Credentials & Requirements
The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Master of Social Work Program has been identified as a professional licensure program.
Practicing advanced practice social work in all states in the U.S. requires licensure and an MSW from a university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. UW-Green Bay’s Master of Social Work Program is accredited and meets the criteria for all 50 states and territories. Some states, however, require additional requirements such as examinations and supervised hours; criteria in addition to the degree are not listed in the table below. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) provides additional information requiring social work regulations in each state, territory and Canadian provinces.
Some states are now adopting the Interstate Compact which allows licensure reciprocity between states who have codified the compact into law. The National Association of Social Workers is providing updates via their Interstate Licensure Compact page.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed on the program’s Contact page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.
State Credentials
Find out whether UW-Green Bay’s MSW Program meets the educational requirements for the MSW level license in each state or territory.
| State/Territory | Meets License Requirements for Credential | Does Not Meet License Requirements at MSW Level |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) | |
| Alaska (AK) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Arizona (AZ) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Arkansas (AK) | Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW); Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) [LCSW is the clinical license] | |
| California (CA) | Require MSW with a clinical concentration | |
| Colorado (CO) | Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Connecticut (CT) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Delaware (DE) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| District of Columbia (DC) | Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW); Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) | Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) requires MSW with a clinical concentration |
| Florida (FL) | Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern; Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Georgia (GA) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW; Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Hawaii (HI) | Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Idaho (ID) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Illinois (IL) | Licensed Social Worker 1 (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker 1(LCSW) [LCSW 2 requires doctorate] | |
| Indiana (IN) | Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Iowa (IA) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) | |
| Kansas (KS) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW) | |
| Kentucky (KY) | Certified Social Worker (CSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Louisiana (LA) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Certified Social Worker (CSW) | |
| Maine (ME) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Master Social Worker, Clinical Conditional (leads to Licensed Clinical Social Worker 1 & 2); Licensed Clinical Social Worker 1 & 2 (LCSW) | |
| Maryland (MD) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW); Licensed Certified Social Worker - Clinical (LCSW-C) | |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Licensed Certified Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Michigan (MI) | Limited Licensed Masters Social Worker (LLMSW) & Licensed Masters Social Worker-Macro (LMSW-M); Licensed Master Social Worker -Clinical (LMSW-C) | |
| Minnesota (MN) | Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW); Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW); Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) | |
| Mississippi (MS) | Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Missouri (MO) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Advanced Macro Social Worker; Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Montana (MT) | Licensed Master Social Worker Candidate- non-clinical (LMSWC) & Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker Candidate (LCSWC) & Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Nebraska (NE) | Provisional Certified Master Social Worker (PCMSW); Certified Master Social Worker (PMSW) | Provisional Mental Health Practitioner (PMHP, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP), & Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) require MSW with a clinical concentration |
| Nevada (NV) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Clinical Social Worker (CSW); Independent Social Worker (ISW) | |
| New Hampshire (NH) | Clinical Social Worker, Conditional (CSW-C) | Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)- requires MSW with a clinical focus |
| New Jersey (NJ) | Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| New Mexico (NM) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| New York (NY) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) [requires transcript review] | |
| North Carolina (NC) | Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW); Certified Social Work Manager (CSWM); Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| North Dakota (ND) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Ohio (OH) | Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW); Licensed Social Worker LLSW) also includes BSW | |
| Oklahoma (OK) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Licensed Social Worker-Administration (LSW-A) | |
| Oregon (OR) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Clinical Social Worker Associate (CSWA); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | Licensed Social Worker (LSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Rhode Island (RI) | Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) | |
| South Carolina (SC) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Independent Social Worker AP (LISW-AP); Licensed Independent Social Worker CP (LISW-CP) | |
| South Dakota (SD) | Certified Social Worker (CSW), Certified Social Worker in Private Independent Practice (CSW-PIP) | |
| Tennessee (TN) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker (LAPSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Texas (TX) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Master Social Worker- Advanced Practice (LMSW-AP);Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Utah (UT) | Certified Social Worker (CSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker [Require MSW with a clinical concentration/review of transcripts] | |
| Vermont (VT) | Licensed Master Social Work (LMSW); Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) | |
| Virginia (VA) | Licensed Master's Social Worker (LMSW); Supervisee in Clinical Social Work (S-CSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Washington (WA) | Licensed Social Worker Associate- Advanced (LSWAS-A); Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW); Licensed Social Work Associate Independent Clinical (LSWAIC); Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) | |
| West Virginia (WV) | Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW); Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) | Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) requires MSW with a clinical concentration |
| Wisconsin (WI) | Advanced Practice Social Worker (APSW); Independent Social Worker (CISW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Wyoming (WY) | Provisional Clinical Social Worker (PCSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| American Samoa (AS) | Does not license social work | |
| Guam (GU) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Northern Mariana Islands (MP) | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW); Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | |
| Puerto Rico (PR) | Social Work Professional Provisional; Social Work Professional Permanent | |
| Virgin Islands (VI) | Certified Social Worker (CSW); Certified Independent Social Worker (CISW) |

Contact Us
We're here to answer your questions. For more information on UW-Green Bay's Master of Social Work program, how to get started, or any other needs, please contact us.