All pathways lead to the same Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) degree. Pathways differ by format, pacing, eligibility, and practicum structure. Graduates who plan to pursue LMSW, LCSW, or other social work licensure should note that licensing requirements vary by state, province, and territory. Applicants are encouraged to review the licensing rules for the jurisdiction where they intend to practice and familiarize themselves with the Association of Social Work Boards’ guidance on how to get licensed: ASWB: How to Get a License.
Full-Time Pathways
| Pathway | Format | Description | Best For | Application Semester | Practicum |
|---|
| Two-Year | In-Person and Online | 60 credits and 1,200 hours of practicum learning, spending two days per week in the classroom and three days per week in a practicum placement. | Students completing the full MSSW curriculum over two academic years. | Fall | 3 days per week 21 hours per week |
| 16-Month | In-Person Only | A fast-tracked, full-time program over 16 months, requiring 60 credits and 1,200 hours of practicum, starting in the spring. | Students beginning in January and continuing full-time through summer. | Spring | 3 days per week 21 hours per week (required summer) |
| Advanced Standing* | In-Person and Online | A one-year program for students with a BSW degree, allowing them to complete their specialized year and earn their MSSW after an intensive summer preparation, requiring 33 credits and 600 hours of practicum. | Recent CSWE-accredited BSW graduates. | Fall (classes begin in summer) | 3 days per week
21 hours per week |
| Transfer* | In-Person and Online | For students who have completed a full year of social work coursework and practicum at another accredited school, allowing them to finish their degree in one year, requiring 30 credits and 600 hours of practicum. | Students who completed one full year at another CSWE-accredited graduate social work program. | Fall | 3 days per week
21 hours per week |
| Five-Term International | In-Person Only | A program for international students unfamiliar with the U.S. social welfare system, requiring five terms of study, including a summer immersion. | International students new to the U.S. social welfare system and who speak English as an additional language. | Fall | 3 days per week
21 hours per week (required summer) |
Part-Time Pathways
| Pathway | Format | Description | Best For | Application Semester | Practicum |
|---|
| Part-Time to Full-Time | In-Person and Online | A flexible program that allows students to combine part-time and full-time study over three to four years, with practicum beginning in the second year. | Students who want to begin part-time before entering full-time practicum. | Fall or Spring | Beginning year two:
3 days per week
21 hours per week |
| Part-Time | Online Only | A slower-paced program where students complete the same coursework and practicum as the Two-Year Program but with fewer credits and practicum hours per term. | Students who want to complete fewer credits per term and fewer practicum hours per week. | Fall or Spring | Beginning year two:
2 days per week
14 hours per week (required summer) |
| One-Year Residency for Working Professionals* | In-Person and Online | A program for current social service professionals, allowing them to count employment toward practicum hours, completed in part-time and full-time in three to four years. | Experienced social services or nonprofit professionals who may count part of their employment toward practicum. | Fall or Spring | Use your approved work site as practicum year three |
Note: To ensure you select the pathway that aligns with your goals, feel free to contact an admissions representative for support. *Additional Pathway Details
Advanced Standing
Advanced Standing students may receive up to 27 transfer credits and matriculate at the School of Social Work as second-year students, enabling them to earn their degree in three terms. Advanced Standing students complete a minimum of 33 credits at CSSW (24 in course work and 9 in practicum). To be eligible for the program, Advanced Standing students must have earned a B or better in all of their undergraduate social work classes.
When evaluating transfer credits, the School is looking for equivalent coursework to:
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Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II (6 credits)
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Social Work Research
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Social Welfare Policy
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Foundations of Social Work Practice
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Advocacy in Social Work Practice
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Field Education (two terms worth no more than 6 credits)
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Elective
Transfer
Transfer students may receive up to 30 transfer credits and matriculate at the School of Social Work as second-year students, enabling them to earn their degree in two terms. Transfer students complete a minimum of 30 credits at CSSW (21 in course work and 9 in practicum).
