Field placement gives online students the opportunity to step out into the real world and gain valuable experience that will benefit them in the future. FSU provides field work coordinators for certain regions of Florida and holds many contracts within the state.

For out of state students, you will work with a field work coordinator as a team, as you are going to be more familiar with agencies in your immediate community. A field work coordinator will reach out a semester in advance to assist with locating a placement.

We should note, FSU cannot guarantee specific hours or placements and you should not rely on nights/weekends, as these are typically done during regular business hours.

The College of Social Work’s Office of Field Education works with students and various agencies to place students in programs/organizations that match their goals. Some of the agencies FSU contracts with offer stipends as well as the potential for future employment.

FSU can’t guarantee that students can have placement in their place of employment, but we will work with you to help you establish convenient field placements and suitable alternatives.
 

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The GRE is no longer required for all applicants- however, in some cases, students may still need to take the exam. Those demonstrating exceptional performance (e.g., high GPAs, related work experience, success during other graduate programs) do not have to take the GRE.

The College of Social Work is now offering a GRE waiver contingent on meeting at least one of the criteria below. If you meet one of the following, you will not be required to take the GRE for MSW admissions. If you are applying for a joint pathway program (i.e., MSW/MBA, MSW/MPA, MSW/MS Criminology), please consult the other program for GRE requirements. Approval of the GRE Waiver Request does not guarantee admission to the program.

• Five years or more of social work experience in a traditional social work agency providing direct service delivery or macro services and a 3.0 undergraduate upper division GPA (advanced standing or traditional students) from a regionally accredited institution.

• A completed Master's, J.D., M.D. or Ph.D. degree with a 3.0 (or better) cumulative GPA from a regionally accredited institution.

• A 3.5 or higher undergraduate cumulative GPA from a regionally accredited institution.

• Any earned or anticipated baccalaureate degree from Florida State University, with a 3.25 upper division GPA at time of application.

If you do not meet one of the above criteria, you are still eligible for admissions consideration. An official GRE score will be required along with your supplemental application materials.

If you want to learn more about eligibility and if the GRE will be waived from your application, contact an Advisor today.

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Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school, a 3.0 GPA, and a transcript from their undergraduate institution. The GRE is not required for those who meet waiver criteria.  For more visit the Advanced Standing page if you have a BSW and the Master of Social Work page if you have a bachelor’s degree in another area. 

FSU’s College of Social Work and the College’s Office of Professional Development work with students to make them career ready. While the MSW program meets all the licensure requirements for Florida, if you are a student who wants to practice in a different state after you graduate, contact the state board for licensure requirements and email, fax, or scan the requirements to the Office of Professional Development.

It is important to stay informed while a student at FSU. That’s why it is recommended that you check all platforms on a regular basis. However, Canvas and FSU email should be checked every day. 

Florida State University is an NC-SARA approved institution. Therefore, we are able to offer our online program to all residents in the U.S.

See how state and local authorization for our online MSW program works.

Please see our interactive map of licensure requirements by state.

FSU gives students a robust learning experience in an online learning environment. The classwork can be conducted anywhere, and in many cases, when the student is available. The format of online classes varies based on the professor. Some courses are going to require discussion boards, others are writing intensive, while some professors provide recorded lectures. The program is asynchronous, and you will not be required to log in at specific times.

If you are experiencing issues with Blackboard, please go to https://support.campus.fsu.edu/kb/article/666-about-fsu-blackboard-user-support. You can also email help@campus.fsu.edu after hours or if you are having a technical issue that is not related to the LMS.

Advanced Standing is available to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited institution or students who are transferring from a CSWE-accredited two-year master's degree program with one year of generalist studies field placement. The Traditional program is for students who hold a bachelor’s degree, but their degree is not in the social work concentration.

More information can be found on our Master of Social Work page.

The FSU portal is where you can access registration, financial awards and your personal information.

Canvas contains information about orientation, registration and your classes. Additionally, Canvas is where professors post all of their content/lessons for students.

Finally, FSU email, accessed through Outlook, is your school email. Important academic emails come through here from the university and staff. All three allow students to study remotely and stay informed.