The Master of Social Work (MSW) program is an advanced generalist with an emphasis on working in rural and Indigenous communities. The program teaches students how to achieve a disciplined, compassionate presence to a caring, and ethical practice.

The goals of the MSW Program are to:
1. Prepare students for professional social work practice responsive to the challenges and resources present in rural areas and indigenous communities.
2. Present local, historical, and contemporary social issues within a global perspective.

The program prepares students for advanced generalist practice which emphasizes multi-system, multi-level approaches in which practitioners and clients work in collaboration to enhance the functioning and resilience within systems through building on existing strengths.

Students develop a framework for practice guided by personal and professional values and ethics. Cultural humility, compassion, partnership, empowerment, non-expert relational paradigms, critical reflection, and social action for justice are the concepts that form the foundation for learning and developing social work practice at Humboldt State University.