1. Wait until your final semester of the MSW Program.
2. Go to the website for the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors and print out the "APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL WORK.”
3. Fill out the application. Have two licensed social workers to sign your form. They can be faculty or social workers from your field placement. Get the form back and send it in with your application.
4. Drop off or send the "Verification of Social Work Education” form to Dr. Page Buck. She will sign it and send it in for you.
5. Receive your notice of eligibility and register to take the exam. Many people like to do it early, but this isn't necessary. You can wait until summer. See the ASWB website for locations.
6. Study for the exam with a study group and/or in a licensure prep course. WCU will offer one in March. Stay tuned for details.
7. After passing the ASWB Masters exam, have your test score sent to the Pennsylvania licensing board.
8. After graduation, send your final transcript to ASWB. If you graduate in May, this may not be until early August.

The ASWB website has study tools to help prepare you for the exam.

The National Association of Social Workers offers one-day exam preperation courses. You can find days and locations for these courses at the website for the NASW-Pennsylvania chapter.

Other companies offer in-person and online exam preparation courses. The MSW Program at WCU does not vouch for the quality of these programs.

1. Once you have passed the ASWB Masters exam, have the ASWB send your test score to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, or the board of the state in which you wish to be licensed.
2. Once the state board has verified that you have graduated from a CSWE-accredited MSW program and have passed the ASWB Masters exam, you will be issued a license at the LSW level.

1. If you have an LSW license and wish to become licensed at the clinical level in Pennsylvania, you must be employed for at least two years and complete 3,000 hours of clinical work. For every 40 hours worked, two hours of supervision must be documented by a qualified professional. Half of the hours worked must be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker. The other half may be supervised by a licensed clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional. The state has detailed guidelines as to the number of hours, types of work activities that qualify, and required qualifications of the supervisor.
2. Once you have completed 3,000 hours pf supervised work experience, secure the "Application for a License by Examination to Practice Clinical Social Work" from the state board's website. Follow the directions to documentation your supervised clinical work experience, post-LSW.
3. Once you receive word from the state board that your forms were received and documented, you can register for the clinical-level exam. There are study guides and preparatory courses for the clinical examination available through ASWB and NASW-Pennsylvania chapter.
4. Many social workers do not go on to get their LCSW level of licensure, particularly if they are serving in the public sector or in macro social work. If you are in a private or non-profit group practice then you will want to obtain the LCSW so your fees can be reimbursed by insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare.