phd social work mn

Social Work Graduate Programs in Minnesota

1-11 of 11 results

College of Education and Human Development - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

• Minneapolis, MN ·
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities ·
• Graduate School
• · Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

University of Minnesota Twin Cities ,

Graduate School ,

MINNEAPOLIS, MN ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says This is a well-known school for education. They are on top of the latest research and development in the field and share this knowledge with their students. The school has its own lab school for... .

Read 3 reviews.

University of St. Thomas - Minnesota School of Social Work

• St Paul, MN ·
• University of St. Thomas - Minnesota ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

University of St. Thomas - Minnesota ,

ST PAUL, MN ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says The Masters of Social Work program at the University of St Thomas - Minnesota has well beyond exceeded my expectations. The amount of amazing faculty (guiding, knowledgeable, in-field... .

Read 1 reviews.

University of Minnesota Duluth College of Human Service Professions

• Duluth, MN ·
• University of Minnesota Duluth ·
• · Rating 4.67 out of 5   3 reviews

University of Minnesota Duluth ,

DULUTH, MN ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Worst part is that there’s no communication in regards to availability of scholarships. Other than that I like the college .

Graduate School of Health and Human Services - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota ·
• Graduate School ·
• MINNEAPOLIS, MN
• · Rating 5 out of 5   1

Walla Walla University

• COLLEGE PLACE, WA
• · Rating 4.36 out of 5   14

University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

• University of Pittsburgh ·
• PITTSBURGH, PA
• · Rating 3.9 out of 5   10

Henrietta Schmoll School of Health

• St. Catherine University ·
• · Rating 4.75 out of 5   4 reviews

St. Catherine University ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Excellent class material. Professors are knowledgeable and invested in their students and their learning! Nooks are often offered through the library for free. Collaboration with professors and other... .

Read 4 reviews.

The College of St. Scholastica School of Health Sciences

• The College of St. Scholastica ·

The College of St. Scholastica ,

Augsburg University

• · Rating 4.42 out of 5   19 reviews

19 Niche users give it an average review of 4.4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says There was a strong focus on inclusivity, equality, and policy change. Many class materials (ex: textbooks, articles on research studies) were outdated, therefore lacking inclusive terminology and... .

Read 19 reviews.

• Find college scholarships

Bethel University - Minnesota

• · Rating 3.9 out of 5   20 reviews

20 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Bethel University does a wonderful job of creating a learning community with your fellow students. I love that they encourage students to work together on many of the projects and assignments. As an... .

Read 20 reviews.

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Mankato, MN ·
• Minnesota State University, Mankato ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

Minnesota State University, Mankato ,

MANKATO, MN ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Thorough and comprehensive masters of social work education from an accredited University. My advanced generalist education has prepared me for making changes in my community through social work.... .

Read 2 reviews.

School of Health and Human Services - St. Cloud State University

• St Cloud, MN ·
• St. Cloud State University ·

St. Cloud State University ,

ST CLOUD, MN ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says I did my undergrad at St. Cloud State and one thing I liked was the campus life. It was easy to navigate around campus and it was convenient. One thing I want to change about St. Cloud State... .

Capella University

• · Rating 4.61 out of 5   990 reviews

990 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says Capella University offers comprehensive online programs for adult learners, focusing on academic excellence and practical skills. The university's flexible learning environment enables students to... .

Read 990 reviews.

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences - Walden University

• Walden University ·
• · Rating 4.6 out of 5   42 reviews

Walden University ,

42 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I attended Walden University as a post master's student to fulfill additional courses for mental health licensing. My experience with Walden was very positive. From interest, enrollment advising, and... .

Read 42 reviews.

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

• · Rating 4.61 out of 5   66

Miami University - College of Education, Health, and Society

• Miami University ·

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota School of Education

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School of Social Work

Learn to make a difference

The St. Thomas School of Social Work

We envision a world that affirms and sustains the inherent dignity and worth of all humans, that distributes resources and power equitably, and where all life flourishes.

A growing and crucial need

The need for social workers and social work educators is growing. The School of Social Work at St. Thomas provides students with individual attention, a focused learning environment and real-world application opportunities they need to make a necessary difference in the world with their degree. Social workers are on the front lines addressing some of society's most critical issues, such as income inequality, unemployment, housing resources, health access, education disparities and more. The field needs people like you, committed to social justice and advancing the common good. Employment in this field is expected to grow by more than 20% in the next decade — faster than average for all occupations. Health reform and demographic trends such as the aging population, increasing numbers of military and veterans, and growth of immigrant and refugee populations are driving above-average growth in the practice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an expected 15% employment increase in the areas of child, family and school social workers.

