Social work schools in Mississippi prepare future social workers to work with both urban and rural communities. You must earn at least a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to apply for social work licensure in Mississippi. To work independently, you must earn a CSWE-accredited master’s degree in social work (MSW). This page provides a summary of the accredited programs available in the state. There are currently no social work programs in Mississippi offered online, though accredited online programs in other states may help you meet licensing requirements.

Quick Facts

17 schools offering social work programs in Mississippi are in our database (see below)
Of the social work schools in Mississippi, 7 offer associate’s degrees or certificates, 10 offer bachelor’s degrees, and 4 offer a master’s or advanced degree¹
1 school ranked in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges ²
4 schools ranked in US News Best Graduate Social Work Programs ³
No schools ranked in Social Work Guide’s Top Online MSW Programs⁴
Across 11 schools, 15 bachelor’s and master’s social work degree programs in Mississippi are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)⁵

Featured Online Programs in Social Work

Top-Ranked Schools with Social Work Programs in Mississippi

Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges

University of Mississippi (#75 in-state, #78 out-of-state)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News Best Graduate Social Work Programs

University of Mississippi (#88 tie)
University of Southern Mississippi (#147 tie)
Jackson State University (#174 tie)
Mississippi Valley State University (#201 tie)

Schools with Social Work Programs Accredited by the CSWE

Alcorn State University
Belhaven University
Delta State University
Jackson State University
Mississippi College
Mississippi State University-Meridian
Mississippi State University-Starkville
Mississippi Valley State University
Rust College
University of Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi

Schools in Mississippi with Social Work Degree Programs

BSW and Other Undergraduate Programs

Mississippi College

Mississippi College is a private college affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It is located in the town of Clinton, a suburb west of the state capital, Jackson. MC’s Department of Sociology & Social Work has a CSWE-accredited BSW program based in social work and Christian values and principles that prepares students for generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Students earn a broad range of credits in the university’s liberal arts curriculum during the first two years of study. Courses include English, history, Bible studies, natural science, and introductory social work courses. In the junior and senior years, students take courses related to the social work major, including psychology, human diversity, social research, and social work seminars. The field education placement is scheduled in the final semester. Students can be active in student life through the Association of Student Social Workers and various honor societies.

Belhaven University

Belhaven University is a private Presbyterian university in Jackson. It was ranked #58 among regional universities in the South by US News & World Report in 2016. The school’s social work major is offered as a Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW). Students must apply to the program after completing prerequisite social work and liberal arts courses. Once admitted into Belhaven’s Social Work Department, students continue to develop their knowledge through social work courses that teach the theory, practice, and ethics of the profession. To apply classroom learning to real-world situations, students complete a yearlong field education placement consisting of at least 400 supervised hours of experience during the senior year. International placements may be possible through the university’s study abroad program for students with strong academic records and an interest in international work. Belhaven social work graduates have found employment in religious and non-religious organizations, missionary groups, and public institutions.

MSW and Other Graduate Programs

University of Mississippi

The University of Mississippi, commonly known as Ole Miss, is a public university located in the rural town of Oxford. In 2016 the university was ranked in a tie for #140 among national universities in the US by US News & World Report. The Ole Miss Department of Social Work offers both CSWE-accredited BSW and MSW programs. The MSW curriculum focuses on clinical social work and prepares students for clinical careers in health, mental health, gerontology, and addictions. The program takes two years to complete through full-time study; part-time spaces are limited and not guaranteed. Students attend classes during the fall and spring terms and then work in field education placements during the summer terms. Advanced standing admission is possible for students with a CSWE-accredited BSW degree earned in the past five years. Advanced standing waives most of the required courses during the first year of the program; advanced standing students join the program part-time in the summer term and complete the second year of the program full-time.

Mississippi Valley State University

Located in the small northwestern town of Itta Bena, Mississippi Valley State University is a public institution with CSWE-accredited BSW and MSW degree programs. Given the university’s rural location, the MSW program focuses on training social workers to work with the state’s rural communities, addressing social issues such as poverty, lack of affordable housing and healthcare, and unemployment. The program is concentrated on Advanced Practice in Child and Family Welfare. While the program is not offered fully online, many of the elective courses can be taken online, reducing the time students are required to be on campus during the academic year. Students in MVSU’s Department of Social Work complete at least 900 hours of supervised field education in two placements during the program unless the student already has a CSWE-accredited BSW degree. These students qualify for advanced standing, which reduces the number of courses and hours of field education required to graduate.

The University of Southern Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi is home to the oldest and largest social work program in the state of Mississippi and offers a Master of Social Work program that can be completed in 34 credit hours for advanced standing students and 60 credit hours for traditional standing students. Students can choose to concentrate in either micro level practice, or clinical practice, or macro level practice, commonly called community practice. On either track, regularly admitted students complete 900 hours of field work across the curriculum, while advanced standing students complete 450 hours. Part-time and full-time plans of study are available, as well as an optional interdisciplinary minor in gerontology.

