Bachelor of Social Work Department
The profession of social work is committed to working with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations to improve social functioning and overall well-being.
Winona State offers a Bachelor of Social Work program with options on the Winona and Rochester campuses.
In most states, employment as a professional social worker following graduation with a BSW will require the graduate to take the licensing examination.
Rochester Location
WSU-Rochester offers a hybrid Bachelor of Social Work option.
Each semester, students are required to attend 4 in-person Learning Labs in Rochester, where they gain hands-on experience and engage directly with instructors and peers. The rest of the course content is either synchronous or asynchronous online.
Transfer to the BSW Program
Students can transfer from any two-year or four-year institution at any time. The process begins with applying to Winona State University, followed by an application to the social work program.
Prospective transfers into the WSU BSW program—whether for the Rochester Hybrid or Winona campus—are strongly encouraged to meet with a BSW faculty member after submitting their application to Winona State.
Bachelor of Social Work in the News
Accreditation
Our Bachelor of Social Work program has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1984.
Our BSW program measures and reports on student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the CSWE accreditation standards.
These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to demonstrate during their professional training. In the BSW program, students have learning opportunities to demonstrate each competency through social work courses and practicum experiences.
Review our annual Summary of the Program Assessment Plan (PDF).
This guide is provided for students planning to graduate from Winona State University’s MSW program that leads to licensure.
Standard licensure titles among U.S. states and territories include Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), and Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW).
The U.S. Department of Education, under regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires Winona State to disclose whether or not our programs will meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in all the U.S. states and territories. However, please note that licensing requirements can vary drastically by state and change over time.
While Winona State University researches licensure requirements frequently, the MSW program cannot guarantee licensure for any student. In addition to educational requirements for licensure, other requirements such as exams, specialized training, supervised post-graduation clinical experience, criminal background checks with fingerprinting, U.S. citizenship, and extra requirements may apply.
We encourage students who may live out-of-state or intend to test or apply for licensure or certification outside of Minnesota to review the educational program licensure requirements in the state they intend to practice and share the out-of-state information with College representatives and program officials.
Last revised: July 15, 2025
Winona State’s MSW program meets licensure requirements for the following states or U.S. territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida (LCSW & Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern), Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Winona State’s MSW program does not licensure requirements for the following states or U.S. territories: Florida (Certified Master Social Worker), Indiana, and Maine.
Contact the Bachelor of Social Work Department
Maxwell 267
507.457.5563