Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in Syracuse, NY

Currently, Syracuse University is the only school in Syracuse, NY that offers an MSW program. Syracuse University’s MSW program has a traditional standing track that accepts applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field or discipline, and an advanced standing MSW track, which is designed for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) graduates who hold a degree conferred by an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Syracuse University offers its program in a campus-based format and via online instruction, and their MSW program is fully accredited by the CSWE.

In the sections below, Syracuse University’s MSW programs are described in more detail. Programs are separated based on admissions requirements (traditional vs. advanced standing programs) and instructional delivery mode (campus-based and hybrid vs. online programs).

• Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Syracuse
• Traditional Online MSW Programs in Syracuse
• Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Syracuse
• Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Syracuse
• Additional MSW Program Options for Syracuse Residents

Traditional MSW Programs in Syracuse

Traditional MSW programs typically accept bachelor’s program graduates who hold a degree in any field or discipline, although some programs may give preference to students who have a degree in a related field and/or a background in social services. All CSWE-accredited MSW programs require students to complete field education hours, which involve supervised, in-person learning experiences at agencies, organizations, and other sites where social work services are provided. CSWE-accredited MSW programs must ensure that traditional standing students complete a minimum of 900 hours of field education. Students who enroll on a full-time basis in a traditional MSW program generally graduate within two years, while part-time enrollment typically leads to graduating in three to four years.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Syracuse

Syracuse University offers a campus-based MSW program for traditional standing students through its School of Social Work. The program gives students the choice of an Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) concentration, or an Advanced Integrated Practice (AIP) concentration. The ACP concentration is designed to prepare students for social work practice in clinical mental health settings; the AIP concentration provides training and instruction in direct practice and leadership in social and human services organizations. The program has a 60-credit curriculum that requires students to engage in 1000 total hours of field education by completing two 500-hour field internships. Full time students can earn their degree in two years, while students who enroll on a part-time basis typically graduate in three to four years.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Syracuse

Syracuse University offers it MSW program in an online format that does not require students to attend any campus visits, although it does require traditional standing students to complete two 500-hour field internships for a total of 1000 hours of site-based field instruction. The program’s curriculum mirrors Syracuse University’s campus-based program. Students complete 60 credits of coursework and field instruction and have two concentration options: Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP); and Advanced Integrated Practice (AIP). The ACP concentration provides training and instruction in clinical mental health social work practice, while the AIP concentration covers topics in both clinical and macro practice social work. Syracuse University’s online MSW program is only offered in a part-time format and is designed to be completed in 36 months, or three years.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Syracuse

Advanced standing MSW programs are designed specifically for students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an undergraduate program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE-accredited BSW programs provide students with much of the same training and instruction that traditional MSW students receive in the first year of a full-time program, including at least 400 hours of field education. Thus, BSW graduates are prepared to begin their MSW studies with the advanced coursework and field internships that traditional standing students complete during the second year of a full-time program. Advanced standing programs accommodate this by crediting BSW graduates with all or most of the foundational social work courses and field education hours completed at the undergraduate level. It is thus possible for students who are granted advanced standing status to earn an MSW degree in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.

It is important to note that BSW graduates are not automatically granted advanced standing status. Typically, they must meet one or more advanced standing admissions requirements. For example, many programs require advanced standing students to have earned their BSW degree within the last five to ten years. In addition, some schools expect advanced standing applicants to have demonstrated a high level of prior academic achievement by attaining a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. Some programs also require advanced standing applicants to have earned a grade of B or better in all social work major courses. BSW graduates who do not qualify for an advanced standing program can earn their degree by enrolling in a traditional MSW program.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Syracuse

Syracuse University’s School of Social Work has a campus-based MSW program with an advanced standing track designed for BSW program graduates whose degree was conferred by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last ten years. Applicants for advanced standing status at Syracuse University are also expected to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all of their social work major courses. Advanced standing students complete a 36-credit curriculum that has two concentration options: Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) for students who are interested in clinical mental health social work practice; and Advanced Integrated Practice (AIP) for students who are interested in both clinical and macro practice social work. The program requires students to engage in 500 hours of field education and has a ten-month completion plan for students who enroll full-time. Students who enroll on a part-time basis can complete the advanced standing curriculum in two years.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Syracuse

Syracuse University offers its MSW program in an online format that has an advanced standing track for qualified students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. The School of Social Work requires applicants for advanced standing status to have earned their degree within the last ten years and to have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in all of their undergraduate social work courses and field practicums. The online program offered by Syracuse University is similar to the university’s campus-based program. Students can choose a concentration in Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) or in Advanced Integrated Practice (AIP). As part of the 36-credit advanced standing curriculum, students are required to complete 500 hours of site-based field education. While the online program and the campus-based program have the same curriculum, the online program only offers part-time enrollment and is designed to be completed in 24 months, or two years, by advanced standing students.

Additional MSW Program Options for Syracuse Residents

Syracuse residents who are interested in exploring additional MSW programs offered by schools in New York should visit our MSW Programs in New York page. There are, for example, a number of schools in the state of New York that offer MSW programs in various formats, including fully online programs that are designed to accommodate students in any region of the state. There are also online programs offered by schools in other states that may accept online students from New York. Prospective students should always reach out to out-of-state MSW programs to ensure they accept students from New York before applying. For more information about online MSW programs offered by CSWE-accredited schools, visit our CSWE-Accredited Online MSW Programs page.