7 Best MSW Programs in Charlotte: Full 2026 Guide

Interested in MSW programs in Charlotte? The timing couldn’t be better. The job market is growing faster than ever. Charlotte’s metro area has grown by over 15% in the last decade, and licensed clinical social workers are in high demand in many sectors.

North Carolina is the 9th most populated state and employs over 20,000 social workers. The career outlook gets even better. The state projects strong growth between 2022 and 2032 in social work specializations. Healthcare social workers lead at 16.6%, while mental health and substance abuse specialists follow at 15.1%. Child, family, and school social workers show a solid 14.2% increase.

This guide dives into the seven best MSW programs in and around Charlotte for 2026. It will help you choose the right path for your social work education and career.

1. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

UNC Charlotte’s nationally-ranked MSW program prepares you for clinical and community practice roles. Students develop skills that help them succeed in social work while supporting the profession’s commitment to social and economic equity.

Program Snapshot

The MSW program at UNC Charlotte excels with its advanced generalist approach. Social work professionals learn culturally-informed, community practice, policy, and research skills. National recognition has grown steadily, and the program now ranks 51st in U.S. News & World Report rankings. This places it among the top 20% of graduate social work programs nationwide.

The program aims to encourage optimal health, well-being, equal human rights, and a just society. You’ll learn a multisystemic approach that focuses on individuals, their environments, and relationships. This knowledge helps influence organizations, communities, and policies toward a more equitable society.

Curriculum Highlights

Students can choose from several paths to complete their MSW degree:

• 1-Year Advanced Standing (On-Campus): BSW graduates can finish in one calendar year (May-May) with 39 credit hours (33 classroom, 6 practicum)
• 2-Year Traditional (On-Campus): A two-year program requiring 60 credit hours (48 classroom, 12 practicum)
• 1-Year Advanced Standing (Online): Matches the on-campus option but delivered online
• 2-Year Advanced Standing (Online): Part-time option spread over two years
• 3-Year Distance Education: Part-time study over three years totaling 60 credit hours

Students take specialized courses in working with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. The program offers elective courses through the School of Social Work or other UNC Charlotte departments to help develop your specialization.

Admissions

The UNC Charlotte Graduate School portal accepts applications until the priority deadline of January 15th. Competition for spots is high, and you’ll need:

• A bachelor’s degree (social work background needed only for Advanced Standing)
• A preferred GPA of 3.0 (lower GPAs may qualify based on other strengths)
• Three professional recommendations
• A 3-4 page statement of purpose answering specific prompts
• Your current resume
• TOEFL or IELTS scores if English isn’t your first language

Advanced Standing applicants must have earned their BSW within the last seven years with a “B” or better in required courses.

Field Education

Field education is the cornerstone of social work education at UNC Charlotte. The program’s partnerships include more than 200 urban and rural agencies serving vulnerable populations around Charlotte.

Students practice in the field while taking classes, spending about 16 hours weekly throughout the academic year. Each student completes 464 hours yearly in placements that match their interests and program needs. Your experience will include interviewing, case-planning, report writing, policy meetings, research, and supervised practice.

Who is UNC Charlotte Best For?

This MSW program fits perfectly if you want:

• Advanced generalist education with room to specialize
• Mentorship from experts in social work
• Many field placement choices in urban and rural areas
• Program formats that fit your schedule
• Career options in schools, hospitals, hospice agencies, health departments, trauma centers, shelters, and domestic violence centers

The program’s emphasis on social justice and societal intervention makes it perfect for anyone passionate about tackling social, racial, economic, and environmental injustice while promoting community well-being.

2. Johnson C. Smith University

Johnson C. Smith University provides a high-quality, economical MSW program that adapts to your schedule. This private historically Black university, 156 years old, sits at Charlotte’s urban heart. The program helps working professionals balance their careers with educational goals.

