MSW: Course Details, Admission, Eligibility, Fees

MSW is a 2-year specialized postgraduate course that deals with macro and micro aspects of professional social work practices in the community, hospitals, schools, and other social services fields. It gives the aspirants opportunities to find employment in many international job sectors. They can fulfill the role of a Social Worker, Project Coordinator, Program Manager, Community Health Worker, etc.

About Master of Social Work

According to Wikipedia," Social work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development, cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities."

The full form of MSW is Master of Social Work. One of the leading specializations in the MSW Degree is a complete knowledge of macro and micro-aspects of professional social work practices in community, hospitals, schools, and other social services fields. Many aspirants choose to pursue an MSW course. Programs at the postgraduate level are completed in two years. Their primary areas of focus for the MSW are Childhood studies, medicine, and research. This program aims to develop in-depth knowledge about the work put into developing humanity and social welfare. The MSW course would offer a highly rewarding career for those with the basic skills to cope with these. Graduates with an MSW degree are hired in medicine, psychiatric social work, Human Resource Management, criminology, correctional administration, NGOs and many welfare communities, and many more, thus showing off its high job scope.

Table of Contents

• MSW Eligibility Criteria
• MSW Admission Process
• MSW Entrance Exams
• MSW Colleges
• Why Choose MSW?
• MSW Fees Structure
• MSW Syllabus and Subjects
• Preparation Tips for MSW
• Scope of Higher Education for MSW
• MSW Salary
• MSW Career Options
• Skills to Excel

Eligibility Criteria for MSW

Admission for the MSW Course in India begins with checking the course's eligibility criteria, including a minimum aggregate of 45-50% in a Bachelor of Social Work or an equivalent degree in any reputed University or Institution. If not percentage, there must be an equal CGPA. A passing score is required on DUET, BHU PET, AMU, TISS NET, or the necessary entrance exams. This course is open to all ages. Currently, MSW in India is a very popular and high-demand course and offers a high job scope for aspirants after immediately passing out.

Admission Process for MSW?

The MSW admission process begins with the student having a minimum aggregate score of 45% to 50% in Bachelor of Social Work Course from any recognized college or institute, along with passing marks on entrance exams conducted by national bodies, institutes, or a group of institutes. Then, aspirants are called to write a written test, participate in group discussions, and have a personal interview after passing these exams. Students are selected for final admission based on their performance in these rounds. Students are also admitted to private colleges through management quota, seats of which are limited in numbers.

Though the admission process varies from college to college, below mentioned are the steps that one should go through generally to get admission:

How to Apply?

Aspirants must use the online portal/offline network must be used to get the application form first. It has to be filled. Once done, the aspirant has to upload/attach the required documents per the guidelines and the specifications mentioned. Because of covid, online is the only option available right now. Apply for a loan if necessary and pay the fee if selected.

Selection Process

The selection is based on the MSW eligibility criteria of the minimum scores in the listed exams. Once that is done, there might be an entrance test in colleges. After passing those with a decent score, the aspirant is selected. Either with/without the loan, the fee has to be paid depending on the ones quoted by the institution.

Popular Entrance Exams for MSW

Some universities and institutions or even states may conduct their entrance examinations for MSW admissions. The exam includes topics like Grammar, General awareness, aptitude, and General knowledge, helping them get an overview of the course. The exams are:

• DUET
• BHU PET
• TISS NET
• AMU

A Quick Glance At the MSW Entrance Exams

The students must qualify for the national or state level MSW entrance exams such as DUET, BHU PET, AMU, TISS NET, etc. Aspirants can choose B- schools or coaching institutes that prepare students for the entrance exams. The entrance exam gives a glance at the entire course, thus giving an overview of the topic.

• The aspirant needs to learn time management to be able to attempt all the questions.
• Time management and aptitude knowledge are required for the generalized section.
• The exams are held only in English, and thus language proficiency is a must.
• Study the entire syllabus for the entrance exams, covering each topic and studying in detail about them
• Skills to prepare for include Analytical thinking and general knowledge.

Top 10 MSW Colleges in India

India has a variety of colleges offering a course in MSW. Since it's a form of specialization, it requires a practical and theoretical study which helps them get in-depth knowledge on the course. These are the top 10 colleges in India, according to the updates given in 2021.

Top MSW Colleges in India

SI.No.	Name of the College
1	Amity University, Gurgaon
2	St. Albert's College
3	Amity University, Noida
4	Chaudhary Charan Singh University
5	Gurugram University, Gurgaon
6	Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
7	Tata Institute of Social Sciences
8	Presidency College, Chennai
9	Christ University, Bangalore
10	St. Xavier's University, Kolkata

Fee Structure for MSW

The MSW course fees may vary based on colleges. A government-based institute charges less than a private institute because of its infrastructure and facilities. The average price of an MSW course in a private institute is about INR 20K - 2LPA.

MSW Fee Structure

College Name	Fees Per Annum
Gurugram University, Gurgaon	INR 20K
Don Bosco College Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad	INR 52K
Silver Oak University, Ahmedabad	INR 30K
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University, Mumbai	INR 65K
AIMS Institutes Bangalore	INR 1.6 LPA

Syllabus and Subjects for MSW

The MSW course is a 2-year program consisting of 4 semesters. It covers topics such as the history of social work, social work research and quantitative analysis, social legislation and labour welfare, etc. Depending on the course modules, each college may have its topics and subjects. A few of the subject topics are:

• Human Growth and Development
• Ideology and Ethics of Social Work
• Poverty Reduction
• Micro Finance
• Micro Enterprises

Read More About Master of Social Work Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose MSW?

