The Michigan Board of Social Work, part of the Michigan Department of Community Health, issues licenses for the state’s social workers. Like most states, an applicant for a Michigan social worker license generally needs to obtain an educational degree in social work and also get actual work experience under the supervision of a licensed social worker. Michigan has a license for bachelor’s and master’s social work degree holders. Applicants should learn the requirements as early as possible so they can adequately plan out their educational and career goals and earn a license as a Michigan social worker.
In Michigan, there are three main types of licenses for state social workers:
1. Social Service Tech
2. Bachelor’s Social Worker
3. Master’s Social Worker
Each type has its own Michigan social work license requirements. This article will summarize those requirements. You can also use the Sources section below to get links to the applicable social worker application forms for each type of Michigan social worker.
Michigan Social Services Technician
1. Current employment in human services or social services and one of the following:
a. At least one year and 2000 hours of social work while supervised by a bachelor’s or master’s Michigan social worker
b. Associate degree in social work with at least 18 or 27 quarter hours of social work and at least 350 hours of an intermship under a licensed social worker. However, applicants with at least two years of college can qualify if they have at least four courses related to human services. Further, any associate’s degree in social work from a nationally accredited college will qualify if the GPA is at least 2.0.
Michigan Bachelor’s Social Worker
1. A bachelor’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Access a list of CSWE programs at cswe.org/Accreditation/organizations.aspx.
2. At least 4000 hours of supervised work over at least two years. This work must occur after you get your social work degree.
3. Passage of the bachelor’s social work exam, administered by the Association of Social Work Boards. You can find more about this test at aswb.org.
Michigan Master’s Social Worker
1. A master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-approved social work degree program
2. At least 4000 hours and two years of supervised work under a licensed master social worker in Michigan. All of the supervised social work must be accumulated after your master’s degree.
3. Passage of an ASWB clinical examination if you are going to do clinical social work. You may also choose to do macro social work instead of clinical.
Note: All applicants for a Michigan social work license must present fingerprints for a criminal background check.
Resources:
Application for Michigan Bachelor’s Social Worker
Application for Michigan Master’s Social Worker
Application for Michigan Social Services Tech
Michigan Board of Social Work Website Main Page
