8 Accredited MSW Programs in Los Angeles: Compare Tuition & Specializations

Los Angeles offers 10 regionally accredited, non-profit universities with Master of Social Work education options. Students in California can choose from a variety of social work degrees and specializations that align with their career goals in the greater Los Angeles area.

Traditional campus-based MSW programs are available at all eight institutions mentioned in this piece. Four schools also provide online options to accommodate students who need scheduling flexibility. Students with a Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program can take advantage of advanced standing programs at six schools. These programs are available both on-campus at four schools and online at three institutions.

Students’ passions can guide their specialization choices, which include community mental health, social and economic justice, military social work, school social work, and direct clinical practice with different populations. Advanced-standing students can complete some online MSW programs in just 12 months, while traditional students typically finish in 27 months.

Each program’s unique offerings deserve careful consideration. The comparison below will help you assess specializations and tuition costs to find the right educational fit.

1. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa Pacific University provides a unique faith-based approach to social work education from its campus 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles. APU’s MSW program shapes advanced social work practitioners who blend scientific knowledge, professional values, and practical skills to enhance human well-being and social justice.

Program Overview

APU’s Master of Social Work program holds CSWE accreditation, which ensures graduates meet national professional standards. The program’s life-blood values are competence, character, critical thinking, and community. Students learn in small classes that promote close relationships with faculty-mentors who bring their varied backgrounds and relevant experience to the classroom.

The program blends Christian faith tradition with the Social Work Code of Ethics. Graduates learn to advance human well-being, promote social and environmental justice, and support equity in a variety of populations. Students build on a liberal arts foundation and develop critical thinking skills to prepare for leadership roles at local, national, and international levels.

Specializations

APU has two distinct specialization tracks:

1. Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families – Students prepare for clinical practice in mental health clinics, veterans’ services, managed care facilities, shelters, group homes, and schools. This specialization helps develop advanced clinical skills with different age groups and has specialized training in group therapy.
2. Community Leadership and Program Administration – Students receive training for leadership roles in nonprofit agencies, government programs, and advocacy organizations. The curriculum focuses on social work leadership, program management, community organizing, and social policy development.

The program also offers additional credential opportunities, particularly the Pupil Personnel Services Credential if you want to pursue a school social work career.

Tuition and Duration

APU’s MSW program offers flexible schedule formats to match different student needs:

• Traditional Program: 60-66 units at $810 per unit, with total base cost ranging from $48,600 to $53,460
• Advanced Standing Program: 36-42 units at $810 per unit, with total base cost between $29,160 and $34,020

Students can choose from these options:

• 2-year full-time program: Classes two days weekly with 16 hours weekly of supervised practicum
• 3-year part-time program: Evening classes and Saturday intensive courses
• 1-year Advanced Standing: Qualified BSW graduates complete in 10 months
• 2-year Advanced Standing: Part-time option for BSW graduates

Students can access scholarship opportunities, including the HRSA-funded Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students that provide full tuition to about 20 students each year.

Field Education Requirements

APU’s MSW curriculum requires field education. Students complete two yearlong internships totaling 960 hours in supervised community agency settings. The practicum program creates a partnership between the student, the agency supervisor (practicum instructor), and APU’s social work department.

Students combine social work theory with practice skills during their practicum experiences while gaining supervised field experience. Internships happen during regular business hours Monday through Friday, and students take practicum seminar courses at the same time.

Full-time students finish internships during both years, while part-time students complete these requirements in their second and third years. Advanced Standing students need 600 hours of practicum education. APU’s MSW practicum education program has mutually beneficial alliances with over 380 agencies in five Southern California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Ventura.

Students cannot receive course credit for life experiences or previous work experience, which maintains the program’s academic integrity and professional standards.

2. California State University, Dominguez Hills

CSU Dominguez Hills stands out as the first and only MSW program in the country that builds its curriculum on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. The program takes an innovative approach to prepare social workers who can tackle structural racism and social hierarchies in underserved communities.

Program Overview

The CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work program needs 60 units of coursework and 1,028 hours of field practicum. Students learn through a psychosocial, ecological, and cross-cultural approach to social work practice that helps them become contextually competent practitioners.

