Advanced Standing Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) in Richmond United States | Virginia Commonwealth University

The advanced standing pathway welcomes candidates who obtained a Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited school within the past five years and maintained a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. This accelerated program awards a Master of Social Work after completing 42 credits across three consecutive semesters (summer, fall, and spring for on-campus participants). The advanced standing track is exclusively full-time, with no part-time option, and offers both clinical and macro specializations (encompassing social work administration, planning, and policy practice) on campus. During summer, students undertake 12 credits of foundational coursework, comprising three courses plus a field placement, with classes and fieldwork scheduled throughout the week. Advanced standing participants complete a single field placement spanning all three semesters. Following summer term, these students merge with regular full-time students to pursue their specialization coursework during fall and spring semesters.