Social Work (MSW)
The Master of Social Work degree program at FSU Panama City, one of the nation’s top-ranked, distinguished programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is designed to enable students to develop professional practice competence by providing a curriculum that includes social work practice, social policy, knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, research knowledge and experience, and field education.
FSU PC does not require nationally standardized graduate admissions tests, such as GRE, for Master’s programs.
Fall 2026 Graduate Application Opens Aug 1st, 2025
FSU has the oldest and most highly ranked Social Work program in the state of Florida. For this reason, we have an alumni base of exceptional practitioners and scholars across the state and throughout the nation bringing our students a large professional network.
Field education is an essential component of the MSW program and provides students with enhanced ability to integrate theory into practice, broadens skill range, and strengthens awareness of attitudes, motivations, and judgments identified with the profession.
Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow over the upcoming years. A master's degree awards many advantages including a larger salary, broadened career opportunities and a rewarding career experience.
What can I expect from the Master of Social Work Program?
FSU Panama City offers a full time, 9 credit hours (maximum course load) Advanced Standing or Traditional MSW program in Clinical Social Work.
The Clinical Social Work concentration prepares students to provide therapeutic services, facilitate client access to community resources, participate in cooperative/collaborative work with human service professionals/organizations on behalf of clients, and to conduct empirical evaluations of social work practice interventions.
The Advanced Standing MSW Program at FSU Panama City is for students who have earned a BSW degree within the last seven years (from graduation date) from a CSWE-accredited social work program. The Clinical Social Work Concentration consists of a 12-credit hour internship of approximately 512 hours and a 3-credit hour advanced seminar course that integrates the curriculum with your internship experiences. The program can be completed in 4 semesters.
Advanced Standing Full Time Course Outline
The Traditional MSW Program at FSU Panama City allows students with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline outside of social work to complete their MSW degree through hybrid curriculum utilizing both online and face-to-face courses to complete the 61 credit hours of required social work credits. The traditional program can be completed in 6 semesters.
Traditional Full Time Course Outline
The application deadline for the MSW traditional and advanced standing programs is July 1st. This program only accepts applications for fall term.
The Distance Learning MSW in not available to residents of Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties. These students must apply to the Panama City program.
What degrees or certifications are offered in this program?
• Bachelor of Social Work
• Master of Social Work
FSU College of Social Work ranks as a Top Graduate Program in Social Work (No. 27 in the nation among public universities and No. 42 overall) according to U.S. News & World Report's "Best Graduate Schools", 2023.
With an emphasis on classroom theory applied to real scenarios makes the College of Social Work a top program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
What types of careers could this program prepare me for?
Sample occupations with a Master's degree are Addiction Counselor, Agency Director, Behavioral Therapist, Bereavement Counselor, Crisis Counselor, Clinical Social Worker, Employee Assistance Counselor, Guidance Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, Social and Community Services Manager.
Upcoming Events
Join one of our upcoming information sessions to hear from our staff and faculty about the application process and program. For more information, contact the graduate program coordinator.