Students who graduate can register as Associate Clinical Social Workers (ASW) and work toward Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) certification through California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences. The program’s theory base looks at how race and its connections with other identity markers create systemic oppression of marginalized groups. This knowledge enables social workers to develop interventions that address both individual and institutional forms of oppression.

Specializations

The program has three specialized practice areas, with availability based on enrollment status:

1. Community Mental Health (CMH) – Both full-time and part-time students can choose this path to work in community mental health agencies, crisis intervention services, and case management with chronically mentally ill populations.
2. Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) – Full-time students can specialize in traditional and non-traditional child welfare services, family service agencies, and adolescent services.
3. Community Capacity Building (CCB) – Full-time students learn to design services, run service delivery, conduct community needs assessments, and organize groups to enable change.

Students take specialized courses and matching field placements during their second year in each specialization.

Tuition and Duration

Students can choose between two enrollment options:

• 2-year Full-time Program – Classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays with practicum hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and some Fridays. Students pay around $7,608 per academic year plus $1,370 in campus-based fees, which comes to about $20,156 for the whole program.
• 3-year Part-time Program – Working professionals can attend classes one weeknight and every other Saturday. This self-supported degree costs $400 per unit, adding up to about $24,000 for tuition, plus books and materials, reaching around $28,000.

The University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education runs the program while awarding the same accredited degree as the full-time option.

Field Education Requirements

Students learn through a mix of classroom teaching and hands-on experience. The program requires two practicums:

• First-Year (Generalist) Practicum – 488 hours (16 hours weekly) in fall and spring semesters.
• Second-Year (Specialized) Practicum – 540 hours (20 hours weekly) in fall and spring semesters.

Students must complete all practicum hours during regular business hours (typically 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday). The program doesn’t offer evening or weekend placements. Students get hands-on experience in agencies that match their chosen specialization during the specialized practicum.

The practicum experience goes beyond just learning. It builds meaningful connections, professional growth, and service delivery with integrity.

3. California State University, Fullerton

CSU Fullerton stands out as Orange County’s only public university offering an MSW program. The program gives students a direct service methodology from a multicultural viewpoint. Students learn essential skills to work with diverse populations in social service settings of all types through this CSWE-accredited program.

Program Overview

The Master of Social Work program at CSUF creates leaders for public, non-profit, and voluntary social service organizations. These professionals tackle issues like poverty, family instability, mental illness, and child abuse. Students build on a strong liberal arts foundation and develop critical thinking skills they need for professional practice.

The program looks for students with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their last 60 semester units. Candidates need one year of paid or volunteer human service experience. They must submit a personal statement, three reference letters, and complete an interview. Each student works with a faculty adviser who helps with academics and tracks their progress.

Students choose their concentration in the first semester. This choice shapes their advanced coursework and field placements. The curriculum starts with basic knowledge before moving to specialized areas. This approach ensures graduates can serve diverse client populations effectively.

Specializations

Students can pick from two main concentrations:

• Child Welfare (CW) – Students learn to work in settings like child welfare/protective services, healthcare, mental health, public social services, schools, community agencies, corrections/juvenile justice, and specialized programs.
• Community Mental Health (CMH) – Graduates work in mental health settings such as psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment, county mental health clinics, correctional institutions, substance abuse treatment, and other specialized programs.

Each concentration combines specialized coursework with matching field placements. Students become experts in their chosen area through Direct Practice methodology, which readies them for advanced roles working with clients.

Tuition and Duration

CSUF’s MSW program works well for professionals who need flexibility:

The MSW Flex program needs 60 units at $525 per unit (fees might change). Most students finish in about three years by taking evening classes during fall, spring, and summer terms.

Students move through the program as a cohort, following a set schedule with guaranteed class spots. This creates a supportive community of peers with similar career goals.

Students can get Federal Direct unsubsidized loans up to $20,500 yearly. Taking six units per semester qualifies as half-time for loan funding. CalSWEC stipends help students who work for California’s public child welfare services agencies.