• REQUEST INFORMATION
• UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
• MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
• DOCTOR OF SOCIAL WORK
• ATTEND INFO SESSION

Degree Programs

St. Thomas provides several paths for students and professionals interested in studying social work.

Undergraduate Studies

Our BSW helps prepares confident students as they enter into generalist social work practice.

Master of Social Work

With a focus on clinical social work, this program prepares graduates to practice at the post-master’s level.

Doctor of Social Work

Designed to prepare seasoned social work faculty and experienced practitioners for university-level teaching and leadership in higher education.

Additional Offerings

Msw/jd dual degree.

Help meet both the social and legal challenges in a variety of areas of professional practice. Earn an MSW and a JD in less time than it would take to earn these degrees separately.

Post-MSW Coursework for Licensure

If you have an MSW degree and want to complete clock hours in specific clinical knowledge areas for LICSW licensure, you may be eligible to register for courses beyond those listed above.

Continuing Education

Keep your license up to date, engage in current events and connect with other social workers through classes, events, conferences, forums and more.

For the common good

Field Education

Field Education is community-based, experiential, transformational learning for practice as a social worker. The School of Social Work places over 300 students into 200+ agencies and social work practice settings.

Social Work Insights

• Child, family and school social work
• Community organizing and work with social action organizations
• Gerontological social work with older adults and their families
• Health care
• Justice and corrections
• Community mental health
• Violence prevention and intervention
• Work with military, veterans, their families, and their communities
• Chemical dependency and substance abuse
• Crisis intervention

Master of Social Work Careers

Our Master of Social Work students are trained as clinical social workers. Clinical social workers are employed in a wide variety of settings — public, private, nonprofit as well as in private practice — to provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment in support of better emotional, behavioral and mental health. Clinical social work practice can include individual, couples, family and group therapies. Clinical social workers work to enhance self-determination, individual and community health, and help meet both basic and complex needs of individuals and communities.

Doctorate of Social Work Careers

Our Doctor of Social Work prepares social work faculty and experienced practitioners for university-level teaching and leadership. Our graduates teach, develop identities as scholar practitioners, write for publications and pursue social justice through service and leadership in academia and in their communities.

Our Master of Social Work program focuses exclusively on clinical social work practice. Clinical social work is the professional application of advanced social work theory and methods to help restore, maintain, and enhance bio-psycho-social-spiritual functioning in individuals, groups, families, and communities. It is built upon the foundation of generalist social work including respect for diversity, empowerment of client systems, and advocacy of social and economic justice for vulnerable populations. It utilizes the application of clinical knowledge and skills in multidimensional assessment, diagnosis and treatment of emotional, mental and behavioral disorders, conditions, and addictions with special attention devoted to a strengths and person-in-environment perspective.

• Licensed Social Worker (LSW): BSW degree + Bachelors Exam
• Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW): MSW degree + Masters Exam.
• Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW): MSW degree + Advanced Generalist Exam + Supervised Practice (2+ years)
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW): MSW degree + Clinical Exam + Supervised Practice in Clinical Settings (2+ years) + 360 hours of graduate / post-graduate clinical curriculum content

The University of St. Thomas BSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Our program has been accredited since March 2024, and the next review will take place in 2032. St. Thomas was previously part of a joint program with St. Catherine University that was accredited by CSWE from 1974-2019. The St. Thomas MSW program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Our program has been accredited since March 2024, and the next review will take place in 2032. St. Thomas was previously part of a joint program with St. Catherine University that was accredited by CSWE from 1990-2019. The St. Thomas Doctorate in Social Work program has been approved by our institutional accrediting organization, the Higher Learning Commission. At this time, doctoral programs both DSW and PhD programs are not accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). However, in June of 2020 CSWE approved accreditation standards for practice doctorates. For further information about the piloting of the accreditation process, please review the CSWE website .

Career Resource for Students, Alumni and Employers

• Explore Handshake

Alumni Testimonials

Lena Anderson, BSW

"I have seen how useful social work practice is in all areas of my professional life and how a social work degree gives me the ability to leave my career path open and changeable."

Ashley Trudell, MSW

"I chose to come to the program based on word-of-mouth that this was a great program, but the word-of-mouth didn't do it justice! This has been an incredible experience and I wouldn't want to go anywhere else."

Ryan Sheats, BSW, MSW

"Through the Social Work classes and program, I have started to learn the skills I need to interact one-on-one, in a group, and in social policy change. I feel as though I am doing a lot of good through social work and hope to make a difference in the world."

Rachel Girard, MSW

"It's a great place with a very supportive atmosphere. The program staff members always had an open door and were willing to answer any questions that I had. I really felt like I was part of the community here."

