Master’s in Social Work Degree Programs in Hawaii

Enrolling in one of the accredited social work degree programs in Hawaii is one of the best ways to meet the requirements needed to become a licensed social worker. Social workers can work with children of a younger or older age, the elderly, families and certain groups or populations. Though many work for government agencies, others work for private organizations and in public health facilities. As a social worker, you must take steps to help people overcome illnesses, abuse and other hardships. Even if you have a degree in another field or you never visited Hawaii before, you can still apply for a spot in one of these programs.

Hawaii Pacific University

College of Health and Society

Hawaii Pacific University is a public university in Honolulu that also goes by the names of HPU and Hawaii Pacific. Founded in 1965 as the Hawaii Pacific College, it was the first liberal arts college in the area. It grew fairly quickly after merging with a Christian college. After becoming a university, Hawaii Pacific launched a military program to help military men and women living on bases in Hawaii take college classes. Students now come from around the world to attend this university, which helped it reach an enrollment of more than 3,400 students, which includes more than 500 graduate students.

Master of Social Work

One of the top accredited social work degree programs in Hawaii is the MSW program offered by Hawaii Pacific University. Before beginning the program, you must show that you took at least 30 credit hours of liberal arts classes and that you took at least one statistics class. If you did not complete these prerequisites, you’ll need to take those classes through the university. The two-year program requires that 10 courses your first year and nine courses in your second year. Those with a BSW from an accredited college or university can enroll in an advanced standing program that only requires they take one year of classes. You will also do 225 hours of clinical fieldwork over the course of four semesters. Hawaii Pacific offers classes on social work policies, social work research, human behavior and legal and ethical issues in social work. MSW students must write a final paper too.

Accreditation

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Contact

1 Aloha Tower Drive

Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 544-0200

https://www.hpu.edu/CHS/Social_Work/index.html

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the flagship campus of the University of Hawaii and the main university for the island state. Founded in 1907 as a territorial school, it originally offered mechanical arts classes and some agricultural courses. As a research institute, the university is home to a number of programs and departments that offer opportunities for students to conduct their research away from the campus. Also called the University of Hawaii, it ranks as one of the top colleges in America, including to Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, ARWU and Washington Monthly.

Master of Social Work

The University of Hawaii at Manoa wants its students to graduate with the necessary skills that social workers need, which is why all students must go through an assessment at the end of their first year. You will sit down with your adviser at the beginning of the year and create a list of the goals and outcomes you want to reach. Only those who pass the assessment and evaluation will have the chance to continue in the program. As one of the top accredited social work degree programs in Hawaii, it includes more than 30 classes that you can choose from when working on your degree. You will need to do a group or individual research project, complete practicum work over several semesters and pick a concentration. The university offers classes on social work and the law, working with Hawaiians, child welfare, behavioral research, policies and services for aging populations and social work practice with individuals.

Accreditation

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Contact

2430 Campus Road

Honolulu, HI 96822

(808) 956-7182

https://www.hawaii.edu/sswork/

MSW programs teach you more detailed techniques and methods of working with people than you would learn in a BSW program. If you love studying on the beach, smelling the ocean air and being close to the water, you might apply to a few of the accredited social work degree programs in Hawaii.

Related Resource: Top Ten Best Online Social Work Degree Programs