Advanced Standing Online

The online format is designed with your busy schedule in mind and offers the flexibility to study whenever – and wherever – is most convenient for you. Our online courses are taught by the same highly regarded faculty and expert instructors and consist of the same rigorous curriculum and instruction as our on-campus programs.

Our online format is taught as blended synchronous, which combines online coursework with live online classes taking place every other week at a specific time.

$700 per credit (inclusive of all fees)

 

Advanced Standing plan of study is offered on the Lawrence campus, Edwards Campus, Kansas State University - Salina campus and online.

You will choose to specialize in either Clinical Practice or Macro Practice. 

Clinical Social Work Practice

Emphasis on a particular field of practice, such as children and families, health, mental health, schools, or aging populations.

Macro Social Work Practice

Emphasis on leadership, social service administration, social policy development and social advocacy.

The School of Social Welfare requires a total of 38 credit hours for the Advanced Standing plan of study, consisting of:

• 24 credit hours of classroom work
• 14 credit hours of practicum

Yes, students can enroll in a part-time, two-year MSW. Students enrolled in the part-time program will enroll in their practicum the second year. More information on the Part-time Advanced Standing MSW Curriculum webpage.

The online format is blended synchronous, combining online coursework with live online classes taking place bi-weekly at a specific date and time. Visit the schedule of classes to find exact times.

Students complete their practicum placement in person.

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. 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:

1. 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?
2. 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.

Advanced Standing 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.

Applicants should include a practicum supervisor/and or practicum instructor as well as a faculty member if the degree was earned within the past 3 years.

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, 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
  
  KU Visitor Center
  
  1502 Iowa Street
  
  Lawrence, KS 66045

For more guidance on transcripts from non-U.S. institutions, see the International applicants webpage.

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. 

Effective with summer/fall 2024 applications, any non-native English speaker applying to an online degree or certificate program must achieve Full Proficiency to be eligible for graduate admission. Please consult the English Proficiency Requirements for Admission to Graduate Study.

All applications are reviewed by the School upon receipt. To check the status of your application, or to send a reference reminder, please access your applicant status portal.

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 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, 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 see a screen to submit a credit card payment for the non-refundable $50 admission fee to hold your place in the program. This will complete your “acceptance” processing.