How To Pass The ASWB Exam To Become A Licensed Social Worker

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Social work licensing practices vary widely by state. Some states require entry-level and generalist social workers to pass an exam and earn licensure. In other states, you only need a license to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and provide psychotherapy services.

In many states, social work licensure at any level requires you to pass an exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The ASWB exam is a nationally recognized exam that evaluates your comprehension of human behavior and development.

If you’re a social work major or considering pivoting into the human services field, read on to discover how to prepare for, take and pass the ASWB licensure exam—with or without a social work degree.

ASWB is a nonprofit organization comprising all of the state social work regulatory boards in the United States and Canada. This body regulates the social work profession and administers the licensure exam that evaluates prospective social workers’ ethics and expertise. Passing the ASWB exam is the final step to earning a social work license in many states.

ASWB offers five exam categories—associate, bachelor’s, master’s, advanced generalist and clinical—each tailored to a specific education and experience level. A candidate’s exam category determines their title and scope of practice post-licensure.

Within a four-hour window, ASWB exam-takers must answer questions concerning:

All ASWB exam categories contain 170 questions on human development and behavior, but question types may vary among categories. For example, the associate and bachelor’s exams lean more heavily on recall questions than other exam categories, which feature larger proportions of reasoning questions.

Each exam category may lead to a different level of social work licensure depending on your state’s licensing processes. Not all states offer all five categories of the ASWB exam.

This category offers a licensure pathway for applicants who want to practice social work without earning a four-year degree in the field. In most cases, associate-level social workers can only practice under supervision.

A handful of states offer this licensing pathway: South Dakota, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Only South Dakota, New Hampshire and Massachusetts require associate-level social workers to pass the associate ASWB exam.

Registration for the associate ASWB exam category costs $230.

The ASWB bachelor’s exam, which also costs $230, evaluates your generalist understanding of social work practices and ethics. You must hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited college to sit for this exam category.

The bachelor’s category features the same questions as the associate category.

Passing the bachelor’s exam qualifies you to become a non-clinical baccalaureate social worker. Exact titles vary among states; in Oregon, these professionals are called registered baccalaureate social workers, while North Carolina calls them certified social workers.

In most cases, social workers at this level interview clients, manage cases, conduct research and advocate for social justice. Depending on the state, they may only be able to practice autonomously after gaining supervised work experience post-licensure.

The ASWB master’s category requires a master of social work (MSW) and usually qualifies applicants for the licensed master social worker (LMSW) credential. Again, the exact title may vary by state—Indiana calls these professionals licensed social workers, for example.

The master’s-level exam tests your foundational understanding of the social work field and evaluates your application of specialized skills gained during their MSW program. Licensees know how to apply advanced practice skills and specialized knowledge in their roles.

LMSWs can drive social change and justice for various communities. In some states, they can provide clinical therapy with oversight from an LCSW. The registration fee for this ASWB exam category is $230.

The advanced generalist category is tailored to prospective LMSWs who aspire to work in macro-level roles. This means working with large populations, such as entire states and countries. The advanced generalist ASWB exam indicates a desire to work with public policy, state or national campaigns, or other government initiatives.

To sit for the advanced generalist ASWB exam, you must hold a master’s degree in social work plus two years of nonclinical professional experience.

With a fee of $260, test takers can prove their expertise in social justice, public policy and administration, and public welfare to their state licensing boards.

The minimum requirements for this ASWB category include an MSW and two years of clinical experience. The clinical ASWB test serves prospective social workers who want to provide mental health services in clinical settings.

LCSWs (who may work under different titles, depending on where they practice) provide psychotherapy services to prevent, diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Through individual or group therapy, these professionals help people struggling with emotional distress.

Clinical social workers practice independently in various settings, including hospitals, schools, psychiatric facilities and social service agencies. Registering for the clinical ASWB exam category costs $260.

First, you must get your state board’s approval to register for the ASWB exam. Approval processes differ depending on the state where you want to practice.

Typical requirements vary by state and license level but may include college transcripts, a license application fee and proof of supervised experience, which you can send to the board via email or fax. Some states may also require you to provide fingerprints and undergo a background check.

Once you receive approval from your state social work board, you must register for the appropriate ASWB licensure exam, either online, via mail or by fax. Registration costs between $230 and $260, depending on your exam category.

If your registration is successful, you’ll receive an “authorization to test” email from ASWB.

Pearson VUE provides testing centers for licensure applicants nationwide. You can schedule, cancel and reschedule exam appointments with Pearson VUE through the testing authorization email.

The ASWB exam is a four-hour, computer-based test comprising 170 multiple-choice questions that test your expertise and decision-making skills as a social worker.

Exam questions cover various content areas and competencies you should have covered during your degree program. You may also find knowledge, skills and abilities statements resembling real-life situations that require critical thinking. To pass the licensure exam, you must answer about 100 out of the 150 questions correctly.

Although self-study is necessary to pass professional exams, practice tests can help you prepare better. By taking a mock test, you can identify loopholes in your study plan, learn the testing software, understand your strengths and areas for improvement, and prepare for complex questions.

After you register for your exam, ASWB offers a 30-day window to take a practice test for an additional $85. Practice exams exist for all categories except the advanced generalist exam.

Other test prep resources offer free practice tests, but ASWB warns against those resources because their content may be misleading.

ASWB enforces several security measures on test day to ensure a reliable exam process. Prepare to present two photo IDs and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Pearson VUE test centers are fitted with surveillance tools to detect exam malpractice. Test center personnel may also walk through the room at intervals.

You cannot enter the testing center with personal items, but you will receive erasable note boards, markers and other necessary materials from the test center personnel. You must return the items after the exam or risk invalidating your score.

The testing equipment should look like a typical computer setup. Test administrators may provide a short on-screen tutorial to help you navigate the software.

Upon completing the licensure exam, you’ll receive an unofficial score report at the test center indicating your performance. ASWB will then send the official score report to your state’s social work board two weeks after the exam.

Note that your scores cannot be altered at any point, so all you can do is wait for your state board to contact you or go ahead with other state-specific requirements. This may take anywhere from two weeks to a month.

If you fail the licensure exam, you can retake it after 90 days.

The ASWB exam stands for the Association of Social Work Boards examination. This test determines whether a candidate is fit to practice social work at their desired licensure level.

A recent ASWB report showed that 75.8% of first-time test takers passed the clinical exam category in 2021. The master’s and bachelor’s categories had pass rates of 73% and 68.7%, respectively.

Specific passing score thresholds on the ASWB exam may vary with each passing year. ASWB recommends that testers correctly answer 90 to 107 of the graded questions to pass the licensure exam.

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ISC2's Entry-Level Cyber Certification Wins Best Professional Certification Award

SC Media's 2023 Awards honor Certified in Cybersecurity℠ for its role in helping to close the global cyber workforce gap

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ISC2 – the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals – today announced its entry-level certification Certified in Cybersecurity℠ (CC) has won a 2023 SC Award in the Excellence Award category for the Best Professional Certification Program. The Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) training and exam was designed to address the global cyber workforce gap of 3.4 million professionals by providing a way for those from non-technical backgrounds to enter the field.

The SC Awards program is cybersecurity's most prestigious and competitive program, recognizing the solutions, organizations and people driving innovation and success in information security. According to the SC Award's esteemed panel of independent judges, "ISC2's Certified in Cybersecurity certificate program is a cut above the rest," and it commended the program for its "contribution to the greater good of the cybersecurity community." The judges honored ISC2 for its "innovation, leadership and hard work."

"This year's SC Award winners reflected our industry in flux," said Tom Spring, SC Media's Editorial Director at CyberRisk Alliance. "Winners demonstrated uncanny market agility and brought innovative solutions to help their customers stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated adversaries and emerging threats."

"This award, along with the accomplishment of having over 28,000 individuals attain the Certified in Cybersecurity certification, underscores the value of this entry-level certification to our members and candidates who have diligently earned it, showcasing their unwavering commitment to the cybersecurity profession," said Clar Rosso, CEO, ISC2. "Recognition from SC Media's prestigious cybersecurity award program further validates the importance of our entry-level certification for the profession at large, as we attract new entrants into the field as organizations face acute staffing shortages. We're demonstrating that having a passion and drive to enter a career can open limitless opportunities for both professionals and employers."

Diverse Pathways into the Cybersecurity Profession

The CC℠ certification allows individuals from all backgrounds to demonstrate the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities for an entry- or junior-level cybersecurity role. The certification requires no prior work experience and can test a person's aptitude and interest in a cybersecurity career, allowing employers to confidently build resilient cyber teams across all experience levels.

As part of ISC2's commitment to help close the workforce gap, its global initiative, One Million Certified in Cybersecurity, is offering free CC℠ training and exams to the first million people who enroll. Since its launch in August 2022, ISC2 has enrolled more than 250,000 individuals in the certification training, with more than 28,000 becoming certification holders. The global success of the certification highlights the importance of creating new and diverse pathways into the industry and removing barriers to entry into the profession.

"I'm switching career paths to move into cybersecurity. Certified in Cybersecurity is a great way to demonstrate my knowledge," said Eric Turner, Cybersecurity Analyst, First Merchants Bank.

This recognition follows ISC2's award win for the Best Professional Training or Certification Program at the 2023 SC Awards Europe.

To learn more about the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity certification, please visit: https://www.isc2.org/Certifications/CC. 

About ISC2 ISC2 is the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals with an aim of inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) certification, ISC2 offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our association of candidates, associates and members, more than 500,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation – The Center for Cyber Safety and Education™. For more information on ISC2, visit www.isc2.org, follow us on X or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.   

About CyberRisk Alliance  CyberRisk Alliance (CRA) is a business intelligence company serving the high growth, rapidly evolving cybersecurity community with a diversified portfolio of services that inform, educate, build community, and inspire an efficient marketplace. Our trusted information leverages a unique network of journalists, analysts and influencers, policymakers, and practitioners. CRA's brands include SC Media, Security Weekly, ChannelE2E, MSSP Alert, InfoSec World, Identiverse, Cybersecurity Collaboration Forum, its research unit CRA Business Intelligence, the peer-to-peer CISO membership network, Cybersecurity Collaborative, the Official Cyber Security Summit, TECHEXPO Top Secret, and now LaunchTech Communications. Click here to learn more. 

© 2023 ISC2 Inc., ISC2, CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks, and CC is a service mark of ISC2, Inc.   

Media Contact:Amanda Steinman Senior PR Manager ISC2 asteinman@isc2.org

SOURCE ISC2

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