Department of Graduate Social Work
Winona State offers an online Master of Social Work program that specializes in trauma-informed clinical social work practice.
Classes are held asynchronously online with additional Learning Labs scheduled synchronously online.
This graduate degree is perfect for aspiring trauma-informed clinical social workers.
MSW Program Mission
The WSU Master of Social Work Program (located within a regional public university that is committed to community engagement and service) has a diverse, distinctive, and caring faculty who collaborate with eminent community partners to prepare trauma-informed clinical social workers with a distinctive synthesis of knowledge, skills, practice wisdom, and immersive experiences to:
- promote client empowerment and social justice through applying an honoring, strengths-based orientation to increasingly diverse, disparate, and ever-evolving individuals and communities
- integrate with, expand, and enhance existing communities of practice
- develop, utilize, and assess innovative and research-informed practices
Program Goals
- Produce trauma-informed clinical social workers who are effective, self-reflective, and ethical.
- Be an agent of social justice and social change, particularly with diverse and vulnerable populations.
- Offer an integrated curriculum that incorporates our practice communities’ expertise, with a curriculum that models the interrelationship between knowledge, research, and practice wisdom.
- Provide a center of social work innovation and excellence that promotes evidence-informed practice, practice-informed research, and life-long learning.
- Maintain a faculty of distinction who are diverse in demographics, teaching and practice experiences, research interests, and theoretical perspectives.
- Promote a nurturing academic environment where strengths are honored to support the learning and professional growth of students.
View the MSW Program Outcomes Assessment (PDF).
Graduate Social Work News
Other Program Info
The WSU MSW Program has been awarded full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) through 2030.
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
Where the MSW Program Meets Licensure Requirements
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.
Where the MSW Program Does Not Meet Licensure Requirements
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 Department of Graduate Social Work
WSU-Rochester on Broadway
507.535.2584