Accreditation & Licensure

Program Accreditation & Social Work Licensure

MSW Program Accreditation Progress 

Accomplishments & Next Steps 

• August 2006: Minnesota State Colleges and University (MnSCU) approved the offering of the MSW degree after undergoing an extensive approval process at Minnesota State University, Mankato's.
• Fall 2006: The CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA) granted "Pre-Candidacy" status.
• Spring 2007: Our Benchmark I accreditation documents were formally approved followed by a successful COA Commissioner site visit in May 2007. 
• August 2007: New MSW students began classes in the Traditional (2-Yr) MSW Program.
• October 2007: The CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA) granted "Candidacy" status to the program after review of our Benchmark I Documents and COA Commissioner recommendations.
• March 2008: Our Benchmark II accreditation documents were submitted.
• April 2008: First Candidacy site visit by CSWE Commissioner. The Commissioner determined that the MSW Program was in compliance on all standards required at Benchmark II and is making the recommendation to the CSWE Council on Accreditation (COA) that the second visit be granted.
• May 2008: The first cohort of Advanced Standing MSW students began classes.
• August 2008: The first cohort of Traditional MSW Program students begins their second year and a new cohort of Traditional students begins their first year in the program.
• October 2008: The COA reviewed our Benchmark II documentd and the Commissioner's recommendations. On October 20, we received notification that we remain in Candidacy and have been authorized to submit our next set of documents and be granted the second visit.
• March 2009: Tentative month when our Benchmark III accreditation documents will be submitted.
• April 2009: Tentative month when the second CSWE Commissioner's site visit will occur.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

For more information on Accreditation of Social Work Programs you may contact CSWE, the national accrediting body for professional social work educatoin programs. [Clicking on the link will take you away from the Department website and to CSWE website.]

About Social Work Licensure in Minnesota

The state licensing laws for graduate-level social work practice vary 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 by completing a bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited program and passing the exam. There are three levels of licensures for graduate-level social workers who have a MSW degree and meet other standards including passing the exam for that level and accruing supervised hours and continuing education.  These licensure levels are:
• Licensed graduate social worker (LGSW)
• Licensed independent social worker (LISW)
• Licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW)

[NOTE: Licensure for mental health practice in other areas such as professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, and alcohol and drug counselors are governed and addressed by other statutes and other professional licensing boards.]

2007 Minnesota State Legislature Social Work Legislation

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 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 are part of the omnibus health licensing bill these changes are relfected 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 current language. A brief summary of the new provisions is provided below. 

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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. 

Minnesota Board of Social Work 

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.