Master of Social Work

Earn an MSW at Goshen College!

Goshen College, in partnership with Bluffton University, is proud to offer the Master of Social Work, designed to equip students with the advanced knowledge and skills required to meet the mental health needs of our communities. Specializing in mental health and emphasizing anti-racism and anti-oppressive practices, the MSW at Goshen College offers students a holistic approach to the field of social work. The MSW program also prepares students to integrate spirituality and religion into practice and to positively connect with and assist clients of diverse backgrounds.

Now, more than ever, our communities are in need of trained social workers. “Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Want to hear more? Sign up for an informal conversation with the MSW program director and other interested students.

Tuesday, March 4, 8:00 p.m. EST
Wednesday, March 12, 12:00 p.m. EST
Monday, March 24, 5:00 p.m. EST
Tuesday, April 1, 8:00 p.m. EST

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Learn to help people function to the best of their abilities in their environment.

As a small, private, liberal arts college, Goshen College is uniquely poised to offer a deeper look at the connections between diversity, equity, inclusion, spirituality and social work in a class setting that allows for greater connection between students and instructors.

Program Format

Courses are offered through frequent group and individual Zoom sessions, as well as recorded micro lectures.

The number of credit hours for degree completion is dependent on the student’s background. Students holding a BSW may be able to be admitted with advanced standing and complete the program in 1-2 years. Students admitted at the foundation level can complete the program in 2-4 years.

Number of credit hours:

Student’s undergraduate degree	# of credit hours for MSW	Admission	Types of courses to take
BSW from a CSWE-accredited program within the last 10 years (Students who earned the BSW degree more than 10 years ago will be considered for advanced standing based on social work experience.)	30	Advanced standing	Specialized courses only
Undergraduate degree other than BSW from any accredited institution	57	Foundation	Generalist + specialized courses

Field education placement:

Field education placement requirements will be fulfilled at an organization near you.

Students who enter the MSW program at the foundation level complete 900 hours in field education and students who enter the MSW program with advanced standing complete 500 hours in field education. The MSW Field Education Manual can be found here.

Cost and Financial Aid (2025-26)

Tuition per credit hour for 2025-26: $525

Graduate students must take a minimum of three semester hours to be eligible for loans.

Goshen College offers a 10% discount on tuition for post-baccalaureate programs to students that have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from Goshen College. Learn more at goshen.edu/discount.

Students who are employed by a Goshen College Affinity Partner will receive a 15% tuition discount for all of Goshen College’s adult and graduate programs.

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Faculty

For more information, contact:

Goshen College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and the MSW program is approved by the HLC. The Bluffton University and Goshen College Collaborative MSW program has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

Candidacy for an MSW program by the BOA indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.

Students that are admitted to 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 as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.

Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. Review our program’s candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.