Traditional Master of Social Work - Lawrence Campus
Earn your MSW at KU Lawrence
Program Overview
The Master of Social Work degree prepares graduates for advanced social work practice in one of two broad specializations — either clinical social work practice with individuals, families and groups, or social work macro practice aimed at social service administration, social policy development and social advocacy.
Courses guide students on how to engage and assess the needs of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Students learn how to intervene and evaluate those interventions at all levels of practice.
KU’s MSW is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is ranked among the top public institution social work programs by U.S. News & World Report.
Students who have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university in a subject outside of social work should apply for the Traditional MSW plan of study.
Curriculum
The School of Social Welfare requires a total of 64 credit hours for the Traditional MSW Plan of Study, consisting of:
- 36 credit hours of classroom work
- 28 credit hours of practicum
Traditional MSW applicants admitted to the Lawrence campus can begin in summer or fall.
Generalist Curriculum
Students in the Traditional MSW program complete 32 credit hours of generalist coursework, including 14 credit hours of generalist-level practicum. Full-time students complete these courses in the first year of the program.
Following generalist courses and practicum, students advance to one of two areas of specialization: clinical practice or macro practice.
Clinical Concentration
The 32-credit-hour clinical concentration prepares MSW students for clinical social work with individuals, families and groups.
We recommend students who anticipate taking the Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Work (LSCSW) examination pursue a clinical concentration.
Macro Concentration
The 32-credit-hour macro practice concentration curriculum prepares MSW students for leadership and administration in social work agencies and social services organizations.
MSW Practicum Placements
Social work internships (practicums) provide each student with real-world social work experience, working directly with individuals, families, and communities.
Our Practicum Education Office works closely with students and agencies to secure skill-based practicum experiences with qualified social work mentors.
The Practicum Education Office arranges all placements with a student’s input. Every effort is made to secure opportunities close to the student’s home, and all practicums are no further than a one-hour drive.
Traditional MSW students have two practicum placements: one during the foundation level and one during the advanced level of the program. Each placement is for two consecutive semesters for 14 credit hours a year, totaling 28 credit hours. Students attend practicum in person for at least 16 hours each week.
Program Length: Traditional MSW
The Traditional MSW at KU can be completed in 2 years of full-time study or 3-4 years of part-time study.
Program Format: Traditional MSW at the KU Lawrence Campus
KU MSW class formats and meeting times vary by campus location.
Details for Traditional MSW students at the KU Lawrence campus:
- Generalist courses: Generalist-level classes meet once weekly on the KU campus in Lawrence, Kansas. Class times are in the morning and afternoon.
- Clinical concentration: Classes for the clinical concentration meet once weekly on the KU campus in Lawrence, Kansas. Class times are in the morning and afternoon.
- Macro concentration:
- The macro concentration is offered online via Zoom. Macro concentration online classes meet at specific times every other Saturday, with additional online coursework on alternate weeks. Students at all KU MSW campus locations are eligible to enroll in the macro concentration.
- When enrollment is adequate, the macro concentration is also offered in a hybrid format at the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park, Kansas. The hybrid format includes in-person classes every other Saturday, with additional online coursework on alternate weeks.
- Practicum: MSW students attend their practicum placements in person for a minimum of 16 hours each week.
Note: Not all MSW courses are offered every semester or on all campuses/online. Course options may change based on enrollment. Check the KU Schedule of Classes for current offerings.
The Traditional MSW plan of study is offered on the Lawrence campus, the Edwards Campus, the Kansas State University-Salina campus, and online.
Traditional MSW Application Dates for 2026
Admissions and Application Requirements
Admission Requirements
Applicants who meet the following criteria will apply to the Traditional plan of study.
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university, or a foreign university with substantially equivalent bachelor’s degree requirements
- Undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 or above is preferred
All Traditional MSW students are admitted for a summer or fall semester start date.
International Students
International students should apply to the Traditional MSW plan of study on the Lawrence, Kansas campus.
MSW Application Deadlines
The deadlines to apply for admission to the Traditional Master of Social Work program for summer 2026 are:
- Feb. 3, 2026 - Online Traditional Full-Time MSW application deadline (Online only)
- March 3, 2026 - Traditional Full-Time MSW application deadline (Lawrence, KU Edwards and Salina campuses)
- April 1, 2026 - Traditional Part-Time MSW application deadline (all campus locations - Lawrence, KU Edwards, Salina and Online)
The summer/fall 2026 application opens on Oct. 1, 2025.
Traditional MSW applicants admitted to the Lawrence, Edwards or Online campus may begin in summer or fall.
Application Requirements
The online application gives you the ability to submit all supporting documents in one form and save in progress. You will be asked for the following, which will be required to complete the online application.
Upload a professional resume detailing your current/prior work or volunteer experience. Follow a reverse chronological format and include dates and hours per week worked. For helpful resume writing tips, use the following University Career Center resource.
University Career Center resumes webpage
When submitting your resume, be sure to save as a "WORD" (windows compatible) or as a PDF document. Please double-check your formatting after saving it in WORD or PDF, and before uploading the document.
When responding to the following questions, please explicitly reference the School’s Mission and Guiding Principles and the NASW’s Code of Ethics.
Draft a statement that is no more than 3 pages total, typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins. Type each question prior to your answer to that question. This section is also used to evaluate master’s level writing ability. Questions:
- Given that there are many helping professions (e.g., psychology, nursing, public health, public administration, etc.), why have you chosen to apply for a Master of Social Work (MSW) program?
- What do you hope to gain from your graduate education? How do your hopes relate to your future plans as a social worker with an MSW degree?
You will be asked to list the contact information for three references in the application. The application system will then email a reference form to each person.
Note: Choosing to list more than three references will delay application review significantly. Only three references will be included in the review. Applications with fewer than three references are marked incomplete and denied admission.
Traditional Plan of Study: References should be professional in nature and include those who can speak to the applicant’s ethics, experience with social justice issues, readiness for graduate social work education, skills, abilities and work styles.
Family members and friends are not recommended except in cases of special circumstance, which may be described within the application.
If you are a current or former KU student, you don’t need to provide official transcripts.
Current and former KU students are not required to request and purchase official KU transcripts, or to provide official KU transcripts or copies of KU transcripts to apply for admission to KU graduate programs. If KU students earned a degree from another institution, they will need to upload copies of those transcripts with their application.
If you have never attended KU, your application must include official transcripts from each college attended.
For processing purposes, you may attach scanned versions of official transcripts to your application. If you are admitted to a program and accept the admission offer, you will be required to submit an official, final transcript that shows your degree has been conferred. Transcripts must be submitted to Graduate Admissions in one of the following ways:
- Electronically (Preferred Method)
If your institution offers a secure electronic transcript delivery service (such as Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse), you may have transcripts sent to graduateadm@ku.edu.
- Via mail
Transcripts must be sent directly from your institution, in a sealed envelope, to:
Graduate Admissions
University of Kansas
1502 Iowa Street
Lawrence, KS 66045
For more guidance on transcripts from non-U.S. institutions, see the International applicants webpage.
Applicants who have questions about transfer credits should contact Georgiana O'Connor, graduate admissions coordinator, at admissionsmsw@ku.edu.
Clinical Practice: The clinical social work practice specialization prepares students in the professional application of social work theory and methods to the treatment and prevention of psychosocial problems, disability, or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders. Students expecting to sit for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) examination two years after the MSW must take the clinical social work practice specialization.
Macro Practice: The macro practice specialization prepares students in the professional application of social work theory and skill to the development and management of social service programs in both public and voluntary human services organizations.
All applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate English proficiency to be considered for MSW admission. This includes both International Students who reside in the U.S. and outside the U.S. at the time of application. Please consult the English proficiency requirements information from KU Graduate Admissions.
Note: In order to begin practicum for the MSW Program, Full Proficiency must be met. If Full Proficiency requirements are not met at the time of admission, and additional language requirements are required from the KU Applied English Center, MSW classes and/or practicum may be delayed.
Important Information Regarding Colorado Workers’ Compensation Requirements for Field Placements and Practicums
According to the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act, students participating in unpaid, in-person field placements or practicums within the state of Colorado must be covered by Workers’ Compensation insurance. To ensure student protection and institutional compliance, please review the following guidance:
- The University of Kansas is unable to provide Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage for students to meet the requirements outlined by Colorado law.
- Colorado law prohibits students from securing Workers’ Compensation coverage independently. Coverage must be arranged by the academic institution or an approved sponsoring institution within Colorado.
- Students applying to an online program that includes a required in-person field placement or practicum will not be eligible for admission if that placement is intended to occur in Colorado.
- Students enrolled in campus-based programs at the University of Kansas may not engage in field placements or practicums located in Colorado.
Though, in the case of paid, in-person field placements or practicums (i.e., employment-based practicums or EBPs), the employer is responsible for meeting the requirements outlined by Colorado’s Worker’s Compensation law, the impermanence of these EBPs can lead to students being in a situation without required coverage. As such, EBPs should not be considered a workaround to our inability to accommodate students with field placements or practicums in Colorado.
MSW Application Fee
To complete the application, you must submit the online application and pay the application fee.
Application Fees
- Degree-seeking domestic: $65
- Degree-seeking International: $100
- Non-degree-seeking: $40
NOTE: The application fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
MSW Admissions Decisions
All applications are reviewed by the School upon receipt.
To check the status of your application or to send a reference reminder, access your applicant status portal.
Accessing Your MSW Admissions Decision
Once a decision has been made on your application, you will receive an email from KU Graduate Admissions stating your admissions decision is ready.
To view your decision, access your applicant status portal.
If an offer is made, you will also receive an additional email from the School of Social Welfare. All decision notifications are sent via email; this is the official notification of a decision. To ensure your privacy, we are unable to provide admission decisions by telephone. Your decision letter will be found in your applicant status portal.
If you are offered admission, please accept or decline the offer of admission by going to your application status portal and clicking on the "Complete Your Decision Form" button. If accepting the offer, you will also receive a secure link to submit a credit card payment for the non-refundable $50 seat fee to hold your place in the program. This will complete your “acceptance” processing.
Next Steps for Admitted MSW Students
Visit the MSW Admitted Students webpage for next steps after accepting your MSW program admission.
Student Support & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Scholarships & Funding
Advising & Practicum Support
Learn more about the KU MSW Program
Get more info on admission, deadlines, tuition and financial aid, career paths and more when you fill out the form below. We’ll be in touch to answer any questions and help you get started.
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