Program Snapshot

You can choose between two paths in the MSW program: a 1-year Advanced Standing track if you have a BSW degree, or a traditional 2-year full-time option. The program earned CSWE reaccreditation in 2019, which guarantees curriculum excellence meets national standards.

The program stands out because students can take evening and weekend courses. This schedule lets working professionals advance their education without putting their careers on hold. Charlotte’s vibrant urban setting, the nation’s second largest banking center and fifth fastest-growing large city, adds value to your educational experience.

Curriculum Highlights

The well-laid-out curriculum follows a careful sequence:

First-year students learn these foundation courses:

• Introduction to Cultural Competence
• Human Behavior and the Social Environment
• Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families, Organizations, and Communities
• Field Experience

Second-year and Advanced Standing students advance to specialized courses such as:

• Advanced Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
• Applied Research
• Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities
• Field Experience III and IV
• Elective courses matching your interests

Cultural competence weaves through every course, preparing you to work effectively with diverse populations.

Admissions

You need these items to apply:

• An undergraduate degree with liberal arts foundation from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum 3.0 GPA (preferred)
• Three recommendations (at least 1-2 from academic sources if possible)
• Personal statement (3-5 double-spaced pages)
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• $40 application fee

The MSW program doesn’t require GRE scores or give social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

The program reviews applications three times yearly with deadlines on October 1, February 1, and April 1. Advanced Standing applicants can start in summer, while Two-Year program applicants begin in fall.

Field Education

Field experience is the basis of the MSW program. Your internships let you apply classroom knowledge in ground applications. These supervised placements help you gain exceptional experience with diverse populations.

Students develop professional competence through hands-on training. Your field experiences create meaningful impacts in Charlotte’s communities while building professional skills and networks.

Tuition & Costs

Full-time tuition runs approximately $11,075 per semester or $22,150 yearly, which costs less than the national average of $50,018. You can access various financial aid options:

• Scholarships and loans
• Graduate assistantships
• Federal Work-Study

The university offers payment plans to manage costs. The Monthly Payment Plan lets you spread tuition payments across a semester.

Who is Johnson C. Smith Best For?

This program fits perfectly if you:

• Need evening/weekend classes
• Prefer smaller, intimate learning spaces
• Want to serve diverse urban communities
• Seek an affordable MSW in Charlotte
• Value HBCU traditions and cultural views

With an 85% acceptance rate and steadfast dedication to developing compassionate, forward-thinking leaders, Johnson C. Smith University creates a supportive environment for Charlotte’s future social work professionals.

3. Wingate University

Wingate University now has a completely online Master of Social Work program that takes a fresh approach to professional growth. The program sits within the Levine College of Health Sciences and shapes students to become “exemplary difference makers” through a new social work framework.

Program Snapshot

Wingate University’s MSW program gives you a flexible, self-paced online learning experience that works well if you have a full-time job. You can keep working while earning your degree. Students choose between full-time and part-time study paths. Full-time students finish their degree in two years, while those who qualify for advanced standing need just one year.

The program builds on “transformative social work in the beloved community” and smoothly combines micro, mezzo, and macro practice levels. This complete view helps you tackle both individual needs and broader community challenges. The program has earned CSWE candidacy status. Students who join during or after the candidacy year will be recognized as graduates of a CSWE-accredited program once it gets initial accreditation.

Curriculum Highlights

Students must complete 48 credit hours, with 12 hours in practicum experience. The core courses focus on:

• Transformative social work practice
• Person-in-environment framework
• Professional values including service and social justice
• Human rights and scientific inquiry

“The Licensure Lunchbox” makes this program special. These Lunch & Learn sessions let students connect with regulatory leaders and private practice professionals. You’ll learn about licensing processes and how to manage a private practice.

Admissions

You need a bachelor’s degree to join the MSW program, but no entrance exam. BSW degree holders might qualify for advanced standing, which cuts down program length substantially. The university uses a cohort model starting with 15 students per group, growing to 30 as the program expands.

