Online social work degree programs in Virginia provide a convenient pathway for aspiring social workers to pursue their education and career goals. These programs offer a blend of rigorous academic coursework and practical field experiences, tailored to meet the needs of students balancing work and personal commitments.

Virginia’s online social work programs ensure that graduates are well-prepared to advocate for social justice, provide support to diverse populations, and meet the challenges of modern social work.

This guide highlights some of the popular online social work programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels in Virginia. Explore each option to make an informed decision about your educational path.

Online Social Work Programs in Virginia

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online social work degree programs in Virginia:

Virginia Commonwealth University

The online Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program atVirginia Commonwealth University (VCU)requires you to complete 120 credits, including 46 credits in the major.

This practice model equips you with a broad base of knowledge about individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations, coupled with an appreciation of cultural diversity. General education courses provide an essential foundation for the upper-level professional curriculum and are required for admission to junior and senior social work courses.

Throughout the program, you develop essential social work skills and professional competencies through activities that include live presence and interaction, collaborative teamwork, team projects (written and oral), presentations, and experiential activities, such as role plays and videotaping of clinical simulations. another time or through an alternate means.

The primary goals of the BSW program at VCU are to provide:

Upon completing this program, you will know and know how to do the following:

During the program, you will be exposed to a variety of skills and interventions — in the classroom and through field education — to use in social work settings. When you enter the field as professionals, you do so equipped with a nuanced understanding of the day-to-day demands of the job.

Field education in this BSW program consists of three sequential courses. They are SLWK 395 (Social Work Field Preparation) and SLWK 494 and 495 (Senior Field Instruction I and II). During Senior Field Instruction, BSW students complete a total of 400 hours over fall and spring semester at the rate of approximately 14 hours per week.

With more than 500 local nonprofits, organizations, and agencies, you will have an opportunity to spend your required field placements in the Greater Richmond community, gaining real-world training that builds on their in-class learning. Many of the on-site field instructors who are helping guide field education are themselves VCU social work alumni.

You will also be required to write at least one monthly process recording, which is an integral part of the learning experience in the field. These recordings provide you the opportunity to reflect on your work, build your self-awareness and share your experiences and thoughts with your instructor, and teach you how to relate theory to practice. The focus of any process recording could be work with an individual, family or couple; a small client group; a professional meeting; or a critical analysis of macro practice.

Upon completion of field education courses, you are expected to utilize knowledge, values, skills and cognitive and affective processes essential for entry-level generalist practice in such a way as to demonstrate:

You may apply for admission to the BSW professional program when you have completed the required general education pre-professional curriculum, have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50, and have junior standing (54 credits minimum). It will be necessary to attend advising before submitting this application.

To continue in the professional preparation curriculum, you must meet the program admission standards. You must earn a “C” or better in all 300-level social work courses before entering 400-level courses. They must have a “C” or better in all required social work courses before graduation.

You can apply for support such as scholarships and the Child Welfare Stipend Program.

Liberty University

Liberty University’sCSWE-accredited 120-credit online Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) degree can assist you in addressing critical social challenges through an understanding of human psychology. You will learn to evaluate, engage with, and intervene for individuals, families, and communities. With the skills you acquire from this online bachelor’s degree in social work, you can assist the people of your community in taking a step toward healthier lives.

To earn your online BSSW degree, you will need to complete 120 credit hours, including 21 credits for Major Foundational Courses and 63 credits for Major Core. You must also maintain 2.5 overall grade point average (GPA) throughout the program.

Moreover, at Liberty, you won’t have to put your life on hold to earn your bachelor’s in social work degree online. The flexible nature of this online BSSW program allows you to complete your assignments when it’s most convenient for you.

The online delivery of the program also allows you to complete your field experience requirements at a location near you, so you can begin serving your community in a human-services capacity before you finish your degree.

Social work is not a one-size-fits-all field which is why Liberty University’s offer a variety of specializations tailored to meet diverse needs and interests. Each specialization is designed to help equip you with the specific knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience needed to begin your journey in your chosen area. You can study the ways to assess and address individual and community needs, develop and implement effective intervention strategies, and advocate for those who can’t always speak for themselves.

