Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in Kansas - Campus, Hybrid, and Online MSW Programs

Updated: November 24, 2021

The state of Kansas is home to five universities that offer Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs: Fort Hays State University, Newman University; the University of Kansas; Washburn University; and Wichita State University. All five of these schools have traditional MSW programs designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or discipline, as well as advanced standing MSW tracks designed for those who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Students interested in MSW programs in the state of Kansas have numerous specialization options to choose from, including advanced generalist, clinical practice (at times referred to as micro or direct practice), and macro social work practice (e.g., policy, organizational management, community program development in social work, etc.).

The MSW programs offered by Kansas schools are mainly campus-based, either fully on-campus or a hybrid of on-campus and online instruction; the one exception is Fort Hays State University, which offers an online program with a limited number of campus visits, and is classified as an online program. (Note: MasterofSocialWork.com classifies programs based on the number of on-campus visits they require each year. Programs that require two or fewer visits per year are classified as online programs on the site.) All of the schools offering these programs in Kansas are, as noted in the list below, either fully accredited by the CSWE or in the candidacy phase of CSWE accreditation.

Fort Hays State University (Granted Candidacy)
Newman University (accredited)
University of Kansas (accredited)
Washburn University (accredited)
Wichita State University (accredited)

The various MSW programs offered by the above schools are grouped below based on whether they are designed for traditional or advanced standing students. The following sections provide details on each program, including curricular focus, typical time to completion, and instructional format. There is also a section on MSW programs offered by out-of-state schools, including online programs that accept applicants who intend to remain in Kansas while earning their degree.

Traditional MSW Programs in Kansas

A traditional MSW program is a full-length master’s degree program that provides training and instruction in advanced social work practice. Like master’s programs in many other fields, these programs are designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline or field and generally require a commitment of two years of full-time enrollment to complete. It typically takes part-time students three to four years to earn an MSW degree in a traditional, full-length program.

As part of a traditional MSW program, students are required to engage in a minimum of 900 hours of site-based field education, a central pedagogy of social work training and a requirement for CSWE accreditation. All five of the universities in Kansas that offer MSW program have traditional tracks, four of which require students to attend campus-based classes, and one which is online with limited campus requirements (i.e., two 2.5 day in-person clinical intensives). All MSW programs, regardless of whether they have on-campus or online instruction, require students to complete field education hours in person at a local health services agency or other organization that provides social work services to clients.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Kansas

Newman University offers a traditional, campus-based MSW program through its School of Education and Social Work. The program has a Clinical Social Work focus and a Trauma-Competent Practice curriculum. Students in the program are required to complete 62 credits of graduate coursework, including a total of 1052 field education hours. Newman University’s traditional MSW program has a two-year, full-time completion plan. It also allows students to enroll on a part-time basis provided they fulfill the program’s graduation requirements within four years of starting the program.

The University of Kansas (KU) has a traditional MSW program that it offers at its main campus in Lawrence and at its Edwards Campus in Overland Park. Students in the program take a mix of campus-based, online, and blended courses that include both online and campus-based instruction. The KU program gives students the choice of a Clinical Social Work Practice specialization with concentrations in Child and Family, Health/Mental Health, and Aging; or a Macro Practice Social Work specialization with a Social Work Administrative and Advocacy Practice focus. Students can complete the program at either location in two years of full-time enrollment or three to four years of part-time enrollment. In addition to didactic coursework, the program requires students to engage in a 1200 hours of site-based field education.

Washburn University offers a traditional MSW program with a clinical practice curriculum and concentrations in School Social Work and Healthcare Social Work Practice. The program uses both campus-based and hybrid online courses, and requires students to complete 1120 hours of site-based field education. Offered through the Department of Social Work at Washburn, the program consists of 66 credits of coursework and field education that can be completed in two years of full-time enrollment or three to four years of part-time enrollment.

Wichita State University (WSU) has an Advanced Generalist Practice MSW program that provides training and instruction in both clinical and macro practice social work. This is a campus-based program with a 63-credit traditional track that is designed to be completed in two years of full-time enrollment. Students who enroll on a part-time basis are given up to four years to earn their degree. Traditional students in the WSU program are required to complete 1180 hours of site-based field education.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Kansas

At present, Fort Hays State University’s (FHSU) online MSW program in Clinical Social Work Practice is the only online MSW program offered by a school in the state of Kansas. This program requires 66 credits to complete, consisting of courses in areas such as social welfare theory and research; social work practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels; mental health assessments; medical social work and behavioral health; and individual and group clinical practice. While all courses are delivered online, all students are required to complete their field education in-person at an approved social work site. This program requires the completion of 1,200 field practicum hours—two 240-hour foundational field practicums in students’ first year, and two 360-hour advanced field practicums in their second year.

