Campbellsville University MSW Program
Carlow University, a private co-educational Catholic institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began its journey in 1929 under the Sisters of Mercy. The university’s Oakland section location, just 10 minutes from downtown, places students at Pittsburgh’s medical, academic, and cultural center. Students benefit from easy access to world-class hospitals, universities, prestigious museums, and a variety of cuisine.
The university’s story dates back to 1843 when seven Sisters of Mercy embarked from Ireland with a mission focused on academic excellence and compassionate service. Carlow’s Irish heritage remains strong through its connection to Carlow, Ireland, the founding Sisters’ hometown. This rich Irish legacy lives on through the university’s athletic teams, known as the Celtics.
Mercy, Hospitality, Service, Discovery, and Sacredness of Creation form Carlow’s core values. These principles shape the university’s educational approach that emphasizes academic excellence, ethical leadership, and social justice. The institution’s curricula and strategic collaborations reflect its steadfast dedication to forward-thinking leadership and meaningful community service.
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) granted official accreditation for its Master of Social Work program after a program review in June 2020. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) also accredits the institution.
Dr. Sheila Roth and Dr. Marsha Frank created Carlow’s MSW program in 2016. The program started as an in-person/hybrid model focusing on trauma-informed practice and expanded to include a fully online option in 2021. CSWE now fully accredits both Carlow’s in-person/hybrid and online MSW Program formats.
The MSW Program’s mission lines up with Carlow’s broader values to “educate and prepare ethical, compassionate professionals committed to a more just and merciful world.” Students learn a trauma and research-informed approach to professional social work practice while advocating for human rights. The program develops exemplary leaders who serve a variety of populations through a cultural humility lens to promote racial, social, economic, and environmental justice.
The university’s 2017-2018 student demographics showed a predominantly female population, with women making up 84% and men 16% of the student body.
Programs offered
Carlow University’s Master of Social Work program helps working professionals improve their careers in social work. The CSWE-accredited program lets you complete your degree online or through an in-person/hybrid format.
The MSW program includes three distinct specializations that match your career goals:
- Direct Practice – This specialization gets you ready at the time you pursue clinical social work roles. The curriculum builds on the person-in-environment framework, trauma-informed approaches, human rights, and social justice principles. You’ll become skilled at assessment and intervention methods when working with individuals, families, and groups facing life challenges.
- Macro Practice – This track develops your leadership and management skills in human services organizations instead of focusing on individual clients. You’ll learn ways to influence systems, promote change, and support human well-being through ethical leadership. The macro curriculum highlights human rights among social, economic, and environmental justice.
- School Social Work – This specialization builds on direct practice foundations to prepare you for educational settings. Your successful completion earns you Carlow’s School Social Work Certificate and eligibility for certification as a Pennsylvania School Social Worker Educational Specialist.
The program provides two entry paths based on your education:
- Advanced Standing Track: Students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program in the last 7 years who managed to keep a minimum 3.0 GPA qualify for this accelerated option. This path requires 39 credits and takes as few as 18 months.
- Traditional Track: Students without a BSW background can take this 60-credit path from a variety of undergraduate disciplines.
Carlow also offers a MBA/MSW dual degree option. This program combines business administration principles with social work expertise and needs 27 additional credits beyond the MSW curriculum. This path works great if you want to get into both theoretical and practical aspects of business administration with your social work studies.
Every program track gives you:
- A trauma-focused curriculum
- Field placement options with tailored advisor support
- LSW exam preparation in your final semester
- Courses that fit working professionals’ schedules
The program’s relaxed schedule lets you study part-time or full-time to match your professional and personal needs.
About the online program
Carlow’s online Master of Social Work program offers the same strong curriculum as its campus version. Students can enjoy a flexible format that works with their busy schedule. The program blends self-paced learning with live virtual sessions. Students can finish their coursework at convenient times while building live connections with faculty and peers.
Students experience flexibility and customized support in the online MSW program. Each eight-week course helps them complete more classes per semester and graduate faster. This shorter format fits well with work schedules without compromising quality. Advanced standing students can finish the program in as few as four semesters, including one summer term.
The program’s faculty support sets Carlow’s online MSW apart. Teachers bring their rich real-life social work experience to enhance their teaching methods. They build strong connections with online students and take time to understand each student’s goals and challenges. Students receive the same personal attention in both online and campus formats.
Field placement plays a key role in the online MSW experience. The program team works with each student to create field experiences that match their career goals. This personal approach gives students relevant hands-on training near their location.
The trauma-informed curriculum prepares students for practical social work scenarios. Students receive dedicated LSW exam preparation in their final semester to help them get ready for licensure. The program helps students build knowledge, skills, and confidence to serve as ethical social workers.
Current students value the program’s flexibility while managing work and family life. A student shares, “I chose online learning because I work full time and have a family. This option enables me to get a degree while still maintaining my income and responsibilities”.
The program offers more than just academics. Students join a supportive community at Carlow. The university’s team provides quick help from the first time you ask questions until graduation. Distance learning students become part of Carlow’s mission-driven environment that values mercy, flexibility, and compassion.
