In 2022, Alliant International University launched the online master of social work (MSW) program for the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP). This program was designed to continue our commitment to preparing the next generation of mental health professionals and advocates through our model of scholarship paired with practice.  

As part of that commitment, the MSW program is in a rigorous accreditation process with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and has achieved Candidacy status. This means that Alliant has formally demonstrated a commitment to complying with the CSWE’s education standards. Candidacy status applies to all formats of a program. We anticipate achieving full accreditation status by 2025. We know you may have questions about how the accreditation process affects your earning an MSW degree at Alliant, and we’re here to answer them.

What is the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)?

CSWE is an organization that grants accreditation to MSW programs through a rigorous, peer-review process to ensure they meet the vision of CSWE: “To ensure a well-educated social work profession equipped to promote health, well-being, and justice for all people in a diverse society”. CSWE is the sole accrediting body for social work degree programs.¹

The Benefits of a CSWE-Accredited Program

As part of our accreditation eligibility, the MSW program at Alliant adheres to the high standards set by the CSWE. Attending a CSWE-accredited social work program assures that it is committed to quality and to educating students on social work competencies necessary to enter practice. CSWE-accredited programs are held to higher standards for educating students to be respectful and responsible social workers for diverse cultures and communities. They prepare graduates to critically think, problem-solve, and advocate for justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity. Attending a CSWE-accredited program may also help graduates qualify for employment or licensure that requires completion of a CSWE-accredited degree. 

The CSWE Accreditation Process

The CSWE accreditation process typically takes a total of three years to complete. At the Candidacy status, this involves setting and meeting key benchmarks and standards set forth by the CSWE. This multi-step process involves program self-studies, site visits, and submitting documentation about every program’s aspect to prove we have fulfilled each policy and accreditation requirement. Documentation may include statements of compliance, course syllabi, faculty CVs, field education manuals, student handbooks, or documentation around student diversity, retention, and graduation, and extracurricular resources. 

During the Candidacy process, a CSWE Commissioner reviews and determines whether the program is eligible to progress to the next stage of assessments and evaluates four key components²: 

1. Program Mission and Goals: Programs must submit their mission statement and explain how it is consistent with the mission, purpose, and value of the social work profession. MSW programs should reflect the core values of social justice and social service, the inherent value and dignity of human beings, the importance of relationships, human rights, integrity, and scientific inquiry.
2. Explicit Curriculum: A program’s formal structure and content such as courses and assignments, the types of specializations the program offers, field education, and course delivery methods. Special attention is paid to how the curriculum prepares master’s in social work students for advanced generalist and/or specialized practice.
3. Implicit Curriculum: All of the non-curricular elements of a social work program that uphold the mission of the social work profession and foster an ideal environment to prepare graduate students as social work practitioners. This includes faculty support, a commitment to diversity and social equality, providing extracurricular resources, and creating a culture of learning.
4. Assessment Methods: Social work education is competency-based and focused on preparing students to fulfill nine key Core Competencies that are central to the practice of effective social work. MSW programs must also show how they enable students to develop a holistic understanding of the profession and the ability to exercise sound judgment across a diverse set of social work contexts. The CSWE expects programs to implement student assessments that are multifaceted and integrated, simulating their future profession as closely as possible. 

After the three-year review process, if the CSWE finds that an MSW program complies with all accreditation standards and educational policy, it grants Initial Accreditation status to that program which lasts for eight years while it moves towards achieving full accreditation. 

What This Means for Current and Prospective Alliant Students

A program at Candidacy status is required to enroll students as part of the accreditation process, so it is common for students to enroll in programs that have not yet received full accreditation. Students who enroll in the MSW program at Alliant can be retroactively recognized as having enrolled in a CSWE-accredited program if two requirements are met:

1. The program achieved Candidacy status either before or in the same year that this student begins his or her program of study.
2. The program achieves Initial Accreditation status. This means that as long as a program achieves full accreditation, students in the program will have graduated from a CSWE-accredited program.

Once a program has achieved Initial Accreditation status, students are considered enrolled or graduated from a CSWE-accredited program. Social workers who wish to become licensed clinical social workers must complete their master’s level social work education from a CSWE-accredited program.

We hope this article has provided a thorough explanation of the accreditation process, the status of the Alliant MSW program, and what we are doing to ensure we achieve CSWE accreditation. We are confident that our program meets the high standards set forth by the CSWE and look forward to helping educate and train social workers to meet those standards. You can visit the CSWE website for more information on the accreditation process. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the master of social work (MSW) program at Alliant accredited?
A: At the time of this writing, no. Alliant applied for accreditation in 2022 with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). 

Q: Where is Alliant in the accreditation process? 
A: Alliant is currently at Candidacy status and moving toward full accreditation which we anticipate achieving by 2025. 

Q: What is the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)?
A: CSWE is the sole accrediting body for social work degree programs. This organization grants accreditation to MSW programs through a rigorous peer-review process to ensure they meet the high standards and the vision of CSWE.  

Q: What are the benefits of attending a CSWE-accredited program?
A: Attending a CSWE-accredited social work program assures that the program is committed to quality and to educating students on social work competencies necessary to enter practice. CSWE-accredited programs are held to higher standards than non-accredited programs and may help graduates qualify for employment or licensure that requires completion of a CSWE-accredited degree.  

Q: How long does it take to achieve accreditation?
A: Accreditation is typically a three-year process that involves Alliant submitting documentation about every aspect of their MSW program. A CSWE Commissioner reviews the documentation to see whether the program is eligible to progress to the next stage of assessments.

Q: How will the CSWE evaluate The Alliant MSW program?
A: The CSWE will evaluate Alliant on four key components that comprise the integrated curriculum of an MSW program: the program mission statement and goals, its explicit curriculum, its implicit curriculum, and its assessment methods. The CSWE also evaluates if the program will prepare students to fulfill nine key Core Competencies that are central to the practice of effective social work.

Q: What does this mean for me as a current or prospective Alliant MSW student?
A: Once Alliant receives full accreditation status from the CSWE, all current and future students in our MSW program will be retroactively recognized as having enrolled in a CSWE-accredited program. This will happen when Alliant receives Initial Accreditation status after the three-year review process. If you graduate before that time, you will be grandfathered in as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once we do achieve Initial Accreditation status.

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Sources

1. Council on Social Work Education. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.cswe.org/accreditation
2.   Master of Social Work. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.masterofsocialwork.com/faqs/cswe-candidacy-msw-programs