Washington Social Work Masters (MSW) Programs
Are you seeking a province emphasizing social work values, understanding, and competence? Then Washington will be an ideal place for you.
Although a few universities offer MSW studies, you can be equipped with the proficiencies needed to practice social work at advanced levels.
Washington Social Work Masters Programs
If that’s what you want, go ahead and read this article.
Much has been discussed on MSW programs, academic goals of Washington universities, lines of study, learning format, course details, and much more.
Why Become A Social Work Master Student In Washington?
You might want to consider getting your MSW and becoming a social worker in Washington for many reasons.
Those reasons are affordable education, a chance to work with social work experts, great job opportunities, and good pay for social workers.
Continue to read this post; you will gain a deeper understanding.
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Academic Goals
Washington schools have fantastic academic objectives for their MSW fellows.
Among these goals are dedicated to promoting leadership, engaging scholars in intensive research and policymaking, and providing MSW scholars with advanced training in social work. Etc.
In addition, their universities are committed to providing opportunities for university students in underserved communities to learn in their facilities.
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Lines of Study
In Washington, two kinds of studies in which a researcher may obtain an MSW. These are regular and advanced standing studies. You may enroll in either of these two study streams full-time or part-time.
Regular standing studies are aimed at researchers with undergrad degrees in other fields besides social work.
Core courses are included in the study structure to give scholars grounded knowledge in social work. Scholars are to offer these classes immediately after they resume school.
An advanced standing study will be appropriate for those with a BSW or social work competency. The program does not have core classes.
Only specialized courses are open for scholars throughout their study period.
How Long Does it Take To Become A Social Worker In Washington?
The duration of your studies in this area of expertise depends on your chosen study line.
Scholars enrolling for full-time traditional standing studies will obtain their MSW in two years. At the same time, part-time scholars, on the other hand, will spend up to three or four years.
The advanced standing study is the fastest way to obtain an MSW. This is because there are a few classes in the syllabus. A scholar enrolling in this study line will graduate within a year.
But it will take two years for part-time students to finish their education.
Learning Approach
We have three ways of learning in Washington. This includes online, campus, and hybrid studies.
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online MSW
Online MSW studies are considered a flexible and convenient way of learning.
All course activities take place online. Students can take classes wherever they’re and at whatever time they want. Because of the flexibility of this learning style, you can mix the school with other off-campus activities.
A further advantage of this learning style is that it’s inexpensive. You won’t have to pay for books, campus accommodation, health insurance, etc.
Virtually every learning resource you need is available online. The only drawback is that you might encounter network and other technical issues while receiving classes.
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On-Campus MSW
The on-campus study suits scholars studying in all four corners of a building.
All course activities are conducted in a school setting. You must be physically present to take courses and do other school projects.
Some benefit of studying on campus is that you won’t encounter a network or technical problems while taking courses. As well you will have an opportunity to interact with instructors and classmates.
However, it is somewhat costly to study on campus. This is because you will have to deal with housing on campus, transportation, health insurance, etc.
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Hybrid studies
To balance this out, some universities in Washington provide scholars with hybrid studies. This is a mixture of online and on-campus studies.
This means you will take some classes on campus while the others will be online. This will give you both the flexibility of learning and the opportunity to interact with instructors.
Available MSW Programs in Washington
The MSW syllabus at most universities in Washington features numerous classes. While some of them are core classes, others are fields of specialization.
You will offer courses in whichever field of study and university you choose.
- Children and youth services
- Introduction to social work
- Adulthood and aging
- Behavioral Health
- Community capacity building
- Social welfare
- Clinical practice with people and families
- Child, family, and school social work
- Global poverty
- Advanced social work policy
- Social work in the border region, etc.
- Tuition Cost For MSW in Washington
The amount of tuition fees for MSW in Washington depends on certain factors. They include the kind of university, study, path, and residency status.
Last season, MSW resident scholars in Washington paid about $43,000 for regular standing studies. Then non-resident scholars pay around $73,594.
For advanced standing studies, resident researchers pay an average of $29,200. Then non-residents on the same study path pay about $49,064.
You can pay more or less than the above amount if you attend a private or public academic institution.
Top Universities Offering MSW in Washington
Washington has many employment opportunities for social workers.
It doesn’t matter what area you specialize in; you’ll find something to do. However, the state lacks schools that offer social work studies at the master’s level.
The few institutions that provide such programs have tons of applications on their table. This means your chances of securing admission are streamlined.
Do you want to know the schools where you can earn your social work masters in Washington? Then keep reading. We’ll highlight the universities that offer such certification in this state.
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Where to Enroll for MSW Programs in Washington
Below are the schools that offer social work master’s degrees in Washington, DC. Whether you live in the state or outside, you can seek admission to any of these universities.
They’re fully certified by CSWE and other accreditation bodies. Let’s jump into our discussion in full.
Walla Walla University
This is a private university that was founded in 1892. The school is renowned for preparing social workers for advanced generalist practice with a clinical focus.
