Part-Time Master of Social Work Program (MSW)
Last cohort. Apply now!
Phased Closure of the Program
The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at UW–Madison is initiating a phased suspension of admissions to the Part-Time Master of Social Work (MSW) Program, with full discontinuation planned after the final cohort graduates in 2029. We are no longer accepting applications to our Generalist Track (for those without a BSW).
Admissions Timeline
- Advanced standing admissions (for students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution) will conclude with the Fall 2027 cohort.
What This Means for Prospective Students
- If you are eligible, you are still encouraged to apply while admissions remain open.
The program remains committed to delivering a high-quality education throughout the teach-out period and the School will continue exploring innovative ways to serve non-traditional students.
Learn More or Apply
Visit our Admissions Page for details on eligibility, deadlines, and the application process.
Are you a prospective MSW student and would like to learn more about the program? Please fill out this form, and you will hear back from us shortly. You can also contact us at parttimeprogram@socwork.wisc.edu. We also invite you to visit the Frequently Asked Questions to discover answers to common questions.
The Part-Time MSW Program is designed to allow students who are not able to pursue full-time study to work towards a master’s degree on a structured, time-extended basis with classes delivered in a hybrid format: using in-person sessions and online technology. Some courses are designed as blended courses with a mix of online learning and in-person sessions while others are taught as online courses. In-person sessions take place every other Saturday on our Madison campus. Online sessions and courses are held either asynchronous and/or synchronous (remote meetings via Zoom). Students should plan to be on campus each semester and be available each Saturday for class. Our program’s instructional delivery is intended to meet the needs of our diverse student population, many of whom commute and/or work, as well as offering the benefits of a live classroom experience to acquire advanced practice skills and competencies.
*Please note that admission to the Eau Claire site has been discontinued. In addition, international students who hold an F1 or J1 visa must enroll each semester as a full-time student; therefore, international students cannot be considered for our Part-Time MSW Program.
Why Choose the Part-Time MSW Program at UW–Madison?
- Learn from seasoned instructors who are social work practitioners currently working in the field
- Small class sizes lead to strong cohort bonds
- Build connections with your instructors and classmates that last beyond graduation
- Courses offered on Saturdays, beginning at 9:00 am allowing time to commute for in-person sessions
- Field placement may be offered in your home community
- Admissions Scholarships and Financial Aid Resources available
- Advanced Generalist Specialization
- Focus areas in Child, Youth, and Family Welfare & Mental Health
- Same curriculum as our Full-Time MSW Program
- $800 per credit (plus fees) for in and out-of-state residents
- Advanced Standing available
- Exemption Exams for Generalist Practice courses available
Time in Program
The length of the graduate program will vary according to the student’s prior preparation and the number of credits completed each semester. Typically, for students without a Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW), completion of the Part-Time MSW Program requires four years of study. For students who do have a BSW and meet criteria, minimum time for completion of the Part-Time MSW program is two years of study if admitted with complete advanced standing.
Professional Accreditation
Both our Full- and Part-Time MSW Programs are accredited through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Information on when the program was first accredited and our last accreditation review are available on their Directory of Accredited Programs.
Part-Time students pay $800 per credit tuition, segregated fees, and a $110.00 lab fee for each semester in field. Segregated fees are not included in chart below. Please see Bursar’s Office Tuition rates for semester specific rates.
There are two important policies we would like to briefly summarize for students in the Part-Time MSW Program:
- Graduate Assistantship Policy: Per university policy, 131 students (which includes the Part-Time Program) are permitted to hold TA/RA/PA positions (including those above 33%) but will not receive the tuition remission that is typically part of the compensation package for a graduate assistantship. Limited School funding may be available to support Part-Time MSW students working as a TA for the School.
- Program/Course Enrollment Policy: Students in this program cannot enroll in other graduate programs. All MSW requirements must be met by taking courses in the Part-Time MSW Program. You must consult with an advisor prior to taking any coursework outside of the Part-Time MSW Program.