Accreditation
The accreditation status of a social work program shows its quality and recognition in the profession. Carlow University’s Master of Social Work program got its original accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation in June 2020. The program has managed to keep this status since then. This achievement came after a rigorous evaluation that confirmed the program meets the 2-year old professional standards.
CSWE has been the national authority for social work education in the United States since 1952. The CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation (COA) creates and uses complete standards that define competent preparation for social work practitioners. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes COA to accredit bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the United States and its territories.
The accreditation process includes these steps:
- Program self-studies and measures
- On-site evaluations
- Complete program reviews
This full examination will give a consistent quality in accredited programs of all types and encourage continuous improvement. The standards come from the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) that the COA and Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) developed together.
Social workers in Pennsylvania must choose a CSWE-accredited program. Pennsylvania requires all LSW or LCSW credential applicants to have a master’s degree from a CSWE-accredited program. This makes Carlow’s accreditation status a great asset for career growth.
Carlow University also has institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). This broader recognition proves the university meets quality standards in any discipline, not just social work education.
It’s worth mentioning that Carlow’s MSW program doesn’t accept life experience or work experience for academic credit. Whatever your background, you’ll need to complete the same challenging coursework to ensure proper professional preparation.
The MSW program’s faculty members know CSWE standards well and show steadfast dedication to competency-based graduate education. Students can trust their education lines up with current professional expectations. The CSWE website is a great way to learn about the accreditation framework that shapes your social work education.
Admission Requirements
Getting into Carlow University’s MSW program depends on your educational background. The application process is simple but detailed to make sure you’re ready for graduate-level social work education.
You can enter the program through two different paths based on your academic history. The Traditional MSW track needs a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. The Advanced Standing track requires a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program earned in the last 7 years.
You’ll need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for both paths. This academic standard will give a solid foundation for the challenging graduate coursework ahead.
Your application should include these items:
- A completed online application
- Official copies of all undergraduate and graduate college transcripts
- A personal essay about your academic goals
- Current résumé or curriculum vitae
- Two letters of recommendation
You might need to talk with an admissions committee member to review your candidacy. This chat helps the program get a full picture of your readiness beyond your written materials.
International students have several extra requirements. You must show English language proficiency through SAT, ACT, TOEFL, or IELTS scores. You can skip the test scores if you’ve earned at least 24 credits with a C or better from an accredited U.S. college or university (excluding ESL courses).
International students also need to submit:
- Official transcript evaluation by a current member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services
- A copy of your passport
- Notarized Affidavit of Support Form with official bank or employer’s statements
The MSW program offers great transfer credit options. Advanced standing students get up to 15 credits from their BSW degree toward the 60 required credits. Other students can transfer up to 12 credits based on individual review.
Keep in mind: you don’t need a BSW to get your MSW at Carlow. The program welcomes students from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds. You can switch to a social work career through the Traditional track.
Take a good look at the program’s requirements before you apply to make sure your application package is complete.
Tuition
Carlow University’s online MSW program provides great value compared to other Pennsylvania programs. The program has a simple tuition structure at $670.00 per credit hour. Your total tuition will range from $26,130.00 to $40,200.00, based on the required credits (39-60) for your chosen path.
The university charges a small fee of $16.00 per credit. This fee helps support campus services that online students can use. You’ll also need to plan for textbooks and supplies as part of your educational costs.
Money matters when choosing a graduate program. Carlow helps students fund their education through several options:
- Select scholarships for new graduate students who show financial need
- Support to find external scholarships from organizations and foundations
- Flexible payment plans to spread out your costs
Military service members and veterans will find Carlow particularly welcoming. The university ranks #45 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for Veterans list. Veterans and service members should check with admissions about special benefits they might qualify for.
Graduate school is a big financial step, but Carlow helps make it manageable. Financial aid advisors work with accepted students to find the best funding options. The university partners with many companies and organizations to offer employee tuition discounts.
Advanced standing students can complete their MSW in just 16 months. This accelerated path saves both time and money while earning your degree.
Additional Information
Carlow University gives MSW students complete support services beyond regular coursework to help them succeed. Students have access to academic advising, coaching, and tutoring services through the Center for Academic Achievement. The university responds to online students within 24-48 hours and offers virtual meetings when needed.
TRiO Student Support Services, a federally funded program, helps first-generation college students, those from low-income backgrounds, and students with documented disabilities. Students receive tailored academic planning, learning skills workshops, and help with graduate studies applications.
Graduate studies can feel overwhelming at times. Carlow’s free individual counseling and group therapy opportunities help students handle challenges. These services remain confidential and never become part of a student’s record.
The department’s faculty works on various community initiatives that focus on aging, childhood trauma, prison re-entry, and veterans’ welfare. Their scholarly work has brought in over $10 million in grants recently.
The program’s results prove its worth – 97% of Carlow’s graduates enter their chosen fields successfully. Students earn an average full-time salary of $57,954 and can access more than 300 approved field sites. A Carlow MSW degree sets you up for immediate professional success.