Dordt University MSW
Dordt University, a premier higher education institution, sits in Sioux Center, Iowa. This university stays true to its Reformed Christian viewpoint. Students experience an educational environment where faith and academics come together naturally. The university’s exceptional educational quality has earned it the rank of number six in “Regional Universities (Midwest)” by the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges. Dordt is Iowa’s top-ranked school in this category.
Several prestigious publications have recognized Dordt University’s excellence. These honors showcase Dordt’s dedication to academic excellence while staying true to its faith-based approach to education.
Dordt University’s educational philosophy, centered on Christian principles, makes it unique. The institution gives students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community the tools to work toward Christ-centered renewal in modern life. This core commitment runs through every program, including its distinguished Master of Social Work program.
Students at Dordt prepare for more than just careers – they learn to serve meaningfully in the world. The university’s mission goes beyond classroom teaching. It helps develop students intellectually, spiritually, and professionally. Dordt’s educational approach emphasizes biblical principles to practice justice and care for society’s vulnerable members.
Professors and students enjoy close working relationships at Dordt. Students consistently give positive ratings to faculty members for their strong teaching abilities. This dedication to quality instruction creates a space where academic excellence and faith development happen together.
Dordt University offers programs at undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. Each program blends faith viewpoints with professional preparation. The university builds a strong community where student-professor dialogs challenge everyone to live authentically, follow Christ, and shape culture actively.
Dordt University continues its mission to provide education that prepares students for service-focused lives. The university’s Christian education creates a unique learning environment. Students develop professional skills and gain deeper insight into their calling to serve others.
Programs offered
Dordt University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program takes a unique Christ-centered approach to social work education. Students can complete the program entirely online through shared coursework and hands-on applications led by dedicated faculty. The program now serves about 40 students with 10 graduates and prepares professionals who understand that all people are image bearers of God.
The MSW program gives you three specialized tracks that match different career paths:
Clinical Practice Specialization gets you ready to work in clinical mental health settings. This track works well if you want direct practice with individuals, families, or groups in counseling or mental health environments. You’ll study Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Neurobiology, Marital & Family Therapy, and Play Therapy.
Community Practice and Administration Specialization gives you the skills to work in public or non-profit organizations, communities, and faith-based agencies at the administrative or community level. The program teaches you to use evidence-informed and asset-based frameworks that create responsive systems and environmentally responsible environments. Your courses include Organizational Change Planning, Nonprofit Administration, Community Organizing, Program Evaluation, and Leadership.
Advanced Generalist Specialization lets you explore various career paths in both direct and indirect practice. You can pick courses that match your career goals from both clinical and community practice specializations.
The university also offers an accelerated MSW option. Students can earn their bachelor’s degree in social work in three years and finish their MSW degree in the fourth year. The MSW: Chicago program gives advanced standing students a chance to take online summer classes before moving to Chicago. They complete their coursework during fall and spring semesters while working in urban field placements.
Your academic background determines the program structure. Regular standing students need 60 credit hours including foundation, advanced, and specialization courses. Students with a recent BSW (within seven years) need just 36 credit hours. This means completion times range from one year for full-time advanced standing students to almost three years for part-time regular standing students.
Field experience makes this MSW program stand out. Students must complete either 450 hours (advanced standing) or 900 hours (foundation students) in agency settings. These experiences help you build practical skills while focusing on justice and care for vulnerable populations.
After graduation, you can pursue many careers including clinical counseling, medical or hospital social work, school social work, administration, community development, and advocacy. Licensed graduates can also start their own clinical mental health private practice.
About the online program
Dordt University’s Master of Social Work program gives working professionals a flexible way to advance their education. The program runs entirely online without campus visits, so you can earn your MSW degree from anywhere while keeping your current commitments. This detailed distance learning approach blends both synchronous and asynchronous components to create an engaging educational experience.
The academic calendar follows 15-week semesters plus two 7.5-week summer terms. You can choose between full-time or part-time paths to complete your degree, whatever your schedule looks like. The Graduate Studies Academic Advisor will help create a tailored plan that works for you. Students in good standing can take up to twelve credits each semester. This limit drops to nine credits for students on probation.
Program duration varies based on your entry point and pace:
- Regular standing full-time: Typically 21 months (1¾ years)
- Regular standing part-time: Typically 33 months (2¾ years)
- Advanced standing full-time: One year (beginning in summer)
- Advanced standing part-time: Two years
The program uses Canvas as its learning management system, with technical support available year-round. Faculty members receive specialized training in online teaching and course design, backed by full-time online staff. Most courses include live meeting software like Zoom or GoToMeeting with flexible scheduling. Each online course meets strict quality standards approved by the Director of Online Learning.
Students interested in urban experiences can choose the MSW: Chicago option to complete field placements in metropolitan settings while living in Chicago. This program combines online coursework with hands-on field practice.
Dordt formed a partnership with Concordia University Texas last year, creating a direct path for Concordia students to earn their MSW degree. Students can transfer 18 credit hours through this partnership and complete their graduate education faster without compromising quality or values. Joe Bakker, dean for online, graduate, and partner programs, notes “As the demand for compassionate and skilled social workers continues to rise, this partnership prepares students to serve with excellence”.
Experienced professors build strong relationships with students in the online format. These faculty members earn consistently high ratings from students, showing their dedication to quality instruction in the virtual environment.
