Midwestern State Social Work Programs
Social workers dedicate themselves to helping people. They strive to improve lives, reduce suffering, and create meaningful impact through their work. The Midwestern State Social Work Programs provide a path to this rewarding career with their Council on Social Work Education-accredited Bachelor of Social Work degree.
MSU’s Department of Social Work earned its CSWE accreditation renewal that extends to June 2031. This ensures students receive quality education meeting national standards. The detailed BSW program needs 120 credit hours and takes four years to finish. Students who graduate from this accredited program in Texas get a chance to become Licensed Baccalaureate Social Workers. They can apply with the Association of Social Work Boards to take the national exam.
This piece covers everything about Midwestern State University’s social work degree plan. You’ll learn about degree specializations, online and hybrid options, graduation rates, and career outcomes. We’ll also explore what makes these social work programs in Texas unique compared to others in the Midwest region.
Types of Social Work Degrees Offered at Midwestern State
Midwestern State University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is a social-first approach to social work education. This CSWE-accredited BSW program combines theoretical knowledge with practical field experience to prepare you for generalist social work practice.
The BSW program at Midwestern State gives you the skills to serve people of all backgrounds in different settings. You can work with children, families, elderly individuals, or communities that need support. This degree lays the groundwork to help and support people effectively.
The curriculum helps you learn about social work principles in detail. Students study human behavior, social welfare policy, research methods, and ethical practice standards. These courses go together with one another through supervised field placements where students work with clients under professional guidance.
BSW graduates from Midwestern State are well-prepared to advance their careers through graduate studies. Many students go on to pursue Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees at other institutions. Their BSW education often qualifies them for advanced standing options, which can reduce the time needed for a master’s degree.
Midwestern State’s social work program stands out because it develops professionals who understand Texas communities’ unique needs. Students learn cultural competence and how to address social service needs specific to the region. This includes rural social work practice – an area that needs qualified professionals.
The faculty brings their real-life experience into the classroom to keep your education relevant. Their expertise covers many specializations and gives students a chance to explore different career paths. They focus on core principles that define ethical, effective social work practice.
Degree Specializations
MSU’s BSW program lets you shape your education with specialized coursework that lines up with your career goals. Right now, MSU offers the Bachelor of Social Work degree, and the program gives you plenty of chances to specialize through its well-laid-out curriculum.
Your degree starts with strong basics in general social work practice. The BSW curriculum needs 63 hours of professional coursework where you need a grade of C (2.0) or better in all social work courses. These basics are the foundations of your education with core courses like Practice I, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Social Work Research, and Social Welfare Policy.
The program’s real value comes from its chance to shape your learning through elective courses. You’ll pick four specialized electives (12 hours) from many options that show today’s social work practice areas. Here’s what you can specialize in:
- Family-Focused Practice: Courses like Family Systems, Parenting, and Family-Focused Social Work Practice get you ready to work with families in different settings.
- Mental Health: Specialized courses in Mental Health in Social Work and Community Mental Health give you the skills to help people with mental health challenges.
- Substance Abuse: Introduction to Substance Abuse and Family Systems and Substance Abuse courses tackle this key practice area.
- Special Populations: Electives in Aging and Child Welfare Policy and Practice look at vulnerable groups.
- Trauma-Informed Practice: Specialized training to work with people who’ve faced trauma.
The program has unique ways to specialize through International Social Work and Human Resources Policy and Practice courses. These options open up career paths beyond typical social service roles.
These specializations work together with the program’s general approach and prepare you to work in different settings. Your field work gives you hands-on training in your chosen area and deepens your commitment to the profession before you graduate.
Online and Hybrid Options
Midwestern State combines quality education with flexibility by offering social work education in different formats. Students juggling work commitments or living far away can earn their BSW through online and hybrid options without compromising on educational standards.
Students can contact Midwestern State University’s Distance Education Office at (940) 397-3000 during business hours or by email to learn about online coursework options. The university provides a Distance Education Self-Evaluation tool that helps students determine if online learning matches their study preferences.
Students choosing Midwestern State’s online BSW program enjoy several benefits. The programs cost less than traditional campus options, which makes education more affordable. Students can complete their coursework at convenient times, though assignment and exam deadlines still apply. The program offers multiple start dates throughout the year, which helps students finish their degree faster.
Online BSW programs maintain high academic standards. Students study the same coursework as traditional programs without dealing with commute issues. These programs include field practicum experiences that provide hands-on training with professionals in the student’s community.
Working professionals can choose part-time study options that extend program duration while balancing other responsibilities. Full-time students usually complete online BSW programs in four semesters, while part-time students might need six semesters or more.
