Minnesota LGSW Requirements & Hours Tracker

Becoming a Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) in Minnesota involves two distinct pieces:

1. Qualifying for the LGSW license itself (education, exam, application, background check).
2. Completing post‑licensure supervised practice hours as required by the Minnesota Board of Social Work and Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148E.

Minnesota does not use a model like “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience” for the LGSW. Instead, it uses:

• Practice hours (general or clinical),
• Direct clinical client contact hours (for clinical practice), and
• Supervision hours (time spent in formal supervision sessions).

Below is a step‑by‑step guide with the key hour requirements and the Board’s own terminology.

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1. What the LGSW License Is Allowed to Do

Under Minnesota law, a licensed graduate social worker may engage in the “practice of social work,” but may not engage in clinical practice except under the supervision of a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) or an alternate supervisor approved under section 148E.120. (revisor.mn.gov)

“Practice of social work” is broadly defined and includes direct services to clients (assessment, case management, crisis intervention, counseling, etc.) and macro roles like administration, policy, research, and community organization. (revisor.mn.gov)

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2. Requirements to Obtain the LGSW (Initial Licensure)

For a Standard LGSW by examination, you must meet educational and exam requirements, plus background check and application requirements. Under Minnesota Statutes §148E.055, subd. 3, and the Board’s “Apply for Standard LGSW” page, you must: (mn.gov)

1. Education

   • Hold a graduate degree in social work (typically an MSW) from a program accredited by:
     • The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE),
     • The Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, or
     • Another similar accreditation body designated by the Board;
       or hold a doctorate in social work from an accredited university.

2. Examination

   • Pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Master’s exam (or equivalent exam designated by the Board).
   • The statute specifies that the master’s exam must be taken within a defined time frame relative to degree completion and is not valid if it was passed eight or more years before application. (revisor.mn.gov)

3. Application and Fees

   • Submit a completed, signed application (paper or electronic attestation) on the Board’s form.
   • Pay the applicable licensure fees set out in Minn. Stat. §148E.180. (revisor.mn.gov)

4. Criminal Background Check

   • Complete a criminal background check under Minn. Stat. §214.075 and pay any required fees. (mn.gov)

5. Standards of Practice / Conduct

   • Attest that you have not engaged in conduct that violates the Board’s standards of practice (Minn. Stat. §§148E.195–148E.240). If you have, the Board may act under its discipline provisions. (revisor.mn.gov)

Important:
There is no pre‑licensure practice‑hours requirement to become an LGSW by examination. The hour requirements start after the LGSW is issued.

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3. Supervised Practice Requirements After You Are Licensed as an LGSW

Once you hold an LGSW, Minnesota distinguishes between:

• LGSWs in nonclinical practice, and
• LGSWs in clinical practice (on the path to LICSW).

Each has specific supervised practice requirements defined in statute and elaborated on the Board’s “Supervised Practice” pages. (mn.gov)

3.1 LGSW in Nonclinical Practice

If you are not engaged in clinical social work, Minnesota Statutes §148E.105 (“Licensed graduate social workers who do not practice clinical social work; supervised practice”) governs your requirements. (revisor.mn.gov)

Core requirements:

• Total supervision hours:

  • At least 100 hours of supervision.

• Total practice hours during which supervision must occur:

  • These 100 supervision hours must be obtained during the first 4,000 hours of postgraduate social work practice authorized by law.

• Ratio of supervision to practice:

  • You must receive at least 4 hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice.
  • The Board summarizes this as:
    • “4 hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice” for a total of 100 hours of supervision over 4,000 hours of practice. (mn.gov)

Type of hours (Board terminology):

• Practice hours (4,000 hours)
  • These are postgraduate social work practice hours in which you are performing the “practice of social work” as allowed for an LGSW (nonclinical). They may include direct client work and macro practice, as defined in §148E.010, subd. 11. (revisor.mn.gov)
• Supervision hours (100 hours)
  • “Licensing supervision” is described by the Board as an intentional professional relationship where a supervisor evaluates and directs your practice to promote competence and ethical service. (mn.gov)
  • For nonclinical supervised practice:
    • At least 50 of the 100 hours must be one‑on‑one supervision.
    • Up to 50 hours may be other types (e.g., group supervision) within Board rules. (mn.gov)