For students’ two advanced field practicum courses, they must also attend a 2.5-day campus intensive (one per course), during which time they work with program faculty face-to-face to gain hands-on clinical training through real-world simulations. Students can complete this program in five semesters (about two years) of full-time study, or three or more years of part-time study, depending on the number of courses they enroll in part-time per term. FHSU’s MSW program is in the candidacy phase of accreditation with the CSWE.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Kansas

All five of the schools in Kansas that offer traditional MSW programs have advanced standing tracks for students who have graduated from a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program and have thus already completed their generalist social work training. By giving BSW graduates credit for foundation coursework and field education completed during their undergraduate program, advanced standing MSW program tracks allow students to earn their MSW degree in roughly one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment. Advanced standing programs typically require students to complete 500 to 600 hours of field education, to ensure they meet the minimum of 900 hours as set by the CSWE (which includes field education hours completed during a student’s BSW program).

It is important to note that many advanced standing programs requires applicants to have earned their BSW degree within the last five to seven years and some may have additional admissions requirements, such as a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (e.g., 3.25 or 3.5) on a four-point scale. BSW graduates who are not granted admission to an advanced standing program can still earn their MSW degree by enrolling in a traditional program.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Kansas

Newman University’s School of Education and Social Work offers an MSW program with an advanced standing track that is open to applicants who hold a BSW degree conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. This is a campus-based advanced standing program with a clinical practice curriculum and a Trauma-Competent Practice specialization. Students in the program are required to complete 34 credits of advanced coursework, which includes 620 hours of field education. Full-time students in the program can graduate in four quarters and part-time students generally graduate in under two years.

University of Kansas (KU) offers an advanced standing MSW program at its main campus in Lawrence and at its Edwards Campus in Overland Park. The program gives students the option of a Clinical Practice specialization or a Macro Practice specialization. The Clinical Specialization has three concentrations: Child and Family; Health/Mental Health; and Aging. The Macro specialization has a Social Work Administrative and Advocacy Practice focus. To qualify for advanced standing MSW program admission, applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program and have attained a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. The program, which includes 720 hours of required field education, can be completed in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.

Washburn University offers its Clinical Practice MSW program in a one-year, full-time advanced standing format that takes three terms (fall, spring, and summer) to complete, although part-time students are allotted up to two years to finish the program’s requirements. Consisting of 33 credits, including a 720-hour site-based field practicum, the program gives students the option of specializing in School Social Work or Healthcare Social Work Practice. To be eligible for the advanced standing track, applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program earned within the last ten years.

Wichita State University (WSU) has a 37-credit advanced standing MSW program that is campus based and that has an advanced generalist curriculum. The Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice program prepares students for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work and includes two 350-hour field practicums for a total of 700 hours of site-based field education. WSU’s advanced standing MSW program can be completed in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Kansas

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) offers an online advanced standing MSW program in Clinical Social Work Practice, which consists of 36 course credits that students can complete in three semesters, or one year of full-time study. Students take advanced coursework in the assessment and treatment of mental disorders; medical social work; forensic social work; social work supervision and agency management; and advanced clinical practice with individuals, families, and groups. Advanced standing students are required to complete 720 field practicum hours (two 360-hour practicums) over the course of the year. For each practicum, students must attend a 2.5 day campus intensive (two intensives total throughout the program) during which they conduct face-to-face clinical simulations in the presence of program faculty. FHSU’s MSW program is in the candidacy phase of accreditation with the CSWE.

Additional MSW Program Options for Residents of Kansas

In addition to the five schools that offer traditional and advanced standing MSW programs in Kansas, there are numerous schools throughout the country that have MSW programs that may be of interest to Kansas residents, including schools in the neighboring states of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. There are also a number of out-of-state schools that offer online MSW programs that provide all or most of their coursework via online instruction and allow students to complete field education hours at sites in their local communities. These programs provide students with additional options for pursuing their MSW degree, including students who do not live near a college or university that offers an MSW program (especially for students who do not want to relocate for graduate school).

Most online MSW programs offered by out-of-state schools now accept applicants from most states, including students who intend to remain in Kansas while earning their degree. This gives Kansas residents access to a broad range of MSW programs, including traditional and advanced standing programs with Clinical, Macro, and/or Advanced Generalist Practice specializations, as well as programs with concentrations in Military Social Work, Gerontological Social Work, Forensic Social Work, and more. For information on out-of-state schools offering CSWE-accredited MSW programs, refer to our Online MSW Programs page.

Note: Students considering an online program offered by an out-of-state school should always check with an admissions advisor to confirm the school accepts students from their state of residence and that local field education sites can be found before applying.