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ONLINE SOCIAL WORK & HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS

Be a part of systemic change

Your gift for empathy can be a catalyst for change. Elevate your skills to advocate for vulnerable populations and bridge gaps in healthcare, education and social justice by earning a social work or human services degree at Capella.

Online social work and human services degrees designed for flexibility

Online social work and human services degrees designed for flexibility

Our programs offer career-focused coursework with the convenience of online learning. That’s how we support your goals to serve individuals and communities who need it most – earn your degree without putting life on hold.

$30,000 Tuition Cap: With Capella Tuition Cap, you won’t pay more than $30,000* in tuition costs for your Bachelor of Social Work degree.*

$2,500 master’s scholarship: Apply for a $2.5K Capella Progress Reward for the Master of Social Work, Master of Social Work – Advanced Standing, and Master of Science in Human Services programs.* 

$45,000 Tuition Cap: With Capella Tuition Cap, you won’t pay more than $45,000 in tuition costs for your Doctor of Social Work or Doctor of Human Services degree.* 

*Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details.

 

Find your program

Degree
selectedAos:26
Area of study

Learning format

bachelors 1,2,7,8,10,26
doctoral 8,12,7,2,10,26,9,1,25
certificate 2,9,7,8
masters 25,8,12,2,1,10,26,9,7
bachelors 2,7,1,10,8
doctoral 2,10,25,12
certificate
masters 8,2,10,7

Accredited and recognized

Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Accreditation and recognitions provide the assurance we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, student services and fiscal stability. See all of our accreditations and recognitions.

School of Public Service and Education mission

The School of Public Service and Education delivers high-quality, authentic and innovative experiences in education, social work, human services and public service. We empower graduates to become change agents honoring diversity while promoting social, economic and environmental justice within their communities.

Our programs are built around student success

We offer social work and human services programs in a supportive online learning environment that can help you fit your education into your busy life. Programs are professionally aligned, and faculty and staff provide support at every step.

CSHSE-accredited

The MS in Human Services program at Capella University is the first online master's program to be accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).

CSWE-accredited

Capella University’s Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation.

Expert advisory board

The Capella School of Nursing and Health Sciences Advisory Board helps ensure your curriculum is developed with the insight and support of industry leaders.

Distinctive programs

Social work and human services have key distinctions. See how Capella defines and builds around the needs of these important fields. Read The difference between human services and social work.

Scholar-practitioner faculty

Learn the latest in theory and practice from experienced doctoral faculty who are actively engaged in their field.

Have questions about our social work and human services programs? Start here.

Meet Capella’s social work and human services faculty

Our expert faculty members have designed curricula to enable our students and graduates to impact the evolving world of social work and human services. We do this by maintaining close and collaborative relationships with our colleagues in practice to ensure we are appropriately focusing on current and emerging needs. Our goal is to give students the opportunity to demonstrate competencies using real-world tools, processes and practices. We provide a highly supportive environment enriched with multiple resources aimed at helping students succeed.

Lisa Kreeger, PhD

Dean, School of Public Service

Dr. Lisa Kreeger brings a unique combination of academic and healthcare industry experience building from her roots as a clinical nurse. Her career includes faculty and academic leadership positions and experiences in the U.S. and internationally as a consultant focusing on change, strategy, innovation and leadership excellence. Dr. Kreeger’s primary research interests are to contribute to the understanding of how teams lead change and how asynchronous technology and augmented intelligence can be leveraged to promote competency-based education and enhance learning.

Brian L. Christenson

Master of Social Work Academic Program Director, School of Public Service & Education

Dr. Brian L. Christenson manages and leads one of the largest online/hybrid Master’s of Social Work programs nationally and has served at Capella University for 12 years. Most recently, Dr. Christenson received the Capella University Difference Maker Award for his leadership and vision at Capella University. Dr. Christenson has 20 years of advanced generalist social work practice experience in Adoption & Child Welfare Practice as a Certified and Licensed Adoption Professional and 19 years of social work higher education leadership experience in social work and adult higher education master’s and doctoral programs. He is a licensed master social worker in Minnesota and Idaho.

Tracee Washington, PhD

Academic Program Director, Human Services

Dr. Tracee Washington received her PhD in clinical psychology; while completing the traditional clinical training in assessment, diagnosis and intervention, she was also introduced to human services. Her initial experiences in human services included working with social workers in suspected child abuse cases and conducting court-ordered family evaluations. She also served as an expert witness in family court and consulted with family law attorneys.

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Working together: examples of social work collaboration

Because of the complex nature of social problems, social workers must team up with other experts to help their clients. We illustrate how these partnerships work.

5 ways a doctoral degree may strengthen your career

Is a doctoral degree your ticket to achieving your professional goals? As you weigh the pros and cons of your next degree, consider these potential upsides.

Ready for the next step?

Learning online doesn’t mean going it alone. Help is here when you need it, from faculty and academic coaches to financing advisors and more. You’ll have a supportive community that’s as passionate about your education – and your success – as you are.