Social Work (M.S.W.)

Social Work (M.S.W.)

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UNH's online Master of Social Work program educates social work professionals to work effectively with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to optimize human potential for productive participation in society. Our Advanced Generalist Curriculum prepares students for effective advanced intervention with client systems of various sizes and to work in any setting where social workers are employed.

Credit Hours: 62   |    Program Length: 28 months

Why get a master’s degree in social work?

Professional social workers make a difference in people’s lives, communities, and society. An M.S.W. is a professional degree that prepares graduates to work in fields such as healthcare, education, substance abuse, child welfare, employee assistance programs, policy and advocacy, and other human services and social welfare related areas. Additionally, an M.S.W. is the first step toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

Why choose UNH’s Master of Social Work program?

At UNH, you’ll earn a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited M.S.W. from a top-tier research university. You’ll learn from full-time faculty who are passionate about social justice and are experts in their fields of practice. With full-time, part-time hybrid and online options you can earn your degree in the format best suited to you, and you’ll have the opportunity to specialize in areas including disabilities; health and mental health; addictions and substance abuse; and children, youth and families. You’ll also gain hands-on experience while making a difference in your community through a local field internship.  

Potential careers

  • Child welfare case worker 
  • Community health worker 
  • Community outreach organizer 
  • Juvenile/adult criminal justice social worker 
  • Medical social worker 
  • Mental health social worker 
  • Public health administrator 
  • Public policy analyst 
  • Public policy research assistant 
  • School social worker 
  • Substance use disorder counselor

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Application Requirements & Deadlines

impact social change in your community

Experience excellence in social work with UNH's online MSW program.

Curriculum & Requirements

The University of New Hampshire's M.S.W. program provides a quality educational experience that prepares graduates for Advanced Generalist practice consistent with the purposes of the social work profession.  It concentrates on strengths and empowerment models that encourage individuals and families, and communities and organizations to realize their full potential. 

Fields of Practice

MSW students will be able to select three electives in one or more of the following:

  1. Health and mental health;
  2. Addictions and substance abuse;
  3. Children, youth, and families,
  4. Disabilities; or a self-designed field of practice.

Program Options

The Durham Campus Program is our traditional model with classes held on campus.  It takes two years to complete the full time program, with part time course of study of three and four years.  Required first year courses are scheduled Monday-Wednesday leaving Thursdays and Fridays open for first year field internships.  Second year courses are scheduled Wednesdays and Thursdays leaving Monday, Tuesday, and Friday for internships.  The Durham program admits once a year in the fall.

The UNH Manchester Program has academic classes delivered in a hybrid model.  Academic classes are primarily held in-person on Saturdays on the Manchester campus; in addition, students engage in an online class equivalent activity during the week.  Admission to this program is every other year in fall.  Students complete the Manchester program in three years.  Field internships occur in the second and third year of the program.

The M.S.W Online Program allows students to earn their Master of Social Work degree online in 28 months.  M.S.W online students are required to complete two field internships at a program or agency in their local community and work with Social Work Department field office to identify acceptable field sites. The online program admits three times a year (fall, spring, summer).  No campus visits are required at any time.

Advanced Standing is an option for eligible students who have graduated from an accredited B.S.W. program within five years.  This option is available in Durham or online.  Admission to this program is every summer for Durham and every fall for online.

M.S.W. Degree Requirements

An M.S.W. candidate must complete 62 credit hours of 800- or 900-level courses including two, two-semester field internships, comprising a total of 1,240 hours in the field. Grades below the B­ level in a graded course or a "fail" in a credit/fail course are considered failing grades for the purposes of determining academic standing. Repeating a course does not remove the original failing grade from the record. Graduate students receiving failing grades in 9 or more credits, received either in three courses or in any combination of courses taken twice, will be dismissed from the M.S.W. program.

Although a significant portion of the curriculum is required, students will be able to complete three elective courses. At least one of these must be taken from among Department of Social Work course offerings.

