Master of Social Work (MSW) Programs in Houston, TX – Campus and Online

There are two universities in Houston that currently offer Master of Social Work (MSW) programs: Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), a public historically black university (HBCU) with it is campus approximately 45 miles west of Houston, and the University of Houston (UH), a public university with campuses in downtown Houston, Clear Lake, Victoria, and Sugar Land. Both of these universities offer multiple MSW program options, including traditional MSW programs, which are designed for students whose bachelor’s degree is in any field or discipline, and advanced standing programs for students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). PVAMU’s MSW program is offered online, while UH offers a campus-based program on their Houston campus, a hybrid program at their Sugar Land campus (which is approximately 20 miles southwest of Houston), and an online program.

Students who are interested in earning an MSW degree from one of the two schools that offer MSW programs in the Houston area can study clinical social work or macro practice social work and have the option of further specializing in gerontology/aging, trauma-focused care, international social work, and other focus areas within the field. The programs offered by PVAMU and UH are fully accredited by the CSWE.

• Prairie View A&M University (Accredited)
• University of Houston (Accredited)

The various campus-based and online MSW programs offered by PVAMU and UH are described in greater detail below, with traditional MSW and advanced standing programs grouped separately due to the differences in their admissions requirements. Within those groupings, programs are separated based on their delivery method (on-campus vs. online programs).

• Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Houston
• Traditional Online MSW Programs in Houston
• Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Houston
• Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Houston
• Directory of All MSW Programs in Houston

Traditional MSW Programs in Houston

Students who have earned their bachelor’s degree but who did not major in social work as undergraduates are eligible for traditional MSW programs, as are BSW program graduates who do not qualify for advanced standing programs (discussed below). CSWE-accredited traditional MSW programs offer a full-length master’s-level curriculum in clinical and/or macro practice social work, which must include a minimum of 900 hours of field education. Field education is a signature pedagogy of social work training that involves site-based, experiential learning at social work agencies, human services organizations, and other places where social work services are provided.

Most traditional MSW programs can be completed in roughly two years/four semesters of full-time enrollment. Students who opt for a part-time enrollment usually complete an MSW program in three to four years. Both of the schools that offer CSWE-accredited traditional MSW programs in the Houston area have full-time and part-time enrollment options.

Traditional Campus-Based MSW Programs in Houston

The University of Houston (UH) has two campus-based traditional MSW program options, including an on-campus program that it offers through its University Park campus, and a hybrid program that holds classes at UH’s campus in Sugar Land. The University Park option is offered full-time, with classes that meet during regular school hours, and takes two years to complete. In contrast, students who opt for the Sugar Land program only attend in-person classes two Saturdays per month. Students in the Sugar Land campus program receive additional instruction online and can complete their degree in three years of part-time enrollment. Both program options give students the choice of a Clinical Practice specialization or a Macro Practice specialization and require 900 hours of field education, which can be completed at various social service agencies located throughout Greater Houston.

Traditional Online MSW Programs in Houston

The University of Houston (UH) has a 63-credit traditional MSW program that is offered in a fully online format through UH’s Graduate School of Social Work. This is a part-time, cohort-model online program in which groups of students begin and progress through the program together and graduate in three years. Students in the program can choose to specialize in Clinical Practice or Macro Practice social work. The program requires online students to complete 900 hours of field education at approved social services agencies and organizations.

Advanced Standing MSW Programs in Houston

Students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program and who meet other admission requirements can earn an MSW degree in roughly half the time it takes to complete a traditional MSW program by enrolling in an advanced standing program. Advanced standing programs allow qualified students to begin their MSW studies in what would otherwise be the second or advanced specialization year of a full-length program. This is possible because CSWE-accredited BSW programs cover the foundational coursework and field instruction that typically comprises the first year of a full-time traditional MSW program. Thus, advanced standing students can, in most cases, earn their MSW degree in one year of full-time enrollment or two-years of part-time enrollment, inclusive of approximately 450 to 600 hundred hours of field education.

It is, however, important to note that many schools require advanced standing applicants to have earned their BSW degree within the last five, six, or seven years and may have additional admissions requirements, such as a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. Both of the schools in Greater Houston that offer MSW programs have advanced standing tracks for BSW graduates.

Advanced Standing Campus-Based MSW Programs in Houston

The University of Houston has two campus-based advanced standing program options that are available in the Houston area: a one-year, full-time advanced standing program with classes that are held during the day at UH’s University Park campus; and a two-year, part-time advanced standing program that combines online instruction with in-person classes that are held twice per month on Saturdays at UH’s Sugar Land campus. Both of these programs give students the option of completing a Clinical Practice specialization or a Macro Practice specialization, and both require 500 hours of site-based field education. To be eligible for UH’s advanced standing programs, applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

Advanced Standing Online MSW Programs in Houston

The University of Houston offers its MSW program in fully online format with an advanced standing track for graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs whose undergraduate GPA was 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. Advanced standing students can choose between two specialization options: a Clinical Practice specialization and a Macro Practice specialization. Online students in UH’s online advanced standing program generally take two or three courses per eight-week term, engage in a minimum of 500 hours of site-based field education, and are able to graduate with their degree in two years. The program does not require any campus visits.