Master of Social Work

The mission of the Master of Social Work program is to educate advanced professional social workers for practice with various populations and complex issues. The Master of Social Work program is dedicated to social justice by: (a) educating social workers with knowledge, values, and skills for evidence-based direct practice across systems, (b) advancing the knowledge base of the social work profession, and (c) providing local, regional, and global leadership in the development and implementation of policies, programs, and services for various communities.

Program Eligibility

Spring Start, Full*- and Part-Time, Extended Study, and Distance Learning** Admission Requirements:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university is required.
An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better (A = 4.0) is preferred.
Experience in social work (paid or volunteer) is strongly preferred.

*Note that full-time MSW students are ON GROUND, DAYTIME classes. All students, regardless of program track must be available for weekday, daytime field placement internships. For more information, please see the Student Field Education webpage.

**Distance Learning/UM Global students need to find their own field placement internships AFTER talking with the field directors. Please plan ahead with your application submission, as this process takes up to 8 weeks to complete. See the Student Field Education webpage for more information.

Advanced Standing (3 semesters of study; 37 credit hours) Admission Requirements:

BA in social work or BSW from an accredited BA/BSW program
Admission as Advanced Standing student must occur within 5 years of BA in SW or BSW graduation
Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 overall
Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.3 in social work courses

View the MSW Student Handbook for more information.

Specialization Curriculum

The MSW program at the University of Memphis offers one specialization: Advanced Practice Across Systems.  The goal of the specialization is to advance the generalist content in a manner that prepares students to utilize evidence-based, ethically informed social work practices with a variety of populations while at the same time tailoring the program through electives and certificates to fit the students' specific needs.

The knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired by students in the specialization are designed to produce advanced social work practitioners who have the skills for ethically informed social work practice including advanced assessment, relationship building/enhancement, application of goal-oriented and evidence-based interventions, evaluation of practice, and lifelong professional development.

MSW Program Tracks

Spring Start  (2.5 years)

Advanced Standing Full Time (1 year)

Advanced Standing Extended Study (2 years)

Full Time (2 years)

Extended Study (3 Years) Fall and Spring Only

Extended Study (3 - 4 years)

 

Tuition and Fees

 For the most current information regarding tuition, visit the University & Student Business Services.

 For the most current information regarding funding your program, visit our Financial Aid and Scholarships page.

Field Education

Please visit the student field education website for quick reference to frequently asked questions and the Graduate Field Handbook.

MSW Information Sessions

The School of Social Work presents Information Sessions each fall and spring semester. Individuals interested in pursuing a Master's Degree in Social Work are encouraged to attend a session to learn about the career field, academic tracks, and internship placements.

Spring 2026 MSW Information Sessions are listed below and will be held virtually via Teams. 

• Monday, January 12th  5pm
• Monday, February 9th  5pm
• Monday, March 16th  5pm
• Monday, April 27th  5pm 

Sessions for International Students

• Monday, January 26th  1pm
• Monday, March 23rd   1pm

Students can email the MSW Program Director Katie Norwood (kknrwood@memphis.edu) and she will provide a link for the session.

Our MSW Program Director is also available to answer questions, discuss professional goals and walk you through the application process.  

MSW Program Brochure

 

Contact Information

The social work office is located in 208 McCord Hall. The general contact information for administrators of the program is as follows:

School Chair	Susan Elswick	901.678.3438	selswick@memphis.edu
Program Director	Katie Norwood	901.678.4797	kknrwood@memphis.edu
Field Director	Cherry Malone	901.678.3515	ccmalone@memphis.edu
Administrative Associate	Valerie Wince	901.678.2673	vwince@memphis.edu