Howard University’s online MSW program prepares aspiring social workers to advocate for and serve marginalized individuals and communities through an approach grounded in the Black Perspective. This framework examines how oppression, culture, and self-determination shape social work practice and influence the ways we engage individuals, families, and communities.
Students are encouraged to explore issues such as health disparities, social justice, and systemic inequities within their sociocultural and historical contexts. As a result, graduates are prepared to serve Black and other marginalized populations with the insight, cultural responsiveness, and critical perspective needed to challenge oppressive systems and help build more equitable, sustainable, and empowering communities.
The Howard MSW Online program upholds rigorous academic standards and aims to advance our institutional vision: to enhance the wellbeing of African-Americans and other marginalized communities. Our curriculum utilizes four core aspects to advance that vision:
To apply to the online MSW program , the following materials must be completed and submitted:
Designed for students with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and at least 60 liberal arts credits.
A 3.0 undergraduate GPA is preferred, but not required.
Designed for students who earned a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution within four years of their program start date.
Requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA in social work foundation and undergraduate coursework.
An MSW prepares you for a wide range of careers across the social work profession. Through concentrations in Direct Practice and Community, Administration, and Policy Practice, students can tailor their education to align with their professional interests and career goals.
The Direct Practice concentration prepares students for practice with individuals, families, and groups in settings such as mental health organizations, healthcare systems, schools, community-based agencies, and other clinical and direct-service environments. Graduates may pursue pathways toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), subject to state-specific licensure requirements.
The Community, Administration, and Policy Practice concentration prepares students to address social issues at the organizational, community, and policy levels. This concentration supports career pathways in areas such as program administration, community engagement, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, policy development and analysis, and organizational and systems-level change.
Because our curriculum is informed by the Black Perspective, our online MSW provides students with the nuanced knowledge and skills needed to serve individuals, families, organizations, and communities while addressing the broader systems and policies that shape their experiences.
Popular career paths after obtaining an MSW include:
Mental health social workers help to maintain, restore and advocate for the mental health needs of the individuals and groups they serve. This field emphasizes employing evidence-backed interventions to help those living with a variety of mental health conditions.
These professionals form a link between schools, students' families and broader communities. Their roles include a wide scope of duties, such as case management, special education assessment, leading staff training sessions and more.
Military social workers offer assistance and support to the individuals and families dealing with the social, physical and psychological challenges experienced in military life. This can include transition management, crisis intervention and other means of support.
Howard University's online MSW is designed for students who want social justice and the Black Perspective to inform how they understand communities, systems, and social work practice.
You'll develop the cultural awareness, professional preparation, and real-world perspective needed to work alongside diverse communities and address inequities across practice settings.
Join a community shaped by scholars and practitioners who have advanced social work practice and addressed pressing challenges affecting historically underserved communities.
Graduate with a Howard University degree backed by a longstanding reputation for academic rigor, leadership, and professional preparation.
Full- and part-time options provide flexibility for students balancing graduate education with professional and personal responsibilities.
Gain hands-on experience through agency-based education and receive support identifying placement opportunities in clinical and non-clinical settings.
Become part of Howard University's rich tradition of educating leaders, scholars, and changemakers whose influence extends across professions and generations.
Build the knowledge and perspective to contribute to advocacy, policy change, community leadership, and systemic transformation at local, national, and global levels.
Your application is evaluated for educational information, essay content and strength of recommendations, writing and ability to follow and complete directions. The review process evaluates your potential to success as a graduate student, a social worker and the contribution to the profession. All applications are reviewed, and the applicants selected, by the School of Social Work faculty.
No, the GRE/GMAT is not required for the online MSW program.
Applicants will receive an email notification of your acceptance into the program. After you are admitted, all official university communications and updates (including your financial aid details) are sent directly to your Howard University email address.
Yes. Applicants who earned their bachelor’s degree from an international college or university must have their transcript evaluated and sent to the Office of Admissions. We accept evaluations from: World Education Services, info@wes.org
We require that transcripts be submitted from every college or university you attended.
TIP: Upload your unofficial transcripts within the online application; and follow the instructions to have your official transcript uploaded. For more information, visit the Howard Online MSW Tuition & Financial Aid page.
While this page highlights our Online MSW program, HUSSW also offers a variety of pathways to meet diverse student needs:
