Academic degrees in Social Work are getting increased attention of the students willing to pursue their academic career in some unique but functional subjects. In countries like India, where various types of socioeconomic issues still keep the general awareness of people remain shrouded, academic subjects like Social Work opens a new vista of enhanced knowledge regarding these issues and ways to solve them efficiently.


This article includes the list of 5 leading institutes in India that offer Master of Social Work programs. These institutes are renowned for offering highly efficient and career-oriented courses. They guide their students in a wide range of aspects of social work.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

Overview: The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, was founded in the year 1936. The institute experienced a remarkable achievement in the year 1964. It was declared a Deemed-to-be-University according to Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956. The institute is UGC affiliated.

Campuses: The four campuses of TISS are located in:
  • Mumbai 
  • Tuljapur 
  • Hyderabad 
  • Guwahati 
Subjects Taught: TISS's postgraduate academic programs focus on:
  • Management and Labour Studies
  • Disaster Studies 
  • Development Studies 
  • Education 
  • Gender Studies 
  • Health Studies 
  • Law 
  • Media and Cultural Studies 
  • Public Policy 
  • Rural Development and Social Work 

Eligibility: All the applicants for the postgraduate programs are required to have successfully completed the 3-year bachelor’s degree program or equivalent in the respective subjects. The certificates and other documents bearing the proof of this successful completion should be presented at the time of interview. The applicants are advised to check the program-specific requirements as well.

Department of Social Work, University of Delhi

Overview: The Department of Social Work of the University of Delhi has the feature of being the earliest institute in Asia to present the Master of Social Work and attracts apprentices from diverse regions of India and Universities overseas for all its courses. The Department draws its beginning to the founding of the Y.W.C.A School of Social Work in the year of 1946 at Lucknow and was moved to Delhi in 1947.
Programs Offered: The postgraduate programs in Social Work offered by this institute are: 
  • M.A 
  • M.Phil. 
  • PhD. 
Research Centers: The institute supervises the following research centres:
  • Centre for Community Development and Action (CCDA) 
  • Gender Resource Centre: Suvidha Kendra 
  • Centre for Child and Adolescent Well Being 
  • Training, Orientation and Research Centre (TORC) 
  • State Training and Resource Centre (STRC) 
Eligibility: All the applicants who are willing to pursue postgraduate program are required to have successfully completed the 3-year bachelor’s degree program or equivalent in the respective subjects. The applicants who are planning to take admission in doctoral programs are required to have successfully completed the postgraduate programs in the respective subjects from any recognized university with at least 55% marks in the aggregate (50% for reserved categories). The applicants are advised to check the program-specific requirements as well.

Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous)

Overview: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences was founded on account of the unfaltering diligence and prudence of the CMI. The college is affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University
Academic Programs: The following postgraduate programs are offered in the field of Social Work: 
  • PhD. 
  • M Phil 
  • PGDCSW 
  • MSW
Eligibility: All the applicants of postgraduate programs are required to have successfully completed the 3-year bachelor’s degree program or equivalent in the respective subjects. The applicants to the doctoral programs are required to have successfully completed the postgraduate programs in the respective subjects from any recognized university with at least 55% marks in the aggregate (50% for reserved categories). All the candidates are advised to check the program-specific requirements as well.

Madras School of Social Work

Overview: Madras School of Social Work, founded in the year of 1952, situated in Chennai, South India, is a self-governing institution, having the excellence accreditation of NAAC and the affiliation to University of Madras. It is affiliated with the University of Madras.
Academic Programs: The institute offers the following postgraduate programs:
  • Master of Social Work 
  • M.Sc. in Counselling Psychology 
  • M.A. in Human Resource Management 
  • M.A. in Human Resources & Organizational Development 
  • M.A. in Development Management 
  • M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship 
  • M.Phil. in Social Work & Psychology 
  • PhD in Social Work 
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management 
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Staff Management and Industrial Relations 
Eligibility: All the applicants to the postgraduate programs are required to have successfully completed the 3-year bachelor’s degree program or equivalent in the respective subjects. The applicants to the doctoral programs are required to have successfully completed the postgraduate programs in the respective subjects from any recognized university with at least 55% marks in the aggregate (50% for reserved categories). All the candidates are advised to check the program-specific requirements as well.

Loyola College of Social Sciences

Overview: Accredited with A grade by the NAAC with a CGPA of 3.72 on a 4-point scale in the 3rd Cycle of Re-accreditation in the year of 2014, Loyola College of Social Sciences is a sophisticated institution for Social Sciences. It is the only one of this kind in the University of Kerala.
Subjects Taught: The postgraduate academic programs offered by the institute focus on: 
  • Sociology 
  • Social Work 
  • Personnel Management 
  • Counselling Psychology 
Academic Programs: The institute offers the following postgraduate programs: 
  • Post-Graduate 
  • PhD. 
  • Certificate Courses
Eligibility: All the applicants of the postgraduate programs are required to have successfully completed the 3-year bachelor’s degree program or equivalent in the respective subjects. The applicants to the doctoral programs are required to have successfully completed the postgraduate programs in the respective subjects from any recognized university with at least 55% marks in the aggregate (50% for reserved categories). All the candidates are advised to check the program-specific requirements as well.