Midwestern State’s membership in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements ensures online credentials are recognized across states. This recognition becomes valuable when seeking licensure or jobs outside Texas.
Graduates from accredited online BSW programs qualify for the same career opportunities and licensing options as traditional program graduates, including Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker status in Texas.
Graduation Rates
You can learn a lot about student success at Midwestern State University by looking at graduation rates. These numbers help you understand your chances of finishing your degree on time in the social work program.
MSU Texas keeps track of eight-year graduation rates for different types of students. The university’s six-year graduation rate is 50%, which matches up well with the national average of 58% for four-year colleges.
The graduation rates show some interesting patterns over different time periods:
- Four-year graduation rate: 21-24%
- Six-year graduation rate: 47-50%[183]
- Eight-year graduation rate: 52%
First-time, full-time students have a four-year average graduation rate of 46%. Their minimum threshold sits at 34%, with a target goal of 55%. Transfer students do better, with their four-year average graduation rate reaching 55% and a minimum threshold of 59%.
Graduate students at MSU show much better completion rates. Their six-year graduation rate averages 70%, which is a big deal as it means that they exceed the minimum threshold of 65%.
The university watches these numbers carefully because they show how well students complete their education. MSU’s role as a Texas public institution makes these graduation rates crucial for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 60×30 plan. This plan wants to boost the number of Texans who hold higher education credentials.
Money plays a big part in graduation success. Pell Grant recipients have eight-year graduation rates of 46% in undergraduate programs, slightly below the overall average.
Social work students can use these numbers to understand how well the university performs. The Social Work program usually follows these patterns, and students get support through faculty mentoring and academic advising.
Student retention plays a key role in graduation success. MSU’s freshman retention rate of 66%, combined with these graduation numbers, gives you a good picture of what to expect in the BSW program.
Career Outcomes
A BSW degree from Midwestern State University creates many career paths that lead to meaningful employment after graduation. Texas Licensed Baccalaureate Social Workers (LBSW) can work in child and family services, case management, community outreach, and mental health assistance.
Your specialization and location determine your earning potential. Texas-based child and family social workers earn median salaries of $49,810 per year. Healthcare social workers make higher salaries at $62,500, while mental health and substance abuse social workers earn around $44,100. Social workers who specialize in other fields can expect about $68,500.
Midwestern State graduates work in a variety of settings. They build careers in adoption agencies, counseling centers, early intervention programs, schools, employee assistance programs, hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes, prisons, and private social service agencies.
The university’s Career Management Center plays a vital role in helping graduates land jobs. A graduate shared this insight: “Establishing a connection with the Career Management Center was one of the most vital decisions I made early on, and it greatly influenced my success in securing a job after graduation”.
Your career options grow when you pursue an MSW after your BSW at Midwestern State. MSW graduates typically earn $13,000 more per year than BSW holders. Clinical positions become available, including licensed clinical social worker roles with average annual salaries of $77,800.
Experience shapes your earnings throughout your career. New social workers start at around $49,353 yearly. Professionals with 5-10 years of experience earn about $62,469, while veterans with over ten years in the field can make $78,610 or more.
Research doctorate graduates who want academic careers often choose tenure-line faculty positions (40.9%), postdoctoral fellowships (19.7%), non-tenure-line faculty positions (13.8%), or private clinical practices (12.2%).
What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at Midwestern State
Midwestern State’s social work programs excel with several unique features that prepare students for success in the field. The program’s focus on rural social work practice meets a vital need in Texas communities where qualified professionals are hard to find.
Students benefit from exceptional field education opportunities at Midwestern State. The university partners with over 70 agencies throughout North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. These connections help students learn hands-on in different settings, from healthcare facilities to child welfare agencies, with experienced supervisors guiding them.
MSU’s social work program’s student-faculty ratio of 15:1 ensures personal attention throughout your educational experience. Faculty members keep their doors open for mentorship beyond office hours—something rarely found at bigger social work schools.
Social justice and advocacy remain core priorities that distinguish this program from others. Students develop skills to tackle systemic inequalities while making real changes in local communities through community-based research projects and service-learning opportunities.
The program stands out with its smart integration of technology in social work practice. Students learn to employ telehealth platforms, case management software, and data analysis tools that shape modern social service delivery.
Midwestern State’s Social Work Club adds an extra dimension to student education. This student-run organization plans volunteer opportunities, professional development workshops, and networking events with alumni working in various specialties.
The program’s focus on working across disciplines helps students prepare for team-based approaches common in social service settings. Students work on joint projects with nursing, education, and criminal justice departments to develop vital interprofessional communication skills.
Midwestern State’s social work graduates enter their careers with a clear advantage. They receive detailed preparation that combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, which lets them contribute effectively to their chosen specialty right away.