MSW

In the ever-changing social work environments, agency services struggle with limited resources in the face of increased needs requiring complex intervention modalities. Direct practitioners who are fully committed to respecting and prioritizing client needs and who are also skilled in supervision and administration are in high demand.

Union's Master of Social Work (MSW) can prepare you to serve as a competent and effective professional and leader in advanced practice.

Request Info Apply Now Course Schedules Info Packet (24-25) Program Details

Program Offerings and Deadlines

Face-to-face classes are offered on our Jackson and Germantown (a suburb of Memphis) Campuses
Both the Advanced Standing and Traditional Standing programs can be completed in an online format
The MSW program uses a rolling admissions process. The deadlines to apply are:
- Spring Start Term: The deadline to apply to begin the MSW program in the Spring semester is December 1st.
- Fall Start Term: Priority application deadline is March 31st of each year for the upcoming fall. Qualified applications will be accepted through July 1st for the Advanced Standing full time option and July 15th for all other MSW options.

Cost

$679 per credit hour (2025-26 tuition rate) plus $28 per hour general student fee. Estimated Cost of Attendance
Union University works with employers who offer tuition reimbursement to assist their employees as they obtain their MSW.
Financial Aid is available by application and through the FAFSA process. We are approved by the Department of Veteran Affairs to offer educational benefits to veterans, reservists, and dependents of veterans who qualify.

Are you an undergraduate student who received the HOPE Scholarship? If so, you may qualify for extended eligibility for graduate studies.

Cost of Attendance is used in part to help determine a student's financial aid eligibility and to estimate costs associated with attending college. It is not meant to be the exact costs every student will pay, but a standard estimate that is used for all categories of students for financial aid purposes. Some costs are Direct Costs, meaning they are charged to a student as part of your bill through the University. Other costs are Indirect Costs, meaning a student would not be billed for them — but they are costs to consider when evaluating what is needed to attend for a given period of time. Your costs may vary based on your individual decisions or circumstances.

COA for MSW Degree students during 2025-2026
Direct Costs (these are the costs that would be part of your student bill as an off-campus student)
Tuition	$24,444	Based on 15 credits each semester over Fall & Spring, and 6 credits during the Summer
Mandatory Fees	$1,008	Based on fees for 36 credits total
Total Direct Costs	$25,452	This is prior to any applied financial aid — but GREAT news, financial aid is available!

Indirect Costs (these are costs you may incur in attending college but are not billed to you by the university)
Housing	$13,956	This is a standard allowance for the cost of off-campus rent or other housing costs over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Food/Meals	$5,976	This is an allowance for off-campus food/meals over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment	$900	This is an estimate; your costs could differ depending on how you obtain your books and required course materials or supplies.
Transportation	$4,056	This is an estimate for transportation fees you may incur over the year for items such as traveling to class or trips home; your costs could vary greatly depending on your situation.
Loan Fees	$650	This is an estimate for the average cost of Federal student loan fees such as origination fees; your costs could vary based on your decisions to borrow, contact SFA for more information.
Personal Expenses	$12,912	This is an estimate of costs for day-to-day expenses you may have over the next academic year. Your costs could vary greatly based on your situation and financial decisions.
Total Indirect Costs	$38,450

Total COA	$63,902	Total allowable Cost of Attendance for Master of Social Work students (prior to application of any financial aid eligibility)

COA for MSW Degree students during 2024-2025
Direct Costs (these are the costs that would be part of your student bill as an off-campus student)
Tuition	$23,580	Based on 15 credits each semester over Fall & Spring, and 6 credits during the Summer
Mandatory Fees	$972	Based on fees for 36 credits total
Total Direct Costs	$24,552	This is prior to any applied financial aid — but GREAT news, financial aid is available!

Indirect Costs (these are costs you may incur in attending college but are not billed to you by the university)
Housing	$8,760*	This is a standard allowance for the cost of off-campus rent or other housing costs over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Food/Meals	$5,592	This is an allowance for off-campus food/meals over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment	$900	This is an estimate; your costs could differ depending on how you obtain your books and required course materials or supplies.
Transportation	$2,592	This is an estimate for transportation fees you may incur over the year for items such as traveling to class or trips home; your costs could vary greatly depending on your situation.
Loan Fees	$1,300	This is an estimate for the average cost of Federal student loan fees such as origination fees; your costs could vary based on your decisions to borrow, contact SFA for more information.
Personal Expenses	$8,496	This is an estimate of costs for day-to-day expenses you may have over the next academic year. Your costs could vary greatly based on your situation and financial decisions.
Total Indirect Costs	$27,640

Total COA	$52,192	Total allowable Cost of Attendance for Master of Social Work students (prior to application of any financial aid eligibility)

*For Jackson students only, if you choose to live on-campus and you do not have dependents, this amount will be $7,128 based on Hope Residence Hall at 12-months. If you live on-campus with dependents, this amount will be $9,300 based on Warmath Family Housing at 12-months. If you live with parents, this amount will be $3,126.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Union University Master of Social Work program is to prepare competent and effective professionals for leadership in advanced practice. In a context of Christian higher education, the program fosters compassionate service, promotes social and economic justice, and equips students for excellence in social work practice.

Accreditation

The Master of Social Work Program at Union University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Trauma Studies Graduate Certificate

Our Trauma Studies Graduate Certificate (TSGC) is designed for currently admitted MSW students and will provide students with specialized trauma focused skills and knowledge that will enable them to effectively practice across various settings with individuals, families, and communities heavily impacted by trauma.

Learn More about the TSGC

Master of Social Work

MSW

Program Offerings and Deadlines

Cost

Mission Statement

Accreditation

Trauma Studies Graduate Certificate

Program Details

Applicant Contact:

Advanced Standing 33 credit hour MSW program

Traditional 60 credit hour MSW program

Application Process

Additional Resources

Do you offer a fully online MSW Program?

Can I tour the Campus and the School of Social Work?

How selective is the MSW Program admissions process?

Can I transfer courses from another graduate MSW program into the Union MSW program?

Is it possible to waive some of the academic requirements for students with many years of experience in the field?

How large are the classes in the program?

Can I get financial aid?

Is there graduate housing?

Advanced Standing

What is Advanced Standing and how do I know if I qualify?

MSW Field FAQs

What is a Field Placement?

When do Advanced Standing students complete the field placement?

When do Traditional MSW students complete the field placement?

How many hours per week do students spend in the field placement?

Can the field placement be arranged for evening and/or weekend hours?

Can students complete their field placement where they live?

Do students have to set up their own field placement?

Are their field placement agencies that provide stipends to students?

Can students complete their field placement at their place of employment?

Are students required to have personal liability insurance?

Do students have to have a vehicle to complete the field placement?

MSW Licensure FAQ

If I complete the MSW program, does it fulfill the requirements to obtain licensure after graduation?

Can I receive School Social Work Licensure through the Union University social work program?

Licensure in School Social Work