Our Mission

The MSW Program at the University of Southern Maine School of Social Work provides justice-oriented students with the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to serve their communities as advanced social work practitioners. We offer three program options with both full and reduced course loads to provide our students with flexibility. Our cohort model builds community among students, ensuring they develop both professional connections and lifelong friendships during their time in the program. We are proud to be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

MSW Program Options At-A-Glance

MSW Program Options in Detail

The Standard MSW program option provides an in-person learning experience for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than social work. Students complete 61 credit hours: 31 credit hours of generalist-level courses and 30 credit hours of specialist-level courses. Generalist-level courses provide a robust foundation in theory, research, and fundamental social work practice skills. Specialist-level courses prepare students for advanced social work practice in their specific areas of interest.  Visit the Course Catalog to learn more about our classes. Students in the Standard MSW program also complete two field internships through which they acquire valuable real-world experience in a social work agency setting. Learn more about field education here.

Classes for the Standard MSW begin in the Fall semester. Required courses are offered during both Fall and Spring semesters, with some elective courses offered during Summer semesters. Classes are held in-person on our Portland campus. Each class meets once per week on Tuesday or Thursday for a three hour time block sometime between the hours of 9:00am and 8:00pm. The Standard MSW can be completed in two years at a full course load of 12 to 15 credits (e.g. four to five classes) per semester, or completed in four years at a reduced course load of 3 to 9.5 credits (e.g. one to three classes) per semester. The Two-Year Standard MSW program is very rigorous and time-intensive, so we do not recommend this program option for students who are employed outside of school or have other significant obligations.

Review the curriculum guides for the Standard MSW to learn more:

The Low-Residency MSW program option provides a flexible, partially-online learning experience for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than social work. As with the Standard MSW, students complete 61 credit hours and two field internships. However, classes in the low-residency program are offered in a blended format in which most of the learning happens asynchronously online. On two Fridays each semester, students come to the USM Portland campus for a full day of in-person class time.  Students complete their degree at a reduced course load of 6 to 9.5 credits (e.g. two to three classes) each semester, including Summer semesters, allowing them to graduate in three years rather than four. The Low-Residency MSW program option is ideal for students who enjoy online learning and require more flexibility in their academic schedule.

Review the curriculum guide for the Low-Residency MSW to learn more:

Students who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program, including USM, within the last seven years are eligible to apply for the Advanced Standing MSW.  The BSW degree fulfills the requirements of generalist-level courses, so students can move right into specialist-level learning, completing 33 credits to earn their degree. Advanced Standing MSW students complete one field internship through which they acquire valuable real-world experience in a social work agency setting. Learn more about field education here.

Classes for the Advanced Standing MSW begin in the Fall semester. Required courses are offered during both Fall and Spring semesters, with some elective courses offered during Summer semesters. Classes are held in-person on our Portland campus. Each class meets once per week on Tuesday or Thursday for a three hour time block sometime between the hours of 9:00am and 8:00pm. The Advanced Standing MSW can be completed in one year at a full course load of 12 to 15 credits (e.g. four to five classes) per semester, or completed in two years at a reduced course load of 3 to 9.5 credits (e.g. one to three classes) per semester. The One-Year Advanced Standing MSW program is very rigorous and time-intensive, so we do not recommend this program option for students who are employed outside of school or have other significant obligations.

Review the curriculum guides for the Advanced Standing MSW to learn more:

Students in the MSW program who are particularly interested in research are encouraged to consider the graduate thesis option. Thesis students conduct an original social science research project under the guidance of a social work faculty member. The thesis replaces two elective courses in the MSW curriculum. Review the MSW Thesis Manual for more information. 

Take MSW Classes as a Non-Matriculated Student

If you are interested in learning more about the social work profession and the USM School of Social Work, we invite you to enroll in a class as a non-matriculated student. Space permitting, the following two courses are open to non-matriculated students:  

  • SWO 501 Multicultural Social Work
  • SWO 504 Social Welfare Policy I

Non-matriculated students may take up to six credits (e.g. two courses) maximum before they are required to apply to the MSW program. Non-matriculated students taking graduate courses in the MSW program must have completed a baccalaureate degree. 

Complete the Non-Matriculated Enrollment Request form to request permission to enroll in a course as a non-matriculated student. Please provide evidence of a completed baccalaureate degree with your request. Once written permission is granted, students can register for classes through the Registrar’s Office.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Unlike some MSW programs that require students to choose a particular track or concentration, we prepare students for all types of social work practice. We offer an advanced generalist degree that provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to work with diverse populations across the micro- to macro-continuum. Students specialize in areas of particular interest through elective courses and field placements.

An MSW is a more versatile degree that prepares you for employment in a variety of settings, ranging from clinical mental health practice to activism and advocacy. A Master’s in Counseling is a more narrow degree focused exclusively on mental health practice. Social workers also use a more interdisciplinary approach to understanding human behavior and working with clients, incorporating both sociological and psychological perspectives, rather than just the latter. Finally, the MSW program at USM and the social work profession in general place heavy emphasis on social justice and train our students in anti-oppressive practice approaches.

Yes! Although the State Board of Social Worker Licensure makes all licensing determinations, we prepare our students to meet the requirements for clinical licensure in the state of Maine at the LMSW-CC level (the provisional version of the LCSW license). MSW graduates who are licensed at the LCSW level can provide clinical mental health services in independent private practice.

Yes! Many students work part-time or full-time while completing their MSW. We suggest a program option with a reduced course load (i.e. Two-Year Advanced Standing, Four-Year Standard, or Low-Residency). Our in-person classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays in time slots throughout the day. If your work schedule cannot accommodate attending in-person classes during the day on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays, we suggest the Low-Residency program.  The full course load program options (e.g. One-Year Advanced Standing and Two-Year Standard) are very rigorous and time-intensive, so we do not recommend these options for students who are employed outside of school or have other significant obligations.

Check out these Application Tips from the MSW Admissions Committee. 

Questions about the MSW Program?

Contact the MSW Program Coordinator, Dr. Rachel Casey, at rachel.casey@maine.edu or 207-780-4123 or schedule an appointment via YouCanBookMe.

Learn more about applying to the MSW program.