Field Education Requirements

Field education connects classroom theory with hands-on practice. Students develop core skills through two nine-month field experiences. Each placement needs about 16 hours weekly at community-based social work agencies.

Foundation Year gives students a broad view of social work practice. Students spend at least 16 hours weekly at their practicum agency. Concentration Year focuses on advanced practice in their specialty area. Both placements include:

• Weekly meetings with professional social work supervisors
• Faculty visits to the agency
• Weekly process recording
• Campus practicum seminars each week

Students need their own transportation, must pass background checks, and show TB clearance. The MSW Program Director of Field Education matches students with placements based on their interests.

These experiences are a great way to get practical experience. Students apply classroom theories, adapt to different situations, see how organizations work, use supervision well, evaluate themselves, and grow professionally.

4. California State University, Long Beach

California State University, Long Beach stands at the heart of Southern California. The university’s MSW program prepares students to thrive in a variety of social work settings through an ecological and systems-focused approach. Students learn how people and their environments interact, which helps them serve communities of all types and champion social justice.

Program Overview

CSULB’s CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work program shapes students into advanced generalist social work practitioners. Graduates gain skills to help individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in various settings. The curriculum builds on ecological and systems viewpoints that show how individuals and systems connect with their environments.

Students become professional social workers who support change in a variety of settings. They ensure fair access for disenfranchised populations and champion social justice. The program starts with foundational knowledge and skills before moving to specialized practice areas.

Specializations

CSULB features three unique specialization paths:

1. Child and Family Wellbeing – Students learn to use strength-based and evidence-based approaches that help children and families of all backgrounds thrive. This path creates opportunities in child protective services, schools, and community-based organizations.
2. Adulthood and Aging – This specialization helps adults, older adults, and families flourish. It analyzes aging through biomedical, psychological, socioeconomic, spiritual, and cultural viewpoints.
3. Integrated Health – Students become skilled at addressing physical, behavioral health, and substance use challenges with strength-based and evidence-based methods. Graduates find roles in outpatient facilities, community-based agencies, hospitals, and various care settings.

Students choose their specialization ranking during their first foundation year semester. This choice shapes their second-year courses and practicum placements.

Tuition and Duration

Students can choose from several paths to complete their degree:

• 2-Year Program: 60 semester units spread across four semesters with 15 units each (Fall/Spring/Fall/Spring), costs about $19,912 for California residents.
• 3-Year Program: 60 semester units with 6-9 units per semester over eight semesters. California residents pay approximately $31,592.
• Advanced Standing: Students with a CSWE-accredited BSW can finish in 12 months (one summer, one fall, one spring). California residents pay about $14,465.

Students in Sonoma County and Ventura County areas can also choose a distance education option that follows the 3-year plan.

Field Education Requirements

Field education plays a vital role in CSULB’s MSW curriculum. Students must complete:

• Two 500-hour practicum placements adding up to 1,000 hours
• 16 weekly hours at community agencies
• Weekly integrated practicum seminars on campus
• Training with qualified field instructors

Advanced Standing students need one field placement of 660+ hours. The program partners with agencies throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and nearby counties. These partnerships reflect the many settings where social workers make an impact.

Students put their classroom knowledge to work in real-life settings through these well-laid-out experiences. This hands-on practice builds the skills they need to succeed in social work.

5. California State University, Los Angeles

CSU Los Angeles’s MSW program has maintained CSWE accreditation since 1999. The program takes an advanced generalist approach to help students serve vulnerable populations throughout greater Los Angeles through specialized education paths.

Program Overview

CSU LA’s School of Social Work gives students three program options that fit different schedules and needs:

• Advanced Standing Program (MSW-ASP): Students with a BSW from CSWE-accredited programs can complete this intensive program at the Downtown Los Angeles campus in just eleven months
• Traditional Two-Year Program: Students attend full-time classes at the main campus
• Traditional Three-Year Program: Working professionals can take advantage of this flexible part-time option at the main campus

Students learn both theory and hands-on skills to assess complex social issues, create intervention strategies, and advocate for vulnerable populations.

