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Pursue Your Purpose with an Online MSW for Cincinnati Professionals

Earn your Master of Social Work online with MVNU, created for working adults in Cincinnati who are ready to serve and lead.

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Start Your Journey From Cincinnati With MSW Online Program

You don’t have to leave your city or your current responsibilities to pursue a meaningful future in social work. Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s fully online Cincinnati MSW program is designed for working adults who want to make a difference while staying in their community.

Whether you’re already serving others or looking to transition into a purpose-driven career, this flexible, faith-based program prepares you for professional licensure and leadership. It’s a practical path forward that allows you to grow, serve, and lead right where you are.

The Christ-Centered MSW Program Cincinnati Can Count On

Choosing an MSW program in Cincinnati is about choosing a university that shares your values and understands your calling. You want a program that can give you the confidence to pursue meaningful work in your chosen field. At MVNU, our online Master of Social Work is rooted in Christian principles. It is designed to equip compassionate leaders with the skills they need to serve their communities. 

You’ll learn in small, supportive classes from experienced faculty who care about your growth. This program is fully online, so you can advance your education while staying grounded in your Cincinnati community.

Cincinnati MSW students can also become graduates of a CSWE-accredited program, as MVNU is currently in candidacy for accreditation with the Council on Social Work Education

Curriculum stats/highlights

The MSW concentration in Behavioral Health includes the following courses:

Clinical Social Work in Addictions
Clinical Social Work in Mental Health
Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice

The MSW concentration in School Social Work includes the following courses:

Social Work Practice in the Schools
Special Education Policy
Social Work Practice with Children

Students who come in with a bachelor's in social work completed at a CSWE-accredited institution within the last five years are eligible to apply for advanced standing (ASAP) if they earned at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and submit field evaluations showing positive performance with no serious deficiencies. They will take all the courses listed after "ASAP starts here" plus Behavioral Health or School Social Work concentration courses. Students who do not meet ASAP criteria will take all courses plus their selected concentration.

Additional Courses

Required MSW Courses Credit Hours
Entering the Social Work Profession 3
Introduction to Social Welfare Policy 3
Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups 3
Social Work Macro Practice 3
Social Justice & Advocacy Practice 3
Culturally Competent Practice 3
Research Methods in Social Work 3
Human Behavior in the Social Environment Across the Lifespan 3
Foundation Practicum 1 1.5
Foundation Practicum 2 1.5
Foundation Practicum 3 1.5
Foundation Practicum 4 1.5
Foundation Seminar I (once every other week) 0.25
Foundation Seminar 2 (once every other week) 0.25
Foundation Seminar 3 (once every other week) 0.25
Foundation Seminar 4 (once every other week) 0.25
Total Hours 31

ASAP Starts Here

Advanced Clinical Social Work Skills 3
Global Social Problems 3
Spirituality in Social Work Assessment and Intervention 3
Psychopathology & Deviance 3
Evaluating Social Work Programs 3
Advanced Practicum I 1.5
Advanced Practicum 2 1.5
Advanced Practicum 3 1.5
Advanced Practicum 4 1.5
Advanced Seminar I (once every other week) 0.25
Advanced Seminar 2 (once every other week) 0.25
Advanced Seminar 3 (once every other week) 0.25
Advanced Seminar 4 (once every other week) 0.25
9 Hour Concentration 9
Total Advanced Track Hours 31
Total Standard Track Hours 62

Get the Facts

100%

Online

+7%

Job Growth

$113,300

Median annual salary for HR Managers

Balance Your Calling and Cincinnati Career with an Online MSW

Earning your MSW in Cincinnati, Ohio doesn’t have to mean putting your life on hold. MVNU’s online program is built for adults who are already making a difference, whether in healthcare, education, ministry, or community outreach, and want to expand their impact without disrupting their careers.

Courses are delivered fully online and asynchronously, giving you the freedom to study on your own time. You’ll also receive help securing field placements that align with your interests and are located within the Cincinnati region.

At MVNU, we understand the demands of real life. That’s why we’ve created an academic experience that’s rigorous, supportive, and deeply grounded in purpose, so you can pursue your calling while continuing to serve those around you.

Where Faith Meets Practice: Social Work Careers for Cincinnati MSW Graduates

The online Cincinnati MSW program prepares you for licensure in real-world roles that reflect your passion. At MVNU, we’re proud to equip students to step into vital positions across clinical, educational, healthcare, and nonprofit settings.

As a Cincinnati MSW graduate, you could move your career forward into new roles at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Talbert House, St. Vincent de Paul, Hamilton County Job & Family Services, and many local schools, ministries and nonprofits:

  • Clinical Social Worker or Therapist: Assess and treat mental and emotional health challenges through therapy, counseling, and case planning for individuals, families, or groups.
  • Medical Social Worker: Provide psychosocial support to patients and families in hospital or clinic settings, helping them access care, resources, and emotional resilience.
  • School Social Worker: Work within schools to support student well-being, intervene in behavioural or emotional concerns, and connect families with needed services.
  • Social Work Supervisor or Administrator: Lead teams of practitioners, oversee operations, and drive change within agencies, nonprofits, or government services.
  • Faculty Member or Researcher: Contribute to the future of social work by teaching or conducting applied research in clinical, educational, or community contexts.
Initial Intervention Specialist

Our MSW in Cincinnati, Ohio, is more than a credential. It’s a pathway to serve, lead, and live your purpose.

Why Choose MVNU for Your MSW Program in Cincinnati?

At MVNU, we offer a supportive, Christ-centered learning experience tailored for adults with real responsibilities and big ambitions.

Here’s what sets MVNU apart:

  • 100% online courses that fit your schedule
  • Asynchronous learning, so you can study when it works best for you
  • Field placement support in your own community
  • Small, connected cohorts that foster peer encouragement
  • Faculty mentorship grounded in faith and real-world experience
  • Christian values woven throughout your learning journey
Human and Social Services 2

You don’t have to leave Cincinnati to grow as a social work professional. MVNU helps you do it all, right where you are.

Begin Your Mission & Apply to MVNU’s Cincinnati MSW

You’ve been called to serve, and now is the time to answer that call.

With MVNU’s online Cincinnati MSW, you can pursue your passion for helping others while staying connected to your community.

Apply now to start your journey toward your lifelong purpose guided by faith and grounded in service.

Master of Social Work is currently in candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

Students that are admitted to pre-candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.

Candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods.

Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Review our program’s candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.

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