Field Education

Field education plays a key role, requiring 12 credit hours of practicum experience. Students work with peers from other health disciplines, which is unique to this program. This teamwork teaches you how different professions help create complete client assessments and service delivery.

Tuition & Costs

The 2024-2025 academic year costs $650 per credit hour. Rates will go up to $670 per credit hour in 2025-2026. Students should plan for extra costs like books, technology, and professional development materials.

Who is Wingate Best For?

This MSW program fits perfectly if you:

• Want a fully online, self-paced format while working
• Like an approach that brings together all practice levels
• Care about social justice and the “beloved community” concept
• Value learning alongside other health professionals
• Need clear paths to clinical social work licensure

The program is one of only six fully online CSWE-accredited MSW programs in North Carolina. This makes it a great choice for regional students who want to advance their careers without moving or attending campus classes.

4. Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University’s MSW program gives students a choice between on-campus and online learning paths. The CSWE-accredited program, based in Boone, North Carolina, helps students master advanced social work skills to make a difference in their communities.

Program Snapshot

App State’s Master of Social Work program teaches clinical knowledge and professional skills to help vulnerable populations. Students can choose between regular and advanced standing tracks based on their education background. The regular MSW program takes two years to complete at the Boone campus. BSW graduates who qualify for advanced standing can finish their degree in just one year—either on campus or online. Both paths focus on essential practice skills, assessment methods, intervention strategies, leadership, and program planning.

Curriculum Highlights

The MSW program at App State has a unique crossover design with two concentration paths:

• Individuals and Families: Teaches clinical practice skills for working with children, adolescents, adults, and families
• Community and Organizational Practice: Tackles social problems and change at community and organizational levels

Students pick one concentration but learn from both areas. This approach helps graduates develop skills they can use in many practice settings. The program has core courses in advanced assessment, practice with families, children, adolescents, and adults, along with field practicums and seminars.

Admissions

The MSW program needs these qualifications:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• 0 GPA in your last earned degree (2.5 GPA might work with good test scores)
• Three recommendation letters mixing academic and professional sources
• Personal statement (3-4 pages) covering:
  • Why you want to study social work
  • How NASW core values will shape your practice
  • Your preferred concentration and why

Advanced Standing needs a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program earned within seven years, with a minimum 3.2 GPA in BSW courses.

Field Education

Field education is at the heart of App State’s MSW program. Students complete field placements over two semesters each year, putting in 240 hours per semester. These placements let you work in various human service settings under experienced social work supervisors. You’ll apply classroom theories in real situations while helping communities.

Tuition & Costs

Your costs depend on where you live and how you study:

• NC Resident (On-Campus): $6,110 per academic year
• Non-NC Resident (On-Campus): $17,556 per academic year
• NC Resident (Online): $4,291 per academic year
• Non-NC Resident (Online): $15,739 per academic year

These numbers cover tuition and fees. You’ll also need money for books ($400), housing ($7,357-$9,100), and food ($5,628).

Who is Appalachian State Best For?

You’ll fit well in App State’s MSW program if you:

• Want the choice between online and on-campus study
• Like both clinical and macro practice through the crossover design
• Have a BSW and want to finish your MSW in one year
• Care about social, economic, and environmental justice
• Value working with Appalachian and global communities

The program’s Research 2 Carnegie Classification and U.S. News & World Report’s recognition as a top five school for innovation show its quality and strong outcomes.

5. East Carolina University

East Carolina University’s MSW program stands out with its unique relational viewpoint to social work education. Located in Greenville, NC, students become skilled at clinical and community practice while learning relationship-centered interventions.

Program Snapshot

ECU’s School of Social Work develops competent, ethical social workers who serve people, groups, families, organizations, and communities effectively. The program’s distinctive clinical-community social work practice from a relational viewpoint shows how relationships enable clients to create positive change. This integrated person-in-environment framework creates practitioners who understand how relational networks help clients determine their path while advocating for social, economic, and environmental justice.

