Online Social Work Programs in Arizona

Social workers in Arizona can focus their careers in several areas, including mental health and substance abuse social work, healthcare social work, and child, family, and school social work. Child, family, and school social workers enjoy high concentrations of jobs and location quotients in Tucson while healthcare social workers enjoy some of the top pay in the Lake Havasu City-Kingman area. Mental health and substance abuse social workers in Arizona enjoy high employment levels in the Phoneix-Mesa-Scottsdale area.

Graduates with a social work degree in Arizona can explore all avenues of social work across several industries, depending on their personal interests and career goals. Online programs provide students with the same quality of education as traditional on-campus programs but with more flexible formats.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that social workers will see a 16% job growth rate between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than the average career. Social workers enjoy a median annual salary of $49,470.

Social Work Programs by Degree Level

Education and Licensure Requirements for Social Workers in Arizona

Graduates of online social work schools in Arizona can pursue licensure through the Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. The state offers certification for licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) and licensed baccalaureate (LBSWs) or master social workers (LMSWs). A graduate can access resource guides for both types of licensure and complete an application to begin the process of obtaining certification.

Education Requirements

To gain social work licensure in Arizona, a graduate must hold a bachelor’s degree to pursue LBSW licensure and a master’s degree to pursue LMSW licensure. To obtain licensure as a licensed clinical social worker, graduates must hold a master’s degree.

For any social work licensing in the state, graduates’ degrees should come from social work programs in Arizona that are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Licensing requirements also ensure candidates hold supervised work experience with clinical supervision.

Exam Application Process and Requirements

Each student must complete an application. The board will only accept an application that includes a social security number and public contact information. Applicants should note that the board considers phone numbers and addresses to be public information. It then verifies each applicant’s legal residency, requiring candidates to attach copies of documents proving their residency statuses.

Recent graduates should wait until their qualifying degrees appear on their transcripts before requesting official copies. Applicants must submit transcripts in a sealed envelope. Degrees should be from CSWE-accredited institutions. Once they fill in their education information, each applicant can complete a background questionnaire and fill in their employment history for the past seven years. Candidates must then submit verification of supervised work experience and clinical supervision and take their exams.

Continuing Education and Licensure Renewal

A social worker renewing one license must pay a fee of $325, reduced from the previous fee of $350. For each additional renewal, social workers pay $163, reduced from $175. When applying for renewal, individuals must abide by the Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial. Applicants can submit their renewals online and pay by credit card or mail their renewals in and pay by check or money order. The board does not pre-approve any continuing education providers, but the types of continuing education activities are included in the board’s rules.

Why Choose an Online Social Work Program in Arizona?

Students at social work schools in Arizona can earn their degrees online, taking advantage of the flexibility and convenience afforded to them in asynchronous formats. Social work degree seekers who study online can complete their clinical and supervised hours from approved nearby locations. Depending on the college or university, enrollees may encounter different tuition structures.

Ranking Methodology

Here is our list of online social work degree programs in Arizona as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. We cover online bachelor’s in social work, online master’s in social work, and online doctorate in social work programs. All programs are regionally and CSWE accredited, and all are available entirely online.

Online Social Work Programs in Arizona

Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University offers programs through eight colleges at its main Flagstaff campus, along with 20 other campuses statewide and online. NAU stands as a leader in distance education in the state, and it offers some of the lowest tuition rates in Arizona.

The Department of Social Work offers programs addressing the needs of rural and indigenous populations in the Southwest. Faculty address issues such as poverty and oppression, and help social workers learn to promote human rights and social and economic justice. The Department of Social Work’s bachelor of social work and master of social work programs are both delivered online.

Northern Arizona University’s Bachelor of Social Work

• Credits and Courses: 120 units. Students complete 75 units in the social work major.
• Completion Time: Freshmen complete this BSW, one of the best social work programs in Arizona, in four years. Transfer students may complete the degree in as little as two years by transferring an associate degree.
• Field Education: Students complete a total of 480 hours in an organizational setting. Learners may complete concurrent field placements at 18 hours a week, totalling 240 hours per semester, at an organization over two semesters. Alternately, they may spend at least 35 hours a week during a block placement that lasts 15 weeks and totals 480 hours.
• Exam Preparation: The BSW prepares students for licensed generalist social worker practice in many states.
• Transfer Policies: The school accepts transfer credits with a minimum 2.0 GPA from regionally accredited institutions. NAU accepts associate degrees with a minimum 2.0 GPA to meet the school’s general education requirements.
• Online Student Support: Students enjoy access to online tutoring, plus full library access and 24/7 tech support.
• Cost: $425/per credit.
• Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Northern Arizona University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Northern Arizona University’s social work programs are CSWE-accredited.

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Arizona State University – Tempe

Arizona State University lauds more than 25 programs ranked in the top 25 in the United States. Each year the school graduates about 20,000 students — the next generation of leaders in various disciplines. ASU offers a robust catalog of online degrees through ASU Online.

ASU’s School of Social Work is one of the world’s largest. The school’s faculty boast expertise in areas such as child welfare, community practice, global social work, and health and behavioral health. Social work programs reflect how faculty address the needs of diverse populations in the Southwest. The school offers a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in social work. Students can pursue Arizona State University’s social work graduate program from anywhere in the nation.

ASU Online’s Master of Social Work

• Credits and Courses: 60 credits. Faculty deliver 20 classes in 7.5-week sessions. In addition to courses and field experience, online students must prepare an applied portfolio project that closely ties into their internship.
• Completion Time: Full-time students finish the online MSW in two years.
• Field Education: 960 hours. Students complete the 960 hours at two distinct internship sites. The school of social work’s field education office works with learners to secure sites that meet CSWE standards within their geographic region.
• Exam Preparation: This program prepares students for the ASWB exam.
• Online Student Support: Students enjoy online support including real-time online tutoring, online writing center workshops, academic skills workshops, and 24/7 tech support.
• Cost: $809/per credit.
• Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a minimum 3.2 GPA or submit the GRE or MAT to supplement lower GPA scores. They must also demonstrate at least 240 hours of volunteer or work experience in social services in the last five years.

Arizona State University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Arizona State University’s social work programs are CSWE-accredited.

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