MS in Human Services
Become an impactful human services practitioner and leader with Walden’s online master’s in human services program.
Next Start Dates
- Course-Based: 8/29/2022
Do you want to make life better for the people and communities around you? Take the next step with Walden’s online social work and human services master’s programs. Our curriculum features practical, hands-on learning experiences that prepare you to be the next-level practitioner and change agent you want to be. Expand your perspective as you work with Walden’s diverse faculty and student body. Graduate from your social work master’s program or human services master’s program feeling confident, energized, and ready to help those who need it most.
Become an impactful human services practitioner and leader with Walden’s online master’s in human services program.
Walden’s online Master of Social Work program prepares you with the skills, perspectives, and confidence you need to launch or expand your career in the social work field.
In the Mental Health specialization, you will develop the skills to help individuals navigate community mental health services. The program explores the role of mental health in health behavioral changes and provides a solid understanding of the assessment and referral system for mental health intervention and support.
This specialization prepares you to work in community social work in non-licensure roles. You will study the prevention, intervention, and promotion of well-being in a variety of settings, including schools, communities, and organizations.
In diverse populations, human services professionals must be in tune with the special needs of underrepresented or marginalized groups such as low-income, single-parent, gay and lesbian families, bisexual, and transgender.
From combat-related injuries to addiction, members of the armed forces may face a multitude of challenges both on the front lines and when they return home. In this specialization, you’ll deepen your understanding of military culture; explore topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and vicarious trauma; and examine how frequent relocations, parent-child separation, and extensive deployments impact military families.
Do you aspire to take on a leadership role in the human services field? This specialization focuses on topics such as public management and leadership, program development and implementation, and staff development and training—the core competencies you will need to effectively lead a human services agency or organization.
From homelessness to substance abuse to poverty, there are a variety of factors that contribute to criminal behavior in modern society. In the Criminal Justice specialization, you will explore both traditional and contemporary intervention and rehabilitation approaches for offenders as well as their victims.
Walden’s MS in Human Services General Program explores the full spectrum of human services competencies and strategies. As a student, you will gain insight into the history of the profession, learn best practices for human services delivery systems, and practice effective program planning and evaluation methods.
Aging populations with special needs are creating a greater demand for professionals who can facilitate the integration of services for the older adult, including health and home care, financial and lifestyle, and issues of daily living. The Gerontology specialization prepares you to meet this growing need. In this program, you will explore the impact of societal expectations on the elderly and demographic trends, including global cross-cultural issues in aging.
Whether it’s an act of nature or an act of terror, effective crisis management leaders are needed to curtail the effects of the disaster and implement relief efforts. This specialization focuses on theories and strategies to meet the needs of individuals, families, and communities in crisis.
Advancing your social work education can open doors to areas that interest you and provide you with an opportunity to have a larger influence on your clients, their families, and communities. An MSW can help you gain advanced knowledge and experience to practice at clinical and supervisory levels. MSW degree holders commonly focus their work in such areas as youth and families, clinical, medical, mental health, and school social work.
One of the best ways to earn a social work degree is through an online education program. Unlike campus-based programs that require you to commute to class at specific times, online graduate degree programs give you an exceptional level of convenience and flexibility.
In an online MSW program, you can complete the majority of your degree program from home. In addition, when you earn a master’s in social work online, you can take advantage of flexible scheduling that lets you attend classes and handle coursework at the time of day that works best for you, meaning you can earn your master’s while continuing to work full time.
Walden University offers three different degree completion options when earning your MSW. Choose the Traditional, Traditional Fast Track, or Advanced Standing option, depending on your prior education and your desired course load. Our MSW program is accredited by CSWE, which is a requirement to sit for social work licensure in most states, and offers an optional licensure preparation experience that includes a practice exam.
The amount of time it takes to complete your degree will vary based on your previous educational experience, course load, and field placement schedule. The MSW program at Walden offers three program completion options - Traditional, Traditional Fast Track, and Advanced Standing options. We anticipate that students with other life commitments will take two courses per quarter and complete their program in approximately three years.
Some students will take longer and some will complete the program in less time by decreasing or increasing their course load. Talk with an Enrollment Specialist at 1-866-492-5336 to discuss your individual time commitment.
It depends! The minimum number of total quarter credits is 92 for Walden’s MSW program. Students are required to select two electives from the following focus areas: Addictions, Child and Family, Healthcare, Military, and Trauma. A student may take an optional third elective from a single focus area to earn an embedded certificate, which would bring the total quarter credits to 97.
Additionally, students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) may enter Walden’s MSW program in the Advanced Standing track, enabling them to complete their degree by earning just 52–57 total quarter credits, depending on whether they choose to take two or three electives.
Yes! Online MSW programs offer a level of convenience and flexibility not typically available in traditional, campus-based programs. Instead of setting everything aside to earn your MSW degree, you can continue working at your current job as you complete your coursework. Enrolling in an online MSW program means you won’t have to compromise your current job to advance your education.
At Walden, you’ll also prepare for real encounters in the field by engaging in interactive simulations and participating in two immersive Skills Labs where you will meet faculty and peers and prepare for your field placement. During your field practice experiences, you’ll work with real clients under the supervision of a social worker.
An MS in Human Services program prepares students with the real-world skills essential to supporting diverse communities, and can gives students the confidence to lead departments and organizations serving the greater good. At Walden, MS in Human Services coursework focuses on a range of topics, such as cultural humility and diversity, social change in action, grant writing, and evidence-based evaluation methods. Academically, the program can prepare you to pursue leadership roles at community health and support centers, nonprofit agencies, departments of health and human services, schools, and government agencies.
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