As the school's largest program, the master of social work (M.S.W.) prepares students for professional roles in the full array of major human services. The M.S.W. prepares students for advanced social work practice. This includes preparing people to assume administrative leadership roles in the state's social welfare departments and agencies at all levels of government, as well as in the voluntary sector. It also includes preparing skilled direct-service providers to function in both public and private sectors of social welfare. This is accomplished in a program that maximizes individualization of learning and student choice.

The M.S.W. program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The school's curriculum is designed to address the wide range of knowledge, values, tasks, and skills required to prepare competent and effective social work professionals. The school emphasizes the preparation of social workers who are committed to practice with the poor, vulnerable populations, as well as the oppressed, and who work to alleviate poverty, oppression, and discrimination.

The School of Social Work offers a full range of programs leading to the M.S.W. degree on the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick campuses. The M.S.W. curriculum is divided into two levels: the professional foundation and the advanced curriculum. The first level requires 30 credits and the second level requires 30 credits, to complete a total of 60 credits for graduation. The professional foundation must be completed successfully before entry into the advanced curriculum.