Core MSW Program Advanced Generalist Courses

Core courses
SW 820Social Welfare Policy I3
SW 830Social Work Practice I3
SW 840Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice3
SW 850Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (HBSE I)3
SW 880Field Internship I 13
SW 860Research Methods in Social Work3
SW 831Social Work Practice II: Practice in Small Groups and Community Organizations3
SW 851Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (HBSE II)3
SW 926Social Welfare Policy II3
SW 881Field Internship II 23
SW 930Advanced General Practice III: Clinical Assessment and Intervention3
SW 952Human Behavior and the Social Environment III3
SW 962Data Analysis and Statistics3
SW 982Field Internship III 34
SW 931Advanced Generalist Practice IV: Community and Administrative Practice3
SW 965Program and Practice Evaluation3
SW 983Field Internship IV 44
Electives
Select three 3-credit elective courses of social work (other graduate programs with permission):9
SW 801
Women and Aging
SW 805
Child and Adolescent Risks and Resiliency: Program, Policy and Practice
SW 806
Social Action in the Dominican Republic
SW 812
Understanding Developmental Disabilities
SW 813
School Social Work
SW 814
Introduction to Addiction: Assessment and Intervention
SW 815
Practice with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People
SW 816
Addiction: Myth, Science and Policy
SW 819
Addiction Recovery
SW 865
Adventure Therapy: Facilitation and Processing of the Experience
SW 870
Intimate Partner Violence
SW 897
Special Topics in Social Work and Social Welfare
SW 957
Fund Development and Grantwriting
SW #973
Interventions with Groups
SW 974
Social Work Supervision
SW 975
Theory and Practice of Family Therapy
SW 979
Social Work and the Law
Total Credits62

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: June 1
  • Spring: November 1
  • Summer: March 1

Historically, cohorts fill up prior to the above application deadlines. If you are looking to apply for a specific term, please submit your application as early as possible for review.

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must request one official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. International transcripts must be translated into English. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Applicants must provide a well-constructed double-spaced essay of 4-5 pages. Please respond to the questions below:

  1. How did you become interested in social work?
  2. What personal, academic, organizational, volunteer and/or paid work experiences have influenced your choice of social work as a profession?
  3. Being in an online program requires you to be able to use a variety of technologies. Can you describe (in one paragraph) your experience with the use of technology and your comfort and ability to learn new technologies and software?
  4. Briefly discuss a current social issue of great concern or interest to you.
  5. Describe some intellectual and personal attributes that you believe make you particularly suited for the profession of social work.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Additional Department Requirements

Two years of full-time experience in the field is strongly recommended. Graduation from an accredited undergraduate institution with a broad liberal arts background is required.

International Applicants

The University of New Hampshire recommends that international applicants who are living outside of the United States, and are planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit a preapplication form before submitting a full application. Your preapplication request will be carefully reviewed and a decision usually provided within 3 weeks. If your preapplication is approved then it is recommended you then submit a full application. If you are currently living in the United States (on a H1B visa, etc.), or you plan on pursuing a professional master’s degree, then you do not need to submit a preapplication.

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Questions

For program-specific application questions, please contact the UNH Online Student Success Coaches: unh.online@unh.edu or 855.250.6699

Student Stories

  • kelly macdonald
    Kelly MacDonald
    Many Gifts
    Kelley MacDonald builds her life around a community of family, friends, colleagues, and fellow students. Her well-being is nurtured through contact with people she values, helping a child recover from trauma, shopping with her mother, or walking the beach with a friend. Although her undergraduate...
    Learn More
    Kelly MacDonald
    Many Gifts
    Kelley MacDonald builds her life around a community of family, friends, colleagues, and fellow students. Her well-being is nurtured through contact with people she values, helping a child recover from trauma, shopping with her mother, or walking the beach with a friend. Although her undergraduate...
    Learn More
  • Jamie Vander Velden
    Jamie Vander Velden
    The Road to Tranquility
    Patience and quiet dedication are the earmarks of Jamie Vander Velden’s spirit when she talks about her work. A resident of Wisconsin, Jamie travels long distances, navigating dirt roads and harsh winter weather to visit patients’ in their homes in nearby rural Minnesota. “I do car yoga,” states...
    Learn More
    Jamie Vander Velden
    The Road to Tranquility
    Patience and quiet dedication are the earmarks of Jamie Vander Velden’s spirit when she talks about her work. A resident of Wisconsin, Jamie travels long distances, navigating dirt roads and harsh winter weather to visit patients’ in their homes in nearby rural Minnesota. “I do car yoga,” states...
    Learn More
  • Michelle Gagne
    Michelle Gagne
    Many Milestones
    Her strong sense of purpose shines forth when Michelle Gagne talks about all phases of her life: childhood, education, career, family, goals. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, horseback riding was a touchstone for Michelle. Inspired by these memories, she and her husband have purchased land to...
    Learn More
    Michelle Gagne
    Many Milestones
    Her strong sense of purpose shines forth when Michelle Gagne talks about all phases of her life: childhood, education, career, family, goals. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, horseback riding was a touchstone for Michelle. Inspired by these memories, she and her husband have purchased land to...
    Learn More
  • 1st MSW Cohort Group
    The First Online M.S.W.s
    Convenience is an added bonus of the social work degree program. But convenience doesn't sacrifice quality. Learn more about our first group of graduates from our Online Master of Social Work Program.
    Learn More
    The First Online M.S.W.s
    Convenience is an added bonus of the social work degree program. But convenience doesn't sacrifice quality. Learn more about our first group of graduates from our Online Master of Social Work Program.
    Learn More

