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Master of Social Work (MSW) Graduate Pathway

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Available On Campus and as a Blended Online Program

The Master of Social Work (MSW) develops self-aware, ethically grounded social workers committed to recognizing and dismantling systems of oppression and building liberation. The program builds and maintains meaningful, reflexive, and connected relationships with our students, faculty, staff, and communities. Faculty teach using reflexive and liberatory methods that support students’ holistic development. 

Format

The MSW is offered as a blended online program and on campus.

The blended program has mostly online classes and a few in-person meetings. While most classes can be completed online asynchronously, there are some synchronous classes, like the internship seminar classes, where you and your classmates attend class together online simultaneously, just as you would in a traditional on-campus class. 

The in-person meetings are with your cohort, a group of students who take all their classes together while working toward their degrees. Through cohorts, students are part of a learning community where they can collaborate with professors and develop relationships with their peers.

Cohorts meet on Saturdays twice a semester at the University of Maine in Orono, ME. During their internship experience, faculty will visit students at the internship site at least once a semester. The internship component may be completed at a qualifying organization geographically convenient to students in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.

For more information about the blended MSW, visit online.umaine.edu. To learn more about the on-campus MSW program, visit umaine.edu/socialwork.

Blended online master of social work
On Campus Master of Social Work
  • NOTE: This program is only open to Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont residents. International students cannot get a student visa for this program.

Contact Us

Have questions about the Master of Social Work graduate pathway? Contact an advisor.

Photo of Tessa Smith

Tessa Smith, M.S.

UMaineOnline Advisor

802.276.0474
tessa.r.smith@maine.edu

Schedule a meetinG

Courses

Required Courses

Courses in the following content areas are required:

Four courses in the social and behavioral sciences (12 credits). Course options include, but are not limited to:

  • ANT 210: Biological Anthropology (3 credits)
  • ANT 260: Forensic Anthropology (3 credits)
  • PSY 100: General Psychology (3 credits)*
  • SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)*
  • SOC 201: Social Inequality (3 credits)*
  • DIS 300: Interaction of Human Diversity and Global*
  • DIS 400: Disability as Diversity I*
  • SWK 101: Opportunities for the Social Work Major (1 credit) *
  • SWK 220: Introduction to Social Work (3 credits)*
  • SWK 230: Contemporary Issues in Diversity and Pluralism (3 credits)*
  • SWK 350: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I (3 credits)*
  • SWK 351: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II (3 credits)*
  • SWK 380: The Biological Person and the Environment (3 credits)*
  • SWK 440: Social Welfare Policy and Issues (3 credits)*
  • SWK 491: Methods in Social Work Research (3 credits)*

Two courses in the humanities (6 credits). Course options include, but are not limited to:

  • ENG 101: College Composition (3 credits)*
  • ENG 201: Strategies for Writing Across Contexts (3 credits)*
  • ENG 317: Business and Technical Writing (3 credits)*
  • HTY 104: United States History Since 1877 (3 credits)*
  • HTY 241: History of Globalization, 1900-Present (3 credits)*
  • HTY 330: Robber Barons, Reformers, and Radicals 1877-1914 (3 credits)
  • HTY 467: Early 20th Century America, 1914-1945 (3 credits)*
  • HTY 468: America Since 1945 (3 credits)*
  • HTY 492: Technology and Society Since 1800 (3 credits)*
  • PHI 100: Contemporary Moral Problems (3 credits)*
  • PHI 230: Ethics (3 credits)*
  • PHI 235: Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)*
  • PHI 240: Social and Political Philosophy (3 credits)*

A course in introductory statistics or research methods with a “C” or better (3 credits). Course options include, but are not limited to:

  • PSY 241: Statistics in Psychology (4 credits)*
  • STS 132: Principles of Statistical Inference (3 credits)*
  • SWK 491: Methods in Social Work Research (3 credits)*

*Available online

MSW Admissions

The application deadline for Fall 2026 is January 1, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the deadline as program capacity allows. 

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
    Applicants with less than a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale who have demonstrated the ability to complete graduate-level coursework successfully may be admitted on a probationary basis.
  • At least four college-level courses in the social and behavioral sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, human geography, social work, etc.) 
  • A minimum of two college-level courses in the humanities (e.g., philosophy, religion, history, English, etc.)
  • A college-level introductory statistics or research methods course with a “C” or better
    Applicants can complete this requirement by taking an introductory statistics or research methods course during their first semester.
  • Volunteer work, employment, internships, or research experience related to social welfare or human services.

The admission evaluation process begins once we’ve received all of your application materials. Before you apply, review the MSW admissions information and the Graduate School application instructions. When you’re ready to apply, please submit the following:

  • An online application
  • Current résumé or CV with your education history, professional development activities, employment history, and any volunteer work
  • Essay using the School of Social Work guidelines
  • Three letters of recommendation reflecting your academic ability and/or suitability for social work. If you’re currently employed or volunteering in a social service agency, please include a reference from your direct supervisor. Family members, personal therapists/counselors, or friends cannot be used as references.
  • Copy of Final Internship Evaluation or mid-year Internship Evaluation if applicable