UNC Pembroke MSW Program

UNC Pembroke is a respected public university in the UNC system that offers master’s level degree programs from its 281-acre campus in Pembroke, North Carolina. This 136-year-old institution has grown into a detailed educational center serving 7,667 students. The student body includes 5,644 undergraduates and 2,023 postgraduates, supported by more than 425 dedicated faculty and staff members.

The Department of Social Work in the university’s College of Health Sciences has earned recognition for its excellence in social work education. Since 1987, the department has managed to keep full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education, showing its lasting dedication to quality education.

Students in UNC Pembroke’s Master of Social Work program learn through an advanced generalist model. This approach gives graduates the tools to work in a variety of settings with different client populations. The program tackles the unique challenges and opportunities of working in rural communities and with indigenous populations, reflecting the university’s location and dedication to helping underrepresented groups.

UNCP’s MSW program stands out with its flexible structure. Students can pick between full-time and part-time study options, with classes available online and in hybrid formats. Working professionals find this setup helpful when they need to juggle their education with career and personal commitments.

The program’s mission matches core social work values by focusing on better quality of life and solutions to rural challenges. It also promotes addressing injustice and enabling populations at risk. The MSW program at UNCP wants to push forward economic, political, and social justice in communities everywhere.

UNCP goes beyond standard MSW coursework by offering specialized paths. Students interested in school social work can earn their licensure through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Current MSW students and professionals working in North Carolina public schools can benefit from this specialty track.

The university hosts major events like the Southeastern Social Work Conference that brings practitioners, educators, students, and supporters together to explore rural and underserved community issues. “Voices from the Field,” the 2026 conference theme, will showcase innovative solutions in policy, education, justice, and ethics that shape social work’s future in the Southeast.

UNC Pembroke’s Lumberton location provides a nurturing environment where students develop both theory knowledge and hands-on skills needed for effective social work practice.

Programs offered

UNC Pembroke’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program offers a complete curriculum that meets different educational needs through multiple paths. Students can choose between a Traditional MSW for newcomers and an Advanced Standing MSW designed for those who already have a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program.

Students from any academic background can get full training through the Traditional MSW program. BSW graduates can finish their master’s degree in just 12 months with full-time study or 24 months part-time through the Advanced Standing option, which speeds up their career growth.

Students love the flexibility of UNC’s MSW online program. The degree completion time ranges from one year with full-time advanced standing to four years with extended part-time studies. The program is available to working professionals through fully online, hybrid, part-time, and full-time options. This helps them advance their careers while staying in their communities.

Students progress through two levels of professional preparation in the curriculum. They start with generalist social work foundations in year one and move to specialized practice in year two. The second year focuses on rural communities and Native American indigenous populations. The complete program has 60 semester hours – 27 in required courses, 27 in concentration courses, and 6 in electives.

UNC Pembroke also offers these specialized educational paths:

• Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery—a 12-hour program designed for current MSW students seeking specialized training in addiction treatment
• M-Level School Social Work Licensure—approved by the NC Department of Public Instruction, preparing students to meet complex needs in public school settings
• Criteria C eligibility—coursework aligned with requirements for Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) certification through the NC Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board

The program’s advanced generalist approach helps graduates work in a variety of settings. This model helps professionals excel in rural and indigenous communities where they must handle different roles and challenges. Graduates can apply their expertise in clinical practice, healthcare settings, and community organizations throughout North Carolina and beyond.

About the online program

The UNC MSW online program gives working professionals a flexible path to advanced social work education from home. This program helps changemakers strengthen their community’s well-being while they keep their current jobs and personal commitments.

Students can balance weekly coursework with scheduled classes through a mix of asynchronous and synchronous courses. This setup works great for busy professionals, recent graduates, and people switching to social work. The program’s quality matches its on-campus counterpart, backed by a top-ranked school of social work with worldwide recognition.

The program stands out by building strong connections. Students get a personal touch similar to on-campus education through:

• World-class faculty instruction
• Dedicated student success team
• Customized practicum placements
• Strong cohort relationships
• Connections with researchers, industry leaders, and alumni

Notwithstanding that, every MSW student must complete an in-person field practicum at an approved health or human services organization in North Carolina. The hands-on experience requires significant time: 430 hours during the generalist year (215 per semester) and 500 hours during the advanced generalist year (250 per semester). Students complete 900 practicum hours by graduation.

Students typically finish the 62 credit hours traditional online MSW program in 8 semesters. You can adjust your course load each semester based on your work and personal schedule. A new Online Advanced Standing MSW program launches in 2026. This five-semester pathway (40 credit hours) welcomes applicants with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program.

The program helps address critical workforce gaps. Social worker demand should grow by 9–12% from 2021–2031. This online option makes expertise and training more accessible, which creates positive change in communities, especially in underserved areas with social worker shortages.

Students can start their educational experience three times a year: spring (January), summer (April), and fall (August).

Accreditation

The substance of UNC Pembroke’s Master of Social Work program lies in its quality assurance through external validation. The MSW program has managed to keep full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation since 2008. The undergraduate program shares this achievement, as it’s 1987 old. This accreditation shows that the program meets or surpasses strict educational excellence standards through detailed peer review.

CSWE accreditation proves that a program has enough resources to achieve its mission and goals. The Board of Accreditation confirms that UNC Pembroke’s Social Work program follows every part of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Online students should note that this accreditation applies to all ways the program is delivered. Your online MSW carries similar accreditation status as on-campus studies.

