online social work continuing education

Continuing Education and Professional Development for Social Workers

Register today for a live webinar or convenient, online course that will satisfy your CE requirements.

Our social worker CE online courses, live webinars, online retreats and digital seminars help you stay up to date on the current best practices and cutting-edge theories in behavioral health. Leading experts in the field develop each course, and courses are vetted for compliance to ensure they meet ASWB standards Continuing education units (CEUs) are required and necessary for a social worker’s career. Not only to keep your license up-to-date, but so you can provide your clients with updated and accurate care. Now you can get the continuing education you need to be well-informed on new treatment developments and strategies, plus build your career through a convenient and affordable way that’s adaptable to your personal and professional needs. PESI gives you clinical resources on the widest range of topics including, trauma treatment , anxiety disorders , personality disorders , telehealth and much more, so you can easily expand your career goals and help your clients.

Certifications and Professional Advancement for Social Workers

One of the most accessible ways to demonstrate your professional commitment to serving specific populations or needs is by adding a certification that demonstrates your additional learning and engagement. Today's competitive hiring atmosphere also makes these endorsements an excellent investment in your career. PESI offers hundreds of resources so you can explore new ideas like Internal Family Systems (IFS) , discover how to use CBT for anxiety and OCD , understand antidepressant selection for clients with depression, and so much more. Self-paced online certification training courses include:

• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP Level I & II)
• Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP)
• Certified Addictions-Informed Professional (CAIMHP)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• And many more

With a variety of online trainings to choose from you’ll find everything you need to satisfy yearly CE requirements while deepening your understanding of your clients and patients. PESI also offers hundreds of free resources (and free CE hours!) to make exploring new areas of social work accessible. Whatever interests you, you’ll quickly find what you need to learn new skills, offer a wider range of treatment and expand your professional opportunities.

Continuing Education that Pushes the Envelope

PESI’s presenters and facilitators are some of the most in-demand practitioners, instructors, and researchers working in their fields. They work to build a diverse offering of presentations for students with a variety of learning styles. You’ll be able to make the most of your continuing education because we offer a number of ways to meet your credit requirements, including:

Our comprehensive course library goes beyond just traditional online lectures. Step-by-step you’ll be guided through dozens of lessons from industry-leading experts and researchers who will share their practical techniques, skills, stories, and tips that you can immediately apply in your practice. Each online course comes with lifetime access and assessments designed to help you master the material, as well as discussion forums that give you the opportunity to learn the material with other professionals. Self-paced social work CEU courses are available for most of the same topics covered in live CE seminars.

Join thousands of Social Workers already learning at PESI.

Check Your State CE Requirements

If you're looking for continuing education courses designed to keep your licensing and certification up to date in every relevant area of professional practice you need, start by consulting your state guidelines to make sure you understand how to cover every requirement. From there you can plan an enriching year of learning that helps you hit your professional goals while keeping all your licensing and credentials up to date. It's efficient, it's easy to fit to your schedule, and new course offerings are being added as quickly as they are developed. Keep checking back for new webinar calendar dates and freshly developed courses.

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Professional development as an essential activity for ensuring quality social work services. The cornerstone of professional development is continuing your education. Regardless of career stage, social workers are ethically required to keep informed of current research, theory, and techniques that guide social work practice to better serve clients and constituents.

NASW is committed to helping social workers meet their professional development needs. This strong dedication has led to the creation of multiple professional development programs and products such as credentials, education and training courses, newsletters, employment information, resources, and publications. NASW members can receive both free CEs and CEs at discounted rates to fill their licensing or credentialing requirements when they participate in our professional development programs.

Below are resources that provide you with the continuing education you need to enhance your professional skills:

NASW’s Professional Education and Training Center

Latest courses.

• Adolescent Risk Assessment: Predictors of Violence and Suicide
• Achieving Cultural Competence to Reduce Health Disparities
• Asperger's Syndrome & High Functioning Autism
• Avoid Ethics Complaints & Malpractice Lawsuits: Effectively Manage High-Risk Clinical Situations
• Breaking Free From Emotional Eating: Bulimia, Obesity, and Anorexia Nervosa

NASW launched in 2011 the Professional Education and Training Center . The Center is an online continuing education resource that social workers can use anytime, anywhere. Don’t worry about traveling costs or lost revenue from not working. Available 24 hours a day online, the Center offers NASW courses in a variety of formats—webinars, webcasts, podcasts, presentations, etc. The Center houses numerous courses in a variety of practice areas and the catalog continues to grow. You can sign up for course alerts when your course subjects become available!

