Certification and licensing vary from state to state with some states providing certification and others licensing. In Minnesota to be eligible for licensure, one must have attained a bachelors, masters or doctorate in social work from an academic program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and pass the appropriate level examination of the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB). There are four levels of licensing awarded in Minnesota depending on the applicant's academic degree and level of supervised experience. The first level is "Licensed Social Worker" (LSW); the second, "Licensed Graduate Social Worker" (LGSW); the third, "Licensed Independent Social Worker" (LISW); the fourth, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). Social work as defined by the State of Minnesota Board of Social Work cannot be legally practiced in Minnesota by unlicensed social workers except student interns, those in public agencies, those in federally recognized tribes and private nonprofit agencies which have a minority focus.

For additional information on the profession of social work, the following organizations / individuals may be contacted:

• National Association of Social Workers
• Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care
• Dr. Mike Raschick, Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Dr. Don Carpenter, Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota Duluth