Office of Certification and Licensure:

Social Work Certification and Licensure

BACHELOR DEGREE LEVEL LICENSE IN SOCIAL WORK - Certain states offer a Social Work License at the Bachelor degree level. For specific information on BSW level licenses, students should contact their state licensing board. 

According to ASWB - The differences between the different exam levels (Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist, Clinical) are based in large part on the groups each exam is designed to target. Such as:  

• Bachelors: A basic test for social workers with a BSW and no post-degree experience.  

• Masters: A generalist test for social workers with an MSW and no post-degree experience.  

• Advanced Generalist: A more advanced test for social workers with an MSW and at least two years of post-degree experience in non-clinical settings.  

• Clinical: A more advanced test for social workers with an MSW and at least two years of post-degree experience in direct clinical practice settings. 

Please remember that licensure eligibility determinations are ultimately determined by the state board that issues the credential to practice. Students should visit their state board’s website for the most updated and accurate information. 

All board form requests must be submitted via Meditrek in order to be processed by the Social Work Office of Certification, Licensure, and Compliance. 

Verification for Certification & Licensure form (Opens in Meditrek). 

Once your request is submitted, you can login to your Meditrek account at any time to see the status of the request. You will also be contacted via email with any updates to your request. 

 To ensure there are no delays in processing your request, make sure: 

1. You have entered all your time logs and completed enough hours. 

2. Your time logs are signed by your supervisor(s). 

3. You apply for graduation. Your degree will not be conferred until you apply for graduation and your form cannot be completed until your degree is conferred.  

Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program meets the academic requirements to obtain the required credential to practice as licensed social workers in all states.

State licensing boards are responsible for regulating the practice of social work, and each state has its own academic, licensure, and certification requirements for practice as a social worker. Walden recommends that students consult the appropriate social work licensing board in the state in which they plan to practice to determine the specific academic requirements for licensure or other credentials. Walden enrollment specialists can provide information relating to the state-by-state requirements for licensure. However, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all licensing requirements for the state in which he or she intends to practice. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or other state licensure or credential.

Email: swlicensure@mail.waldenu.edu 

Mailing address: Attn: Social Work Licensure  
Walden University 
100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 1210 
Minneapolis, MN 55401 

Questions about degree conferral? Email: graduation@mail.waldenu.edu 

Questions about transcripts? Email: transcripts@mail.waldenu.edu 

Questions about State Education Specialization? Contact Student Success Advising