Master of Social Work
The University of Delaware’s Master of Social Work program, housed in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), prepares graduates to accept positions as social workers. Social workers support individuals and families through a wide range of life changes or challenges, including adoption, divorce, aging, terminal illness, loss of housing or employment, mental health, substance use and more.
Through research-informed coursework taught by faculty experts, community-engaged practicum experiences and specialization areas that meet community needs, the UD MSW prepares students to address the social problems affecting our global community—regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, religion, gender and/or sexual orientation. The program also teaches students how to apply social work ethics and values in promoting human rights, social justice and anti-oppressive practices.
With one-year, 16-month, two-year and three-year pathways to degree completion, students of the program can customize their timeline toward graduation. Students who begin the program with at least two years of professional experience in human services organizations are eligible to pursue a specialized pathway.
Program Director: Ohiro Oni-Eseleh, MBA, Ph.D., LCSW
For inquires and more information, email cehd-info@udel.edu.
Specializations
This specialization includes courses on theories of human development, family practice, childhood and adolescent trauma, social work practice in schools and more. Students engage in practicum experiences at schools and children and family services, healthcare and mental health organizations.
This specialization includes courses on theories of aging, end-of-life care, palliative care and social work practice with older adults and more. Students engage in practicum experiences at nursing and assisted- living facilities, hospitals and more.
This specialization includes courses on theories of human development, family practice, severe mental illness, clinical diagnosis and substance use treatment and more. Students engage in practicum experiences at healthcare and mental health organizations.
Complete the online UD Graduate Admissions application form. Requirements specific to this program include:
- A bachelor’s degree in any field of study earned from a college or university accredited by a recognized regional accrediting agency.
- Transcripts of all previous college-level academic work.
- A Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0. Admission to graduate programs at the University of Delaware is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
- Two letters of reference with at least one from a former or current professor when available.
- A personal statement essay that demonstrates alignment between the candidate’s statement of objectives and interest in social work values. The essay should discuss the candidate’s personal and professional backgrounds, goals, mentors and reasons for pursuing social work education.
- Applicants for Advanced Standing status will be required to have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. Advanced standing is also awarded to applicants with a Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE)-accredited bachelor’s of social work degree (recognized through an MOU with the Council on Social Work Education and CASWE) and internationally earned ISWDRES-evaluated degree comparable to a bachelor’s of social work.
- For international applicants whose first language is not English, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT score of 100 or a score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required.
This program offers five pathways to graduation, allowing students to tailor the program to their schedule, previous experience and career goals:
Advanced Standing
- Designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in social work
- Students will complete 30 total credits in 1 year:
- 15 credits of required courses
- 9 credits of electives
- 6 credits of practicum education
Accelerated
- Students will complete 60 total credits in 16 months:
- 39 credits of required courses
- 9 credits of electives
- 12 credits of practicum education (internship)
Regular Full-Time
- Students will complete 60 total credits in 2 years:
- 39 credits of required courses
- 9 credits of electives
- 12 credits of practicum education (internship)
Regular Part-Time
- Students will complete 60 total credits in 2 to 4 years:
- 39 credits of required courses
- 9 credits of electives
- 12 credits of practicum education (internship)
Full-time graduate students may qualify for financial aid, assistantships and scholarships to help offset the cost of tuition, housing and other expenses. Graduate students are also eligible for several competitive merit-based financial awards at UD. Special aid may be available for students whose home state is Delaware. For more information about tuition and financial aid, visit CEHD’s Graduate Tuition and Financial Aid webpage.
UD’s MSW program has attained pre-candidacy status for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Students who are admitted to the program in the Fall of 2024 (or later) will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program when the MSW attains full accreditation, expected in 2026. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Pre-candidacy for a master’s social work program by the BOA indicates that it submitted an application to be reviewed for candidacy and received approval of its Benchmark 1 from CSWE accreditation staff to move forward for a candidacy review within 1-year. Students that are admitted to pre-candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program.
Pre-candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods.
When is the application deadline?
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- Fall Admissions:
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- January 15 – Priority consideration
- August 15 – Deadline to apply
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- Spring Admissions:
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- December 15 – Priority consideration
- January 15 – Deadline to apply
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- Summer admissions:
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- April 15 – Priority consideration
- May 15 – Deadline to apply
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How do I apply?
- Application information is available onthis page.
Are GRE scores required?
- No
Are application fee waivers available?
- Fees are waived for applicants that meet certain requirements. You can see a list of the requirementson this page. If none of the listed requirements apply, contact Dr. Ohiro Oni-Eseleh, oeseleh@udel.edu , with a request.
What are the requirements for English proficiency?
- For international applicants, whose first language is not English, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT score of 100 or a score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required. The MSW graduate program will accept the virtual language assessment test iTEP Academic-Plus as a valid alternative measure of language proficiency. The minimum score required is 4.5.
What areas of specialization are there in the MSW program? We offer the following specializations:
- Children and Families.
- Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.
- Gerontology.
Must I select and area of specialization or can I obtain a generalist MSW degree?
- You do not have to specialize. You may choose the path of a generalist MSW degree.
Is internship required for the MSW degree?
- You will have two years of internship to run concurrently with your practice classes if you are not an advanced standing student. Advanced standing students (meaning students with a bachelor’s degree in social work) have one year of internship.
Do students have to find their own internship placements?
- We do that with consideration of each student’s interests.
How many credits are required for the MSW degree?
- 60 credits for regular students and 30 credits for advanced standing students.
What are the enrollment options?
- Full-time (2 years)
- Part-time (Up to 4 years)
- Advanced Standing (1 year)
- 16-month
What financial support is available for MSW students?
- MSW students may benefit from a limited range of financial assistance opportunities. For more information, visit CEHD’s graduate tuition page.
How are application decisions made?
- Applications are judged holistically, and specific application review processes vary between specialization areas. Personal statements are important to the decision-making process. Within personal statements, applicants should introduce themselves and discuss educational and career goals related to the social work profession and how this Master of Social Work program is a good match for their interests. Specialization is optional. Applicants wishing to specialize may identify their intended areas of specialization.
Can I meet with someone if I have more questions before or after I apply?
- You may schedule an appointment by sending an email to oeseleh@udel.edu.
“I am a very strong believer in the use of research to inform practice, and so, I always crave opportunities where I can see research informing practice and practice informing research as well. The University of Delaware, as a Research I university, actually provides an opportunity to expand thinking, and I think in social work, that’s what we need.”
-Ohiro Oni-Eseleh, Program Director, M.S.W. Program