You can enroll in their traditional MSW programs, which may take two years to finish full-time. Weekday classes typically take place on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The study curriculum entails 79 credit courses. In your first year, you’ll offer foundational courses such as social work theory, research, policy, and practice.
Then in your second year, you’ll develop advanced practice competencies to provide services in many practice areas. These include child welfare, healthcare, and aging.
For students with BSW, there’re accelerated MSW programs you can enroll in. Such programs have an advanced clinical practice concentration.
The study syllabus is structured with 49 credit courses to be finished in roughly four quarters. However, full-time students can complete such programs within 12 months.
Besides coursework, social work master’s students at Walla Walla University will be required to field education to graduate. Those in the traditional MSW track have 900 hours of field education.
You’ll take 300 hours of field practicum in a generalist setting and 600 hours advanced clinical practice setting. Then students in accelerated programs only have 600 hours of advanced clinical practice fieldwork.
Seattle University
You can also count on Seattle University for an outstanding Master of Social Work education. The school has one and two-year MSW studies focusing on advanced generalist practice.
In addition to that, they offer a specialized practice curriculum. The one-year social work master’s studies are also known as advanced standing MSW. It requires the completion of 39 credits, which includes 720 hours of fieldwork.
Full-time students can finish this program in under 12 months.
However, it will take part-time students two or three years. Meanwhile, those in two-year or foundational MSW studies require the completion of 66 credit courses.
Additionally, there’s a field practicum of 1168 hours to be completed in two academic sessions.
You’ll engage in 448 hours of field education in the first academic session. Then the second year, you’ll finish the remaining 720 hours in advanced clinical settings.
Some sub-specialization areas include counseling, medical social work, and trauma-informed practice. The coursework consists of social work theory, research, human behavior, and policy,
Eastern Washington University
MSW studies at Eastern Washington University prepare students for professional practice in rural and urban settings. Upon graduation, you can work in child welfare, disabilities, mental health, addictions, criminal justice, and more.
Furthermore, their programs focus on the generalist practice curriculum. The aim is to teach you the values, knowledge, and skills common to all research-informed social work practice.
That way, you can engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate work with diverse populations.
EWU has two enrollment routes for their social work master’s studies. One is the traditional route, and it’s designed for scholars who have a social work background.
The study curriculum covers an average of 60 credits with 972 hours of field education.
Students are allowed to enroll on both part-time and full-time bases. You can also choose to study on-campus and online. Depending on which option you choose, you can graduate within two years of full-time study.
The second entry route is the advanced standing studies. It’s designed for scholars with previous knowledge in social work. The study curriculum entails fewer courses with 625 hours of site-based experience.
You can finish your program full-time within 12 months or two years of part-time studies. Weekly classes are typically delivered in Cheney during the first year.
However, evening weekend classes will be offered on campus.
University of Washington
You’ll not regret getting your social work masters at the University of Washington. Their MSW programs prepare students for leadership and direct-practice positions in many professional settings.
These include health, aging, and mental health, to public education. Other centers are multicultural communities and nonprofit or governmental establishments.
Furthermore, there’re two-degree paths for MSW studies in this school.
They are the foundational or extended degree and the advanced standing paths. These two entry routes differ accordingly. The foundational track is designed for scholars needing more social work knowledge.
The curriculum entails several course credits and 1080 hours of field education. You can enroll for your program full-time or part-time, online or on campus.
Concentration areas available include administration and policy practice and multigenerational practice. Others are children and families, community-centered integrative practice, mental health, and more.
Moreover, you can specialize your fieldwork in oncology or palliative care.
Employment Prospect for MSW Graduates in Washington
There’s a chance you’ll secure employment after school.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national job outlook for social work masters is expected to grow by 12 percent between 2020 to 2030. This average is faster and higher than all other sectors within the country.
Places you can serve in Washington include schools, local and state government agencies, ambulatory centers, family services, and more.
Meanwhile, you must obtain a state permit before you work in either of these centers. You can get the requirements on the official site of the department concerned.
This is all we have for you regarding the schools that offer MSW programs in Washington. You can choose either and earn your social work master’s certificate.
But before then, ensure you research more on the school you choose to study. Try to know much about their entry essentials to have an excellent standing.
You can refer back to this page if you need further clarification.
Career Options for MSW Grads in Washington.
Washington is said to suffer from a mass mental health and addiction population. According to some reports, about 18 percent of the residents were diagnosed with mental illness.
Consequently, the demand for licensed social work experts in mental health and addictions is increasing. If you get a degree in these areas, you won’t run out of jobs.
Other positions available in the province are social services specialist, community worker, youth court liaison officer, probation officer, and rehabilitation officer. We have a clinical social worker and many others.
Although tuition can be cheaper, living in Washington is pretty expensive. You can take advantage of scholarships and financial assistance to cover university expenses.
If this is not sufficient, you can get involved in off-campus work.