Social work organizations are powered by dedicated employees who have devoted their life’s work to assisting others. Taking responsibility during critical situations, social workers do the often unseen work of helping people navigate great difficulties and land on their feet.
Because their work is so difficult, social workers in Texas are required to hold licenses to practice. This ensures that those in need are met by skilled professionals who have the tools and resources to provide quality care.
The standard credential for social workers is Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).
With an LMSW, most positions in the wide arena of social work are available to you, with career paths in every area of specialization.
What Is a Licensed Master Social Worker?
LMSWs can play numerous roles within social work organizations, becoming case managers for clients, performing administrative duties, managing logistics and securing resources, and even taking on leadership positions. This means social workers with vastly different career goals choose to pursue this licensing option as they launch their professional lives.
The only roles LMSWs cannot take in social work organizations are counselor or therapist roles. This is known as Clinical Social Work, a role only Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) are qualified to hold. If this is the path you’re more interested in taking, take a look at our step-by-step guide to becoming an LCSW here.
Steps to Becoming a Licensed Master Social Worker in Texas
The LMSW is the first license you are eligible for immediately upon graduating from your Master of Social Work program. The process of obtaining your LMSW credential isn’t too complicated, but it’s important to complete every step carefully to ensure that you can start your career as quickly as possible.
Take a look at the guidelines below to get a sense of what prospective LMSWs are in for.
1. Obtain your Master of Social Work degree
Any social work organization will require its social workers to hold social work licenses, which unilaterally require Master of Social Work degrees. The requirements to become a licensed social worker are governed by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), a department of the state.
An MSW program will equip you with the fundamental skills and insights you need to enter the social work profession, combining in-depth classes with field work internships that will expose you to the principles of the social work field and the day to day life of a social worker.
For students who opt to complete their MSWs on a full-time schedule, your degree program will take two years to complete. Many schools also offer options for part-time schedules, which typically take three years.
You can attend an MSW program with any bachelor’s degree, but if you hold a Bachelor of Social Work degree, you will be eligible for an Advanced Standing MSW program, which abridges your graduate program to a single year (full-time), allowing you to dive into a full-time practice as quickly as possible.
2. Take your exams
As soon as you have graduated from your MSW program, you will be eligible to take the ASWB Master’s level exam, putting your LMSW license within reach. This exam will test you on your knowledge of the social work field as well as your practical understanding of a social worker’s responsibilities. While your MSW program should leave you well-equipped to take the test, it’s also recommended that you spend time preparing for the test, reviewing everything you’ve learned over your program and reflecting on your experiences in your graduate field work experiences. Many people decide to prepare for the test in groups, holding each other accountable and providing the greatest depth of knowledge possible.
All social workers are also required to pass the Texas Jurisprudence Exam, which is designed to ensure that all professionals know the rules and regulations for social work practice in the state. This is an open-book, “no fail” exam (meaning you can retake it until you have passed), but it is nevertheless worth taking seriously, as it is a requirement to take next steps toward your LMSW.
Taking Your Career One Step Further: The LMSW-AP Certificate
If you don’t gravitate toward clinical social work but are eager to make the biggest strides you can as an LMSW, one way you can help accelerate your career is by pursuing the Licensed Master of Social Work-Advanced Practice track. This is an excellent option for those who wish to build up expertise quickly, allowing them to rise in the ranks to leadership positions in social work organizations.
An LMSW-AP credential certifies that you have pursued your social work training to the highest possible level, possessing the deep knowledge and developed skills needed to take on high-ranking roles in social work agencies.
This does not mean that an LMSW-AP is an out-and-out requirement to hold these roles. However, LMSWs who are newcomers to the field will typically have to amass many years of work under their belts before rising into these positions. An LMSW-AP therefore can act as a stepping school, asserting your competence so that you can potentially bypass some of those years working your way up.
LMSW-APs are required to complete 3,000 supervised field work hours in order to receive their licenses, similar to LCSWs. After this, you will be eligible to take the ASWB Advanced Generalist Exam, designed specifically for LMSW-APs. Since the LMSW-AP is intended to demonstrate your prowess to prospective employers, you can assume this test will be rigorous. However, the work will pay off, leaving you in the best position possible to launch the social work career you want to have.
3. Complete a background check
No matter what license level they are pursuing, all social workers in Texas will be expected to submit electronic fingerprints to the BHEC. This is a standard security measure to ensure that care providers can be entrusted with their extensive responsibilities. Though it’s a small step, be sure not to forget to do this, as it is a strict requirement without which you cannot receive your license.
4. Apply to the Behavioral Health Executive Council for licensing
Upon passing your exams and completing your background check, you are now ready to apply for your social work license. You will be expected to provide your MSW transcript and diploma, passed exams, and approved background check to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council for final approval.
Processing times for receiving your license typically take several weeks to complete, so be patient. Assuming all of your materials meet state requirements, you should eventually receive your LMSW license, making you a qualified practicing social worker. Congratulations!
5. Renew your license every two years
Social work licenses in Texas must be regularly renewed. Your license will expire every two years, and licenses that go more than a year without renewal will expire for good.
The renewal process ensures that social workers are staying engaged with advances in the social work practice and can also be opportunities for social workers to build new skill sets and areas of specialty.
License renewal requirements consist of 30 hours of continuing education classes as well as a training course on human trafficking. Continuing education classes can be held in a variety of formats, including:
- In-person and online classes
- Weekend-long conferences
- Skill-building workshops
In addition to being opportunities to build expertise, continuing education classes can often offer chances to build your professional network, meeting other like-minded social workers. This is another reason working social workers find continuing education requirements valuable.
FAQs
What does a Licensed Master Social Worker do?
LMSW is a broad license category that allows social workers to perform a huge variety of roles. Many LMSWs are involved in providing direct services to clients in their area of specialty, such as providing for key resources like food, housing, and employment for families in need. LMSWs can also be involved at a more macro level of social work, directing the broad scale efforts of an organization or even pressing for change at the policy level. This means there’s no shortage of job possibilities for LMSWs.
What is the difference between a Licensed Master Social Worker vs. Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
An LMSW is a social worker authorized to hold all positions in a social work organization that fall outside of the boundaries of clinical practice, i.e. counseling and therapy services. This means LMSWs can become case workers, resource coordinators, and even organization leaders. An LCSW is licensed to practice clinical social work, meaning direct counseling for clients who need to address emotional or psychological needs. To learn more about LMSW vs. LCSW to figure out which one is right for you, take a look at our guide here.
Do I need an MSW to become an LMSW?
Yes. Social workers cannot receive licenses of any kind without completing a Master of Social Work program. This means completing graduate school should be your top priority if your goal is to join the social work profession.
How often does my LMSW credential expire?
Every two years. To renew your license, you will be expected to complete 30 hours of continuing education and a training course on human trafficking. You will be eligible to renew your license within 60 days of expiration, whether before or after.