Accreditation
Dordt University’s MSW program stands out with its stellar academic credentials. The program has earned full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and received approval from the Higher Learning Commission. These recognitions showcase the program’s steadfast dedication to high educational standards in social work.
The path to CSWE accreditation started in 2019 and took three years to complete. This achievement means even more because the MSW program is relatively new, with about 40 students enrolled and 10 graduates so far. Dr. Erin Olson, who leads the MSW program as director and professor of social work, knows the accreditation process wasn’t easy but sees it as vital to their mission.
CSWE accreditation brings real benefits to students who graduate. They can apply for master’s level social work licensure, which opens up better career opportunities that wouldn’t be available otherwise. The university leadership puts it well: “CSWE accreditation gives assurance to students and employers that our program follows best practice in the field”.
The MSW program builds on strong foundations. Dordt’s undergraduate Social Work program has kept its CSWE accreditation since 1986. This 38-year old commitment to quality social work education runs deep.
Recent recognition has come from respected sources. Forbes Advisor listed Dordt’s online MSW program among the nation’s best in 2024. They looked at 75 accredited, nonprofit colleges with online MSW programs, using 16 data points across five categories: credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience, and application process. This recognition carries weight because Forbes Advisor uses a strict five-round fact-checking process and only awards 7.12 percent of institutions they evaluate.
Counseling Psychology ranks the program as Iowa’s second-best MSW program. Their ranking draws data from trusted sources like the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and the National Center for Education Statistics. They weighed factors such as acceptance and completion rates, tuition costs relative to local living expenses, accreditation status, faculty experience, and program diversity.
These credentials and honors reflect the program’s excellence in faith-integrated social work education.
Admission Requirements
Getting into Dordt University’s MSW program needs proper planning. Students can enter through two main paths – regular standing and advanced standing.
Students who want advanced standing should have completed their BSW degree in the last five years. Your BSW completion date matters. Students with older degrees must show they stayed active in social work and continued their education. This path needs field evaluation documents from BSW work that show good practice skills. Students might get conditional admission based on field work, but full acceptance depends on the final evaluation.
Regular standing welcomes students with bachelor’s degrees in any field except social work. These students take the complete 60-credit program. Some foundation courses might not be needed if students already took similar classes.
Students with BSWs older than seven years have another option. The “advanced plus” path needs 45 credit hours. Students take 9 credits of foundation courses in research methods and practice with the standard advanced curriculum.
Every graduate program applicant needs to:
- Fill out the online application
- Send all college and graduate transcripts
- Give details at the time of academic or professional reference
Dordt’s graduate programs need a 2.75 minimum GPA from accredited schools. The university might think over applications with slightly lower GPAs case by case. Applying early helps, especially if you need financial aid.
The Social Work Program Committee reviews applications fully. They can respond in three ways:
- Full acceptance – you meet all requirements
- Conditional acceptance – you need to work on specific items
- Denial – requirements aren’t met
Application deadlines change based on when you want to start. The university suggests submitting applications “well in advance of the semester a student wishes to enter”. Students should plan their timeline based on this advice.
Tuition
Dordt University’s MSW program provides great value when compared to other faith-based programs. The Master of Social Work program keeps pricing straightforward and competitive to make advanced education within reach. The graduate courses in the MSW program cost $695.00 per credit, with an increase to $800.00 per credit planned for the 2024-2025 academic year starting Summer 2024.
Students need to plan for these one-time fees:
- One-time Technology Fee: $300.00
- Program Completion Fee: $100.00
The direct costs tell only part of the story. Each graduate course taken for graduate credit equals three credits. This means a typical three-credit course will cost $2,400 at the 2024-2025 rate.
The total cost might seem high, but Dordt University remains dedicated to keeping education affordable. Almost all students – 95% of Dordt’s student body – receive some type of financial aid through scholarships, grants, loans, or work opportunities. This support comes from federal and state governments, Dordt University, and outside organizations.
U.S. students who want financial help must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Dordt’s Supplemental Data Form. Canadian students need to submit the Canadian Financial Aid Form instead. Students should file these forms after January 1 and before April 1 to be included in the first round of financial aid awards.
Family income plays a big role in how Dordt allocates aid. Students whose families earn less than $48,000 yearly get help that averages more than $25,900. Students from families earning over $110,000 receive an average of $17,784 in support. The actual cost students pay is often much lower than the listed price.
Additional Information
Dordt University MSW graduates achieve exceptional career success beyond their academic journey. The class of 2024 saw a remarkable 99.3% career outcomes rate, which means almost every graduate found employment or pursued further education within six months after graduation. This is a big deal as it means that the national average for private colleges (92%). Dordt has managed to keep career outcomes rates above 95% in the last decade.
Their graduates’ success speaks volumes – 93% work or study in fields connected to their majors. Alumni have spread their wings across 25 states, four Canadian provinces, and two other countries. The class of 2022 graduates started with an average salary of $47,919, showing a $1,955 jump from the year before.
Dordt’s strategic collaboration with Concordia University Texas has created a new path that makes MSW degrees available to Concordia students. Joe Bakker, dean for online programs at Dordt, puts it well: “This partnership prepares students to serve with excellence”.
Dordt’s MSW experience stands out through its steadfast dedication to giving professionals the ability “to practice with individuals, groups, families, communities, and organizations living lives of service in the name of Christ”. This faith-centered point of view pervades every aspect of the program. Graduates are ready to meet the growing need for compassionate, skilled social workers who see their profession as ministry.