Specializations

The program’s Advanced Generalist approach gives students versatile skills they can use in many settings instead of narrow specializations. Students learn about:

• Human behavior and social environment
• Generalist and advanced generalist practice
• Social welfare policy and community organizing
• Mental health assessment and diagnosis
• Administration of social service agencies
• Advanced policy analysis and practice

Tuition and Duration

Each program format has different costs and timeframes:

• Traditional Two-Year: Students complete 60 units in four semesters
• Traditional Three-Year: Students finish 60 units over six semesters
• Advanced Standing: Students complete 33 units in 11 months at $525 per unit ($17,325 total)

California residents pay $4,032 per semester for 6.1+ units, bringing the total program cost to about $21,282. Non-resident students must pay an extra $444 per unit, plus campus-based fees.

Field Education Requirements

Field education bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world practice. Students work in supervised field placements that:

• Let them apply classroom learning in real situations
• Create new professional development challenges
• Build readiness for professional practice

Traditional program students must complete four field practicums (I-IV) totaling about 1,000 hours. Advanced Standing students need two field practicums (III-IV). These placements happen in community settings under professional supervision. Students become effective change agents while helping individuals, families, and communities.

6. California State University, Northridge

CSUN’s Master of Social Work program stands out with its advanced generalist approach that serves underserved urban communities. The program will give you the tools to become an agent of change with an intersectional, anti-racist, trauma-informed view.

Program Overview

The MSW program at California State University, Northridge has earned full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This accreditation lets graduates take the licensure exam after completing 3,000 supervised post-MSW hours.

The curriculum employs a strengths-based inclusive identity that highlights shared experiences of community, culture and location. You’ll participate in micro, mezzo, and macro practice with cultural humility and accountability throughout the program. Foundation courses cover human behavior, social work theory, multicultural contexts, psychosocial assessment, social welfare policy, and research methods. Advanced concentration courses follow, with a focus on urban families and communities.

Specializations

Many social work programs offer narrow specializations, but CSUN provides an advanced generalist education centered on urban communities. This approach opens up more career possibilities by helping you develop skills at multiple levels:

• Individual/family (micro)
• Group/community (mezzo)
• Societal/policy (macro)

This versatile training readies you for various roles such as social and community service manager, healthcare social worker, mental health practitioner, school social worker, and licensed clinical social worker.

Tuition and Duration

CSUN’s program comes in several formats to fit different schedules:

• Two-year full-time program: Classes two days per week with internships two days weekly in the first year and three days weekly in the second year
• Three-year part-time program: Evening classes two nights weekly for eight semesters, including two summers
• Online options: Available in both two-year and three-year formats

The program costs $813 per unit with 60 units required, totaling $48,780. This state-university pricing is nowhere near the cost of equivalent private university programs.

Field Education Requirements

CSWE considers field education the “signature pedagogy” of social work education. Students complete about 1,000 hours of supervised field placement. The practicum experience has:

• Weekly supervision by professional social workers
• Faculty liaison visits
• 16-20 hours weekly at placement sites

Students must complete internship hours during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm), as evening and weekend placements aren’t available. The Practicum Education team assigns first-year students to placements. Second-year students join a placement process that starts at the end of fall semester.

7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs offers a prestigious Master of Social Welfare program. Students learn to combine theory, leadership, and research with hands-on training. This CSWE-accredited program needs 95 academic units that students complete in two years of full-time study.

Program Overview

UCLA’s MSW program stands firm in its dedication to anti-racism and working with diverse populations. Students learn to advance social justice, support health and mental health throughout life, and strengthen family well-being. The first year consists of required courses. Students get more freedom to choose their courses in the second year based on their interests.

The program shapes skilled, compassionate professionals who help improve health and well-being. Students learn through a person-in-environment framework that combines global viewpoints with scientific research. Graduates leave ready to fight poverty and racism. They work to create social and economic justice and build conditions that protect everyone’s human rights.

