Case Western Reserve University Online Master of Social Work (MSW)

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) offers an online Master of Social Work (MSW) with Traditional and Advanced Standing Tracks. MSW students choose from one of three study paths: Children, Youth, and Families; Mental Health with Adults; or Community Practice for Social Change. The program is offered through the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (Mandel School).

The Traditional Track is designed for applicants with a degree other than a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW). This track comprises 60 credits and takes 2.5 to three years to complete. The curriculum includes foundation, advanced, and concentration courses, plus field education experiences worth 900 fieldwork hours. Students in this track participate in the Change Agent Intensive (CHAI) Experience, a two-week intensive designed to bring students and faculty together to explore and discuss what it means to be a social worker.

The Advanced Standing Track is designed for applicants with a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) degree, earned within the past seven years from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This option comprises 39 credits, waiving 21 credits, and includes 500 hours of fieldwork. It can be completed in 20 to 24 months. Advanced Standing students do not participate in the CHAI Experience.

Students who choose the Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) study path will serve in clinical practice through individual counseling, family counseling, marriage therapy, and child welfare and parent education services. CYF graduates may work in schools, individual and family services, government facilities, and residential care facilities. They may secure positions such as Child Protective Specialist, Child and Family Social Worker, Case Manager, Child Welfare Worker, School Social Worker, Trauma Services Manager, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

The Mental Health with Adults (MHA) path prepares graduates to work in community-based mental health settings, including mental health centers, hospitals, and substance abuse recovery programs. Through assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, MHA social workers work with clients who struggle with mental illness, substance abuse, and other addictions. Job titles may include Family Therapist, Psychotherapist, Mental Health Social Worker or Counselor, Substance Abuse Therapist, Behavior Analyst, Clinical Case Manager, and Crisis Response Social Worker.

The Community Practice for Social Change (CPSC) path allows graduates to advocate for underserved populations, such as those who are rural, vulnerable, or marginalized. Graduates of this study path focus on social justice issues such as women’s rights, poverty, human rights, rights of the elderly and young children, and cultural diversity. They work alongside individuals and groups, conducting needs assessments, planning and managing community programs, and utilizing resources effectively in communities. Typically, CPSC social workers work with clinical social workers and may secure positions such as Community Organizer, Policy Maker, Program Developer, Researcher, or Government Official.

The Mandel School MSW program utilizes an ability-based learning environment (ABLE) through which students master eight core social work skills. Mastery is demonstrated in field practicums and documented to create a cumulative learning portfolio. Learning outcomes focus on ethical and professional behavior, human rights and social justice advancement, research-based practice, the ability to work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, and developing leadership qualities as a social worker.

The program requires no campus visits, as courses are delivered online and field experiences take place local to the student. CWRU partners with over 1,000 placement sites, and the field placement team works with students to procure fieldwork sites in their communities.

Live, online class sessions occur weekly, with a cohort of students moving through the program simultaneously. Assignments, readings, recorded lectures, discussion boards, and other components may be included outside of the live class sessions. CWRU delivers courses through the Canvas online Learning Management System (LMS).

Applicants to the Traditional Track must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a field other than social work. Those applying to the Advanced Standing Track must hold a Bachelor’s in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. The program is designed for working professionals who intend to continue working full-time. No GRE/GMAT is required. Accepted students may start the program in January, April, or August with a cohort. Application materials may include official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose or personal statement.

The Traditional Track includes the following generalist courses: Change Agent Intensive; Foundations of Social Policy and Service Delivery; Theories of Human Development and Human Diversity; Community Theory and Practice; Individual and Family Theory and Practice; Group Theory and Practice; and Evidence-Informed Practice. Advanced courses for both tracks include Evaluating Programs and Practice; Problem Identification, Screening, and Assessment/Diagnosis; Theory/Practice Approaches in Direct Practice Social Work; and Assessing and Engaging Community for Community Change.

Field Education courses include Field Education Seminar: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar; Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar II; Advanced Field Education: Organizational Theory and Practice Seminar; and seven field education practicum courses. Advanced Standing students do not complete all of these practicum courses.

Children, Youth, and Families specialization courses include Family System Interventions; Child and Family Policy and Service; Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice with Children and Families; Cognitive Behavioral Interventions; Social Work in Child Abuse and Family Violence; and Social Work with Groups. Students also choose a three-credit elective.

Mental Health with Adults specialization courses include Mental Health Policy and Service Delivery; Social Work Intervention in Co-occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorder; Social Work Practice in Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse; Cognitive Behavioral Interventions; Social Work Practice in Mental Health: Adults; and Integrative Seminar in Mental Health: Adults. Students also choose a three-credit elective.

Community Practice and Social Change specialization courses include Theoretical Contexts Shaping Community Practice; Community Practice Policy: Analyzing and Changing Social Policy; Strategic Power Building with Communities; and Planning and Implementing Social Change. Students also choose three elective courses to complete an additional nine credits.

Case Western Reserve University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is located in Cleveland, Ohio. The MSW program is CSWE-accredited.