Financial Aid
All students interested in applying for financial aid must contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students should make sure they have enough financial aid to cover summer classes. We strongly recommend students talk to the Office of Student Financial Aid to create a financial aid plan that will meet your needs.
The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work offers a number of Awards and Scholarships. Part-Time students in Child, Youth, and Family Welfare are also encouraged to apply for Public Child Welfare Training funding once they have been accepted.
Returning Adult Student Scholarships, Financial Assistance information can be found through the UW–Madison Continuing Studies Adult & Student Services Center.
For students without a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, the focus of the curriculum for the first two years of study in the Part-Time MSW Program is on Generalist Practice. The first two years’ curriculum is designed to provide you with foundational social work knowledge, values and skills and to prepare you for the Advanced Generalist Specialization. Please see the “Advanced Practice Specialization Years” tab for the last two years of study in the Part-Time MSW Program (total of 4 years for those without a BSW).
Learn more about the Generalist Field Unit in the PTP by watching this video from the Field Education Office!
*Current students, please see the plans of study in the Student Resources section for course offerings for the 2026-27 academic year.
**We are no longer accepting applications to our Generalist track as of July 2025.
Generalist Practice Plan of Study
In a broad social justice framework, advanced practice (students continuing from the Generalist years) or advanced standing (students entering the Program with a recent BSW) MSW students complete a generalist advanced practice specialization in one of two social problem focus areas. Students may also choose to have no focus area.
Students can elect to pursue a more specialized area (sub-focus) if they choose an area of focus in the advanced generalist specialization.
*Current students, please see the plans of study in the Student Resources section for course offerings for the 2026-27 academic year.
Advanced Practice Plan of Study
Child, Youth, and Family Welfare Focus Area
The Child, Youth, and Family Welfare focus area in the Part-Time MSW Program is intended for students with an interest in school social work, child welfare, or advanced generalist social work practice with children, youth, and families in other contexts and systems (e.g., juvenile justice, community-based services). The focus area exposes students to the policies and practice philosophies of multiple service systems, the ways in which these varied systems intersect, and models of coordinated service delivery for families involved in multiple systems. Students are exposed to innovative prevention and intervention strategies designed to reduce risk and promote resilience in children, youth, and families from diverse backgrounds and family structures.
Sub-focus areas available: Child Welfare or School Social Work
Students who are accepted into the Title IV-E Stipend Program take electives in child welfare, complete a specialized field placement in child welfare, and attend additional learning activities that help prepare for work in public child welfare. Students pursuing school social work licensure take electives that prepare them for school social work licensure, including a school social work practice course and a school social work field placement.
Learn more about the CYFW field unit in the PTP by watching this video from the Field Education Office.
Focus Area Chair
Alejandra Ros Pilarz, PhD
Mental Health Focus Area
The Mental Health focus area prepares social workers for advanced practice roles in a variety of mental health settings, including those that address the needs of the most marginalized and underserved members of our communities.Although the focus area embraces a life course perspective, it primarily focuses on clinical social work practice with children, youth, and adults who are living with, or at risk for, serious mental health and substance use problems. Students in this focus area learn advanced practice skills in mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment, client-centered advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evaluation of practice and client outcomes from an intersectional approach. They develop knowledge of conceptual and theoretical frameworks for understanding the nature, etiology, course, and consequences of major mental health conditions, as well as evidence-based and emerging models of clinical social work practice. Students also learn about current social policies, funding mechanisms and service delivery systems that affect mental health consumers and their families. A recovery orientation, consumer empowerment, and cultural humility are woven into the mental health focus area curriculum.Students who graduate with this focus area are prepared for clinical mental health positions in hospitals, outpatient clinics, community mental health programs and more.
Sub-focus area available: Substance Use Disorders.
Students pursuing the Substance Use Disorders sub-focus take a substance use disorders elective and have a substance use field placement.
Learn more about the MH field unit in the PTP by watching this video from the Field Education Office.