Students can complete their degree at ECU in two ways:

• In-Person: Full-time programs on campus in Greenville
• Online: 100% online part-time programs that combine synchronous Saturday courses with asynchronous coursework

Curriculum Highlights

The MSW program provides regular and advanced standing paths:

• Regular Pathway (60 semester hours): Students complete 33 s.h. of core courses, 18 s.h. of field practicums, and 9 s.h. of electives
• Advanced Standing (42 semester hours): BSW graduates complete 21 s.h. of core courses, 12 s.h. of field practicums, and 9 s.h. of electives

Core coursework has trauma-informed practice, group practice, advanced practice with individuals and families, community partnerships, and critical thinking in social work research. Students focus on a single concentration in clinical-community social work and choose electives with guidance from faculty advisors.

Admissions

Students need these qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in final 30 semester hours

Advanced Standing applicants must hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program earned in the last seven years. January 15 marks the priority deadline, but applications continue until all spots are filled.

Field Education

Field education is the cornerstone of social work education at ECU. Regular pathway students complete 1,032 hours of field education, while advanced standing students finish 672 hours. MSW students spend 24 hours weekly in field placements to complete at least 336 hours each semester.

Students can work in various agencies across eastern North Carolina. These experiences line up with the Council on Social Work Education’s nine core competencies. Students may complete field hours at their workplace with approval.

Tuition & Costs

Graduate resident distance education students will pay about $5,496 in tuition and fees for 2025-2026, while non-resident graduate distance education students will pay approximately $19,302. The MS of Social Work program requires an extra $45 per credit hour as program-specific tuition.

Who is East Carolina Best For?

ECU’s MSW program suits:

• Students who want flexibility with campus-based and fully online options
• People interested in relationship-centered practice
• Working professionals seeking part-time study options
• Students who want both clinical and community practice training
• Those interested in field placements throughout eastern North Carolina

The Council on Social Work Education accredits the program, which meets professional licensure requirements across the continental United States.

6. North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University offers a complete MSW program with an advanced generalist focus. The program prepares social workers to lead in multiple systems. Students learn cultural competence and social justice principles, and working professionals can choose flexible scheduling options.

Program Snapshot

NCCU’s MSW program develops practitioners who excel at problem-solving and deliver competent services locally, nationally, and globally. Classes meet once weekly—Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.—with some online options available. Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1998, the program aims to prepare advanced generalist practitioners who improve population well-being through curriculum and hands-on learning that drives positive social change.

Curriculum Highlights

Students can choose between two paths:

• Traditional Two-Year Program: Students complete 58 credit hours, with 16 credits in fall and 13 in spring semesters each year
• Advanced Standing (One-Year): Recent BSW graduates need 35 credit hours, including 6 credit hours of summer bridge courses

Students concentrate on Advanced Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, and Communities. Core courses include forensic social work, psychopathology, child welfare practices, and leadership in administration and community practice.

Admissions

Traditional MSW program needs:

• Bachelor’s degree with strong liberal arts background
• Minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA and 3.0 GPA in major coursework
• Personal narrative statement
• Professional resume
• Two recommendation letters
• Writing sample based on a professional journal article

Advanced standing candidates must have earned their BSW within the last seven years. They need a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.2 GPA in social work courses. Three recommendation letters are required, including one from their BSW field instructor.

Field Education

Field education plays a vital role in the program:

• First-year students spend 224 hours per semester (16 hours weekly)
• Second-year students dedicate 336 hours per semester (24 hours weekly)

Students gain experience in healthcare, aging services, schools, child welfare, mental health, and community organizations. Social work professionals supervise all placements.

Tuition & Costs

Graduate tuition rates for 2025-2026:

• In-state: $299.23 per credit hour, about $7,638 annually
• Out-of-state: $1,038.57 per credit hour, about $20,946 annually

Who is NCCU Best For?

