License Requirements Education. Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work. Additional Coursework. Register as an ASW. Fingerprint Requirement. Criminal Background Check. Take and Pass the California Law & Ethics Exam. Accrue Supervised Experience. Take and Pass the ASWB Clinical Exam.
While an MSW program will require field work experience to graduate, California requires 3,000 total supervised social work hours open_in_new over a minimum of 104 weeks in order to become licensed as a clinical social worker.
Aspiring social workers can become an ASW after completing about six years of education. Studying full time takes you four years to complete a BSW degree and 2-3 years for a MSW degree. Schools may offer advanced standing if you have completed core social work courses, which shortens your graduation timeline.