CSWE accreditation is a rigorous peer-review process that can only be accomplished with the help of our dedicated volunteers. There are three types of accreditation volunteers: Board of Accreditation Members, Site Visitors, and Fellowship Review Committee Members. Applications open in April each year.

Perks of Becoming an Accreditation Volunteer:

  • Engage in esteemed volunteer service and professional development
  • Enhance your own accreditation expertise and technical discussion and writing skills to contribute to your own social work program's accreditation efforts
  • Learn about new, innovative, and promising social work education practices
  • Have a network of peers and fellow volunteers with expertise in accreditation
  • Receive annual letters of recognition for services, that may be used for promotions
  • Join the annual volunteer celebration at CSWE Annual Conference.
  • Contribute to the overall improvement of the social work profession and educational community

Board of Accreditation

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA) is the accrediting body for social work education. As the accreditor, the BOA is responsible for both formulating accreditation standards and determining the criteria and process for evaluating these standards. In addition, BOA members conduct candidacy visits for baccalaureate, master's, and practice doctorate programs seeking initial accreditation.

Perks of Becoming a CSWE BOA Member

  • Engage in esteemed volunteer service and professional development
  • Enhance your own accreditation expertise and technical discussion and writing skills to contribute to your own social work program's accreditation efforts
  • Learn about new, innovative, and promising social work education practices
  • Have a network of peers and fellow volunteers with expertise in accreditation
  • Receive annual letters of recognition for services, which may be used for promotions
  • Join the annual volunteer celebration at CSWE Annual Conference
  • Contribute to the overall improvement of the social work profession and educational community

Primary Functions

Program Document Review: BOA members are assigned to a work group to review program documents, submit decision briefs, and make decision recommendations to submit to the BOA for voting. Each BOA member is assigned 6-10 documents to review per meeting. BOA members also review the program's documents for any candidacy visits they conduct.

Board of Accreditation Meetings: The BOA meets three times a year (June, October, and February). BOA members are expected to attend all BOA meetings on time and participate until their conclusion. During these meetings CSWE staff present any updates and provide training and the BOA reconcile decisions for candidacy and reaffirmation. The BOA also discusses accreditation matters, assesses the effectiveness of the accreditation process, and makes changes, as needed, to support development and continuous improvement. Additional virtual meetings may be scheduled.

Candidacy Program Visits/Reports: BOA members conduct visits to programs in candidacy. BOA visitors are also active participants in the visit planning process, working in collaboration with the program to develop the visit schedule, used to guide and structure the visit. Candidacy visit travel expenses are paid for by programs, and any out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed. The information collected by visitors is summarized in the candidacy visit report and reviewed by the BOA to make a final decision.

Eligibility

BOA members must:

  • Hold full-time faculty or administrative appointment in a BOA accredited or candidate social work program, or a new applicant practice doctorate program, so long as the individual holds an active CSWE membership either individual or program.
  • Possess a minimum of 5-years teaching in a BOA accredited or candidate program, or a practice doctorate program planning to seek accreditation
  • Have recent experience as a CSWE accreditation site visitor, having conducted at least three (3) site visits using the 2015 or 2022 EPAS
  • Have demonstrated knowledge of curriculum development and accreditation procedures

 

Highly Desired:

  • Experience as an administrator, educator, or student, in social work practice doctorate program(s).
  • Fluency in Spanish and English, including the ability to review program materials and conduct visits in Spanish and English.

 

Application

Applicants who are eligible and interested must complete the application through the online application portal. Applications are open each spring. Within the application portal, applicants will:

  • Respond to a brief set of questions (including a statement of interest)
  • Upload CV

Appointment and Certification

Applications are evaluated based on applicant qualifications and to ensure a diverse and well-rounded group of volunteers, considering, but not limited to the following: number of visits in the upcoming reaffirmation cycle(s), geographic diversity, institutional auspice (e.g., minority-serving institution, research/teaching focus), social work program options, size, program foci, and CSWE's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement.

Applicants will be notified of a decision by mid-June for 3-year terms that start July 1. BOA members have the option to renew their appointment for a total of two terms.

More Information:

Review the BOA Info Sheet 

To stay up-to-date on applications or information sessions please complete the BOA Interest Form 

Review the BOA Volunteer Information Session Slide Deck

Site Visitors

CSWE-accredited baccalaureate and master's social work programs host site visits as an integral part of the reaffirmation process. Site visitors conduct visits to programs on behalf of the CSWE Board of Accreditation (BOA). The site visitor's role is to be an objective gatherer of information to inform reaffirmation decisions.

Perks of Becoming a Certified CSWE Site Visitor

  • Engage in esteemed volunteer service and professional development
  • Enhance your own accreditation expertise and technical discussion and writing skills to contribute to your own social work program's accreditation efforts
  • Learn about new, innovative, and promising social work education practices
  • Have a network of peers and fellow volunteers with expertise in accreditation
  • Receive annual letters of recognition for services, which may be used for promotions
  • Join the annual volunteer celebration at CSWE Annual Conference
  • Contribute to the overall improvement of the social work profession and educational community

Primary Functions

Self-Study Reviews: Site visitors are responsible for reviewing the Self-Study for the program being visited and the Letter of Instruction (LOI), issued by the BOA.

