation needed for pursuing graduate study in social work with advanced standing status. Fulfilling all requirements for social work licensure in Minnesota, the curriculum emphasizes the knowledge, skills, values, and dispositions needed to practice with individuals, couples, families, groups, corporations, and communities. After completing the liberal arts base and interdisciplinary coursework, students engage in an intensive core of social work classes with a 400-hour field practicum experience in an approved social services organization.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
1501 State St.
Marshall, MN 56258
(507) 537-7336
[email protected]
Program Website
St. Catherine University and University of St. Thomas Collaborative
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Available in traditional weekday, evening, weekend, and online formats to accommodate diverse learning needs, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is dedicated to fostering the knowledge and skills that generalist social workers needed to build purposeful relationships to accomplish the goals of improving the lives of clients and creating a just society. Strongly rooted in the use of the strengths perspectives, the curriculum involves coursework in psychology, sociology, lifespan development, human biology, social work practices, human behavior, social work research, and social policy. The applied program also requires students to complete field education experiences for a total of 200 clock hours at the junior level and 400 more clock hours at the senior level at different select agencies throughout the metropolitan area.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
With a strong focus on clinical social work practice with individuals, families, and small groups, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program is designed to develop the core competencies in clinical practice so that graduates are prepared to think diagnostically, implement clinical interventions, evaluate relevant client outcomes, and integrate macros perspectives in clinical work. Ideal for social workers who wish to deal with complex problems like mental illness, developmental disabilities, poverty, and discrimination, the cohort-based program requires the completion of at least 600 hours of supervised field practicum experience. While the program traditionally includes 60 semester credits, those with an accredited undergraduate degree in social work can apply for Advanced Standing to complete 42 credits in just three semesters.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
2115 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
(651) 962-5801
[email protected]
Program Website
St. Cloud State University
Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW)
Combining a strong liberal arts foundation with an intensive core of major social work classes and supervised field practice experience, the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program has been designed to prepare undergraduate students for fulfilling entry-level professional positions in the social welfare and human service delivery systems as well as admissions into accredited graduate schools. Within the 120-credit program focused on diversity and social justice for all, students are trained to integrate theoretical social work knowledge with values and ethics for optimal skill development in applying a generalist model to professional social work practice.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
For greater breadth and depth of theoretical knowledge and social work practice skills to service diverse populations in today's changing society, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program prepares graduate students for assuming the role of advanced generalist practitioner for working with clients at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. While the program is welcoming to students of diverse backgrounds and experiences in the field of social work, all applicants must meet prerequisites in human biology, statistics, and human life development with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher for admissions. Those who already hold a bachelor's degree from a CSWE-accredited institution may qualify for participating in the Advanced Standing program to complete just 33 credits in one year.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
720 Fourth Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301
(320) 308-3139
[email protected]
Program Website
St. Olaf College
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
With the goal of preparing liberally educated professional social work practitioners to ethically service diverse vulnerable populations to promote a just global society, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program features an intensive curriculum from a scientific approach to train students for generalist practice with individuals, families, organizations, and communities of diverse backgrounds. In the 120-credit program, students can choose to concentrate their degree in Family Studies to learn more about families in both theory and practice. Students are required to complete one full-time block field practicum placement for 400 clock hours in the fall semester of the senior year with clients in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
1520 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057
(507) 786-2222
[email protected]
Program Website
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Adopting an advanced generalist approach to social work practice in an effort to prepare graduate students to work effectively with individuals, groups, family systems, and larger social systems, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program places a strong emphasis on culturally competent practice with American Indiana families and communities, particularly in rural areas. While the standard program requires the completion of 51 semester credits, Advanced Standing students with a bachelor's degree in social work will only need to complete 34 semester credits for graduation. In order to be accepted into the program, applicants must have a bachelor's degree with strong academic preparation in the completion of at least 15 undergraduate credits in social science disciplines.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
(218) 726-7245
[email protected]
Program Website
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Reflecting the educational standards from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the professional values of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Master of Social Work (MSW) program is designed to prepare graduate students for advanced social work practice and leadership. With a strong commitment for working for social justice to ensure all persons have equal opportunities in share in society's goods, the program offers concentration areas in Clinical Mental Health, Community Practice, Families and Children, and Health, Disability, and Aging. In order to help students apply their classroom learning, students are also required to complete two field internships under the supervision of a field instructor.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
1404 Gortner Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
(612) 625-1220
[email protected]
Program Website
Walden University
Master of Social Work (MSW)
As the first fully online program in the United States that prepares graduate students for beginning or advancing career opportunities as a licensed social worker, the Master of Social Work (MSW) program builds upon the university's decades of experience in distance learning to help working adults achieve their academic goals in social work. With flexible degree completion tracks that can be tailored to fit a busy schedule, the curriculum incorporates custom case studies, supervised field experiences, and two four-day in-person residencies. While some students may choose the general program, others can select one of the six optional elective clusters in Military, Crisis and Trauma, Addictions, Children and Families, Forensic Populations and Settings, or Medical Social Work.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) – with candidacy status
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
100 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(866) 492-5336
Program Website
Winona State University
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Focused on community engaged learning activities to provide students with valuable supervised field practicum and internship experiences, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is designed to train undergraduate students with the ethics, skills, values, and knowledge needed to begin entry-level generalist social work practice. Offered at both the Winona and Rochester campuses in full or part-time schedules, the four-year undergraduate program consists of at least 122 semester credits and a minimum of 480 internship hours. With highly qualified faculty members from diverse professional backgrounds, the program ensures that all graduates are equipped with the interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, leadership, critical thinking, and analytical skills needed for success.
Accreditations
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) – with candidacy status
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
175 West Mark St.
Winona, MN 55987
(507) 285-7486
[email protected]
Program Website
For those who want to become qualified with the knowledge and skills for fulfilling in-demand social work positions at community clinics, social service agencies, schools, hospitals, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment facilities, prisons, and more, it is essential that you pursue a bachelor's or master's degree in social work that has been properly approved by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) to ensure a quality education. If you call the "Gopher State" home, check out these social work degrees in Minnesota to get started on a bright future helping individuals, families, groups, organizations, and whole communities improve their social well-being.