Through Liberty’s online social work classes, you can receive specialized training in assessments, intervention strategies, and counseling techniques. These skills can help prepare you to practice as a human services professional in diverse communities. As a social worker, you can be empowered to help families and individuals make positive life changes, no matter their background.

Liberty University’s online BSSW degree can benefit you in several career paths. You can sharpen the skills you need for a career as a social worker — preparing for future graduate studies or for other behavioral science roles.

Your skills and hands-on experience with a degree in human services can lead to various career opportunities. Research, criminal justice, education, government, and other important management roles all require advanced training. Liberty University’s online BSSW degree can help prepare you to fill the increasing needs in the private, public, and nonprofit markets. With people-focused understanding, you can be a valuable human services asset.

To apply, you need to:

Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment.

George Mason University

George Mason University’sonline CSWE-accredited MSW program is suitable for students of all academic backgrounds. Whether you are currently a social work professional aiming to enhance your skills or new to the field, this program is designed to assist you in advancing your career through direct client service. Work experience is not necessary; merely a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required.

The part-time online MSW is 60 credit hours and can be completed in 10 semesters. MSW classes for part-time online students are offered in an asynchronous format, allowing you to view sessions interactively at your convenience. However, some courses may offer synchronous participation opportunities.

George Mason University’s online MSW also offers an Advanced Standing program for those qualified with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution. This competitive program allows you the opportunity to complete your MSW in less time, requiring just 33 credit hours.

Courses for George Mason University’s online MSW are offered in a convenient, part-time, online format that is mostly asynchronous so you can study when and wherever works best for you. You will also complete two supervised field practica which are in-person learning opportunities in local communities to apply your social work learning to real-world practice. The online curriculum mirrors George Mason’s on-campus program.

George Mason University’s MSW program offers a choice between two specializations: 1) Adults & Healthy Aging or 2) Children, Youth, & Families. To graduate with the MSW degree, you must successfully complete the generalist courses and the courses for one specialization. Before beginning specialization courses, you must complete all generalist courses.

Generalist courses include:

You will have opportunities to demonstrate social work competencies in your home communities through local, in-person internships. The university works with over 400 field practicum agencies in Northern Virginia, the Washington Metropolitan area (DMV), and within the United States (50 states) to ensure its students have access to organizations that span beyond the traditional divisions of social work.

The online MSW program accepts applications on a rolling basis. Admissions requirements for the program are:

Additional requirements for Advanced Standing include:

National University

National University’sCSWE-accredited 60-credit online MSW program prepares you for a wide range of careers in social services. The program is tailored to meet CSWE standards, ensuring you acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and practical experience to excel in professional settings.

The Generalist Track requires you to complete 60 credit hours, beginning with foundational courses and progressing to advanced courses. Your final project, or capstone, will conclude the program.

Throughout the program, you will study modern social work practices, ethics, and communication, developing essential social work skills. The program integrates online coursework with hands-on practicum experiences, where you will work directly with individuals, groups, and communities, under the guidance of a local field supervisor.

Your foundational courses will include:

Advanced courses you will take include:

Central to your MSW education at National University is the practicum experience, also known as field placement or internship, which provides practical learning in a social work setting. This practicum connects you with applied learning settings and real responsibilities, allowing you to use knowledge and skills from coursework in real-time, under the supervision of experienced professionals.

This hands-on training prepares you for roles in places such as mental health centers, public service agencies, and military service centers. National MSW students complete field placements under approved local supervisors in their own communities. Foundation Track students are required to complete 900 hours of qualified practicum, while Advanced Standing Track students need to complete 500 hours.

During the practicum experience, Foundation Track students will enroll in Generalist Practicum I and Generalist Practicum II courses. For each twelve-week course, you will complete 200 hours at your practicum site.

After meeting the 400-hour requirement, Foundation Track students will move on to Advanced Practicum I and II courses. Each of these twelve-week courses requires 250 hours of practicum, totaling 500 hours for the Advanced Generalist practicum. You should plan to work around 18-20 hours per week at your field agency to meet these hour requirements.

To apply for the General Track MSW at National University, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, including those outside the U.S. that meet equivalency standards through a recognized evaluation service.

How Much Does a Licensed Social Worker Make in Virginia?

As of January 2025, the average annual salary for a licensed social worker working in Virginiais $91,866. More experienced and top earning social workers in Virginia make over $125,000 per year.