UW-Stevens Point launches online master’s program in social work
By Patrick Lynn
STEVENS POINT – The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is expanding its social work education with a new online Master of Social Work (MSW) program designed to address workforce needs in child and family services, mental health, health care, and substance use disorders.
The fully online program, set to launch in fall 2025, will prepare advanced practice social workers for leadership roles in advocacy, policy development, and direct service. It builds on the university’s strong undergraduate social work program, offering students a flexible option to further their education.
“The program is online but engaged,” said Amy Zlimen Ticho, UWSP professor and MSW program director. “Aspiring social workers need opportunities to interact with peers and instructors to develop the interpersonal and collaborative skills necessary for effective practice.”
The first cohort will consist of part-time students without an undergraduate degree in social work. Future cohorts will include both full- and part-time students, with options for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Students will be able to specialize in school, clinical, or medical social work, with an additional pathway for those interested in other fields. Graduates will be eligible for positions in child welfare, youth justice, schools, mental health, substance use treatment, health care, aging services, developmental disabilities, and criminal justice. Many go on to leadership, administrative, and advocacy roles.
The program will also emphasize skills needed in rural communities, where social workers often face unique challenges due to limited resources.
“There is an added element of creativity and critical thinking necessary to make sure clients have what they need within a limited environment while maintaining professional boundaries in small, close-knit communities,” said Olivia Gerrish, assistant professor and MSW field director.
Students will complete a field education component, gaining supervised social work experience at an agency in or near their community. The program will work with existing partners from UWSP’s undergraduate program while developing new partnerships across Wisconsin and beyond.
“We are designing the program to meet students where they are today but also thinking about what they’ll need down the road,” Gerrish said. “We’re building on decades of social work education while incorporating fresh ideas to create something really powerful.”
Applications are now open. More information is available at www.uwsp.edu/programs/degree/master-of-social-work or by contacting graduate recruitment coordinator Nick Schultz at [email protected] or Amy Zlimen Ticho at [email protected].