Focus Area Chairs
Tally Moses, MSW, PhD
Angela Willits, MSW, LCSW
The Part-Time MSW Program (PTP) operates on a schedule distinct from the UW–Madison academic calendar. All in-person classes are held on Saturdays unless otherwise specified.
Fall 2026
| Week of class | Fall Semester Dates 2026 | In-person sessions meet | ODD/EVEN week hybrid courses in-person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Wednesday, Sept. 2 – Sunday, Sept. 6 | Saturday 9/5 | ODD |
| Week 2 | Monday, Sept. 7* – Sunday, Sept. 13 | Saturday 9/12 | EVEN |
| Week 3 | Monday, Sept. 14 – Sunday, Sept. 20 | Saturday 9/19 | ODD |
| Week 4 | Monday, Sept. 21 – Sunday, Sept. 27 | Saturday 9/26 | EVEN |
| Week 5 | Monday, Sept. 28 – Sunday, Oct. 4 | Saturday 10/3 | ODD |
| Week 6 | Monday, Oct. 5 – Sunday, Oct. 11 | Saturday 10/10 | EVEN |
| Week 7 | Monday, Oct. 12 – Sunday, Oct. 18 | Saturday 10/17 | ODD |
| Week 8 | Monday, Oct. 19 – Sunday, Oct. 25 | Saturday 10/24 | EVEN |
| Week 9 | Monday, Oct. 26 – Sunday, Nov. 1 | Saturday 10/31 | ODD |
| Week 10 | Monday, Nov. 2 – Sunday, Nov. 8 | Saturday 11/7 | EVEN |
| Week 11 | Monday, Nov. 9 – Sunday, Nov. 15 | Saturday 11/14 | ODD |
| Week 12 | Monday, Nov. 16 – Sunday, Nov. 22 | Saturday 11/21 | EVEN |
| off for Thanksgiving | Monday, Nov. 23 – Sunday, Nov. 29 | Saturday 11/28 | n/a |
| Week 13 | Monday, Nov. 30 – Sunday, Dec. 6 | Saturday 12/5 | ODD |
| Week 14 | Monday, Dec. 7 – Sunday, Dec. 13 | Saturday 12/12 | EVEN |
| *Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 7th | |||
Spring 2027
| Week of class | Spring Semester Dates 2027 | In-person sessions meet | ODD/EVEN week hybrid courses in-person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Tuesday, Jan. 19 – Sunday, Jan. 24 | Saturday 1/23 | ODD |
| Week 2 | Monday, Jan. 25 – Sunday, Jan. 31 | Saturday 1/30 | EVEN |
| Week 3 | Monday, Feb. 1 – Sunday, Feb. 7 | Saturday 2/6 | ODD |
| Week 4 | Monday, Feb. 8- Sunday, Feb. 14 | Saturday 2/13 | EVEN |
| Week 5 | Monday, Feb. 15 – Sunday, Feb. 21 | Saturday 2/20 | ODD |
| Week 6 | Monday, Feb. 22 – Sunday, Feb. 28 | Saturday 2/27 | EVEN |
| Week 7 | Monday, March 1 – Sunday, March 7 | Saturday 3/6 | ODD |
| Week 8 | Monday, March 8 – Sunday, March 14 | Saturday 3/13 | EVEN |
| Week 9 | Monday, March 15- Sunday, March 21 | Saturday 3/20 | ODD |
| off for Spring Recess | Monday, March 22 – Sunday, March 28 | Saturday 3/27 | n/a |
| Week 10 | Monday, March 29 – Sunday, April 4 | Saturday 4/3 | EVEN |
| Week 11 | Monday, April 5 – Sunday, April 11 | Saturday 4/10 | ODD |
| Week 12 | Monday, April 12 – Sunday, April 18 | Saturday 4/17 | EVEN |
| Week 13 | Monday, April 19 – Sunday, April 25 | Saturday 4/24 | ODD |
| Week 14 | Monday, April 26 – Sunday, May 2 | Saturday 5/1 | EVEN |
