Social Work

Saint Leo University's Master of Social Work program offers residents physically living in the states of Florida, Georgia, and Virginia an innovative full-time online program.

A synchronous, full-time program—the online Master of Social Work delivers courses are attended via webcam and presented online, which allows for face-to-face interaction in the convenience of your own home. Given this innovation of a full-time graduate online program, students should enter the program knowing that they will have to meet for weekly evening classes via webcam, be available for daytime internship hours, attend one weekend seminar on University campus in the summer, and adjust their lives to meet the demands and expectations of the Saint Leo University MSW full-time online program.

The Master of Social Work Program prepares graduates to become leaders in all aspects of professional social work practice, including protecting the aged, and promoting social and economic justice, and human rights locally, nationally and globally.

Program Options

The MSW program offers three options:

• A two-year program that starts each fall semester. In order to begin this program, you must apply no later than July 1st of each year. If you miss this deadline, you will have to wait until the next fall to begin the program.
• A one year 32 credit hour advanced standing program offered to those who have completed a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited program within the last five years. The one-year Advanced Standing program starts each summer. In order to begin the Advanced Standing program, you must apply no later than March 15th each year. If you miss this deadline, you will have to wait until the next summer to begin this program.
• A three-year program will begin in Fall 2011. A three year program consists of two classes per 16 weeks with one semester offering 3 courses. This program is for those who cannot meet the curriculum course outline of the two year program. The 3 year program starts each fall. In order to begin this program, you must apply no later than July 1st of each year. If you miss this deadline, you will have to wait until the next fall to begin this program.

Attendance at a one weekend on-campus seminar is required of all students enrolled in the MSW program.

The first year of the program is the 30 credit hour foundation year. The second year is the concentration year and it is 32 credit hours. All programs are sequential and must be taken according to the curriculum outline for each program.

Accreditation

The Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation affirmed Saint Leo University's MSW program Candidacy status at its June 2010 meeting. As is the case with all new MSW programs, Saint Leo University's MSW program must complete a three-year candidacy period prior to receiving full accreditation. Achieving and maintaining Candidacy status indicates that the program is on the path to accreditation and assures our students that they will, according to CSWE policy, be considered to have graduated from an accredited program once the program achieves accreditation. Full accreditation will be finalized after the first class has graduated. Once full accreditation has been completed the first classes will be recognized as having fully accredited MSW degrees. Those who enter the program during candidacy can be eligible to take the clinical social work licensure exam. Each student is responsible for checking with his/her state licensing board to see if this program meets the educational criteria required to sit for the licensing exam is his/her state.

Our undergraduate Social Work Program has been continuously accredited since 1983.