FAQs for Students With an MSW Degree

What is needed to meet the requirements for a Wisconsin school social work license?

In Wisconsin, a person is required to have a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and to gain institutional endorsement to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) by one of four UW System universities:

  • UW-Milwaukee
  • UW-Green Bay
  • UW-Madison
  • UW-Whitewater

In order to gain the institutional endorsement for the school social work license, a person must meet specialized educational and supervised field experience requirements that are specific to school social work practice standards.

Each of the four UW System institutions listed above has a set of requirements unique to their programs that, when met, allow the program to provide institutional endorsement required by DPI for school social work licensure.

If I already graduated with my MSW degree and/or earned my MSW degree from a different program than UW-Milwaukee, can I still gain institutional endorsement from UW-Milwaukee and ultimately my school social work license from Wisconsin DPI?

Yes, you can take the school social work required courses including a school social work field practicum as a registered UWM graduate non-degree student. You would need to apply to the UWM Graduate School as a non-degree graduate student. Once you have been accepted to UWM as a non-degree student, you would then apply to the School Social Work Program.

You will apply to the School Social Work Program by completing a Viewpoint criminal background check and school social work field application, if applicable. You will be able to enroll in school social work specific courses after the criminal background check has been received and approved, and you have met with the School Social Work Program Coordinator. 

How do I know what classes I need to take at UW-Milwaukee to qualify for the institutional endorsement needed for a WI School Social Work license?

You will need to work with the School Social Work Program Coordinator within our Social Work Department to have your MSW transcripts, syllabi, and resume reviewed to determine what remaining courses you will need to take to meet the program requirements.

Following a review of these documents and consultation with you, an individualized course plan for meeting the school social work licensing requirements will be developed by the School Social Work Program Coordinator, Ke’Andra Hagans. (klhagans@uwm.edu or 251-5928)

Will I have to do a field placement as a part of meeting licensing requirements?

Most post-graduate students will have to fulfill a one or two semester field practicum in a school setting under the supervision of a licensed school social worker with a minimum of three years of school social work experience.

The practicum will occur for approximately 16-18 hours weekly Monday to Friday during daytime hours. Unique exceptions may apply based on post-MSW work/employment experience and available supervision and will be determined on an individual basis.

What if I work full-time and my work hours will conflict with a field placement experience?

Specialized, supervised field experience in a school setting is a requirement for gaining a license to practice school social work in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, employed professionals who want to gain their school social work license through the graduate non-degree status, must arrange a way to be able to complete the field experience Monday to Friday during typical K-12 school day hours.

I have completed the online application for UWM graduate non-degree status, and I know what class(es) I need to enroll in from the UWM school social work coordinator. How do I enroll for courses?

After you complete the application for graduate non-degree status, it will take at least two weeks for your status to be fully processed and for you to be eligible for admissions into the School Social Work Program; it will not be automatic.

Once your status is fully processed, you will receive information from the UWM Graduate School about your student ID number and information about using UWM student systems such as email and the student account management system called PAWS.

Your UWM student ID and email address will give you access to the criminal background check and school social work field system, Sonia, to initiate admissions into the School Social Work Program.

  • Use the Sonia system to submit a school social work field application.
  • Use Viewpoint to complete the required criminal background check.
  • Use PAWS to enroll for courses.
    • Fall Semester
      • Registration begins in April.
      • Classes begin in early September.
    • Spring Semester
      • Registration begins in November.
      • Classes begin in late January.
    • Summer Semester
      • Registration begins in March.
      • Classes begin in late May.

Deadlines to submit the MSW General Field Application

  • Fall Semester
    • February 15
  • Spring Semester
    • September 15 of preceding year.

There are no school field practicum opportunities available during the summer semester.

If I have the graduate non-degree status am I guaranteed enrollment in the classes I need to take for my license?

No, unfortunately we cannot guarantee enrollment in specific classes for any student, degree seeking or non-degree. Our school social work-related courses are popular with a large number of school social work MSW students currently in our degree program as well as several post-MSW graduate non-degree students.

Our degree-seeking MSW students will have the first priority to register for necessary courses generally a day before graduate non-degree students. If a class is full when you try to enroll in it, you may choose a different section if applicable, register for the waitlist for the course, or consult with the School Social Work Coordinator for any other possible options.

During times of high program enrollment, there is a possibility that you will have to register for the course in a future semester. It is always a good idea to enroll for the waitlist option when available. Waitlist students will be auto-enrolled in a course as openings become available prior to the beginning of the semester.

Are there any other requirements necessary for obtaining UW-Milwaukee institutional endorsement for my Wisconsin school social work license?

Outside of the possible school social work relevant course work and school field practicum, Wisconsin DPI further requires school social work license candidates to take a course relating to Native Americans in Wisconsin, specifically Wisconsin ACT 31 History, Culture and Sovereignty Rights of Wisconsin Indians. The option for this course is currently offered through a day-long seminar through the School of Continuing Education at UW-Milwaukee.

Finally, a person meeting all of the course and field practicum requirements as outlined by their individualized course plan with the School Social Work Coordinator, will have to pass a comprehensive school social work competency exam scheduled several times yearly through the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare School Social Work Program. Detailed information about the exam will be available through the School Social Work Coordinator.

I am currently employed as a school social worker on an emergency DPI school social work license. Do I need to complete a field practicum in a different school?

The most likely scenario is “no.” A school social work employment position may be used to satisfy DPI/UWM’s field requirements. Applicants with their clinical licensure (APSW/LCSW) may not need a school social work supervisor if they are employed as a school social worker, working under the Tier I Pupil Service License with Stipulations.

Applicants without a DSPS-approved clinical license (APSW/LCSW), may still use their employment as a Tier I licensed school social worker, but their employing district would be responsible for providing a DPI-approved School Social Work supervisor for said applicant.

The employment and licensure parameters would be assessed by the School Social Work Program Coordinator.

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Ke’Andra Hagans, MSW, LCSW, SSW