Why the Online M.S.W.?
Earn your VCU M.S.W. from anywhere in the country.
Our online program brings the classroom to you. Study from home and apply your knowledge in your community through field placements.
Complete your degree at your speed.
Choose from any of our online options: a full-time 16-month or two-year track; part time over a three- or four-year period, or our accelerated one-year advanced standing option for B.S.W. degree-holders.
Coursework rooted in cultural competence.
Coursework is designed to provide students with a diversity of direct learning experiences to understand how to improve the lives of all cultures.
Choose the program pace that works for you.
Our part-time and full-time online options, with three intakes throughout the year, let you learn from anywhere in the country, and make an immediate impact on your local community.
Field placement opportunities close to home.
VCU places online learners in field experiences — real-world learning during business hours — to complement their online coursework.
Online learning informed by Richmond and close proximity to D.C.
Expert faculty members bring real-world experience inspired by living in Richmond, VA, and the close proximity to our nation’s capital.
The Virginia Commonwealth University Online M.S.W. is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation. Founded in 1917, the School of Social Work stands as the first school of its kind in the South, as well as one of two programs in Virginia (and only 56 nationwide) to offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the discipline. Ours is one of the largest accredited, comprehensive social work programs in the U.S.
Renowned for a Reason
No. 28
Best Schools for Social Work Nationally
No. 1
Highest Ranked School of Social Work in Virginia
Top 16
Best Public Schools for Social Work Nationally
Is This Program Right for You?
The online M.S.W. is ideal for returning students who need the geographic flexibility of an online format, allowing them to complete their coursework from home.
Engage diversity and difference in practice.
Learn clinical skills guided by the principles of promoting social justice, human rights, diversity, cultural competence and ethical practice.
Make demonstrable changes within individuals and families.
Understand how problems such as substance use, child maltreatment and mental health disorders have roots in traumatic experiences.
Advance your career and the field of social work.
Unlock clinical and leadership opportunities, and innovate to improve access and effectiveness in your field.
Schedule a Consultation To Learn More
Program Objectives
Make it real.
Social work knowledge is to be discovered, not recited. Gain hands-on experience to best serve individuals, families and communities.
Become a practitioner.
Our students and alumni aspire to work in clinical and leadership positions to improve the lives of all individuals.
Prepare for a variety of settings.
We’re preparing the next generation of social workers to work with populations in areas such as mental health, substance use, health care, aging and more.
Help individuals and families live better lives.
Learn to develop a toolkit of clinical skills essential for working with individuals, families and groups.
What You Will Learn
Inclusivity and cultural competence.
Create opportunities that challenge the status quo and break through systemic inequity.
Action and efficacy.
Evaluate and implement programs and policies for measurable results in the communities you serve.
Influence and leadership.
Refine your professional skills to guide decision-making that improves lives through practice-informed research.
Key Dates and Deadlines
| Early Submit | Final Submit | Field Submit | Term Start | Synchronous Class Days* | |
| Full Time | Jan. 17, 2023 | View Here | |||
| Part Time | Jan. 17, 2023 | View Here |
Deposit is due within two weeks of official offer of admission.
Field applications for prospective full-time students are due within one week of deposit.
*In synchronous classes, students develop essential social work skills and professional competencies; and participate in activities that include live presence and interaction, collaborative teamwork, team projects, presentations, and experiential activities, such as role plays and videotaping of clinical simulations.
| Early Submit | Final Submit | Field Submit | Term Start | Synchronous Class Days* | |
| Part Time | March 1, 2023 | May 22, 2023 | View Here | ||
| Advanced Standing | Feb. 8, 2023 | March 29, 2023 | May 22, 2023 | View Here |
Deposit is due within two weeks of official offer of admission.
Field applications for prospective full-time students are due within one week of deposit.
*In synchronous classes, students develop essential social work skills and professional competencies; and participate in activities that include live presence and interaction, collaborative teamwork, team projects, presentations, and experiential activities, such as role plays and videotaping of clinical simulations.
| Early Submit | Final Submit | Field Submit | Term Start | Synchronous Class Days* | |
| Part Time | Jan. 11, 2023 | May 31, 2023 | Aug. 22, 2023 | View Here | |
| Full Time | Jan. 11, 2023 | Mar. 22, 2023 | May 3, 2023 | Aug. 22, 2023 | View Here |
| Advanced Standing | Feb. 8, 2023 | Mar. 29, 2023 | Aug. 22, 2023 | View Here |
Deposit is due within two weeks of official offer of admission.
Field applications for prospective full-time students are due within one week of deposit.
*In synchronous classes, students develop essential social work skills and professional competencies; and participate in activities that include live presence and interaction, collaborative teamwork, team projects, presentations, and experiential activities, such as role plays and videotaping of clinical simulations.
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