NASW’s new Center is an excellent continuing education resource. All courses offered are NASW accredited and members receive discounted prices on CEs. Click here to access the Center’s course catalog.

Other Resources:

• Continuing Education Portal The CE Portal is a national listing of quality continuing education offerings. A wealth of information at your finger tips where you can search by topic, location, and/or date. 
• NASW Chapters NASW Chapters connect you to NASW chapter/state annual conferences and local continuing education programs and activities. Review an NASW Chapter Web site where you live and work to access continuing education events and a network of colleagues.
• Risk Management Workshops (NASW Members Only) NASW Assurance Services, Inc. (ASI) offers risk management workshops with CEUs and online resources to reduce a social worker’s risk and exposure to an ethics complaint, licensing board complaint, or malpractice law suit. To learn more, visit the ASI Education Center .
• NASW Lunchtime Series NASW members can take advantage of one-hour live teleconferences and earn 1.0 free CEUs. Can’t make a teleconference, but still want to earn the CEU? Listen to the podcast, download the audio file, or read the transcript later. The Lunchtime Series covers current topics of interest to social workers. Register to listen right away.
• NASW Specialty Practice Sections Teleconferences (SPS Members Only) NASW Sections sponsor practice-based teleconferences exclusively for section members. The live teleconferences provide you with the opportunity to earn more free CEUs. The courses are available 24/7 by downloading the audio file or reading the transcript.

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Continuing Education

As a professional social worker, you are committed to lifelong learning and a pursuit of the latest information, skills and interventions that will help you best meet the needs of the clients and communities you serve.  Whether you're required to have continuing education credits as part of maintaining your license, or simply desire more experience in the field, we are committed to providing all social workers with vital professional development resources and cutting-edge opportunities that strengthen your professional skills. 

Our members receive access to up-to-date info on DE licensing regulations and preparation for licensure, certificate and CE programs, student services, and resources for clinical social workers...

Frequently Asked Questions about Continuing Education

Online learning.

Sometimes it is easiest to jump online and learn, we understand that. Throughout the year we offer both live online continuing education programs and a robust library of on-demand programs as well. You can register for the live programs through events page and search for on-demand programs through our online institute.

In Person Courses

Throughout the year we offer various in person courses, both at our chapter office and in the community--through partnerships with organizations and in your units. These courses are sometimes a few hours, while others are full day symposiums around a central topic. You can search for in person programs on the event page.

Who Recognizes These Programs for CE?

The New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners, The New Jersey Department of Education Professional Development (Provider #705), The State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners (family therapists, professional counselors, rehabilitation counselors and alcohol and drug counselors) for license and certification renewal, The New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work. In addition, most states will accept programs offered through NASW-NJ for credit in other states.

How Many Credits Do I Need?

If you are an LCSW: An LCSW shall complete a minimum of 40 credits of continuing education, of which at least 20 credits shall be in courses or programs directly related to clinical practice, 5 credits must be related to ethics, 3 credits must be related to social and cultural competency, and 1 credit must be related to prescription opioid addiction. If the LCSW earns more than 40 credits during a biennial period, the LCSW may carry a maximum of eight surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period; If you are an LSW: An LSW shall complete a minimum of 30 credits of continuing education, 5 of which must be related to ethics, 3 credits must be related to social and cultural competency, and 1 credit must be related to prescription opioid addiction. If the LSW earns more than 30 credits during a biennial period, the LSW may carry a maximum of six surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period. If you are a CSW: A CSW shall complete a minimum of 20 credits of continuing education, 5 of which must be related to ethics, 3 credits must be related to social and cultural competency, and 1 credit must be related to prescription opioid addiction. If the CSW earns more than 20 credits during a biennial period, the CSW may carry a maximum of four surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period. If an applicant initially obtains a license or certificate within the second year of a biennial license period (September 1, 2019 or later) the applicant shall complete not fewer than one-half of the minimum required credits of continuing education, 3 credits of which shall be related to ethics and 2 credits of which shall be related to social and cultural competency. An LCSW shall complete at least 10 of their 20 credits in programs which directly relate to clinical practice.

Recorded Workshops

sometimes it is easiest to jump online and learn, we understand that. throughout the year we offer both live webinars and a robust library of on-demand programs as well. you can register for the live programs through our events page and search for on-demand programs through our social work online ce institute . 

live webinars

Throughout the year we offer live webinars around a variety of topics that are eligible for clinical, social/cultural and ethics credits. You can search for live webinars programs on the event page .

