Online Master of Social Work
Improve lives while promoting social, economic, and environmental justice
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At a Glance
The online MSW degree from OU Online empowers students to drive meaningful change in a variety of settings while preparing them for the licensure process. This highly sought-after degree equips graduates to elevate the well-being of children, families, adults, and communities while championing social, economic, and environmental justice.
Students can choose between two tailored tracks based on their academic background. The 60-hour Program is designed for those with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work. The Advanced Standing Program is available to students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work.
100% Online
Time to Complete:
15 to 30+ Months
Credit Hours:
33 to 60
Time Commitment:
10 to 20 Hours Weekly
start dates
Fall, Spring (Summer for Advanced Standing)
cost
The Master of Social Work delivers a strong return on investment, equipping you with advanced knowledge and leadership skills that open doors to higher-paying roles and top-tier positions in the field.
Tuition and fees for the 60-hour program total $38,700 ($645 per credit hour). For the Advanced Standing program, tuition and fees are $21,285 ($645 per credit hour). Costs for books and additional materials are not included in either program.
YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE
Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.
About the Master of Social Work Online
The online Master of Social Work program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and graduates are prepared to begin the licensure application process in all 50 states. Students can choose from two distinct tracks based on their previous academic experience:
- 60-credit-hour track: Designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work
- Advanced Standing track: A 33-credit-hour program for students who earned a bachelor’s degree in social work within the past seven years
In a hands-on, engaging learning experience, students explore practice, theory, research, and policy through a mix of asynchronous coursework and live online sessions that foster connections with faculty and peers.
Field Education is the cornerstone of the program. Students complete two personalized field placements, gaining real-world experience under the guidance of licensed social workers.
The Field Education team coordinates placements across hundreds of partner agencies, aligning opportunities with each student’s goals. Settings include health care, child and family services, corrections, community organizing, public health, disability advocacy, and public policy.
Field placements require daytime availability. Students with full-time jobs should plan for workplace flexibility to fully engage in these essential learning experiences.
What Can I Do with a Social Work Master’s Degree
Earning your online MSW degree from the University of Oklahoma positions you for career growth across diverse areas of the social work field. This degree equips you with the advanced skills and credentials needed to lead, advocate, and make a lasting impact in your community. Accelerate your career in these areas:
- Social Worker
- Child Welfare Specialist
- Family Therapists
- Psychotherapists
- Field Representative
- Military & Family Life Consultant
- Substance Abuse Counselors
- Policy Analyst
- Triage Specialist
- Case Manager
Industry Insights
- Median Pay: $61,330
- Job Outlook: Employment for social workers is expected to grow 7 percent by 2033.
- Job Openings: 63,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the next decade.
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Program Outcomes: What You’ll Learn
OU’s online Master of Social Work meets the rising demand for professionals equipped to create lasting impact in the lives of children, families, adults, and communities. Students will:
- Engage in realistic simulations with trained actors portraying clients, applying theory in a safe, supportive environment
- Review and annotate recorded sessions to deepen understanding
- Schedule and record practice exercises with simulated clients
- Build expertise in research methods, advocacy, and evaluation with individuals and families
- Gain hands-on experience through practicum placements in real-world settings
Course Details
The Master of Social Work provides a strong foundation in ethical practice, social work policy, research methods, and the theory, practice, and evaluation of work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Both tracks also allow 9 credit hours of electives from approved lists.
Course Structure
Standard Track
Earn 60 credit hours across 18 courses at a standard or accelerated pace. Most students take two courses per semester, while those on the accelerated plan take three.
Advanced Standing Track
Earn 33 credit hours across 10 courses, typically taking 2 to 3 courses per semester, including one 16-week course and two consecutive 8-week courses.
Course Delivery & Time Commitment
All courses include synchronous live sessions—four for core classes and two for electives—with attendance encouraged but not required. Students can expect to spend 10 to 20 hours per week for two courses.
Foundation Courses (for 60-hour program only)
Social Work Research Methods
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the design and implementation of quantitative and qualitative research methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of social work practices and policies.
Policy Practice in Social Work: Analysis and Advocacy
Credit Hours: 3
A historical and descriptive review of federal and state social welfare programming, an introduction to practice skills of policy analysis, and advocacy in affecting development, change, or implementation of social welfare policy.
Understanding Social Determinants of Health
Credit Hours: 3
Prepares students for generalist practice by equipping them with a systems-oriented perspective on individual and community wellbeing. It emphasizes ethical and evidence-informed approaches to working with populations impacted by disparities in opportunity, access, and health. Using SDOH as an organizing framework, the course fosters analytical and communication skills essential for addressing human needs across micro, mezzo, and macro contexts.
Theory, Practice, and Evaluation with Individuals
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides the theoretical background, practice skills, and research experience necessary for generalist social work practice and evaluation at the individual level. The generalist intervention model is the foundation for teaching the knowledge, values, skills, cognitive, and affective processes necessary for engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals.
Theory, Practice, and Evaluation with Families and Groups
Credit Hours: 3
This course addresses foundation-level components of theory, practice, and evaluation related to generalist social work practice with families and groups. Students learn key explanatory theories about how families and groups operate and are introduced to generalist practice models for practice with these client types. Students also learn about how to effectively evaluate practice with families and groups.