MSW is a very demanding course for the aspirants trying to work in healthcare, social services, human rights, and many more. It is a course that provides a wide range of opportunities. A key aspect of the program is the understanding of the social fabric and hierarchy. It even offers a high job scope abroad because of the language proficiency. The course itself is a highlight in one's CV, thus emphasizing its huge job scope.

What is MSW all About?

MSW or Master of Social Work is a two years Post Graduate course. Graduate students with a Bachelor of Social Work or a graduation degree from a recognized university can pursue this program. This course helps students develop analytical and critical thinking skills for producing original insights in the field. MSW course list extensively covers topics from Labour Welfare, Human Resource Development & Management, Rural Reconstruction, Child Rights & Child Protection, Community Development. Students have the opportunity to select elective courses and specialize as they wish. Postgraduates with an MSW are hired in healthcare, social services, human rights, and many more, thus showing their huge job scope.

What Does an MSW Graduate Do?

MSW graduates have various job roles and career-related plus points because of the good knowledge of the most needed language. The aspirant chooses either working as a social activist, social worker, and social personals or doing research and pursuing further education. Some of the options are:

Further Studies: Graduates of the MSW program have several career options to choose from but even have an option to study further. If they wish to pursue higher education, they can enroll in a program of M.Phil or PhD in any branch of Social work.

Teaching Profession: Graduates can pursue teaching positions in educational and research institutions to share their knowledge and expertise with younger students.

Job Role: MSW aspirants have a variety of job roles and are hired in medicine, psychiatric social work, Human Resource Management, criminology, correctional administration, NGOs, and many welfare communities, and many more.

Reasons Why MSW Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

MSW is an accredited Postgraduate program and provides the aspirants with high career opportunities and other benefits. Since social work is a very important field, being a master's in it is a plus that one would carry, and in fact, any firm would accept a person with the knowledge. The benefits of the course are:

High Pay: The job offers a good starting salary for freshers and a well of ones for senior or experienced graduates, thus marking it as a good one in the economy.

Exposure: A MSW degree gives a good skill, thus having a good effect as a part of CV and gives a good job scope even abroad, because of the skills.

Opportunities: It gives a wide job scope in various sectors as social welfare is the most basic requirement. It even has a high job scope abroad.

Read More About Master of Social Work Jobs

Preparation Tips for MSW

MSW entrance exams involve both an aptitude and a knowledge testing type of questions. So being well prepared with it would be of use. Since the exams themselves brief the course, it would be of more use to get into an in-depth study. Below are some preparation tips made by experts for aspirants who want to pursue MSW.

Time Management: The aspirant should be capable of answering all the questions in the specified time. Since it involves aptitude and language, it would be lengthy.

Reading Newspapers: General knowledge and current affairs questions are often asked in entrance exams and sometimes in personal interviews and group discussion rounds.

Skills: Trying to focus more on general knowledge and aptitude etc., which are all included in the questions

Planning: To prepare well in advance, aspirants should practise with sample question papers, mock tests, and quizzes. By analyzing their errors, aspirants can develop a more effective strategy to attempt entrance exams.

Scope For Higher Education

Having an MSW degree opens up a wide range of career options. It is even possible to study further after completing the course. The most commonly followed path in this aspect is the Doctorate degrees, which students can obtain in different specializations involved in the course module. Depending on the choice of stream, there are many options in the field. When higher education and the postgraduate degree are put together, it gives the students a high job scope. A few of the courses are:

• M.Phil (Social Work)
• PhD (Social Work)
• Certificate in Therapeutic Skills for Helping Professions (Counseling)
• Certificate Course in Advanced Social Research Methodology
• Certificate Course in Social Perspective in Disaster Management

Salary of an MSW Graduate

The starting salary of an MSW graduate would be around INR 18K - 4.02 LPA. As skills and experience increase, so will the salary increment. The salary varies depending on whether it's a private or a public sector and the firm's popularity. Even the job role of the aspirant is a factor that is noted while the salaries are discussed. For instance, a doctor might get paid more than a pediatric assistant at times.

Read More About Master of Social Work Salary

Career Options After Master of Social Work

After completing a course in MSW, the aspirant can work in public and private sectors depending on the type of work they prefer or their skills. They even have an option of further specialization by doing a Course like a doctorate or further extension by doing other full-time courses. But even the MSW degree has a high job scope because of the demand and the necessity. Some of the best job designations for the graduates after the course of MSS in the government sector are as follows:

• Research Assistants
• Project Fellow
• General Manager
• Trainee
• Assistants
• Counsellor

Some of the best MSW career options in the private sector are:

• Project Coordinator
• Professor/Lecturer
• Program Coordinator
• Junior Research Fellow
• District Consultant
• Documentation and Communication Officer

Skills That Make You The Best after MSW

The MSW course is done to provide a career boost for people seeking jobs in social welfare fields. It opens a variety of career opportunities for aspiring Human Rights activists, Social counsellors, and many more. Some of the skills required for the MSW graduates are as follows:

• Social Perceptiveness
• Good Communication Skills
• Tolerance
• Emotional Intelligence
• Critical Thinking