• requirements for lbsws: for each renewal period, 20 hours are required. at least six of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics. at least one of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.
• requirements for lmsws: for each renewal period, 30 hours are required. at least six of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics. at least one of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.
• requirements for lcsws: for each renewal period, 40 hours are required. at least six of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics. at least one of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.

any course or activity submitted for continuing education credit must have been attended during the  biennial licensing period for which it is submitted. excess credits may not be carried over to the next  licensing period.

Now that you've earned your continuing education credits, you'll want to make certain you've retained your certificates to submit to the board for verification. CE tracker makes it easy to keep track of all your continuing education credits online.

• Member Rate: $25
• Non-Member Rate: $40

Subscribe to CE Tracker

Our most popular webinars are now available on-demand on the Social Work Online CE Institute. Earn your credits at your convenience from the comfort of your home, office, or your favorite study place.

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• Continuing Ed
• Live Online CE Courses

Social Work Live Online CE Courses

• American Psychological Association (APA) 28 items
• Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) 32 items
• NBCC 32 items
• Florida Board - Social Work, MFT, Counseling, and Psychology 32 items
• NYSED - Social Work, MFT and Counseling Only 32 items
• American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders 30 items

Professional and continuing education opportunities for every type of learner

At the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), we’re committed to providing a wide range of continuing education opportunities. Whether you’re a social work or policy professional eager to gain new knowledge and earn additional credentials or are employed in a different field and want to explore how SP2’s coursework and thought leadership can enrich your career and life, we provide flexible options for every type of learner. 

OpenSP2 programming includes Executive and Certificate Programs, many of them transdisciplinary collaborations with SP2 research centers and other Penn Schools. We also offer robust online programs in areas that include Corporate Social Responsibility, Entrepreneurship, and an LSW exam prep. All of these learning opportunities have been shaped by Penn’s world-class faculty and research, and welcoming, engaging opportunities that provide learners with relevant experience and connections.

Executive and Certificate Programs

Professional Certificate in Organizational Leadership in Social Work

A transdisciplinary collaboration with the Wharton School provides current students and alumni with a flexible opportunity to chart their own learning path, become effective leaders, and generate enduring social impact.

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Advanced Certificate in Oncology Social Work

This certificate provides current healthcare social workers with the superior skills and knowledge they need in their work with individuals, families, and communities impacted by cancer.

LEARN MORE >

Funder Executive Education

This program is designed for grantmakers, foundation trustees, foundation executive directors/CEOs, and other philanthropic leaders eager to create more social impact with their giving.

L EARN MORE >

Executive Program for Social Impact Strategy

This program offers a comprehensive online and in-person curriculum that arms students with cutting-edge social impact tools and frameworks to ensure that they maximize the impact of their ideas.

Executive Arts and Culture Strategy

This eight-month online and in-person Ivy League certificate is designed to advance students’ careers in arts and culture.

Executive Program in Digital Media for Social Impact

The Executive Program in Digital Media for Social Impact (DMSI) combines training from scholars and practitioners at the forefront of today’s media landscape with action-oriented tools and frameworks to help you think strategically and creatively. 

Executive Program for Social Innovation Design

This 5-month hybrid program is for design professionals who want to utilize their skill set for positive change, and professionals working in mission-driven organizations but needing design tools to achieve.

Online Programs from the SP2 Center for Social Impact Strategy

Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

This course provides and introduction to social impact strategy and social entrepreneurship including key concepts, an overview of the field, and tools to get started as a changemaker.

REGISTER >

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) A Strategic Approach

This course explores how CSR creates shared value for firms, employees, and society as businesses and nonprofits work together on complex societal issues.

Online Programs for Social Workers and Social Welfare Fields

Licensed Social Worker (LSW) Exam Preparation

This course orients students to ASWB’s expectations for the Social Work Licensure Exam. It also covers test-taking strategies and best practices that help students successfully prepare for the exam.

Introduction to Animal Assisted Social Work

This course provides social work practitioners and students with a broad overview of therapeutic relationships we share with non-human animals.

Managing Risk Factors in Kinship care

This 2 CE NASW-eligible certificate provides current healthcare social workers with the superior skills and knowledge they need in their work with individuals, families, and communities impacted by cancer.