Accreditation Information for Mississippi Social Work Schools

School	Graduation Rate¹	Transfer-Out Rate¹	Associate’s SW Program	Bachelor’s SW Program	Graduate SW Program	CSWE Accredited⁵	US News Best Social Work Grad Schools Ranking³	Net Price*¹
Alcorn State University	40%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$14,520
Belhaven University	50%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$18,583
Coahoma Community College	21%	8%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$2,461
Copiah-Lincoln Community College	26%	24%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$3,602
Delta State University	32%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$14,934
East Mississippi Community College	33%	32%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$5,757
Holmes Community College	23%	27%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$5,629
Itawamba Community College	31%	20%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$6,258
Jackson State University	43%	N/A	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	#174 tie	$10,417
Mississippi College	54%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$16,418
Mississippi State University-Meridian	N/A	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	N/A
Mississippi State University-Starkville	60%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$15,297
Mississippi Valley State University	30%	N/A	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	#201 tie	$7,003
Northeast Mississippi Community College	28%	23%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$6,283
Northwest Mississippi Community College	19%	15%	Yes	No	No	No	Not Ranked	$6,092
Rust College	18%	N/A	No	Yes	No	Yes	Not Ranked	$9,796
University of Mississippi	61%	N/A	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	#88 tie	$14,803
University of Southern Mississippi	48%	N/A	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	#147 tie	$12,171

*The net price is calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics by subtracting the average amount of aid (including grants and scholarships) from the total published cost of attendance for in-state/in-district students, which includes tuition, books, room and board, and other expenses. To gain a better understanding of how to interpret the statistics discussed in this table, see our list of important definitions.

Featured Online Programs in Social Work

Directory of Mississippi Social Work School Programs

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Schools with an asterisk (*) have programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Alcorn State University*
1000 ASU Dr
Alcorn State, MS 39096-7500
(601) 877-6100
http://www.alcorn.edu

Belhaven University*
1500 Peachtree St
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 968-5940
http://www.belhaven.edu

Coahoma Community College
3240 Friars Point Rd
Clarksdale, MS 38614
(662) 627-2571
http://www.coahomacc.edu

Copiah-Lincoln Community College
1001 Co-Lin Ln
Wesson, MS 39191
(601) 643-5101
http://www.colin.edu

Delta State University*
1003 W Sunflower Rd
Cleveland, MS 38733
(662) 846-3000
http://www.deltastate.edu

East Mississippi Community College
1512 Kemper St
Scooba, MS 39358-0158
(662) 476-5000
http://www.eastms.edu

Holmes Community College
1 Hill St
Goodman, MS 39079
(662) 472-2312
http://www.holmescc.edu

Itawamba Community College
602 W Hill St
Fulton, MS 38843-1099
(601) 862-8000
http://www.iccms.edu

Jackson State University*
1400 J R Lynch St
Jackson, MS 39217
(601) 979-2121
http://www.jsums.edu

Mississippi College*
200 South Capitol St
Clinton, MS 39058
(601) 925-3000
http://www.mc.edu

Mississippi State University-Meridian*
2200 5th St
Meridian, MS 39762
(662) 325-2323
http://www.meridian.msstate.edu

Mississippi State University-Starkville*
75 BS Hood Drive
Starkville, MS 39759
662-325-5198
http://www.msstate.edu

Mississippi Valley State University*
14000 Highway 82 W
Itta Bena, MS 38941-1400
(662) 254-9041
http://www.mvsu.edu

Northeast Mississippi Community College
101 Cunningham Blvd
Booneville, MS 38829
(662) 728-7751
http://www.nemcc.edu

Northwest Mississippi Community College
4975 Hwy 51 N
Senatobia, MS 38668-1714
(662) 562-3200
http://www.northwestms.edu

Rust College*
150 Rust Ave
Holly Springs, MS 38635
(601) 252-8000
http://www.rustcollege.edu

University of Mississippi*
PO Box 1848
Oxford, MS 38677-1848
(662) 915-7211
https://olemiss.edu

Student Review: “The University of Mississippi’s social work program has made a tremendous difference in my life. The professors are knowledgeable and use their personal work history and experiences when instructing. Professors keep daily office hours and most provide after-hours contact information so that students can get in touch with them at all times. There are many opportunities during the program to network with Social Workers in various disciplines. There are also monthly Student Social Work Organization meetings that allowed students to network with various speakers and with other students as well. During my field placement, I got hands-on experience working with clients and their families. My placement was in the medical field which also allowed me to gain added knowledge about medical terminology, procedures, and treatments. I was able to network and establish long-term relationships with Social Work professionals. One thing that could be improved is continuity across all locations the program is offered. There are slight differences in main campus and satellite campus programs, extra activities mostly, that sometimes leave those on the satellite campuses feeling left out. Overall, this is a great program.” – Student at University of Mississippi

Student Review: “I believe that Ole Miss’s Social work department has taught me skills like nobody else has. I believe that they have shown me how to handle cases in many different ways, ensuring that the other end of the problem is handled as well. I liked how the employees seemed to put everyone first, or at least it came off that way. The dislike I had was the lack of materials that were given out. I seemed to find a lot more information through peers at other universities. Ole Miss is known for a strong education and to be known as a strong university, they did seem to lack this trait throughout the program that I attended in. I believe Ole Miss is capable of being an awesome program they just need to apply themselves more then they are now.” – Student at University of Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi*
118 College Dr
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-1000
http://www.usm.edu

Schools with an asterisk (*) have programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php?table=all
3. US News & World Report Social Work Best Grad Schools Rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/social-work-rankings
4. Social Work Guide’s Top Online MSW Programs: /degrees/masters/online/
5. Council on Social Work Education: https://www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Directory-of-Accredited-Programs.aspx