Accreditation Standards

CSWE's Board of Accreditation (BOA) and Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) are responsible for developing the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) for baccalaureate and master's social work education. The current edition of our accreditation standards was finalized and approved by BOA in 2022.

Before August 1, 2024: Programs submitting self-studies before August 1, 2024, will have the option to use the 2015 or the 2022 EPAS.

On/After August 1, 2024: Programs submitting self-studies on or after August 1, 2024 (June 2025 agenda for reaffirmation) will use the 2022 EPAS.

As of July 1, 2025: All accredited programs are expected to operate under the 2022 EPAS by July 1, 2025. 

Programs granted initial accreditation or reaffirmed (without a report issued) under the 2015 EPAS after July 1, 2024, will have 1 year from their initial accreditation/reaffirmation date to transition to the 2022 EPAS.

Programs issued a report under the 2015 EPAS must continue operating under the 2015 EPAS until the report is accepted. Once the report is accepted, the program will have 1 year from their report acceptance date to transition to the 2022 EPAS.

On/before December 31, 2022: All programs that have submitted Benchmark 1 documents for staff review on or before December 31, 2022, will operate under the 2015 EPAS for the duration of the candidacy process.

On/After January 1, 2023: Programs submitting Benchmark 1 documents for staff review on or after January 1, 2023, will use the 2022 EPAS for the duration of the candidacy process.

After July 1, 2024: Programs granted initial accreditation (without a report issued) under the 2015 EPAS after July 1, 2024, will have 1 year from their initial accreditation date to transition to the 2022 EPAS.

Programs issued a report under the 2015 EPAS must continue operating under the 2015 EPAS until the report is accepted. Once the report is accepted, the program will have 1 year from their report acceptance date to transition to the 2022 EPAS.

Before August 1, 2024: Programs submitting substantive changes proposals before August 1, 2024, will have an option to use the 2015 or the 2022 EPAS.

On/After August 1, 2024: Programs submitting substantive change proposals on or after August 1, 2024, will use the 2022 EPAS.

As of October 2022, the BOA offers an optional temporary waiver to the accreditation standard pertaining to the minimum number of full-time faculty required for master’s social work programs (Accreditation Standard M3.2.4). This temporary waiver permits master's programs with accreditation reviews under the 2015 EPAS to operate with a minimum of four (4) full-time faculty, as permitted in the 2022 EPAS.

Complete and submit the Temporary Waiver Request Form to the Director of Accreditation Services.

CSWE’s Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) is charged with preparing, at periodic intervals not to exceed 7 years, a statement of social work curriculum policy to encourage excellence in educational programs and to be used by the BOA in formulating and revising accreditation standards. The educational policy and the accreditation standards are conceptually linked to each other, so a 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) Joint Committee was formed with members from each commission.

The Joint Committee members included:

COEP representatives: Shirley Gatenio-Gabel, chair (Fordham University); Antoinette Farmer (Rutgers University); Brian Anderson (Jackson State University); Cynthia Franklin (University of Texas at Austin); Melissa Reitmeier, chair, Council on Field Education (University of South Carolina)

COA representatives: Deana Morrow, chair (West Virginia University); Michele Hanna (University of Denver); Shelly Wiechelt (University of Maryland Baltimore); Thomas Walsh (Boston College); Francis Origanti (Sacred Heart University)

The 2022 EPAS revision timeline documents the process from December 2017 to June 2022. 

CSWE's Board of Accreditation (BOA) and Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) are responsible for developing the 2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) for baccalaureate and master's social work education.