Change the world
with one of the world’s
best MSW degrees
Our Communities Need Social Workers.
Our Communities Need You.
Application Deadlines
- March 11, 2025: 3-Year On-Campus MSW program (beginning August 2025)
- May 13, 2025: Online MSW Program (beginning August 2025)
Be a changemaker with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, the country’s #2 public university social work program. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, you’ll have access to one of the world’s best public universities and one of Architectural Digest’s most beautiful campuses.
Our MSW students come from a variety of lived experiences and diverse backgrounds and can choose one of two concentrations customized to their career goals — direct practice (DP) or community, management, and policy practice (CMPP), also known as macro social work. Our focus is on evidence-based education unique to you, embracing core values of the social work profession:
- Equal access to services
- Respect for individual worth and human dignity
- Right of self-determination
- Availability of human social institutions that are responsive to human needs
- Positive regard for the unique characteristics of diverse populations
- Personal responsibility for the ethical conduct, the outcomes of practice and the continuous acquisition of knowledge and skills
Application Deadlines
- January 14, 2025: 12-Month Advanced Standing MSW Program (program beginning May 2025)
- February 11, 2025: 2-Year MSW Program (program beginning August 2025)
- March 11, 2025: 3-Year MSW Program (program beginning August 2025)
By the Numbers
Why an MSW?
Our on-campus programs are tailored to those looking to pivot into or enhance their career in social work, whether they have a Bachelor of Social Work degree or training in another discipline. Not only do social workers with a master’s degree earn 25% more, but they gain the tools to become changemakers in their communities. Our MSW program seeks to address a national shortage of social workers by tapping into talent from areas across North Carolina, the Southeast and the nation.
This program is tailored to students with their Bachelor of Social Work degree as well as those looking to pivot into a career in social work, whether they are students with the Bachelor of Social Work degree or other disciplines. Completing your MSW at UNC provides you with wider access to expertise, experience, and connections that help create positive change in your community:
- Industry Need
The nation has a shortage of social workers, with too many underserved areas. Over the next seven years, national shortages are predicted for the following Direct Practice positions: mental health and substance abuse social workers; health care social workers to assist aging populations; and child, family and school social workers. - Leadership Opportunities
The state of North Carolina currently employs more than 15,000 licensed clinical social workers. The need for professionally-trained social workers is projected to grow by 9–12% from 2021–2031. - Macro “Big Picture” Option
Our Community, Management, and Policy Practice concentration prepares social workers to improve lives from the systems level. Macro social workers engage in cutting edge research and interventions that shape policies, programs, and practices that impact large populations and communities.
Student Voices
“The UNC MSW program is one-of-a-kind. The program is designed for students to gain a robust and holistic social work education while also providing you with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive.”
Our MSW, Customized to You
Our School offers four options for pursuing the Master of Social Work degree and separates MSW curriculum into two levels, the Generalist Curriculum and the Specialization Curriculum, each customizable to you and your goals.
In your Generalist Curriculum, students take an intense and intentionally designed set of courses that sets the framework for your degree. Specialization Curriculum courses are tailored to your career and research interests and goals, spanning courses from Social Work Practice with Families, Individuals, and Groups; Community Organizing; Core Competencies and Skills for Trauma Informed Practice to Fundraising and Marketing. Students can also complete a variety of certifications such as Substance Use and Addictions Specialist Certification, Licensure in School Social Work, and (coming soon) the Non-profit Leadership Certificate and dual degree programs such as MSW/MPH, MSW/JD, MSW/MPA, or MSW/MDiv (in collaboration with the Duke University Divinity School).
Additionally, students can continue their degree path into a Ph.D. in Social Work. Graduates of our doctoral program are prepared to develop, test, and disseminate social interventions in all areas of social work. Our graduates continue their careers as faculty members and administrators at leading universities across the United States and often conduct research internationally.
An MSW for the Real World
Practicum education is an integral part of each MSW student’s journey at our School. Through practicum assignments, our students put their classroom knowledge into practice through real-world experiences — exploring career paths, developing workplace skills and competencies, expanding their professional networks, and building confidence in working with clients and colleagues.
Annually, our students are placed in more than 250 different agencies and organizations throughout North Carolina. They contribute more than 130,000 hours to these agencies in total — an estimated value of $1.2 million in service to our state and its people. Our students have completed placements in social services, schools, hospitals, community nonprofits, research organizations, substance abuse treatment programs, child welfare agencies, transitional housing programs, and a variety of other organizations. The school uses a time-tested matching system to ensure that each student receives a practicum experience assignment that is appropriate to the student’s needs and professional goals.
Practicum Education: An MSW For the Real World
Practicum education is an integral part of each MSW student’s journey at our School. Through practicum assignments, our students put their classroom knowledge into practice through real-world experiences — exploring career paths, developing workplace skills and competencies, expanding their professional networks, and building confidence in working with clients and colleagues.