The MSW program suits:

• Working professionals who need evening and weekend classes
• Students drawn to advanced generalist practice
• People passionate about serving diverse populations
• Students seeking an HBCU experience with strong cultural competence focus
• Future leaders in advocacy, research, and policy-making

7. UNC Greensboro & NC A&T Joint Program

The Joint Master of Social Work (JMSW) program brings together UNC Greensboro and NC A&T State University in a groundbreaking partnership. Since 1972, this unique program has combined faculty from both universities to create a single, comprehensive academic experience.

Program Snapshot

This JMSW program made history as the first partnership between a predominantly white institution (UNCG) and a Historically Black University (NC A&T) in the United States. The Council on Social Work Education has accredited the program since 2000, with accreditation renewed through 2028. Students learn to become skilled at multicultural clinical social work practice. The program gives students access to libraries and parking at both campuses.

Curriculum Highlights

Students can choose between two flexible program options:

• Two-Year Option: Students complete 60 credit hours in four semesters. Summer sessions remain optional for electives
• Advanced Standing Option: Students finish 42 credit hours in one calendar year, starting in summer

Admissions

Students must meet these requirements:

• Liberal arts foundation (minimum 30 credit hours)
• 18 hours in Social/Behavioral Sciences
• 6 hours in Humanities
• 3 hours in Human Biology/Development
• 3 hours in Statistics
• Proof of intellectual/personal qualities needed for social work practice

Advanced Standing candidates should have a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program with a 3.5 GPA in social work courses. Students can submit applications until March 15, but the preferred deadline is January 15.

Field Education

Co-Directors from each university manage the field education component, which forms the program’s backbone. Two-year students complete 1,112 field hours over four semesters, while Advanced Standing students finish 672 hours in two semesters. Students work in different settings during their generalist and specialist placements to gain varied experience.

Tuition & Costs

The program randomly assigns students to either UNCG or NC A&T as their “home campus” for tuition, fees, registration, and financial aid. Both universities charge extra tuition for the joint program:

• In-state students pay an additional $237 for 9+ credit hours
• Out-of-state students pay an additional $771 for 9+ credit hours

Who is the Joint Program Best For?

This program suits students who want:

• A multicultural clinical social work education
• Experience in both predominantly white and HBCU environments
• Strong diversity focus throughout their studies
• Preparation for licensure in any state requiring clinical social work credentials

Comparing Charlotte’s MSW Programs

Next Steps

Your choice of MSW program will substantially affect your career path and job satisfaction. This piece shows you seven outstanding MSW programs in and around Charlotte. Each program offers unique benefits that match different educational needs and career goals.

The job market in Charlotte is growing faster than ever. Social work graduates have excellent prospects here. North Carolina expects growth rates above 14% in all social work specializations through 2032. This is a big deal as it means that your MSW degree investment should pay off well.

UNC Charlotte and Johnson C. Smith University are the only CSWE-accredited programs within Charlotte’s city limits. You’ll find excellent options nearby at Wingate, Appalachian State, East Carolina, North Carolina Central, and the UNCG/NC A&T joint program.

These schools shine when it comes to program flexibility. You can choose traditional on-campus classes, online learning, or evening/weekend formats that work for busy professionals. Most programs let BSW graduates finish in one year through advanced standing, while others take the standard two-year path.

Your choice should go beyond just location. Look at program costs, focus areas, field placements, schedule options, and campus environment. Each program has its specialty. UNC Charlotte takes an advanced generalist approach. Johnson C. Smith focuses on cultural competence. The UNCG/NC A&T program offers a unique multicultural clinical emphasis.

Field education forms the heart of your MSW experience. Programs need different hours and placement settings. You’ll get hands-on experience that connects classroom learning to real-life practice.

The right MSW program should fit both your career dreams and life situation. These seven programs give you the knowledge, skills, and credentials you need. You can excel in clinical practice, community organization, policy advocacy, or administration in North Carolina’s ever-changing job market.