Online Master’s in Social Work (MSW) Programs in California for 2024

Cal Poly Humboldt ’s part-time online master’s degree program in social work prepares students to become an advanced generalist with an emphasis working in rural and Indigenous communities. Students must complete 960 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 480 field hours to graduate. Full and part-time options are available. The program requires students to visit campus for 3 days each January for orientation, community building and skill development. A GRE score is not required for application consideration, and the program has start dates in January or June.

California Baptist University’s online master’s degree program in social work prepares graduates for advanced generalist practice. Students must complete 900 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 500 field hours to graduate. The program offers fall admission only. The priority application deadline is May 15, and the final deadline is July 15. A GRE score is not required for application consideration.

California State University, Chico’s online master’s degree program in social work admits students once every three years, with the next cohort of students starting fall 2024. Students must complete 1,200 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 720 field hours to graduate. The online program prepares graduates for advanced generalist practice. The application timeline is from October 1 to January 15, and has no GRE score requirement.

California State University, East Bay’s online master’s degree program in social work allows students to choose from specializations in areas of children, youth and families (CYF) or community mental health (CMH). Students must complete 1,080 field hours to graduate, and the program does not offer an advanced standing or accelerated option. The deadline to submit an application for fall is January 15, and there is no GRE score requirement.

Students enrolled in California State University, Northridge’s online master’s degree program in social work will study an advanced generalist program with a focus on urban communities. There is no accelerated track or advanced standing track offered, though students have the options to enroll part- or full-time as the program is offered in two- or three-year formats. Coursework is asyncorhonous with the exception of fieldwork classes, and 1,000 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the program. Applications for fall 2023 are closed and deadlines for fall 2024 applicants are to be announced.

Students admitted to the part-time online master’s degree program in social work at California State University, San Bernardino focus on a generalist practice which requires students to complete 1,080 field hours to graduate. The average degree completion time is three years. The advanced standing option is only available in-person and the online program offers fall admission only. The application deadline is in January for priority consideration, with a final deadline in March. No GRE score is required. The online MSW program at CSUSB is called the pathway distance education program.

Loma Linda University’s online master’s degree program in social work offers students an advanced clinical specialist curriculum. LLU’s online program option is for residents of California only. There is no accelerated track offering, but students with a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited institution may be eligible to participate in the advanced standing option. Regular standing requires 52 credit hours, while advanced requires 35. There is a 1,080-hour fieldwork requirement for the traditional track program and an 800-hour requirement for the advanced standing option. Applications for fall 2023 have closed.

National University’s online master’s degree program in social work provides students an advanced generalist curriculum. There is no accelerated track offering, but students with a bachelor’s of social work from an accredited institution may be eligible to participate in the advanced standing option. Regular standing requires 60 credit hours while advanced requires 36. There is a 900-hour fieldwork requirement for the traditional track program and a 500-hour requirement for the advanced standing option. The university accepts and reviews applications year-round.

San Jose State University’s online/hybrid master’s degree program in social work provides students with an advanced generalist social work practice, with an emphasis on Latinos and other minority groups. There is no accelerated track offering, though students may be eligible for the advanced standing track if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, reducing the required 60 credit hours to 37 hours. There is a 1,200-hour fieldwork requirement for the regular program and a 600-hour requirement for advanced standing. If admitted, students must be able to study in California and complete their internship requirements in California. The fall 2023 application cycle opened in October 2022 and closed on December 1.

The online master’s degree program in social work at Tseng College at California State University, Northridge prepares students to become an advanced generalist with a focus on urban communities. The field hours requirement is 16 hours per week the first year and 24 hours per week the second year. The application deadline is in January for entrance into the program in fall. Degree completion generally takes two years, or one year for students with a bachelor’s degree in social work who enter the program in advanced standing. Part-time options are available. No GRE score is required.

Students enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Global online master’s degree program in social work will study an advanced generalist curriculum that prepares applicants for the social work licensing exam. While there is no accelerated track, some students may be eligible for the advanced standing track if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work. A total of at least 1,000 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track and 69 credit hours are required. The advanced standing status requires 39 credit hours and 600 fieldwork hours. Applications for the summer 2023 semester are being accepted until April 17.

Students enrolled in the University of Southern California’s online master’s degree program in social work focus on advanced generalist training. Students can further specialize their degree by selecting one of five optional program tracks: adult mental health and wellness; children, youth and families, social change and innovation, military populations and settings, or school and educational settings. Students must complete 1,000 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 550 field hours to graduate.The final deadline for the September cohort is June 9. There is no GRE score requirement.