Policies & Support

Social work continuing education credit programs.

OpenSP2 offers licensed social workers continuing education credit hours for both online and face-to-face training programs. Participants who complete courses and programs receive a certificate that details total continuing education credit hours earned, program delivery mode, and any other required accreditation documentation. Participants will be required to submit these along with other documentation required by their state licensure board to receive credit for work completed.

Accreditation

OpenSP2 is a program of Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice, an accredited Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) institution. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and many other states will accept continuing education credits earned from programs offered by CSWE accredited institutions, though learners should check with their states of licensure to ensure compliance. All certificates of completion awarded by OpenSP2 will note our CSWE accreditation.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, 1733 is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: June 17, 2022 – June 17, 2023.

OpenSP2 offers several programs approved by the National Association of Social Workers for its national continuing education program .

OpenSP2 offers several programs approved by the National Association of Social Workers for its national continuing education program . These NASW-approved courses are noted above. The NASW website outlines which states have approved the use of NASW continued education credits and includes an FAQ with additional details.

• Pennsylvania – OpenSP2 courses are accepted for Pennsylvania social work continuing education clock hours toward the biennial renewal of a social worker’s license as defined by the Pennsylvania Code sections 47.31-36 .
• New York – The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers # SW-0552.

Program Costs

OpenSP2 programs don’t follow tuition guidelines established for credit-bearing graduate courses, and each offering is uniquely priced. Visit the dedicated page for each course or program to learn more about tuition and fees. Prices on many courses are discounted for alumni and current SP2 students: to learn more about discounted tuition, current students should contact their program director and alumni should email SP2 alumni relations .

Accommodations

For prospective students that are interested in this continuing education course, requests for reasonable accommodation must be accompanied by documentation of disability which will help us evaluate the limitations of the disability and determine an appropriate reasonable accommodation. Submit requests and documentation to the Program Director, augen@upenn.edu at least two weeks prior to the class start date, so that we can review and evaluate the request, and arrange for a reasonable accommodation that would be appropriate.

OpenSP2 and the School of Social Policy & Practice seek to create an educational environment that supports all types of learners. If you have concerns related to a CE based course, please email opensp2@sp2.upenn.edu . Emails are confidential and will be reviewed by the Director of Instructional Design and Education Technology in consultation with the consulting social worker. The Director of Instructional Design and Education Technology will email a reply to the learner within 24 hours to solicit additional information and ensure all concerns are documented. A complete review of concerns will be examined, and a resolution will be proposed by the Director of Instructional Design and Education Technology, who will have the final decision. For example, complaints about course content or instructors will be used for course improvement and evaluation. Complaints regarding certificates may elicit the dissemination of a new certificate with corrected information. Please note: this policy is limited to social-work CE based programming. Please see specific program pages for grievance concerns.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Refund requests for non-credit programs must be made in writing appropriate program leadership; see the specific program page for contact information. Refund requests for on-demand programs must be made within 14 days of program start date, and only if analytics indicate that the student has engaged with less than 25% of course materials. Cancellation or refund requests for live, calendar-based programs must be made at least 14 days in advance of the start date. OpenSP2 may offer a transfer option to individuals who cancel beyond the limits of this policy. Individual programs and programs from affiliated SP2 centers set final program cancellation and refund policies; participants should check policies prior to registration. OpenSP2 is a division of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice which reserves the right to change, alter, and adjust this policy. OpenSP2 reserves the right to cancel programs for low enrollment or other extenuating circumstances prior to the start of the program. If SP2 cancels a program, participants will receive a full refund. 

Please also note that programs offered on 3rd party platforms (edX or Coursera) are subject to the policies of that platform.

Social Work & Human Services Community Portal

Looking for tools and resources to help navigate the job search process? Our Social Work & Human Services Community portal is a great place to start.

Nicole Auge

Director of Instructional Design and Educational Technology

opensp2@upenn.edu

Related Links

RESEARCH >

ACADEMICS >

NPL/CENTER FOR SOCIAL IMPACT STRATEGY EXECUTIVE PROGRAM >

ACE: Approved Continuing Education

ACE approval demonstrates that a provider or course has been rigorously reviewed and found to offer quality continuing education according to best practices.

ASWB’s Approved Continuing Education program has been designed to review and approve high-quality CE providers and courses, whether they are delivered in person or via distance learning. This approval means that social work continuing education programs are generally acceptable to social work regulatory boards across the United States and Canada.

