Kansas MSW Degree Programs

Last updated March 2, 2023
By Online MSW Degrees staff

The state of Kansas should see solid growth in various social work specializations, including youth and family services. All three state licensures require renewal every two years, and 40 credit hours of continuing education is needed prior to each renewal.

School Program Admissions
Adelphi University Online Master of Social Work
Online flexibility and a personalized approach. Placements near you. No GRE.
Adelphi University CSWE Accredited MSW Program
Virginia Commonwealth University Online Master's in Social Work
Part-time and full-time online options, with three intakes throughout the year, let you learn from anywhere in the country.
Part-time and full-time options
University of Kentucky Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited, 100% online. Regular and Advanced Standing MSW tracks.
University of Kentucky CSWE Accredited MSW Program
University of West Florida Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited, 100% online. Traditional and Advanced Standing MSW tracks.
University of West Florida CSWE Accredited MSW Program
Our Lady of the Lake University Online Master of Social Work
No GRE Required, CSWE Accredited, 12 month program for BSW holders.
Our Lady of the Lake University CSWE Accredited MSW Program
University of Denver Online Master of Social Work
GRE scores are not required to apply.
Simmons University Online Master of Social Work
Accredited by the CSWE. Online Master of Social Work program can be completed in as few as 9 months and GRE scores are not required.
CSWE Accredited
i sponsored

Click to view all online MSW programs that are currently accepting applications.

Kansas CSWE Accredited MSW Programs

Four institutions in the state of Kansas provide a Master of Social Work program that has received accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Having this designation means that the program will likely meet state licensure academic requirements. At this time, none of the CSWE accredited MSW degrees based in Kansas are fully available online. You might consider a featured online MSW program.

Finding a Campus Based Kansas MSW Program

Students can find undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities toward social work in Lawrence, Topeka, and Wichita. The city of Wichita has two institutions: Newman University and Wichita State University. Examples of specialized practice that can be pursued at these universities include advanced generalist, gerontology, and mental health.

University of Kansas' Master of Social Work

The School of Social Welfare offers social work degrees at various levels, including the MSW, at the Lawrence campus. Students can select from a variety of formats that cater to their prior education. While this degree cannot be pursued online, there are opportunities to take the program in Overland Park, Garden City, Pittsburg, and Hays in the state of Kansas.

Some courses will utilize a blend of online coursework with physical attendance every other week. Availability throughout the day, evening, and weekends are an option to convenience those with work schedules or other obligations. Examples of courses that students may take include Psychopathology and Mental Health, Program Management and Supervision, and Advanced Community and Advocacy Practice.

Advanced Standing Format

Students that have already obtained a Bachelor's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited institution are eligible for advanced standing. This program is offered every other year with specializations in working with children and family members, mental health, and gerontology. 38 total credit hours are needed to satisfy curriculum requirements, and part-time enrollment is available at the Lawrence and Overland Park locations.

Field Requirements

Two internships are required for the full program with advanced standing students being exempt from the foundational internship. The foundational internship requires 480 clock hours and is completed in 30 weeks. The specialized internship taken in the second year in the traditional format and by advanced standing students requires 720 clock hours.

Wichita State University's Master of Social Work

The School of Social Work offers an MSW with an opportunity to become an advanced generalist. Students will gain the skills needed to improve on their ethics and evidence-based practice. As a CSWE-accredited program, competencies have also been met in proper practice theory, how to evaluate individuals and families, and advancing human rights.

Advanced Standing Format

Students can pursue the program on full-time or part-time enrollment, which spans anywhere from one to four years. The quickest pursuit to the degree is applying to the advanced standing program as a full-time student, which can be completed in just one year. This program begins in the summer semester and 700 total clock hours are needed in field experience.

Part-Time Regular Format

On the opposite end of the spectrum, students that need more time for the studies can enroll in the traditional format on a part-time basis. This is ideal for students that do not have an educational background in social work and have other obligations that keep them from studying full time. An additional 480 clock hours are needed during the foundational internship.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the MSW program at Wichita State University, prospective students will need to submit transcripts showing the completion of a Bachelor's degree. There must be some completion of liberal arts courses (social sciences, humanities, analytical skills, etc.) and a 2.75 GPA or higher was achieved in the final 60 credit hours. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required.

List of the Campus and Online Kansas MSW Programs

School Program Admissions
Adelphi University Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
Virginia Commonwealth University Online Master's in Social Work
Accredited
Website
University of Kentucky Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
University of West Florida Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
Our Lady of the Lake University Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
University of Denver Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
Simmons University Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
Case Western Reserve University Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
Syracuse University Online Master of Social Work
CSWE Accredited
Website
i sponsored

Fort Hays State University - Online Masters of Social Work - Hays

The online Clinical MSW has two pathways: Regular MSW Pathway and Advanced Standing MSW Pathway. Program is in candidacy status with the CSWE (since 2020).

Newman University - Master of Social Work - Wichita

Available at Wichita and Colorado Springs campuses with day and night courses. Field work requires two days per week in foundational year and two and a half days in the concentration. Requires an accredited BSW for advanced standing consideration. Both traditional and advanced standing option requires 3.0 GPA or higher. Incoming students do not need prior work experience, prerequisites, or GRE scores.

University of Kansas - Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) - Lawrence

Concentrations available in youth and family, mental health, and gerontology. Also considered is macro-level practice that impacts community and policy. 64 total credit hours needed for the curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Clinical practice electives may include topics within crisis intervention and substance abuse. Traditional program offered at the Lawrence and Overland Park locations. May combine with the Juris Doctor to complete both degrees in a four-year span.

Washburn University - Master of Social Work (MSW) - Topeka

66 total credit hours needed for the traditional program. Foundational courses distributed on-capus and online when available. Concentrations available in school social work and the health care sector. Admission requires 3.0 cumulative GPA with an accredited Bachelor's degree. GRE scores are not required in the admission process. Unofficial transcripts accepted in the process with official documents needed after admission.

Wichita State University - Master of Social Work (MSW) - Wichita

Offers traditional or advanced standing education as an advanced generalist. Incoming students should have a strong background in liberal arts. Specific categories needed include analytical skills, oral communication, and social sciences. 2.75 GPA needed over last 60 credit hours of study at the undergraduate level. Credit is not accepted for students that have accomplished work or life experience.

Careers, Licensures, and Salaries in Kansas

Many of the social work specializations in the state of Kansas are in youth and family services, and within the health care sector. Over 1,400 workers are represented in health care social work according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is modest representation across the state with the largest concentration in the Kansas City metro area.

Average Salary of Kansas Social Workers

Overall, the annual mean wage for health care social workers across the state of Kansas is estimated at $55,470. This is the highest average within social work when compared to other specialties, such as mental health and substance abuse. These numbers adjust to slightly higher figures in the Kansas City, Topeka, and Manhattan metropolitan areas, which hovers between $55,000 to $57,000.

Kansas Social Work Licensure Requirements

Three different social work licensures are available in the state of Kansas, ranging from practice after receiving a Bachelor’s degree to gaining clinical licensure. The Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW) designation can be reached if the applicant has at least received a Master’s degree with 15 credit hours of psychological disorder courses. During the program, graduates should have had 350 hours of direct client contact in their practicum sessions.

Hours of Experience Requirements

After graduation, applicants must gain temporary licensure and complete 4,000 hours of supervised post-graduate experience. 1,500 clock hours must be dedicated to direct client contact. Two out of every 20 hours each week must be supervised by a professional holding the LSCSW licensure for at least two years.