Annually, our students are placed in more than 250 different agencies and organizations throughout North Carolina. They contribute more than 130,000 hours to these agencies in total — an estimated value of $1.2 million in service to our state and its people. Our students have completed placements in social services, schools, hospitals, community nonprofits, research organizations, substance abuse treatment programs, child welfare agencies, transitional housing programs, and a variety of other organizations. The school uses a time-tested matching system to ensure that each student receives a practicum experience assignment that is appropriate to the student’s needs and professional goals.
The Carolina Difference
As one of the oldest professional schools of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we celebrate an academic heritage that began with the University’s charter on Dec. 11, 1789 and with the School’s founding in 1920. The University is among the top research universities in the world, and our School is proud to be among the nation’s top schools of social work. All MSW classes are held at the UNC School of Social Work main building, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building on the Carolina campus.
Centrally located less than four hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains and two hours from the beach, Chapel Hill is a beautiful quintessential college town with a campus featuring walkable streets, historic buildings, visual and performing arts, and nationally ranked sports teams. (Go Heels!) You’ll be just 20 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park, the country’s largest research park. The Triangle is consistently ranked at the top of national best places to live and work lists, and nearby Raleigh and Durham are 15 to 30 minute drives from Chapel Hill.
The Carolina Difference
As one of the oldest professional schools of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we celebrate an academic heritage that began with the University’s charter on Dec. 11, 1789 and with the School’s founding in 1920. The University is among the top research universities in the world, and our School is proud to be among the nation’s top schools of social work. All MSW classes are held at the UNC School of Social Work main building, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building on the Carolina campus.
Centrally located less than four hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains and two hours from the beach, Chapel Hill is a beautiful quintessential college town with a campus featuring walkable streets, historic buildings, visual and performing arts, and nationally ranked sports teams. (Go Heels!) You’ll be just 20 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park, the country’s largest research park. The Triangle is consistently ranked at the top of national best places to live and work lists, and nearby Raleigh and Durham are 15 to 30 minute drives from Chapel Hill.
Faculty Focus
“Through our in-person program, you can connect with dozens of faculty who are leaders and experts across our field, learning effective strategies to prevent and reduce health and social problems affecting clients and communities. The foundational and specialized courses that make up our program are among the most advanced MSW courses that you will find anywhere in the world.”
MSW Admissions and Applications
Students admitted to a Master of Social Work program at UNC School of Social Work represent a wide array of personal backgrounds and academic interests. We seek students who offer diverse cultural perspectives to contribute to our academic community. Our programs are rigorous and rewarding. Our graduates become leaders in the social work profession.
If this is the right academic and career path for you, we encourage you to apply for admission. Our admission process is administered through the UNC Graduate School, and your application and supporting materials should be submitted online through the UNC Graduate School website. Please plan to attend a UNC School of Social Work information session, either in person or via livestream, to learn more about the admission process and our academic programs.
Scholarships & Student Support
When considering the costs to attend graduate school, MSW students often use a combination of funding sources to finance their graduate studies. Our School offers more than 30 different merit- and need-based scholarships for MSW students. In addition, the School offers opportunities for student employment and assistantships (building monitor, computer lab monitor, program assistant, research assistant, etc.). Work schedules vary but are typically four to ten hours per week.
Research assistant (RA) positions are funded by our School and/or UNC Graduate School. Recipients work directly with a faculty member and receive professional mentorship, a stipend, and student health insurance. A limited number of awards provide tuition support; there is no additional application required to apply, as your application to the program will serve as your application to these positions. Typical assignments for RA award recipients include assisting with a research project, a conference or other event; conducting literature reviews; and assisting with evaluation data. RAs are selected from students whose academic preparation, experience, and leadership capacity show exceptional promise for contributions to the field of social work.
We encourage all students to explore funding opportunities from a variety of sources. Here are several starting points:
- UNC School of Social Work scholarships for MSW students
- UNC Graduate School funding opportunities
- UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid resources
- Additional resources for funding
March 1 is the priority deadline for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The code for UNC-Chapel Hill is 002974.
Each spring, our School awards scholarships made possible through gifts from alumni and other donors. These scholarships may be awarded based on need and/or merit, depending on the individual scholarship. They may be awarded to currently-enrolled students who are returning in the fall or offered as incentives to competitive applicants who have been admitted to the School.
Join Our MSW Alumni
“I was a non-traditional MSW student, intent on solving problems by combining my corporate background with my interest in social justice. UNC’s macro program was the perfect fit, supporting my journey to discover my best path, and helping me build the skills and confidence to launch an innovative nonprofit.”
Frequently Asked Questions
UNC School of Social Work
Advancing equity
Transforming systems
Improving lives