Danielle Lee, MSW

"I think all the professors are so engaging and willing to help. They bring in so much real-world experience from the outside jobs they have."

School of Social Work Receives $1.9 Million Federal Grant

During the summer of 2021, the School of Social Work received its largest federal grant ever: $1.9 million from the U.S. Health and Resources Administration (HRSA).

• Read the Story

Upcoming Social Work Events

University of Minnesota

School of social work.

The PhD Program in the School of Social Work, established in 1946, is one of the oldest in the United States. The University of Minnesota is one of the largest and most comprehensive universities in the United States. It is both a state land-grant university with a strong tradition of education and public service, and a major research institution with scholars of national and international reputation. Its location in an urban setting with a progressive social service milieu makes for an excellent location for social work research. The PhD program helps early career scholars gain the theoretical and methodological skills they need to help understand and develop solutions to pressing social problems. The program, which typically takes 4 to 5 years of full-time study and comes with generous funding packages, provides students opportunities to learn advanced research methods and be mentored by nationally prominent faculty engaged in grant-funded research. Our faculty prides itself on its local, national and international community engagement, and faculty and PhD students are often involved in community-based participatory research, intervention research, policy analysis and international social work research. Graduates of the program include internationally recognized scholars, and many alumni are deans and faculty members of schools of social work internationally.

• Where: St. Paul, Minnesota
• Type: Public
• Degree Offered: PhD in Social Work
• Program Type: In-Person Program Only
• Students: Full-time Enrollment Only
• Average Enrolled Students Yearly: 6-8 Students
• GRE Requirement: Yes
• TOEFL Requirement: Yes, with a cut-off score
• MSW Requirement: No, but students without a master's degree must apply to the joint MSW/PhD program
• Two Years Post-MSW Experience Required: No, but preferred
• Joint MSW/PhD Program: Yes

Substantive Research Areas of Faculty

• Addiction/Substance Use
• Adolescent and Youth Development
• Aging/Gerontology
• Child Welfare
• Children & Families
• Community Practice/Macro Practice
• Corrections/Criminal Justice/Restorative Justice
• Family Violence
• Housing/Homelessness
• Immigrants, Refugees & Displaced Persons
• International Social Work & Global Development
• LGBT Issues & Services
• Mental Health
• Poverty/Disadvantaged Populations
• Race and Ethnicity
• Religion/Spirituality
• Rural Social Work
• Social/Economic Justice
• Social Work Education
• Social Work Practice

For more information visit University of Minnesota .

To update your program's profile, please complete the Program Directory Update Form .

College of Education and Human Development

School of Social Work

Train to become a skilled social worker, devoted to impact and the pursuit of justice.

Undergraduate Programs

Explore our major and minor degree programs, all with a strong commitment to praxis.

Find your program

Leverage your curiosity to address complex social challenges.  

Discover your future

Recent News

Nyalaam jok is a 2024 mcnair scholar.

• May 23, 2024

Our undergraduate youth studies student will be engaged in research this summer.

• State of Minnesota

Licensee/Applicants

Log in to online services, public license lookup, ce provider list, file a complaint.

Legislative Proposals

Open Board Positions

Licensing Renewal Update

License Renewal

Supervised practice, continuing education, search for licensing supervisor, ce provider search, fact sheet: top ten tips for licensees.

Apply for LSW

Apply for lgsw, apply for lisw, apply for licsw, apply for temporary license, check application status, fact sheet: application action steps.

Verify a License

Search for board actions, compliance process video, board meetings, board committee meetings.

Board Reports

Licensing videos, public mailing list, sign up for board news, other news/information, association of social work boards (aswb).

2022 ASWB Exam Pass Rate Analysis ASWB Exam Change Information ASWB Exam Candidate Handbook ASWB Social Work Practice Mobility Initiatives

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Loan Forgiveness Program for Mental Health Professionals

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORPHC), Minnesota Department of Health, administers the program funded by the State of Minnesota authorizing the health professional loan forgiveness in both rural program and urban program areas. 

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“The SMSU RN to BSN Program does not have you take a set amount of credits each semester. This flexible scheduling was perfect for me as it allowed me to vary the amount of credits I took each semester. I would have struggled without that flexibility as I am a non-traditional student who is also a wife, mother of four, and worked full time while completing my degree. This program is designed to fit into your life, whether you want to be a full-time or part-time student.” Leah Bittner, '22 Alum

When to apply to the major.

You should be applying to the social work major if you are:.

• In your third year of school (generally)
• If you have completed more than 60 credits toward your 120 credits you need for your Bachelor's Degree
• If the number of credits you are taking this semester will put you over 60 credits

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