Professional Licensure for Social Work

The UCCS Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work are both accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.

Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals, and the Commission on Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. 

Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program.  Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

Social work licensure is regulated at the state and territorial level, and requirements vary by jurisdiction. All U.S. states and territories that license social workers recognize degrees from programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). While a CSWE-accredited degree satisfies the educational requirement for licensure, additional requirements such as examinations, supervised practice hours, and jurisprudence requirements vary by jurisdiction. This webpage identifies the licensing bodies in each state and jurisdiction so that current and potential BSW and MSW students can easily access information about licensure requirements in different locations.

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is the association of boards that regulates social work and serves as an additional resource for students who have questions about licensing. The ASWB features an excellent website where you can compare Social Work Licensure Requirements for all of the jurisdictions in the United States, the US protectorates, and in Canada.

For inquiries related to UCCS social work program and licensing, please contact sara@uccs.edu. 

Students who graduate from the UCCS MSW program are eligible for social work licensure in Colorado. There is no Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)-level licensing in the state of Colorado. 

Please review the licensure requirements on the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners’ webpage.

The Colorado National Association of Social Workers also has excellent information on their SWC, LSW, & LCSW Licensure webpage.

You may contact the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners with questions directly at (303) 894-7800 and/or dora_mentalhealthboard@state.co.us.

The licensing system in all U.S. states, as well as in several territories (see below), is such that educational requirements for licensing are satisfied by receipt of the appropriate degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program. This is a CSWE-accredited BSW degree for BSW-level licensing and a CSWE-accredited MSW degree for MSW-level licensing. As CSWE-accredited programs, the UCCS BSW and MSW programs both fulfill this educational requirement. 

Available social work licenses vary from state to state, and requirements beyond the egree earned vary as well. Students seeking licensure outside Colorado should review the available licenses and specific requirements in the state or jurisdiction in which they plan to practice.