Utica University’s Master of Social Work Program Receives National Accreditation
“We are particularly proud of the flexibility of our online program that enables students to attend from anywhere in New York State from a distance and at a part-time pace, which is particularly helpful to students who may be working full or part-time jobs and/or raising children.”
Utica University’s Master of Social Work program has recently earned accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a national association representing social work education in the United States.
In June 2024, CSWE’s Board of Accreditation reviewed the institution’s social work program and chose to grant Utica University an initial eight year accreditation ending in June 2032.
Accreditation ensures that graduates have met the educational requirements to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. This also allows all students in the program to date to be recognized as graduating from an accredited program.
“This is a major milestone that strengthens our ability to attract and enroll students who have a desire to earn their master's degree to practice social work with our recovery-orientation framework, which is unique to our Utica University MSW program,” said Joseph Hunter, Ph.D., Program Director and Director of Field Education. “We are particularly proud of the flexibility of our online program that enables students to attend from anywhere in New York State from a distance and at a part-time pace, which is particularly helpful to students who may be working full or part-time jobs and/or raising children.”
Utica University’s online Master of Social Work (MSW) program focuses on clinical social work and recovery values and prepares students for social work careers that drive mental health for diverse populations. Upon graduation, students will be ready to apply to take a state’s licensure and/or certification exams.
The online MSW program’s innovative design bridges the historical divide between clinical practice and recovery-oriented care and integrates this model throughout the curriculum.
The MSW program at Utica University offers:
- All synchronous and asynchronous education is completely remote, with the exception of field placements.
- Small student to faculty ratio (8:1) in field placement and (20:1) in generalist and specialization courses.
- Flexible curriculum that supports one class at a time to complete the program just over 2 1/2 years.
- Field placement allows for flexible schedules to accommodate student practical needs.
- Focus on preparing for successful completion of the licensure exam.
- Strong commitment to racial equity and social justice.
The MSW program at Utica University also provides an advanced standing degree option. If applicable, students can utilize their Bachelor of Social Work degree to move through the program more quickly. This option reduces the program length to 12-16 months while maintaining the same commitment to a high-quality social work education.
“With our new Advanced Standing option, I'm confident that BSW students will be interested in the ability to receive their MSW in as little as one year from their home community, while working simultaneously if/as desired. There has never been a better time to become an MSW, as there are plenty of job opportunities, including online jobs, and the pay for licensed clinical social workers, especially in direct-practice mental health jobs, has increased markedly,” Dr. Hunter said.
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