Program Overview

Online MSW Program

The University of Denver's Online MSW Program, MSW@Denver, is designed for aspiring social workers who do not hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and are driven to pursue a career powered by purpose.

Program Details

• The MSW@Denver curriculum immerses students in the theory and practice of social work by pairing online courses with relevant field internship experiences.
• The program requires 81 graduate-level credits.
• It can be completed in 27 months for full-time students and 36 months for part-time students.
• Students complete 900 hours of field internships.

Foundation Curriculum

The foundation curriculum explores the history and key values of the social work profession, providing students with the understanding and skill set needed to become purpose-driven practitioners. Foundation courses cover concepts such as human development and behavior, the impact of oppression on communities, and ethical social work practice.

MSW Pathways

Students can customize their own MSW Pathway under the Advanced Social Work Practice concentration. Two examples of MSW Pathways are:

• Mental Health and Trauma: Prepares students to provide trauma-informed care as a behavioral health clinician or a psychiatric social worker.
• Health, Equity and Wellness: Prepares students to practice in holistic and integrated health settings, including hospitals, after-school programs, and experiential treatment centers.

Field Internships

As an Online MSW student, you will complete two internships:

• One foundation internship
• One concentration internship Students work under the guidance of a licensed social worker at a site in or near their own community, applying what they learn in the classroom to solve challenges in real-world social work settings.

Foundation Year Internship

• Requires 13.5 hours a week for students in the Accelerated program track.
• Builds upon students' values, knowledge, and skills as they relate to the social work profession.

Concentration Year Internship

• Requires 16.5 hours a week for students in the Accelerated program track.
• Focuses on the professional skills needed for advanced social work practice in mental health and trauma or health, equity, and wellness.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for admission to the Online MSW, applicants must:

• Hold a bachelor's degree other than a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Have an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. A 3.0 GPA is preferred, but if the GPA is lower than 3.0, the admission committee may consider the last 60 or 90 undergraduate credits.