To be eligible for the program, Transfer students must have earned a B or better in all of their graduate social work classes.When evaluating transfer credits, the School is looking for equivalent coursework to:-
Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II (6 credits)
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Social Work Research
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Social Welfare Policy
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Foundations of Social Work Practice
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Direct Practice w/ Individuals, Families, & Groups
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Advocacy in Social Work Practice
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Practicum or Field Education (two terms worth no more than 6 credits)
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Elective
One-Year Residency for Working Professionals
The One-Year Residency for Working Professionals pathway is for students currently employed in social services or nonprofit agencies. Students complete the same 60-credit degree requirement through a combination of part-time and full-time study over no fewer than four terms and no longer than four years.
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Applicants must have completed two years of full-time, or four years of part-time, direct practice professional experience at the time of application.
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The program includes a pre-residency period, usually two years of part-time enrollment while working full-time, followed by a residency year of full-time enrollment.
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During residency, students complete 28 practicum hours per week at their place of employment.
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Of those 28 hours, 14 hours of usual employment activities may be counted.
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Students must also complete 14 separate hours outside their current work responsibilities with a different supervisor, called a Practicum Instructor, who has an MSSW and is, or will be, SIFI certified or its equivalent.
Note: Students working at an agency that has hosted a Columbia student within the last three years for practicum learning may be eligible for a tuition discount.
General Application Requirements
Applicants must submit all materials directly to the Office of Admissions. Materials submitted through an agent or third-party vendor are not accepted.
Exceptions include submissions by the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program and partner agencies, including IIE, LASPAU, and AMIDEAST; the Danish-American Fulbright Commission; and Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.
Required Materials
| Requirement | What to Submit |
|---|
| Application Fee | $75 application fee, unless a fee waiver is approved before submission. |
| Resume | A detailed current resume including professional, academic, volunteer, leadership, research, awards, relevant life experiences, and languages other than English. |
| Professional Experience | Number of months of professional and volunteer experience, matching the information in your resume. |
| Essays | Responses to 2–3 essay prompts, submitted as separate essays. |
| Letters of Reference | Two letters submitted directly by recommenders through the online application system. |
| Transcripts | Official transcripts from every college or university attended for at least one term, including transfer and study abroad coursework. |
Application Fee
The $75 application fee is required when the application is submitted. Fee waivers are available for alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America, McNair Scholars, HEOP, EOP, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, and applicants experiencing financial hardship. Applicants should request a waiver through the Application Fee Waiver Request Form after creating an online application and before submitting the application fee. Submitted fees are non-refundable. Please submit fee waiver requests at least one to two weeks before the deadline.
Resume and Professional Experience
Submit a detailed current resume. Paid work and volunteer experience should be listed separately, beginning with the current or most recent position. Include month and year for start and end dates. The resume may be longer than one page.
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Indicate whether each experience was full-time or part-time, paid or unpaid.
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For part-time experience, include weekly hours worked.
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Include the client population served, if applicable.
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List the larger agency and the program or department where you worked or volunteered.
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Include research experience, publications, leadership activities, honors, relevant life experience, and languages read or spoken in addition to English.
Essays
Applicants must respond to 2–3 essay prompts in separate essays. Essay questions may change from year to year and are available in September for admission to the following spring and fall terms. Applicants should use the essays to describe their motivation for pursuing social work, professional goals, commitment to social justice, and the communities or populations they hope to serve.
Letters of Reference
All applicants must submit two letters of reference. Applicants who received a degree within the past five years must provide at least one academic reference from faculty at that institution. Applicants more than five years from their most recent degree are encouraged to provide an academic reference.
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Appropriate references include professors, employers, volunteer supervisors, or professionals who know the applicant in a professional context.
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Personal references are not accepted.
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References from professionals with whom the applicant has had a client or patient relationship are not accepted.
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Applicants must not upload a letter on behalf of a recommender.
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Applicants should not participate in drafting their recommendation letters.
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The online application system accepts only two letters of reference.
Transcripts
Applications will not be reviewed until all required transcripts have been received.
Applicants must submit official transcripts for evaluation during the initial application process. Transcripts must include courses, credits, and grades, including transfer and study abroad coursework. Applicants must submit a transcript from each university attended for at least one term, regardless of the number of credits received.
Applicants must provide all grades earned at the time of application submission, as well as in-progress coursework when available.
