What Can I Do with a Master of Social Work?
Clinical social workers help clients overcome mental health and other life challenges through assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. They address these challenges within the contexts of family, community, and public policy dynamics. Master of Social Work program graduates know how to support individual growth and improve their communities.
As an aspiring clinical social worker, you may want to learn more about what you can do with a Master of Social Work. Knowing where your career can go with a degree before taking the first steps is helpful. Let’s start by distinguishing generalist and clinical social work paths.
What are the Differences Between Generalist and Clinical Social Work?
The term “social work” covers many practice areas and specializations. We can generally divide the social work field into generalist and clinical roles. Social workers should consider each role's job responsibilities and education requirements as they enter the workforce.
Scope of Practice
Generalist social workers often work in and with public, non-profit, and private organizations to address social problems. The scope of practice can range from case management for families in need of housing to advocacy roles with social justice groups. Their licensure through state boards does not include authorization to diagnose or provide psychotherapy to clients independently.
Clinical social workers provide personalized mental health services to patients of all ages in a range of settings. They also possess the skills and education necessary for careers in generalist areas. State laws governing social worker licensure authorize independent assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals, couples, and families by clinical social workers. The online Master of Social Work program at St. Bonaventure University is a clinical social work program.
Education
Generalists in the social work field may hold either a Bachelor or a Master of Social Work degree. The foundational knowledge established by an undergraduate degree is ideal for entry-level and non-supervisory positions. Advanced knowledge acquired in a graduate program may open leadership or supervisory positions to those with professional experience.
State laws and industry standards require clinical social workers to hold a Master of Social Work degree. Their roles as mental health service providers make graduate education and practical training paramount to their success. Master of Social Work graduates use a holistic approach in understanding an individual and integrate this perspective into their interventions approaches and advocacy practices.
How Do I Become a Clinical Social Worker?
The first step to becoming a clinical social worker is completing a Master of Social Work program. Students gain the skills necessary for social work careers through advanced coursework, research projects, and practical experiences. Traditional degree programs take two years to complete with online programs offering accelerated paths to clinical careers.
State Licensure
Master of Social Work graduates apply to their state licensing board for licensure as clinical social workers. The licensing process in your state establishes baseline requirements for professional competency and behavior. New York’s Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) process offers a good example of state licensing requirements.
An LMSW in New York provides diagnosis and treatment planning under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The New York State Education Department requires LMSW applicants to hold master’s degrees in social work before submitting license applications. Additional requirements for prospective LMSWs include:
- Paying a licensure and registration fee of $294
- Being at least 21 years old
- Completing state-approved courses on child abuse identification and reporting
- Passing the Masters-level exam from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
ASWB Exam
Social workers receive state board authorization to sit for the ASWB exam before final license approval. The ASWB offers five levels of exam - Associate, Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist and Clinical - depending on applicant needs and educational qualification. The exam’s multiple choice questions are shaped by practice analysis surveys sent to American and Canadian social workers.
Exam takers complete 170 questions - 150 of which are scored - over four hours. The questions are divided into knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) categories based on survey results. The most recent version of the ASWB exam focuses on the following KSA areas:
- Human Development, Diversity, and Behavior in the Environment
- Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning
- Psychotherapy, Clinical Interventions, and Case Management
- Professional Values and Ethics
The ASWB exam combined with state licensing regulations protects the public from inadequate care. Licensed clinical social workers demonstrate competency through their education, licensure and exam scores.
Where Can I Make the Most Impact as a Clinical Social Worker?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected a 7% growth in social work positions from 2022 to 2023. You’ll no doubt want to fill one of these roles while maximizing your impact on clients. Let’s start by looking at who works with clinical social workers before exploring where they practice.
Populations Served by Master of Social Work Graduates
A 2020 Mullan Institute survey of Master of Social Work graduates found that 34.9% of respondents primarily worked with children and families. This work includes interventions for young clients and support for parents navigating difficult family situations. Recent graduates also identified the following populations as their main clients:
- People with mental health disorders (25.9%)
- People receiving healthcare (11.3%)
- Students in school settings (10.7%)
- People with substance use disorders (7.7%)
Clinical social workers often work with clients confronting the consequences of social and economic inequities. Two-thirds of respondents to the Mullan Institute survey reported more than half of their clients earned below the federal poverty level. A similar-sized group noted that at least 50% of their clients were Medicaid-eligible.
Job Settings for Master of Social Work Graduates
Social workers with Master of Social Work degrees practice in a variety of settings. This variety stems from integrating social work into health care, schools and public services. The BLS identified the most common employers of social workers including:
- Private practice and family service organizations (17%)
- Outpatient healthcare services (14%)
- Local government agencies (14%)
- State government agencies (13%)
- Inpatient healthcare services (10%)
Master of Social Work Career Paths
Eighty-two percent of Master of Social Work graduates provide direct services to individuals, families, and groups. Clinical social workers primarily offer mental health services in direct-service roles. Job titles in this career path include clinical social worker, therapist, mental health specialist and behavioral health counselor.
Social workers with clinical backgrounds may oversee community service organizations. Master of Social Work programs train future community leaders to view social services through equitable and inclusive lenses. This path can lead to administrative roles with organizations advocating for affordable housing, restorative justice, and other issues impacting high-need groups.
There are also career paths for clinical social workers interested in macro-level change. You can work for health insurance providers on plan audits, non-profit organizations on program development, or issue organizations on legislative advocacy. Careers with Master of Social Work degrees can be shaped based on your interests and long-term goals.
What are the Benefits of a Master of Social Work Degree?
The positive impacts of social workers on community life translate into high job satisfaction among recent graduates. The 2020 Mullan Institute survey found a 90.4% job satisfaction rate for new social workers. Eighty percent of respondents intended to become clinical social workers in five years in part because of career fulfillment.
Social workers also earn higher salaries in jobs requiring Master of Social Work degrees than other degree options. A nationwide survey of social work graduates found a 41.7% higher average salary for social workers with master’s degrees compared to those with bachelor’s degrees. The BLS determined that the top 10% of earners in the social work profession made $87,300 or more per year.
You can unlock the benefits of social work careers by completing your graduate degree at a leading university. The ideal Master of Social Work program includes experienced faculty, flexible schedules, and coursework relevant to today’s challenges. St. Bonaventure University offers a Master of Social Work degree that checks these boxes.
How Can St. Bonaventure University Advance My Social Work Career?
Our Online Master of Social Work is an innovative program with 100% online coursework. Future clinical social workers can complete their degrees in as little as 31 months of part-time study. Graduates of the Master of Social Work program carry our core values of compassion, wisdom and integrity throughout their careers.
Our program’s courses and practicum hours are divided between foundational and advanced years. Students complete 400 practicum hours and courses like Human Behavior in the Social Environment and Social Work Interventions. The advanced year curriculum includes 500 practicum hours and coursework including:
- Clinical Practice with Families
- Integrated Clinical Assessment and Differential Diagnosis
- Social Policy, Justice, and the Law
- Trauma-Informed Clinical Social Work Practice
We offer a great return on investment for your time, energy and money. Tuition for the online Master of Social Work is competitive among other programs in the discipline. Bonnies across all academic disciplines benefit from our strong reputation including the following regional ranks from the U.S. News & World Report:
- No. 6 in Best Value Schools
- No. 14 in Most Innovative Schools
- No. 17 in Regional Universities North
SBU’s Online Master of Social Work differs from other human services degrees by focusing on the person-in-environment perspective. Faculty work with students on understanding client needs within the context of individual identities, families, communities, and society. This focus supports a holistic approach once graduates enter the workforce.