Ace standards.

Regardless of whether a CE provider pursues individual course approval or provider approval, programs must adhere to the ACE standards outlined in the ACE Handbook.

States and provinces that accept ACE

The ASWB Approved Continuing Education program approves continuing education providers and individual programs. When social workers choose courses created and offered by ACE providers or individual courses approved by ACE, they can trust they will receive high-quality content accepted by most U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions to meet licensure renewal requirements.

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For continuing education providers

With options for individual courses, conferences, or entire CE catalogs, top-notch social work continuing education providers benefit from ACE approval.

• Compare course approval and provider approval
• Questions? Email ACE.

Three ways to find social work CE credit

• ACE providers Download a list of all approved ACE providers
• Individual course and conference approval Approved individual courses and conferences are listed on our spreadsheet
• Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education ASWB authorizes some Joint Accreditation providers to offer ACE credit to social workers

ACE individual course/conference approval

Individual course/conference approval evaluates individual courses and conference sessions and approves them for licensees to earn continuing education credit.

ACE provider approval

ACE provider approval is optimal for CE providers that offer a large number of courses or programs.

Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education

ACE collaborates with Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education for CE in multiple professions.

ACE approval

• Serves as a mark of distinction recognized by social work licensing boards and social workers
• Is currently recognized by most states and provinces in North America
• Demonstrates that continuing education meets rigorous standards for quality and relevance
• Supports competency in the social work profession
• Allows providers to list and manage courses directly to an online database
• Entitles providers to receive timely information on CE issues and requirements via the Continuing Competence newsletter

Are you eligible to apply to ACE?

• Does your organization have a licensed social worker involved in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of social work continuing education?
• Does your organization have someone with appropriate experience to serve as continuing education director?
• Is your organization able to supply evaluation and documentation of programs?

If you can answer YES to all these questions, then you meet the minimum requirements and are eligible to apply to ACE.

Social Workers CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

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Back to Accreditations & Approvals

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, NetCE is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit.

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Online Program

If flexibility and convenience are priorities, prepare for advanced social work practice with IU’s fully online MSW Direct program.

Application fees waived until July 2024!

Your next step begins here #

High-quality MSW education delivered totally online. Flexibility to complete your MSW degree on your own schedule. Faculty experienced in teaching online courses.

"url(#clip0_21_484)"> These are just some of the reasons why IU’s MSW Direct program may be right for you. Helping prepare you for the next step in your professional journey, this 100 percent online program offers convenience and flexibility and is the perfect complement to a busy life.

Our Programs #

Most courses are offered every semester, so you can easily tailor your degree plan to accommodate life changes and new responsibilities. The program is not cohort-based, so you can stop out anytime as long as you complete your degree in six years.

• Special Practice Areas in Social Work

Gain career-enhancing skills and support in finding field placement #

Our clinical practice curriculum arms you with the broad knowledge to work across social work’s continuum and be licensed for both micro- and macro-level practice. MSW Direct students also receive assistance with the field placement process.

Earn a valuable certificate with no extra time commitment #

MSW Direct students can complete IU’s e-Social Work Practice Graduate Certificate without adding time to their degree plan. The certificate is the first program of its kind in the nation to be delivered by a school of social work.

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• 250+ evidence-based CE courses
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Take a free social work course* and earn free CE credits! Explore our library of 250+ evidence-based courses. Choose from select one-hour courses, then use promo code 1FREECOURSE for your free course at checkout. You will not need a credit card. Please note that not all courses required for state license renewal are eligible for this promotion.

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Learn on your own schedule, at your own pace, and earn all the CE credits you want.

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The course library is developed and overseen by an experienced team of social workers and industry professionals.

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Access continuing education courses and content anywhere, on any device, including your phone and tablet.

Multiple Formats

We offer courses in multiple formats (including live webinar and self-paced video, audio, and text) that fit your lifestyle and learning style.

Trending Topics

Our content is updated weekly with courses that will give you the skills you need to succeed.

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See and track your courses at a glance. Course completion certificates are provided, and Continu ed Social Work is an ASWB ACE Provider.

Popular topics include:

Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care

Cultural Competence

Child Abuse

Race and Diversity

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Practice Administration

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Choose from valuable topics taught by expert presenters

Our course presenters are experienced, passionate leaders in their fields. With a broad array of 250+ courses, you are sure to find something that interests you. Whether you’re exploring topics in your field or learning about something new, our top-tier presenters make the content engaging.

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