The bachelor of social work is the ideal fit for someone who is dedicated to creating social change in their community and who wants to directly serve that community. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, so students graduate prepared to enter the social work field and earn their state certification. (In fact, UWM’s social work students pass their certification exams at a 10% higher rate than the national average.) Students get hands-on experience with two semesters of field placements while receiving faculty mentorship and guidance. For many students, these placements help shape their future careers — students get to explore what most interests them within the social work field while forming strong professional connections.

Additionally, UWM offers a minor in aging, allowing students interested in working with older adults to customize their degree.

Classes are primarily offered in-person with some online class sections. In the campus-based MSW program, we offer full-time or part-time enrollment. Beyond the core curriculum, MSW students choose electives from a variety of practice areas that shape their degree, including:

• Behavioral and mental health 
• Child and family well-being 
• Clinical social work 
• Gerontology 
• Physical health 
• School social work 
• Substance abuse counseling 
• Trauma-informed care 

Students can further customize their degree with a graduate certificate. Options include: applied gerontology, trauma-informed care, nonprofit management and women’s and gender studies.  

The MSW program at UWM is one of the only graduate programs in the state that offers an approved Department of Public Instruction school social work program.  

Students interested in substance abuse counselor certification are also well served by the MSW program. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services approved a track within the advanced-standing curriculum satisfying pre-certification educational requirements for substance abuse counselors. 

In our MSW program, students follow one of two tracks: Professional Foundation or Advanced Standing.

Professional Foundation track: If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in social work

The Professional Foundation track within the MSW program offers  a pathway for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than social work but want to pursue social work at the master’s level. Students in the foundation track gain a strong knowledge base in social work principles first. Then they move on to graduate-level courses and four semesters of field placement. Professional Foundation students in the in-person MSW program can graduate in as few as two years.

Advanced Standing track: If you already have a bachelor’s degree in social work

The advanced-standing track within the MSW program offers a pathway for students who earned a bachelor’s degree in social work within the past seven years from a Council on Social Work Education-accredited program. If the BSW was earned more than seven years prior to starting the MSW program, but the student has evidence of at least three years of professional social work experience within the last seven years, that student may also be approved for advanced standing. Advanced Standing students complete three semesters of field placement. Advanced Standing students in the in-person MSW program can graduate in as little as one year.

The online MSW is a part-time or full-time program where all courses are delivered online and asynchronously (except field placement). Students learn from the same expert faculty who teach the in-person MSW program. Field placement is an integral component of the program.

Whether online MSW students plan to work in direct practice with clients and communities or become a supervisor or administrator, they graduate with a deep well of knowledge. The online MSW curriculum develops and strengthens crucial social work competencies. Courses feature UWM faculty research and areas of expertise, as well as some of the most popular courses in the on-campus MSW program. 

Please note: Beginning in Fall 2026, the online MSW program will offer the school social work and substance abuse counseling specializations.

In our MSW program, students follow one of two tracks: Professional Foundation or Advanced Standing.

Professional Foundation track: If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in social work

The Professional Foundation track within the MSW program offers  a pathway for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than social work but want to pursue social work at the master’s level. Students in the foundation track gain a strong knowledge base in social work principles first. Then they move on to graduate-level courses and four semesters of field placement.

Full-time Professional Foundation students in the online MSW complete four semesters of field placement and graduate in just under two years (including summers). Part-time Professional Foundation students complete four semesters of field placement and graduate in just over three years (including summers).

Advanced Standing track: If you already have a bachelor’s degree in social work

The Advanced Standing track within the MSW program offers a pathway for students who earned a bachelor’s degree in social work within the past seven years from a Council on Social Work Education-accredited program. If the BSW was earned more than seven years prior to starting the MSW program, but the student has evidence of at least three years of professional social work experience within the past seven years, that student may also be approved for advanced standing.

Full-time Advanced Standing students in the online MSW complete three semesters of field placement and graduate in one year (including summers). Part-time Advanced Standing students complete three years of field placement and graduate in two years (including summers).

UW-Milwaukee offers several coordinated degree programs in cooperation with other academic departments. That means you can pursue a Master of Social Work and a second master’s or doctoral degree in a related subject simultaneously. It’s a great way to customize your degree path to meet your career goals. Options include:  

• Master of Criminal Justice and Criminology + Master of Social Work 
• Master of Public Health + Master of Social Work
• Social Welfare PhD + Master of Social Work