International Coursework and Degree Evaluation
Applicants who completed a degree outside the United States must demonstrate academic equivalency to a standard U.S. bachelor’s degree. For coursework completed outside the U.S., applicants must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from one of the following agencies:
Transcript Requirements After Admission
After accepting an offer of admission, students must submit any outstanding official electronic transcript. Courses, credits, grades, and degree conferral must be included. Graduate students must provide an official transcript showing bachelor’s degree conferral before entering graduate studies.
Students completing a degree at the time of application must submit final official transcripts with degree conferral, or a final official international evaluation showing degree conferral and including the degree certificate, as applicable. Failure to submit the required official transcript or evaluation within 30 days after the start of the first semester will result in a hold on the student’s account and may result in dismissal from the program.
Official Domestic Transcripts
Admitted students who attended a college or university in the United States must submit electronic transcripts directly from the school to the Columbia School of Social Work Office of Admissions. Transcripts and attachments provided by the student cannot be considered official. If a U.S. institution does not offer electronic delivery, the admitted student must email cssw-admit@columbia.edu with a link to the institution’s transcript-ordering page to confirm that paper is the only option and obtain permission to submit a paper transcript. Paper transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to CSSW and may not be delivered or forwarded by the student.
Official International Transcripts
Applicants who attended institutions outside the U.S. must provide official records of study with the application. Records must include course titles, grades received, degree title, and degree award date. Documents not in English must include a certified translation.
For all international institution transcripts, applicants must demonstrate academic equivalency to a standard U.S. bachelor’s degree through an official course-by-course evaluation. Exception: Applicants who completed 18 credits or fewer outside the U.S. may submit an unofficial transcript for admissions review. If admitted, an official transcript must be sent directly from the institution. In this case, an evaluation is not required.
Additional Requirements by Program
| Program | Additional Requirements |
|---|
| Advanced Standing | Specific admission essays; Undergraduate Internship Evaluation Form submitted by internship supervisor; list of all BSW courses with course descriptions. |
| Transfer | Specific admission essays; Graduate Internship Evaluation Form submitted by internship supervisor; list of all graduate social work courses with descriptions. |
| One-Year Residency | Specific admission essays; one of the two recommendation letters must come from a current supervisor and confirm that the applicant has discussed the program requirements and that the site can meet them. |
Transfer Note: Transfer & Advanced Standing students are admitted for a maximum of one year of full-time study at CSSW.
International Applicants
English Language Proficiency
Graduate students at CSSW must be comfortable with rapid and idiomatic spoken English. Scores are valid for two years. Applicants do not need to submit English language proficiency scores if their undergraduate degree was taught in English and they are a citizen or permanent resident of a country whose official national language is English. If the applicant’s undergraduate education was not conducted in English, the applicant must meet one of the following requirements:
| Test | Minimum Score | Notes |
|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 5 (100 based on previous scoring) | CSSW does not accept MyBest Scores. |
| IELTS | 7.0 | Applicants should visit the IELTS website for exam information. |
| Duolingo English Test | 130 | Applicants should visit the Duolingo English Test website for exam information. |
Note: Scores are valid for two years.
Statistics Requirement
Proficiency in statistics is not required for admission. However, all MSSW candidates must demonstrate proficiency in statistics and quantitative methods to graduate. Admitted students are required to complete an introductory statistics course at CSSW during their first semester unless they demonstrate proficiency through a waiver exam or previous coursework.
Application Integrity
Applicants must attest to the accuracy and authenticity of all information and documents submitted to Columbia. Questions may be directed to the Office of Admissions at cssw-admit@columbia.edu.
CSSW requires that all work in the application, including essays, be completely accurate and exclusively the applicant’s own. Generative AI tools may be used for idea generation or editing a candidate’s own work; however, using these tools to generate complete responses violates the Student Code of Conduct.
Failure to submit complete, accurate, and authentic application documents may result in denial or revocation of admission, cancellation of academic credit, suspension, expulsion, or eventual revocation of degree. Applicants may be required to assist admissions staff and faculty in verifying documents and statements submitted as part of the application review process.
