From helping families after natural disasters to working with mental health patients to assisting those who’ve lost their jobs or homes, social workers provide vital services to millions of people. It can be a highly rewarding job, but it also requires significant education and training. While earning a degree can seem daunting, enrolling in an online MSW program with CSWE accreditation can help you enter or advance your career in the social work profession.
Why Choose an Online MSW Program?
Many advanced positions in the social work profession require an MSW degree. But why choose to earn a Master of Social Work online? There are many benefits. First, online MSW programs offer a level of convenience and flexibility unavailable in traditional, campus-based programs. Instead of setting everything aside to earn your MSW degree, you can continue working as you advance your education. If you are already a social worker, enrolling in an online MSW program means you won’t have to pause your career. In fact, you can continue your fieldwork while you earn your master’s.
An online MSW degree can also save you money. Many online universities award credit for previous educational and work experience, giving you a head start toward your degree. Plus, the flexible format of some online programs can help you accelerate your learning and allow you to graduate faster, saving you time and money. Enrolling in an online MSW program can help make earning your master’s a reality.
Why Is CSWE Accreditation Important?
Before you choose an online MSW program, you should determine whether the program is accredited. The nonprofit Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the only accrediting agency for social work education in the U.S. That means that only MSW degree programs with CSWE accreditation are certified as meeting the highest standards for social work education. Graduation from a CSWE-accredited MSW program is part of the academic requirement to sit for social work licensure in most states.
When you enroll in a CSWE-accredited social work degree program, you can be certain that your coursework, assessments, and criteria for graduation have been meticulously reviewed and fully certified by outside experts in the field. CSWE accreditation is as rigorous for MSW online programs as it is for campus-based programs.
Where Can I Earn a CSWE-Accredited Social Work Degree?
Walden University offers a CSWE-accredited online MSW program. This program allows you to expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life. If you are interested in earning a bachelor’s degree, Walden also offers a Bachelor of Social Work which is also accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Walden University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CSWE's Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation for professional social workers and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards.