Baylor University MSW: Your Guide to Online & Campus Programs

Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work ranks 51st among social work education institutions in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Schools for Social Work rankings. This 50-year-old school serves as the life-blood for students who want quality social work education with a spiritual foundation.

The school’s story began in 1936 with its first social work course in the Department of Sociology. Dr. Preston Dyer became the founding chair when the program grew into an academic department in 1969. The Board of Regents approved the Master of Social Work degree and made the School of Social Work independent in January 1999. The school gained full independence in June 2005. May 2015 brought a new name – the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work – honoring its first dean.

The school expanded its reach in May 2019 by launching a fully online campus. This move allowed students across the United States to earn their MSW degrees through Baylor. Students now learn at two vibrant locations – Downtown Waco campus and the online platform.

Three core values guide the Garland School of Social Work’s educational approach:

• Valuing humanity
• Engaging spirituality
• Promoting equity

These values are the foundations of the school’s mission to prepare social workers who lead and serve worldwide. The school produces more mental health professionals than any other Baylor University program and offers the fastest route to becoming a mental health professional.

Students can choose from three detailed programs: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and Ph.D. in Social Work. The MSW program lets you shape your career path with two specializations – Clinical Practice and Community Practice.

The school’s practicum education gives students ground experience that makes them job-ready. This hands-on training, paired with team-based coursework and social justice curriculum, creates an environment where students become skilled at providing care with confidence in any discipline.

The year 2019 marked both the school’s 50th anniversary and Dr. Dyer’s half-century of service to the school and profession. The Diana R. Garland School of Social Work continues to challenge students through strong academics and field experiences that prepare them to help individuals, families, and communities.

Programs offered

Baylor University’s MSW program comes in multiple formats that match your career goals and lifestyle. You can earn your degree on campus in Waco, Texas or completely online from anywhere in the US. Both paths deliver rigorous academics with flexible learning options.

Your educational background determines which of two MSW paths you’ll take. The Advanced Standing Program needs 30 credit hours and works best for students with a Bachelor of Social Work from CSWE-accredited programs. Students can finish this accelerated option in just 9 consecutive months of full-time study. The program starts with fall internships, and students complete research projects based on their placement experiences.

Students with bachelor’s degrees in other fields take the Standard Program which requires 58 credit hours and two internships. Your first year builds a foundation in direct practice, administration, and community development. Internships start right in your first semester. Most students complete this program in two academic years of full-time study.

Each pathway lets you choose between two specializations:

• Clinical Practice Specialization – This path prepares you as a mental health provider who works with individuals, families, and groups. You’ll learn to assess and use intervention methods while working alongside other mental health professionals. Many graduates work in healthcare, schools, behavioral health organizations, and trauma intervention.
• Community Practice Specialization – This track gives you skills to work with public/nonprofit organizations, communities, and religious agencies. You’ll learn to apply evidence-informed frameworks that create eco-friendly environments and fair policies.

The program lets you customize your education through concentration options within your chosen specialization. Your curriculum combines required foundation courses with advanced coursework specific to your track.

The flexible scheduling works around your needs. Take classes full-time (9+ hours) or part-time (less than 9 hours) in either format. Online students can begin in January, May, or August and finish in 4, 6, 8, or 10 terms based on their preferred pace. Campus programs in Waco usually start in August.

MSW graduates can pursue licenses as Licensed Master Social Workers or Licensed Clinical Social Workers. Their median salaries are typically 40% higher than non-graduates. Baylor also offers dual degrees that combine MSW with M.Div., MTS, or MBA programs.

About the online program

The Baylor MSW online program offers a comprehensive social work education that fits your schedule. You’ll experience a fully accredited program that combines interactive virtual courses with hands-on field work near your home. This creates a tailored learning experience that works for you.

The program schedule is simple yet flexible. Students attend one live Zoom class per course each week. These 90-120 minute sessions happen Tuesday through Thursday between 5:30-9:00 pm CST. Rather than traditional lectures, these classes encourage meaningful discussions about clinical practice and social justice.

The program offers multiple tracks based on your needs:

• Standard Program (58 credit hours):
  • Accelerated track: Complete in four terms (approximately 16 months)
  • Full-time track: Finish in six terms (2 years)
  • Extended full-time track: Graduate in eight terms (2 years, 8 months)
  • Part-time track: Complete in ten terms (3 years, 4 months)
• Advanced Standing Program (30 credit hours):
  • Full-time: Complete in as little as 12 months
  • Part-time: Finish in 20 months

Baylor’s dedicated practicum education team arranges local internship placements within 75 miles of your location. This helps you build experience right in your community. Students in the standard program complete two internships – one during foundation studies and another during specialized coursework. These total 1,030 hours across four terms, averaging 20 hours weekly.

Weekly time requirements vary by track. Part-time students spend about 12-26 hours each week, especially during terms with overlapping internships and coursework. Accelerated students should plan for 60-80 hours weekly in their most intensive terms.

You can start your program in January, May, or August – whatever works best for your schedule. The program stands out by integrating faith and spirituality (the “10th Competency”) with professional social work education. This prepares you to serve diverse populations with an all-encompassing approach.

The online MSW program upholds Baylor’s academic excellence while making education available to working professionals nationwide. Students bring diverse viewpoints and experiences that create rich learning environments.

Accreditation

Baylor University’s Bachelor and Master of Social Work programs maintain exceptional professional standards and are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Your education at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work will meet strict national professional standards.

CSWE accreditation means much more than just another credential. We focused on a systematic evaluation process that brings CSWE’s vision to life: “ensuring a well-educated social work profession equipped to promote health, well-being, and justice for all people in a diverse society”. The rigorous peer-review process creates a balance between comparable outcome requirements while giving schools the freedom to stand out based on their unique contexts.

CSWE accreditation brings several key advantages to you as a future student:

• Quality Assurance – The accreditation verifies that the program has clear mission and objectives that match professional social work practice expectations
• Professional Recognition – Students who graduate from CSWE-accredited programs can get licensed, which most professional practices require
• Higher Standards – These programs must show they create respectful and responsible social workers who serve communities of all types
• Critical Thinking Development – Students learn to solve problems, think critically, and support justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity through the accreditation process

CSWE accreditation protects consumers and public good by upholding quality standards in social work education programs. Baylor stands among a select group of 347 accredited master’s programs in social work nationwide as of June 2025.

Both campus-based and online MSW programs at Baylor carry the same accreditation status, which guarantees consistent quality no matter which format you choose. The Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes CSWE, which verifies its competence to assess social work programs using established standards.

Yes, it is this accreditation matches Baylor’s 10th Competency perfectly. The competency takes a closer look at religion, spirituality, and philosophical views in anti-oppressive social work practice. The university shows its steadfast dedication to creating social workers who can help others with empathy and compassion in practice settings of all types.

Admission Requirements

Baylor’s MSW program takes a full picture of each candidate rather than just measuring GPA. The Garland School gets an all-encompassing approach by dissecting your academic history and your chances of graduate study success.

Students need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or equivalent international credentials to qualify for the Standard MSW program. The Advanced Standing program requires your BSW from a CSWE-accredited program, earned within the past five years.

Both Standard and Advanced Standing programs need these materials:

• Completed online MSW application
• $45 application fee (fee waivers available for residential program applicants)
• Official transcripts from all previous institutions
• Three letters of recommendation
• Application essays on specified topics (maximum 500 words per topic)

Each program has specific recommendation needs:

• Standard program: 2 professional and 1 academic reference
• Advanced Standing program: 2 academic and 1 professional reference

Advanced Standing candidates must meet these additional requirements:

• Minimum 2.7 overall GPA (4.0 scale)
• Minimum 3.0 GPA in social work coursework
• Grade of B or higher in all practice and field courses
• Final practicum evaluation showing satisfactory field experience

Professional experience makes your application stronger, but Baylor doesn’t give academic credit for life experiences. The school may accept up to three semester hours from approved graduate programs toward elective requirements.

Baylor University’s BSW students have a direct path available. Students who keep a 3.0 overall GPA, earn a B in every social work course, and receive recommendation from the Practicum Education office can join the MSW program.

Admitted students must have their degree officially conferred before registration. The school needs up to 72 hours to process all submitted documents.

The admissions team reviews all complete applications received by posted deadlines. Waco residential and online programs have different deadlines.

Tuition

Let’s look at what your MSW degree at Baylor University will cost and what financial support you can get.

The Diana R. Garland School of Social Work keeps its pricing clear and simple for both programs. Students at the residential (Waco campus) MSW program pay $875 per credit hour for the 2025-26 academic year. Your total tuition comes to about $50,750 for the Standard 58-credit program and $26,250 for the Advanced Standing 30-credit option.

The online MSW program works differently with its rates. Online students pay $1,100 per credit hour (as of Spring 2023), plus a $50 course or lab fee that varies by class. So the total cost reaches $63,800 for the Standard 58-credit program and $33,000 for the Advanced Standing 30-credit track.

Baylor knows graduate education is a big investment. The university offers several ways to help with finances. The Garland School’s steadfast dedication to budget-friendly education shows through its tuition remission program for residential students. This program cuts down the flat-rate education cost with institutional aid that you don’t have to pay back after graduation.

Your graduate education is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make. Baylor’s clear approach to costs helps you plan ahead. The university’s promise to “stabilize student tuition costs” shows how committed they are to making social work education available to everyone, whatever program format you choose.

Additional Information

Baylor University MSW students receive complete support that goes well beyond their academic coursework. The social work field shows excellent career prospects. Employment numbers will grow 6% from 2024 to 2034—faster than the average across all occupations. MSW graduates earn over $30,000 more annually compared to those with undergraduate social work degrees.

The Diana R. Garland School works with Baylor’s Career Center to enhance your professional growth. Students get specialized resources like resume reviews, licensure exam preparation, and job search assistance. Students and alumni have access to Handshake, an online platform with job listings, resume templates, and career development tools.

Online students enjoy the same extensive campus resources as on-campus students. These benefits include full library access, Canvas learning management system, OsoMobile app, and the University Writing Center. The writing center provides free consulting services for all writing projects.

The school promotes leadership growth through student organizations like Phi Alpha Honor Society. Students can join committee service opportunities and mentorship programs that focus on career advancement.

Faculty members participate in innovative research across eight key areas. Their projects tackle critical social issues through evidence-based practices. Many students work with professors on research initiatives. This hands-on experience helps them contribute to the field’s advancement.

These resources create a supportive environment where students develop both academically and professionally throughout their MSW program.