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

Students admitted to Angelo State University’s online master’s degree program in social work can choose to add a clinical practice specialization to their advanced generalist studies which requires students to complete 500 additional field hours in addition to the 900-hour foundational requirement. Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work who enter the program in advanced standing must complete 500 field hours to graduate. The program has no GRE requirement and grants rolling admissions; the application opens in May, with a priority consideration deadline in December, and a final deadline in March.

Baylor University’s online master’s degree program in social work accepts applications on a rolling basis, with no GRE requirement, and offers three start dates per year in January, May, and August. Baylor’s online program offers an advanced and an accelerated program, which can be completed in as few as 12 to 20 months when attending full-time, however part-time options are available. Students can choose to specialize in clinical practice or community practice, and must complete 1,030 field hours to graduate. Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work who enter the program in advanced standing must complete 550 field hours to graduate.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s online master’s degree program in social work prepares students for an advanced generalist practice in a rural context upon graduation. Students must complete 980 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 500 field hours to graduate. Degree completion generally takes two years, or one year for advanced standing students. Part-time options are also available. The application is due on April 15 for both summer and fall. No GRE score is required.

Students enrolled in Texas A&M University-Commerce’s master’s degree program in social work will first study an advanced generalist curriculum that prepares applicants for a social work career. While there is no accelerated track offered, 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 33 hours. A total of at least 900 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track while lessened hours are needed for the advanced standing offering. The deadline for summer admission is April 1 and August 1 for fall admission.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s master’s degree program in social work provides students with a clinical/activist generalist curriculum with an approach to rural social work practice. While there is no accelerated track offered, students may be eligible for the advanced standing track if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, reducing the required credit hours. A total of 900 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track and 500 hours are required for the advanced standing track. Applications are accepted at any time, but the priority deadline for fall 2023 start is Aug. 1.

The School of Social Work at ​​Texas State University only accepts applicants each fall semester, with no spring or summer admits. Applications are due on January 15 for priority consideration, with a final deadline on March 15. Students can choose to focus on advanced practice leadership. Students must complete 900 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 540 field hours to graduate. 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 in the University of Houston’s online master’s degree program in social work will study a curriculum that prepares applicants for a career with either an emphasis on clinical or macro social work. 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 900 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track and 63 credit hours are required. The advanced standing status requires 38 credit hours and 500 fieldwork hours. Applications for the online MSW program begin opening on August 1 and are reviewed on a rolling basis and for full consideration must be received no later than March 1 for fall admission. The university encourages early application.

Students enrolled in the University of Saint Thomas’ hybrid online master’s degree program in social work will study a clinical practice-driven curriculum. 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 56 credit hours are required. The advanced standing status requires 38 credit hours and 600 field hours. Online applications are currently open.

The online master’s degree program in social work at the University of Texas at Arlington allows students to choose from four specialization areas: direct practice with children and families, direct practice in mental health and substance misuse, direct practice in aging, or community and administrative practice. Students must complete 960 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 480 field hours to graduate. There is no application deadline, only priority dates of March 15 for fall, August 15 for spring, and February 15 for summer. Degree completion generally takes two years for students attending full-time, or one year for full-time advanced standing students. Part-time options are also available. A GRE score isn’t required for application consideration.

Students enrolled in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s online master’s degree program in social work will study a generlist curriculum with a speicalization in either Latino individuals, families and groups, or administration and community practice. While there is no true 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 900 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track and 63 credit hours are required. The advanced standing status requires 33 credit hours and fewer field hours. The application deadline for online programs is July 20 for fall acceptance and Nov. 30 for spring admission.

Students enrolled in West Texas A&M University’s online master’s degree program in social work prepares students with an advanced generalist curriculum. Some students may be eligible for the advanced standing track if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work. The FastTrack program allows advanced standing students to accelerate their degree completion and condense it into one year. A total of 900 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the traditional track and the advanced standing status requires 500 fieldwork hours. The priority application deadline is April 1 and the final deadline is June 30.