Mary Baldwin University
Earn your online Master of Social Work at Mary Baldwin University through flexible, supportive, and individualized professional education designed to help you pursue your unique social work career goals. Develop the resilience, self-awareness, knowledge, skills, and confidence to tackle challenging problems as an advanced generalist social worker.
Turn your passion into a purpose-driven career
24-48 months, part-time
More program options will become available for future start terms: Fall 2027 – Full-time, regular standing (60 credits); and part-time advanced standing (30 credits); Spring 2028 – Full-time, advanced standing (30 credits)
Mary Baldwin’s online MSW is built for people who want more than a credential. Our curriculum helps students connect classroom learning to real social work settings while developing the professional judgment to choose a thoughtful path forward for each client and community. Our courses are responsive to what’s happening in the field, from trauma-informed practice to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, empowerment practice, and preparation for the specific demands of social work in diverse settings.
A signature Professional Development Seminar sequence runs throughout the program, helping students explore the many directions an MSW can lead – including clinical practice, school social work, child welfare, health and behavioral health, community and macro work, and program leadership.
Come in curious and explore the kind of social worker you want to become. The Professional Development Seminar is designed as career discovery – not an add-on career-services appointment at the end of the program.
Online coursework provides flexibility for students balancing their education with work, family, and other responsibilities. The program is built around relationship-driven cohorts and accessible faculty, creating opportunities to build meaningful connections with faculty and classmates throughout your MSW experience.
MBU’s MSW is rooted in the Shenandoah Valley and designed to prepare social workers to serve the people and organizations in the communities they call home. The online format allows students to advance their education while remaining connected to the places where they already live and work.
The curriculum is designed to help students become adaptable, thoughtful practitioners who can move across settings and roles as their careers develop. Students develop deeper expertise in emerging areas of interest through “deep dive” projects and assignments, along with electives. Highlights include:
The tuition rate is the same for every student regardless of residency. Tuition is approximately $39,000 for regular standing students and approximately $19,500 for advanced standing students. There is no application fee to apply.
An MSW can open doors across direct practice, community-based work, public systems, and organizational leadership. MBU’s Professional Development Seminar is designed to help students understand these paths early and make informed choices about where they want to build expertise.
Turn your passion into a purpose-driven career
If you have questions, reach out to discuss your goals and explore how this program aligns with them. Our admissions team is dedicated to supporting you every step of the way – from selecting your degree and completing your application to preparing for your first day of class.
We’re excited about the opportunity to help you take the next step in your academic journey.
Those interested in the MSW program may also have interest in the Master of Health Administration degree program that offers graduate students the chance to earn both an MHA and MBA in two years.