Site Visits/Reports: Site visitors conduct reaffirmation visits and meet with various program stakeholders to gather information. Visitors do not make compliance decisions or recommendations to programs, instead are visiting the programs as support to help clarify information requested by the BOA. Site visitors are also active participants in the visit planning process, working in collaboration with the program to develop the site visit schedule, used to guide and structure the visit. Site visit travel expenses are paid for by programs, and any out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed. The information collected by visitors is summarized in the site visit report and then reviewed by the BOA to make a final reaffirmation decision.

Eligibility

Skill set needed:

  • be a current or former full- or part-time social work faculty member at a CSWE-accredited or candidate social work program or from a practice doctorate program that commits to seeking accreditation
  • possess at least three years of teaching experience in a CSWE-accredited or candidate social work program or in a practice doctorate program that commits to seeking accreditation
  • have continued engagement in teaching and learning at a CSWE-accredited or candidate program or in a practice doctorate program that commits to seeking accreditation
  • be willing to conduct at least one site visit every two academic years; and
  • be an active CSWE member or work at an institution with a CSWE-accredited social work program

 

Encouraged to apply:

  • Applicants with experience as an administrator, educator, or student, in social work practice doctorate program(s)
  • Applicants with written and verbal Spanish and English language fluency

 

Application

Applicants who are eligible and interested must complete the application through the online application portal. Applications are open each spring. Within the application portal, applicants will:

  • Respond to a brief set of questions (including a statement of interest)
  • Upload CV
  • Upload a letter of support from their program's chief administrator (e.g., dean, chair); that supports the time necessary to devote to site visitor trainings and commitments. If the applicant is the program's chief administrator, a letter of support from an institutional administrator (e.g., provost).

Appointment and Certification

CSWE accreditation staff evaluate applications based on applicant qualifications and to ensure a diverse and well-rounded group of volunteers, considering, but not limited to the following: number of visits in the upcoming reaffirmation cycle(s), geographic diversity, institutional auspice (e.g., minority-serving institution, research/teaching focus), social work program options, size, program foci, and CSWE's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement.

Applicants will be notified of a decision by mid-June. Site visitors are appointed to terms of 3-year terms of service, with the option to renew their appointment at the expiration of the term.

To become certified and be assigned to a visit, appointed applicants are required to attend training, even if previously trained. Training is held virtually. Additional training may be required of site visitors periodically to remain current on site visit operations.

More Information

Review the Site Visitor Info Sheet

To stay up-to-date on applications or information sessions please complete the Site Visitor Interest Form

Review the Site Visitor Information Session Slide Deck

Fellowship Review Committee

The Fellowship Review Committee (FRC) serves as the primary review body for post-master's social work fellowship programs seeking initial or continued accreditation and is responsible for making accreditation decision recommendations to the Board of Accreditation (BOA). The FRC is a volunteer body of social work educators and practitioners.

Perks of Becoming a Fellowship Review Committee Member

  • Engage in esteemed volunteer service and professional development
  • Enhance your own accreditation expertise and technical discussion and writing skills which many contribute to your own social work fellowship accreditation efforts
  • Learn about new, innovative, and promising social work education practices
  • Have a network of peers and fellow volunteers with expertise in accreditation
  • Receive annual letters of recognition for services, that may be used for promotions
  • Join the annual volunteer celebration at CSWE Annual Conference
  • Contribute to the overall improvement of the social work profession and educational community

Primary Functions

Document Reviews: The FRC is responsible for reviewing fellowship program self-studies, authorizing site visits, preparing summary reports of program strengths, concerns, and areas of improvement, and recommending an accreditation decision to the BOA.

Site Visits/Site Visit Reports: FRC members are expected to visit the fellowship programs whose Self-Study they have reviewed. FRC members may conduct up to two site visits per year; site visit travel expenses are reimbursed by CSWE.

Virtual Meetings: The FRC meets virtually three times a year (January, May, and September). Additional virtual meetings may be scheduled, as needed. FRC members are expected to attend all FRC meetings on time and participate until their conclusion. During these meetings, CSWE staff present updates and provide trainings, and the FRC reconciles site visit authorization decisions as well as initial accreditation and reaffirmation decision recommendations for the BOA's consideration. The FRC also discusses accreditation matters, assesses the effectiveness of the accreditation process, and makes changes, as needed, to support the development and continuous improvement of fellowship accreditation.

Eligibility

Highly desired: Social work practitioner and/or educator with fellowship education experience.

Application: Applicants who are eligible and interested in applying to become a member of the FRC must complete the application through the online application portal. Applications are open each spring. Within the application portal, applicants will:

  • Respond to a brief set of questions (including a statement of interest)
  • Upload CV

Appointment

CSWE accreditation staff evaluate applications based on applicant qualifications and to ensure a diverse and well-rounded group of volunteers, considering, but not limited to the following: geographic diversity, social work education experience, practice experience, and CSWE's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy statement.

Applicants will be notified of a decision by mid-June. FRC members are appointed to terms of 3-year terms of service, with the option to renew their appointment at the expiration of the term, for a total of two terms. This may include visits that take place after the expiration of the member's term.

More Information

Review the Fellowship Review Committee (FRC) Info Sheet 

To stay up-to-date on applications or information sessions, complete the FRC Interest Form