State Requirements for Social Work (MSW) Licensure
While both of our CSWE-accredited social work programs prepare you for a variety of roles and responsibilities as a social worker, many professionals choose to earn a license as well.
Depending on your state’s requirements, the licensing credential can be necessary to work at an agency; but even if it’s not, it can broaden your employment opportunities.
Why Obtain Your Social Work License?
As our political, economic and social climates continue to shift and change, it is crucial — now more than ever — for social work students to obtain their licensure post-graduation.
Licensure endorses the need for social workers to engage in ethical service delivery — especially through adherence to proven practice standards of the profession, which ensure protection for both themselves and the clients they serve. Licensed social workers hold themselves to a higher standard, demonstrating high levels of competency and ethical practice in their day-to-day operations.
As representatives of the social work profession itself, licensed social workers lend credibility to the field and all who work within it, while simultaneously broadening their own professional horizons and increasing their own opportunities for growth and advancement.
Learn Your State’s Specific Licensing Requirements
The names for social work licenses can vary from state to state, as can the requirements for different roles and responsibilities. And while most states have processes for reciprocity and transferring licenses from one state to the next, some states will require you to go through the application process as a new applicant.
To ensure you’re on the correct academic path and properly prepared for the roles you want, it’s important you understand the rules and regulations for licensure in the state you plan to practice within. Click on your state below for specific information.
For additional questions regarding state licensing and the online BSW and MSW at Our Lady of the Lake University, please contact an admissions advisor toll-free at 855-275-1082, or request more information today.
NOTE: Applicants seeking licensure are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license per the Texas occupations code HB 1508.
The U.S. Department of Education regulation, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. As of October 1, 2024, the Worden School of Social Service has made the following determination regarding our curriculum.
| Program | Meets | Does not meet | A determination has not be made |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Social Work (MSW) | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, GU, MP, PR, VI | NH, NY | AS |
| Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) | AL, AK, AR, AZ, DE, DC, GU, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NE, NH, NJ, NM, ND, NC, MP, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI, WY | *CA, *CO, *CT, *FL, *GA, *NY, *RI, *UT, *VT, *WA, *VI | AS |
We strongly recommend contacting the appropriate state licensing agency in your state of residence and/or employment for the most current information regarding licensure and certification requirements, including clinical requirements. You can find licensing requirements by state here: https://www.aswb.org/licenses/how-to-get-a-license/getting-your-first-license/.