Fast-Track Your Social Work Career With Saint Mary’s Accelerated MSW Program

Transform your passion for helping others into a fulfilling career with Saint Mary’s College’s 3+1 Master of Social Work program. Designed for those who are passionate about social justice and driven to make a positive impact on the world, our accelerated MSW program allows you to earn both your bachelor’s and master’s social work degrees in just four years.

Through this streamlined pathway, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become a licensed clinical social worker, empowering you to advocate for vulnerable populations and facilitate meaningful change in communities.

Saint Mary’s accelerated MSW program provides a unique blend of rigorous academics, hands-on clinical experience and personalized support, ensuring you’re well prepared to make a difference in the field of social work. Our dedicated faculty and staff will guide you every step of the way, fostering a supportive environment that encourages personal and professional growth.

With our 3+1 Master of Social Work program, you’ll not only save time and money but also gain a competitive edge in the job market. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped to pursue a rewarding career in a wide range of clinical settings, including healthcare, mental health, child welfare and family counseling.

3+1 Master of Social Work Program Highlights

Our meticulously crafted 3+1 Master of Social Work provides a comprehensive and enriching educational experience, equipping you for a fulfilling career in social work. You’ll start with in-person coursework, building a solid foundation in social work theory and practice as you earn your bachelor’s degree. After that, you’ll seamlessly transition to online learning for your graduate-level studies, giving you the flexibility to balance work, life and study.

Additional benefits of our 3+1 Master of Social Work include:

  • Save time and money: Complete your undergraduate and graduate social work degrees in just four years, gaining valuable experience for work in diverse settings. This accelerated approach allows you to enter the workforce sooner, saving you significant time and money as a social work student.
  • Specialized clinical focus: With our 3+1 Master of Social Work program, you’ll specialize in clinical social work for careers in a variety of settings, including mental health, healthcare, family social work, child and adolescent services, and older adults. With an optional emphasis on aging, you can gain the added expertise to address the unique needs of the rapidly growing senior population.
  • Real-world, collaborative learning: Our Master of Social Work emphasizes real-world learning through collaborative research and practice. Social work students engage in hands-on projects, case studies and simulation exercises that foster teamwork and professional growth in a supportive learning environment.
  • Learn beyond the classroom: Our accelerated MSW program provides practical experience in a variety of social work settings through field placements, cohort immersions and an optional internship between your sophomore and junior years. These valuable opportunities prepare you to effectively address the challenges you’ll face as a licensed clinical social worker.
  • Career support for life: Throughout your social work degree program, you’ll have access to extensive career services through our Career Crossings office. In addition, we offer lifetime career support for social work degree graduates.

Career Outlook for Master of Social Work Graduates

Social work is a rewarding, fast-growing field, and our MSW graduates can expect strong job prospects and diverse career opportunities.

Depending on your area of interest, you’ll be prepared for work in a wide range of settings when you graduate with your Master of Social Work degree and obtain your LCSW credential or equivalent license in the state in which you plan to practice.

As a Master of Social Work graduate, you’ll be equipped to make a positive impact on individuals, families and communities. Potential career paths for graduates of our social work degree program include:

  • Business and management
  • Child welfare
  • Clinical social work
  • Criminal justice
  • Family counseling
  • Healthcare
  • Long-term care
  • Mental health
  • Nonprofit
  • Trauma social work
  • Working with older adults

What can you do with a master’s in social work?

3+1 Master of Social Work Application Requirements

Choosing to pursue the 3+1 Master of Social Work as a first-year student is crucial to finish the program in four years. If you have transferred 6+ advanced placement credits, you may have more flexibility with summer coursework. Otherwise, summer classes will be required to finish in four years.

Applicants can apply for the Master of Social Work during the second semester of their junior year or first semester of senior year. After a short application process, you will be officially enrolled as a graduate student and begin taking graduate courses during your senior year at Saint Mary’s. 

Below are the criteria that will be required to fully matriculate into the master’s program:

  • Overall cumulative Saint Mary’s GPA of 3.0
  • No grades below a B in select courses in social work
  • Pass a criminal background check and drug test