{"id":252,"date":"2022-07-27T16:53:47","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T21:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/socialwelfare\/?page_id=252"},"modified":"2025-11-26T12:17:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:17:17","slug":"wisconsin-certification-licensure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/socialwelfare\/wisconsin-certification-licensure\/","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin Professional Certification & Licensure Disclosure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Certification and licensing for social workers across the U.S. requires a BSW or MSW from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program. A social work degree at both the bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s level from UW-Milwaukee meets this requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a social work degree obtained from UW-Milwaukee, you will meet the initial<\/em> licensing requirements for all 50 states. Each state has additional<\/em> requirements, unique to that state, that will likely include an exam as well as post-graduate professional experience for LCSW or equivalent advanced licensure. There is a national exam through the Association of Social Work Boards, but not all states have adopted this exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More details about the licensing and certification requirements of all 50 states can be found on the\u00a0Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Additional requirements in Wisconsin include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Worker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bachelor\u2019s-level certification in Wisconsin is the Certified Social Worker (CSW), which requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) education<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. A Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code Examination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) bachelor\u2019s-level national exam<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Advanced Practice Social Worker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The entry master\u2019s-level certification in Wisconsin is the Advanced Practice Social Worker (APSW), which requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. A Master of Social Work (MSW) education<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. A Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code Examination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) master\u2019s-level national exam<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Licensed Clinical Social Worker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The advanced clinical-level license in Wisconsin is the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. A Master of Social Work (MSW) education with demonstrated clinical emphasis<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. A post-graduate, supervised clinical practice experience (3,000 or 4,500 hours)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. A Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code Examination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) clinical-level national exam<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Independent Social Worker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The advanced generalist certification in Wisconsin is called the Independent Social Worker (ISW), which requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        1. A Master of Social Work (MSW) education<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. A post-graduate, supervised practice experience (two years)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. A Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code Examination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) advanced generalist-level national exam<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
          <\/div>\n\n\n
          <\/div>\n\n\n\n
          Contact<\/div>
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          mswadmis@uwm.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

          <\/div>\n\n\n