Specializations

Students choose one of three concentration areas in their first year’s spring quarter:

• Child and Family Well Being: Students learn to spot factors affecting well-being inside and outside families. They get training to help at individual, family, community, and policy levels
• Health and Mental Health Across the Life Span: Students gain expertise by combining research, critical thinking, practice, and policy analysis. The program uses the social determinants of health model
• Social and Economic Justice: Students learn ways to promote justice and equity in various domestic and global social welfare settings

Tuition and Duration

UCLA has two program options:

• Two-Year Full-Time: Standard program costs about $21,115 yearly for California residents and $36,297 for non-residents
• Three-Year Part-Time: Available only for Child and Family Well-Being concentration. Students attend morning classes with flexible practicum hours during the day

The complete 8-quarter MSW costs around $65,760 for California residents.

Field Education Requirements

Field education plays a vital role in the curriculum through:

• Two year-long field placements adding up to 1,100 hours
• Monday and Wednesday schedules (8 hours each day), with Fridays for extra field activities
• Second-year placements match the student’s chosen concentration
• Department provides liability insurance ($2,000,000/$4,000,000)

These structured experiences help students apply classroom learning in real-life settings. Students get comprehensive, integrated education that prepares them for their careers.

8. University of Southern California (USC)

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work leads groundbreaking social work education. The school champions social justice through transformative teaching methods and state-of-the-art research. Their detailed MSW program combines theory with extensive hands-on experience to prepare future practitioners effectively.

Program Overview

USC’s Master of Social Work consists of 48 semester units. The curriculum features generalist and specialized practice components. This program ranks among the top accredited social work graduate programs nationwide. Students learn evidence-informed and practice-based skills that address today’s social challenges. The curriculum merges practice, policy, and research within real-life scenarios instead of traditional course silos.

Specializations

Students can select one of five specialized tracks:

• Adult Mental Health and Wellness: This track helps improve mental health throughout the adult lifespan
• Children, Youth and Families: Students learn to support younger populations
• Social Change and Innovation: The program offers cross-disciplinary training to tackle large-scale societal issues
• School and Educational Settings: Students address individual student needs and school community dynamics
• Military Populations and Settings: The focus lies on evidence-based practices serving military populations

Tuition and Duration

Tuition costs $2,256 per unit. Students pay a $33,840 flat rate for 15-18 units per semester. The four-semester MSW program’s estimated total reaches $108,298. Advanced Standing students complete the program in three semesters full-time or five semesters part-time.

Field Education Requirements

Students must complete 1,200 hours of practicum training. Campus-based students participate in two community-based placements. These placements are selected based on professional quality and commitment to social justice. Online students start with a 250-hour Virtual Practicum with simulated client interactions. They then complete an 890-hour in-person placement. The school’s partnerships with over 700 practicum agencies throughout Southern California provide exceptional real-life experience under professional supervision.

Comparing LA MSW Programs

Choose Your LA MSW Today

Your career goals, financial situation, and personal circumstances will determine the best MSW program for you. Los Angeles has an amazing mix of options. Public institutions like CSU campuses provide affordable tuition, while prestigious private universities like USC offer extensive specializations. Each program brings its own strengths and educational philosophies to your social work education experience.

Look beyond just the cost when picking your program. Your educational experience depends on field education requirements, specialization options, program duration, and location. CSU Dominguez Hills puts emphasis on Critical Race Theory, while Azusa Pacific blends faith viewpoints to give you different approaches to social work practice.

On top of that, each program’s field placement opportunities should match your career path. Students get hands-on experience ranging from 960 hours at Azusa Pacific to 1,200 at USC. These practical components substantially shape your professional development and future job prospects.

Program costs show dramatic differences in the comparison table – from about $20,000 at CSU campuses to over $100,000 at USC. All eight programs maintain CSWE accreditation, whatever school you choose, ensuring your degree meets national professional standards.

Two-year full-time programs remain popular, but schools now offer flexible paths through part-time, advanced standing, and online options. You can balance your education with life’s other responsibilities while still getting your MSW.

This detailed comparison of Los Angeles MSW programs helps you take the next step toward your social work career with confidence. The perfect program awaits your application, whether you value affordability, specialization options, or prestige most. Your journey to become a skilled, compassionate social work professional begins with making an informed choice about your education.