Students who choose a CSWE-accredited program like UNC Pembroke’s MSW can trust both program quality and graduate competence. This difference brings most important practical benefits beyond educational quality. CSWE requires all accredited programs to track and report how well students learn. This ensures the program keeps improving and stays accountable.

The program goes beyond CSWE recognition. It readies candidates for North Carolina School Social Worker level M licensure with approval from the NC Department of Public Instruction. Students need a graduate degree from a CSWE-accredited program or enrollment in UNCP’s MSW program to qualify. They must also complete supervised field work in a public school.

The UNC system features several CSWE-accredited MSW programs statewide. UNC Pembroke joins other prestigious schools in North Carolina’s educational landscape, which has 13 CSWE-accredited MSW programs. Six of these programs offer fully online options. UNC Pembroke stands out by focusing on indigenous and rural communities. This reflects the university’s roots as a historically Native American Serving Institution.

Accreditation serves as a key quality marker for students exploring social work graduate programs. CSWE only accredits MSW and BSW programs. This makes accreditation crucial when evaluating master’s-level options like the UNC online MSW program.

Admission Requirements

The UNC MSW online program has several key requirements and needs a detailed application package. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution to qualify. The good news is that your undergraduate major doesn’t matter. The program welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds.

Your GPA requirements will depend on which format you choose. The fully online program needs a minimum 3.0 GPA (overall or in major) or a graduate degree with a 3.0 GPA. Students in the hybrid program need at least a 2.75 GPA. Advanced Standing applicants face a higher bar with a minimum 3.2 overall GPA.

The hybrid program offers some flexibility. Students with GPAs below 2.75 might still qualify through other paths. These include earning a 3.0 GPA in their last 60 undergraduate hours or achieving qualifying GRE scores. This flexibility doesn’t extend to the online program.

Your application package must include:

• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended
• Statement of purpose (3-4 pages)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Current resume or CV showing professional and volunteer experiences
• TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants

Advanced Standing applicants need extra credentials. This fast-track option requires a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program earned in the last five years. You must have earned a “B” or higher in all required undergraduate social work courses and completed 400 hours of direct service placement. One of your recommendation letters must come from a BSW program faculty member.

Every applicant needs to show basic knowledge through prerequisite courses. Non-BSW students must complete 9 credit hours in humanities/fine arts, 9 in social sciences, and 3 in statistics. BSW graduates only need the statistics requirement.

The online MSW program accepts new students three times a year—spring (January), summer (April), and fall (August). A new Online Advanced Standing MSW program will launch in 2026, with applications opening in early August 2025.

The online program usually sends decisions within 2-4 weeks after submission. After acceptance, you’ll have two weeks to confirm your spot and pay your deposit.

Tuition

UNC Pembroke’s MSW program offers very affordable tuition rates compared to other UNC system schools. Students get high-quality education at competitive prices, making it an available option to become a social work professional.

The online MSW program has a straightforward per-credit-hour tuition system for graduate students. In-state students pay $237.78 per credit hour, and out-of-state students pay $963.28 per credit hour. These rates stay the same whatever number of credits you take each semester. A full-time load of 9+ credit hours costs $2,140 for in-state and $8,669.50 for out-of-state students per semester.

Online students need to pay a few extra fees:

• A flat distance education fee of $41.75
• General fees between $33 and $297 based on credit hours
• A small Associate Student Government Fee

A full-time online graduate student (9+ credits) pays $2,479.25 per semester if they’re from North Carolina, while non-residents pay $9,008.75. These are the current academic year’s official rates.

Students can get help with these costs through many financial aid options. The School gives out about 40 different merit-based and need-based scholarships just for MSW students. UNC Pembroke recently got a big $3.1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This grant provides full scholarships to 37 students each year for five years.

Students must be in or accepted to the MSW program to get this grant money. They also need to come from a disadvantaged background. This program has helped reduce financial barriers by a lot for many students.

Financial support comes as grants, scholarships, and loans. About 88% of UNCP’s students get some type of financial aid. The university suggests filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as your first step to access these resources.

UNC Pembroke makes education costs more manageable with monthly payment plans. These plans let you spread your tuition payments across the semester instead of paying everything at once.

Additional Information

UNC MSW online students have multiple opportunities to get involved outside their regular coursework. Students can participate in educational events and service activities through the Campus Association of Social Workers (CASW) and Phi Alpha Honor Society. These organizations promote professional development and help build peer connections throughout the program.

Mary Livermore Library’s specialized resources support students’ social work research needs. The library provides access to databases like Social Science Premium Collection and SocINDEX that cover behavioral science literature from the 17th century.

The Taley and Jordan Hunt Braves Resource Center provides detailed assistance with various personal needs:

• Food insecurity through campus pantry access
• Financial aid application guidance
• SNAP benefit navigation

More than 6,000 social work professionals have earned their degrees from UNC’s School of Social Work. Graduates can keep their BraveMail account active by completing the annual Alumni Account Opt-in process. The MSW alumni association provides networking opportunities without requiring membership dues.

Final-year students might qualify for the OPTIMISE program. This initiative offers a unique experience in rural behavioral health through designated practicum sites in southeastern North Carolina, along with specialized training and stipend support.