Online MSW Program Available for Georgia Residents

Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida, but its online degree programs are available in states across the country including Georgia. Florida State University’s online master’s degree program offers a clinically focused online Master of Social Work degree. The program was ranked one of the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

Earn an MSW that prepares you for the future licensure and MSW jobs in Georgia. Whether you have a baccalaureate in social work or are coming to the field with a degree in another concentration, FSU’s online program has a distinct curriculum focused on creating an engaging and supportive learning environment.

About Our Online MSW Program

• You take and courses in our part-time program, up to two classes at a time
• You’ll be joining an interactive virtual learning community through Blackboard, and gaining support from a Student Success Advisor throughout the entire program
• You will interact with the College of Social Work’s Office of Professional Development
• Gain experience in the field with innovative field placements

Two Programs Available

The online Master of Social Work offers two programs for students:

• An Advanced Standing program is available for students who have completed a bachelor’s of social work from a Council on Social Work Education-accredited program.
• A Traditional program is available for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a separate concentration from social work. Both programs are clinically focused and offer field placements that may align with students’ interests.

Courses are 16 weeks; summer may have 12- or 13-week courses, depending on the year.

The average time to completion is two years for the Advanced Standing program and three years for the Traditional program.

Our Online MSW Admissions Requirements

Traditional program students must meet these requirements for admission:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and be in good standing with the institution
• A College of Social Work application, along with a personal statement and four letters of recommendation (two personal, two academic)
• A transcript with all undergraduate and graduate courses, including a professional resume
• A 3.0 GPA or better on everything past the first 60 hours of undergraduate courses (this is an upper-division GPA) or a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution

Advanced Standing program students must meet these requirements for admission:

• Complete all general application requirements
• Earn a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution
• Submit a copy of a BSW internship evaluation or letter of recommendation from the field office
• Have a minimum of 400 hours of field education in generalist practice

The Florida State University Office of Admissions will receive GRE scores from the Educational Testing Service; FSU’s code is 5219.

If the applicant is earning his or her bachelor’s degree and applying for graduate school, he or she must send a second official transcript with the degree posted. For full admission details, visit this page.

Why Choose FSU?

Florida State University’s online Master of Social Work program allows busy professionals to balance their professional life with their education goals. When you choose a Florida State University online master’s program, you’re earning a well-respected degree. In addition, as a CSWE-accredited online program, graduates may meet the qualifications of Georgia clinical social worker license. Please be sure to check the latest state licensure information.

To be licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Georgia:

• The applicant must have earned a master's degree in Social Work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in which candidacy, conditional, or accreditation status was in effect when the degree was awarded.
• The applicant with a master's degree must have completed three years' full-time supervised experience in the practice of social work following the granting of the master's degree. Of the three years of supervised experience, only the first two must be under direction.
• The applicant must present evidence of having practiced clinical social work for a minimum of 3,000 hours post social work master's degree supervised experience acquired over a period of no less than 36 months or more than 108 months, the first 2,000 hours of experience must be under supervision and direction in the practice of clinical social work. Applicant must submit documentation of having acquired 120 hours of supervision during this time, no more than 50% of which may be group supervision and at least 50% must be provided by a licensed clinical social worker who meets requirements to be a duly qualified supervisor.
• Both supervisors and supervisees are required to maintain a contemporaneous record of the date, duration, type (individual, paired, or group), and a brief summary of the pertinent activity for each supervision session to be submitted to the Board upon request. If there are any discrepancies in hours, contemporaneous documentation of supervision will be requested

Be sure to check back frequently as state requirements may change.

What Does the Job Market Look Like?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the social work field is poised to grow 12% by 2024. Breaking that information down into professions, there will be a need for more than 300,000 child family and school social workers,190,000 healthcare social workers, more than 130,000 substance abuse and mental health social workers and more than 65,000 social work jobs in miscellaneous fields. An MSW salary can range between $40,000-$70,000 depending on the practice as well as the individual’s work experience. The median salary for Georgia social workers with master’s degrees is $65,550 per year.

When you delve deep into social work employment in Georgia, you’ll see the following jobs most frequently:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker - General Practice
• Veterans Affairs Emergency Department Coordinator
• Hospice Licensed Social Worker

Alternatives to Traditional Social Work Careers

Georgia MSW graduates can pursue a variety of careers that have a social services focus. These jobs include:

• Public Health Administration
• Human Resources Consultant
• Corporate Training/Coaching

Popular areas for Georgia MSW careers include: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and Marietta.