Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky MSW Programs

CSWE-accreditedCollege of Social WorkPublic

What MSW Options Does University of Kentucky Offer?

University of Kentucky offers 3 MSW options, 1 of them online. It is CSWE-accredited. BSW graduates can enter with advanced standing (30 credits). Estimated tuition starts at $47,400.

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3 MSW Options at University of Kentucky

Specializations named on University of Kentucky's pages: Child Welfare Practice Certificate, Clinical Social Work Certificate, Military Behavioral Health Certificate, School Social Work Certificate, Substance Use Disorder Certificate, Trauma-Responsive Practice Certificate, Rural Health and Wellbeing Certificate, Individualized Plan of Study, Rural Health and Wellbeing and Military Behavioral Health.

Admissions, Structure and Cost at University of Kentucky

ProgramAdvanced standingField educationGREPublished tuition
Master of Social Work (online)Starts: Fall, Spring, Summer30 credits, As few as 2 semesters; 12 months full timeGRE not required$790 per credit hour for students enrolled in 1-8 credit hours per semester; in-state rate for all online students; block tuition for 9+ credit hours
Master of Social Work (hybrid and Lexington campus)Starts: FallAs few as 30 credit hoursGRE not requiredUK campus standard graduate rate, including mandatory fees (general graduate rate): Kentucky residents $7,688.00 per semester full time or $841.50 per credit hour; non-residents $19,024.50 per semester or $2,100.50 per credit hour. Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses pay the UK Online rate of $7,239.00 per semester or $806.00 per credit hour
Army-UK Master of Social WorkGRE required (minimum 290 combined verbal and quantitative, within 5 years)

From University of Kentucky's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed September 30, 2026. Blank cells: the school's pages don't state that detail. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.

How University of Kentucky Compares

University of Kentucky's lowest estimated tuition, $47,400 for Master of Social Work (online), is above the national median of $40,180 (229th lowest of 349 programs with an estimate). Its MSW requires 60 credits, against a national median of 60. It awarded 760 MSWs in 2022-23 (IPEDS), 1st of 8 in Kentucky and 3rd of 309 nationally among schools on this site.

University of KentuckyKentucky medianU.S. median
Estimated tuition (lowest option)$47,400$39,600$40,180
Credits606060

Medians across programs on this site that publish the figure, September 2026. The MSW cost and loan calculator adds fees and federal loan limits.

Certificates at University of Kentucky

  • Trauma-Responsive Practice Certificate (open to holders of a conferred MSW), online

Other Social Work Degrees at University of Kentucky

Is University of Kentucky's MSW CSWE Accredited?

University of Kentucky's MSW is listed as accredited in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory (September 2026). CSWE accredits the program, which covers every format the school offers it in. All CSWE-accredited MSW programs

Federal data (IPEDS) show University of Kentucky awarded 760 MSWs in 2022-23.

From University of Kentucky's MSW to a Kentucky License

  1. Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW2 years full time, or about 1 with advanced standing
  2. Pass the ASWB exam (Masters)For the CSW
  3. Log supervised clinical hoursMinimum of two years of post-master's supervised clinical experience; …
  4. Earn the clinical license (LCSW)Independent clinical practice

Kentucky license tiers from its social work board · License pathway planner

Similar MSW Programs to Compare With University of Kentucky

Online MSW programs at other CSWE-accredited schools, closest in estimated tuition:

University of Kentucky MSW: Common Questions

Is University of Kentucky's MSW CSWE Accredited?

University of Kentucky's MSW is listed as accredited in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory (September 2026). CSWE accredits the program, which covers every format the school offers it in.

Does University of Kentucky Offer an Online MSW?

Yes. Master of Social Work (online) is offered online.

Does University of Kentucky Offer Advanced Standing?

Master of Social Work (online): 30 credits; As few as 2 semesters; 12 months full time; BSW or BASW from a CSWE-accredited program earned within the past seven years; cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and social work GPA of 3.5. Master of Social Work (hybrid and Lexington campus): As few as 30 credit hours; BSW from a CSWE-accredited program earned within the past 7 years; 3.0 cumulative GPA (if applicable) and 3.5 social work GPA.

How Much Does University of Kentucky's MSW Cost?

Master of Social Work (online): $790 per credit hour for students enrolled in 1-8 credit hours per semester; in-state rate for all online students; block tuition for 9+ credit hours (about $47,400 for 60 credits, before fees). Master of Social Work (hybrid and Lexington campus): UK campus standard graduate rate, including mandatory fees (general graduate rate): Kentucky residents $7,688.00 per semester full time or $841.50 per credit hour; non-residents $19,024.50 per semester or $2,100.50 per credit hour. Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses pay the UK Online rate of $7,239.00 per semester or $806.00 per credit hour. Confirm current rates and fees with the school.

Does University of Kentucky Require the GRE for Its MSW?

Master of Social Work (online): GRE not required. Master of Social Work (hybrid and Lexington campus): GRE not required. Army-UK Master of Social Work: GRE required (minimum 290 combined verbal and quantitative, within 5 years).

More MSW Programs in Kentucky

Sources

  1. socialwork.uky.edu: program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed September 30, 2026
  2. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), directory of accredited programs (September 2026)
  3. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23
  4. Kentucky Board of Social Work

Every program on this site was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation status comes only from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory, license rules from each state's social work board, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs