The Department of Social Work's undergraduate (BSSW) program has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1974. The MSW program is about halfway through the complex accreditation process. We graduated our first class of 26 new MSW's in July 2009. We anticipate the program will be fully accredited by the CSWE before October 2010. New programs can not be immediately accredited and have to submit to a standard set of reviews before being given that designation. This fact has social work licensure implications for students applying to and completing this program (refer to Licensure information below).
Initially, our MSW program was granted “Pre-Candidacy” status. In October 2007 the CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA) granted the program “Candidacy” status after we passed the Benchmark I and Benchmark II documentation reviews and site visits. CSWE requires that before accreditation is conferred upon a program, student learning and other program objectives must be assessed. We are on target to meet the standards for final accreditation by October 2010 and are optimistic we will meet that goal. Upon the program’s completion of the full process, accreditation status is applied retroactively to previous graduates of the MSW Program. In summary, we are exactly where we need to be and are expected to be in this process. Please contact us if you have any questions about accreditation. We are committed to being as transparent about this as possible.
For more information on the CSWE Accreditation of Social Work Programs you may contact CSWE, the national accrediting body for professional social work education programs. [Clicking on the link will take you away from the Department website and to CSWE website.]
Social work licensure varies from state to state. In general, social workers must graduate from a CSWE accredited program in order to be eligible to take the graduate-level licensure exam. Graduates from a MSW program in candidacy are retroactively considered to have graduated from an accredited program once accreditation is granted by the CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA).
In Minnesota, a person can be licensed at the LSW level after earning a bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited program, passing the required exam, and paying required fees set by the state. There are three levels of licensures for social workers who have earned a master's degree (MSW) and meet other standards and requirements as noted below. Licenses are renewed every two-years.
[NOTE: This is only general information. Go to the Board of Social Work to learn more. Licensure in Minnesota for practice in other mental health and social service areas such as professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, and alcohol and drug counseling are governed and addressed by different statutes and other professional licensing boards.]
During the spring 2007 Minnesota Legislative Session a law was passed to allow temporary licensure at the LGSW level to practice social work while awaiting the decision about the applicant's social work degree program accreditation, provided the graduate meets other licensure requirements. These requirements include successful completion of the MSW degree and passing the required ASWB exam. Under this legislation, a master's level graduate in Minnesota would be eligible to receive a 12-month temporary license that could be extended at the discretion of the Board of Social Work. All of the changes were part of the omnibus health licensing bill and are reflected in the Social Work Practice Act, Chapter 123. Most of the new provisions are in sections 47 to 121 (pages 37 to 120) of the legislation. The legislation recodifies the entire Social Work Practice Act, so most of the language in the legislation is the same as previous language. A brief summary of the new provisions is provided below.
Provisional Licenses (Effective August 1, 2007): Replaces the current “alternative method” of licensure for applicants who are foreign-born and speak English as a second language.An applicant would be eligible for a permanent license after practicing under supervision for 2,000 hours if the supervisor attests to the applicant’s competence.
Temporary Licenses (Effective August 1, 2007): Allows graduates from social work programs in Candidacy with CSWE to practice with a temporary license for up to 12 months pending program accreditation.
Clinical Standards Effective August 1, 2011): Increases standards for clinical practice, including academic coursework, supervision, licensing supervisors, and Continuing Education, and Increases standards for all other licensees, including supervision, licensing supervisors, and Continuing Education. The provisions are based on the DHS Task Force Report on Clinical Standards. (See the link below for information about how the Minnesota State Mankato MSW program is addressing the clinical content standards.)
For more detailed information on licensure in Minnesota, contact the Minnesota Board of Social Work. Clicking on the link will take you away from the Department website and to the State of Minnesota, Board of Social Work website.
