Earn Your Master of Social Work From UM
The Master of Social Work at the University of Montana takes an integrated-practice approach, bridging direct practice with individuals and families with community building, policy advocacy, and social justice leadership.
UM offers three MSW program options: a traditional in-person program, a fully asynchronous online program, and a 12-month Advanced Standing program for qualifying BSW and BSSW graduates. Rural social work is a program strength, with faculty and students actively engaged in creating and delivering services responsive to Montana's geographic, cultural, and political realities.
Choose Your MSW Program
UM offers three pathways to the MSW degree. Each option differs in format, pace, eligibility, and practicum schedule.
In-Person MSW
- 60 credits completed over two years full-time or three years part-time
- Courses are completed in person on the University of Montana campus
- 450 practicum hours during each practicum year, approximately 15 hours per week
- Part-time students begin practicum in the fall of their second year
Eligibility: Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may still apply but must submit a brief statement addressing their GPA and the strategies they will use to maintain a 3.0 or higher in graduate school.
Online Asynchronous MSW
- 60 credits completed part-time over three academic years
- All courses are completed online and asynchronously
- Practicum begins in year two
- 450 practicum hours during each practicum year, approximately 15 hours per week
- Many students maintain employment while completing the program
Eligibility: Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may still apply but must submit a brief statement addressing their GPA and the strategies they will use to maintain a 3.0 or higher in graduate school.
Explore the Online Asynchronous MSW
Advanced Standing MSW
- 37 credits completed over 12 months, full-time
- 9-credit synchronous online summer bridge, followed by 14 credits in both the fall and spring semesters
- 600 practicum hours completed over the fall and spring semesters, approximately 20 hours per week
Eligibility: Applicants must have a BSW or BSSW from a CSWE-accredited program or an international social work degree recognized by CSWE through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.25, or an overall GPA of 3.0 with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in core social work courses.
Preference is given to applicants with 2,000 or more hours of post-BSW professional social work experience, an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher, and a BSW earned within the past seven years. Applicants whose BSW or BSSW was earned more than seven years ago may still apply and should clearly describe relevant social work experience and continuing education or training on their resume.
Planning for 2027: The required summer bridge will continue to be offered synchronously online. The School is exploring possible in-person and online asynchronous options for the fall and spring semesters. These options are not guaranteed. Visit the Advanced Standing MSW page for details.
Explore the Advanced Standing MSW
Important Planning Information
- Tuition and fees vary by MSW program option. Review Graduate School Tuition and Fees and School of Social Work Fees for current costs.
- Tuition waivers may be available to students in the In-Person and Advanced Standing MSW programs.
- Dual degree programs may be available to students in the In-Person and Advanced Standing MSW programs. Students considering a dual degree should contact Social Work staff or faculty early for planning.
- Students in the Online Asynchronous MSW may not take electives outside of the Online MSW program.
Integrated Practice at UM
Our Master of Social Work (MSW) program takes an integrated-practice approach premised on the inseparability of individual struggles and social issues such as poverty, discrimination, oppression, and social injustice. We seek to engage individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in strengthening personal capacities, social programs, and public policies.
We draw on the rich legacy of social justice work in creating a cutting-edge learning experience that prepares social workers for 21st-century challenges. Our advanced integrated-practice curriculum embraces the profession's commitment to value-based social work practice and promotes social and economic justice by:
- grounding students in social work values and critical thinking;
- providing students with frameworks for understanding historical, political, and cultural contexts of practice, honoring difference, confronting oppression, and taking action for social justice;
- preparing students to bridge direct practice with individuals, groups, and families and the knowledge and skills of community building;
- teaching students to integrate research, policy analysis, and advocacy in their practice regardless of setting, problem area, or specific job description; and
- preparing students as social work leaders committed to promotion of empowering, participatory, social-justice-oriented practice.
Master of Social Work Alumni
Stephanie Shaw, Online MSW Graduate, 2025
Stephanie currently provides mental health services and is working toward licensure at Family Health and Wellness in Libby, Montana.
"This program has taught me that we don’t have all the answers. We just need the courage to ask hard questions the humility to listen and the compassion to stand beside others as they write their own stories."
The UM Experience
A Supportive Learning Environment
Small class sizes, ready access to faculty, a strong sense of community, and an emphasis on student-directed learning characterize our educational environment. The integrated-practice approach invites students to take the initiative in designing and developing their educational experience.
A Dedicated and Accomplished Faculty
Faculty blend their commitment to student success and social work education with innovative research and practice contributions to social work theory, gerontology, child welfare, addictions, international social work, trauma, grief and loss, mental health, and community-based participatory research.
A Collaborative Approach to Education, Research and Practice
Faculty and students are involved in various research and practice opportunities, contributing to a dynamic teaching-learning context. These collaborative efforts have resulted in program and practice innovations that make a difference.
A Commitment to Enhancing Rural Social Work Practice
Rural areas face unique struggles as global forces play out in local communities. Our faculty and students are involved in creating and delivering programs and services responsive to the cultural, political, and geographic diversity of rural Montana, the Rocky Mountain West, and beyond.
Ready to Apply?
Review the application instructions for program-specific requirements and deadlines, then submit your application or request more information.