Theory, Practice, and Evaluation with Communities and Organizations
Credit Hours: 3
Exploration of the generalist perspective focusing on the knowledge, values, skills, and techniques appropriate to assessment and interventions with organizations and communities.
Professional Social Work
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an overview of social work as a profession, including central concepts and theories, values, ethics, and career pathways. The profession's historical development is included along with a focus on poverty and economic disparity, human rights and social justice, and human diversity. It provides an introduction to the generalist practice model across system levels.
Social Work Practicum I
Credit Hours: 3
Professionally supervised foundation year practicum placement in an area social service agency.
Social Work Practicum II
Credit Hours: 3
A professionally supervised practicum placement in an area social service agency; a continuation of Social Work Practicum I.
Human Lifespan Development
Credit Hours: 3
Within a social systems framework and biopsychosocial perspective, students learn empirically based theories that deal with lifespan development and family theory. This course provides an introduction to small group dynamics and development as well as a theoretical foundation for micro and mezzo level generalist practice.
Common Courses (for both the 60-hour and Advanced Standing programs)
Client-Centered Direct Practice
Credit Hours: 3
This course addresses clinical practice across the lifespan with application to individuals, families, and groups. Evidenced informed practice provides a framework within which empirically supported treatment modalities are explored as they relate to the intersecting domains of trauma, substance abuse, and mental health.
Macro Systems in Practice
Credit Hours: 3
This course utilizes an advanced generalist perspective focused on advancing the knowledge, values, skills, and techniques appropriate to engagement, assessment, and intervention with organizations and communities.
Advanced Integrative Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
This is an advanced integrative seminar for concentration year students taken in the final semester. The course builds on foundation and concentration course work throughout the MSW curriculum using critical thinking that incorporates micro and macro systems in case analysis and decision-making.
Social Work Practicum III
Credit Hours: 6
This course offers an educationally focused and professionally supervised practicum placement in a social service agency and requires a minimum of 550 clock hours at an assigned practicum site.
Social Work Practicum IV
Credit Hours: 6
This course offers an educationally focused & professionally supervised practicum placement in a social service agency & requires a minimum of 550 clock hours at an assigned practicum site.
Advanced Standing Program Course
Introduction to Advanced Integrative Practice (Advanced Standing program only)
Credit Hours: 3
This seminar course is designed to enhance the preparation of Advanced Standing students for graduate study in social work. This course orients students to graduate level writing and research, the generalist practice model, Social Work in Oklahoma, simulation as a tool for skill development, and an introduction to the Decision Case model. Individualized students' professional development is emphasized.
Why Choose OU Online for a Master of Social Work
OU Online delivers high-quality, affordable undergraduate and graduate programs in a flexible online format—backed by the reputation of a top-tier public institution. Gain the knowledge and skills to thrive in the evolving field of social work.
Faculty Expertise
The Master of Social Work is powered by world-class University of Oklahoma faculty and seasoned professors of practice who bring real-world expertise into the classroom. By connecting industry leaders with academic excellence, the program delivers an advanced curriculum that prepares students for long-term career success.
Robust Student Support
OU Online offers robust student support services, including academic support, online tutoring, mental health counseling, and an online career development center. The program accommodates the needs of working professionals, allowing you to expand your skills while maintaining full-time employment.
Global Alumni Network
With more than 250,000 alumni across the world, becoming a Sooner means you’ll have access to a strong network of social work professionals to accelerate your career. As a Sooner, you’ll be part of a powerful network of leaders working in organizations across the world, helping you expand your career in social work.
Flexible Format
The Master of Social Work is offered in a fully online, flexible format designed for working professionals around the world. Earn your degree in as little as 30 months through the 60-hour program or 15 months through the Advanced Standing program—all while balancing full-time work and personal commitments. Study from anywhere and build specialized expertise in social work.
Tailored Experience
You’ll move through the program as part of a small, focused cohort of professionals who share your passion for social work. Engage in meaningful online discussions with faculty and peers while building a strong network and developing the skills to thrive in the field.
Cost & Financial Aid
Earning your Master of Social Work is a powerful investment in your future—and OU Online is committed to making that investment accessible and transparent.
Tuition and fees are $38,700 for the 60-hour program ($645 per credit hour). For the Advanced Standing program, tuition and fees total $21,285 ($645 per credit hour). Books and additional materials are not included.
Financial aid, scholarships, and employer tuition assistance may be available to help reduce costs. Our dedicated financial services team will support you at every step of the funding process, so you can stay focused on your educational and career goals.
For questions about financial aid, contact the Online Aid office at onlineaid@ou.edu or 405-325-2929.
A nonrefundable deposit of $350 is required upon admission to secure your place in the program. This deposit guarantees your spot in your first semester of courses and will be applied toward your first semester’s tuition.
* Please be aware that tuition and fees may change, as determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Transfer Credit
You can transfer up to 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework per Graduate College policy, with the department’s approval. Transfer of core coursework must be from another CSWE-accredited MSW program, and courses must match learning objectives 1:1 to be accepted.
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YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE
Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.
