Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

The Department of Human Services offers the Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program, which is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and designed to prepare students for a career in professional social work practice. The curriculum provides students with the knowledge, values, ethics, and skills to engage in multi-level practice with individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Social work’s hybrid, competency-based program is offered as a 2-year or 3-year option. In this program, students attend five intensive weekends during the fall and spring semesters starting at 5:00 pm on Friday and all day Saturday. The remainder of the coursework is completed online. This combination of weekend intensive face-to-face classes and online coursework has proven to be a popular program among students who work full-time or who live at a considerable distance from campus. 

Social Work also offers an Advanced Standing (1-year) program in the hybrid format. The Advanced Standing program is designed for students who have received a Bachelor of Social Work from a Council of Social Work Education accredited program within the last five years. 

Fall 2024 MSW Application Guide

VSU Graduate School Information:


Letter from the Director

What have you done today to change the world? Think Social Work... Think VSU!

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Social Work program at Valdosta State University (VSU). Established in 1995, Social work at VSU has a strong tradition of providing quality education through Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited advanced generalist program.  VSU’s Master of Social Work program is on the cutting edge of technology, becoming the first social work program in the state to offer a web hybrid program in 2003. VSU does not offer a Bachelor of Social Work (Master of Social Work) degree. An undergraduate degree in Social Work is not required to apply for the Master of Social Work program.  Students who apply to the Master of Social Work program typically have undergraduate majors including, but not limited to: Child and Family Behavior, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

You are invited to explore the information on our web site where you can learn more about VSU’s Master of Social Work program on the About the Program of Social Work page and learn about admission requirements on the Master of Social Work Admissions page. Prospective Master of Social Work students should contact the department at socialwork@valdosta.edu or at 229-333-5776 to discuss how our program can help you reach your goals.