View All Social Work (M.S.W.) Spotlights

Explore Program Details

Your field education, internship, is about applying and doing, the opportunity for you to connect the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classroom with the practical world of the practice setting.  Classroom and field each contribute to the development of a students’ competencies of professional practice.  Graduate school is a rare opportunity to have so many people; your field supervisor, faculty and other students, supporting your professional development. 

How Field Education Works:                     

Students are required to complete two field internships at a program or agency in their local community and work with Social Work Department field office to identify acceptable field sites. The most important objective of the field internships is to prepare students for competent social work practice. Internships enhance learning by providing students with opportunities to integrate and apply theories, research, values, methods and practice skills acquired throughout the curriculum to the reality of work with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Both the internships and concomitant seminars stress the importance of learning to recognize and respect the dignity and worth of diverse client systems regardless of race, color, gender, age, creed, ethnic or national origin, ability, political, or sexual orientation. Below is some important information about the field experience.

  • Field instruction is concurrent with coursework; students are required to take co-requisite Social Work Practice and Field Seminar courses at the same time while interning.
  • During the first field internship students spend two days per week (16hrs) in the field for four e-terms.
  • In the second field internship students spend three days each week (24hrs) in the field for four e-terms.
  • Based on student and agency need, some flexibility in the day and time may be possible; however, there are no placements on the weekend. 
  • Students in their first internship are placed in settings that enable them to obtain generalist practice skills, while second field internships are in agencies that offer opportunities to learn Advanced Generalist skills.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR FIELD

MSW FIELD MANUAL

Tuition & Fees:

Tuition for 2020-21 Academic Year:

  • $785 per credit for New Hampshire (NH) residents
  • $865 per credit for non-NH residents                                                                  

Program Total Number of Credits: 62
*eTerm 5 2020 through eTerm 4 2021

Technology Fee per Semester:

  • 1-4 credits $26.00
  • 5-8 credits $52.00
  • 9-16 credits $104.00

ADDITIONAL TUITION & FEES INFORMATION 

Financial Aid

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans is the form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students. To apply, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNH priority deadline is March 1. This is the date by which the FAFSA must be received by the federal processor, however, if your application is received after March 1st you will still be considered for the Federal Direct Loan, which is not subject to the priority deadline.

The basic eligibility requirements to be considered for Financial Aid include:

  • Attend classes at least half-time (5 or more credits per semester).
  • Enrollment in a degree program.
  • Documentation of United States citizenship or eligible non-citizen status.
  • Must maintain satisfactory academic progress.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

Scholarship Opportunities

Although the Social Work Department has no direct departmental aid for online students, there are other ways to make your education affordable:

Learn more about the Child Welfare and Partnerships Training

View additional Scholarship Opportunities

Loan Forgiveness Programs

Under some circumstances, you can have your federal student loan forgiven, canceled, or discharged. Explore the links below to learn some of the ways through which federal loans can be fulfilled.

Our online Master of Social Work courses are taught by the same full-time faculty who also teach our on-campus courses. This means you are getting the same education online as you would on campus.

View UNH Social Work Faculty

Our program has five 8-week e-terms per academic calendar year. Students who successfully complete two courses per e-term, as outlined below, earn their degrees in 28 months. Taking fewer courses per term will extend the completion timeframe.

Sample Schedule - Starting in Fall/August

Sample Schedule - Starting in Spring/January

Sample Schedule - Starting in Summer/May