When you complete this nonclinical supervised practice requirement, you are eligible—if you choose—to apply for the LISW (Licensed Independent Social Worker). You may also remain an LGSW and continue to practice nonclinically without additional ongoing supervision requirements as long as you do not move into clinical practice. (mn.gov)

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3.2 LGSW in Clinical Practice (Path to LICSW)

If you, as an LGSW, engage in clinical social work, your supervised practice is governed by Minnesota Statutes §148E.106 and the Board’s “Standard License Clinical Supervision” guidance. (mn.gov)

Definition of “clinical practice” (Board wording):

The Board defines clinical practice as applying professional social work knowledge, skills, and values to the differential diagnosis and treatment of psychosocial functioning and mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders (including addictions). Treatment includes a plan based on a differential diagnosis and may involve psychotherapy with individuals, couples, families, and groups. (mn.gov)

Core requirements for LGSWs in clinical practice:

• Total clinical practice hours:

  • You must complete between 4,000 and 8,000 hours of clinical practice as an LGSW (or LISW) before applying for the LICSW.

• Direct clinical client contact hours within those practice hours:

  • Out of those 4,000–8,000 hours, at least 1,800 hours must be “direct clinical client contact.” (mn.gov)

• Total supervision hours:

  • You must obtain a minimum of 200 hours of clinical supervision over the course of that clinical practice before you are eligible to apply for LICSW. (mn.gov)

• Ratio of supervision to practice:

  • You must receive a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 8 hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice until the LICSW is issued. (mn.gov)

• Ongoing nature of supervision:

  • Statute and Board guidance emphasize that supervision is an ongoing requirement for LGSWs and LISWs in clinical practice until an LICSW is obtained, and that you are required to adjust the supervision rate to maintain that 4‑to‑8‑hours‑per‑160‑practice‑hours ratio. (mn.gov)

Type of hours (Board terminology):

• Clinical practice hours (4,000–8,000 hours)

  • These are hours in which you are performing clinical social work (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, psychotherapy, etc., related to mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders) as defined by the Board and statute.

• Direct clinical client contact hours (minimum 1,800 hours)

  • The Board defines “direct clinical client contact” as in‑person or electronic media interaction with a client (including the client’s system and service providers) that is related to the client’s mental and emotional functioning, differential diagnosis, and treatment. (mn.gov)
  • These hours are a subset of your total clinical practice hours and must reach at least 1,800.

• Supervision hours (200 hours)

  • Out of the required 200 supervision hours:
    • At least 100 hours must be one‑on‑one supervision.
    • Up to 100 hours may be group or other approved formats (e.g., in person, phone, eye‑to‑eye electronic media). (mn.gov)

The supervisor for clinical practice must be an LICSW who has completed at least 2,000 hours of post‑LICSW practice, including at least 1,000 hours of clinical practice, plus 30 hours of training in supervision, or an approved “alternate licensing supervisor” as defined by statute and Board policy. (mn.gov)

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4. How the Hour Structure Differs from a “1,500 / 1,500” Model

Minnesota’s LGSW supervised practice structure is not framed as “X hours of direct experience plus Y hours of supervised experience.” Instead, it uses:

• Large blocks of practice hours, within which:
  • A specified minimum number of hours must be direct clinical client contact (for clinical practice), and
  • A specified number and ratio of supervision hours must be met.

In short:

• Nonclinical LGSW

  • 4,000 hours of postgraduate social work practice
  • 100 hours of licensing supervision
  • 4 hours supervision / 160 hours practice

• Clinical LGSW (path to LICSW)

  • 4,000–8,000 hours of clinical practice
  • At least 1,800 hours of direct clinical client contact within that practice
  • 200 hours of clinical supervision
  • 4–8 hours supervision / 160 hours practice

No Minnesota source describes the LGSW requirements as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience”; the Board and statutes consistently use 4,000‑ and 8,000‑hour practice blocks, 100‑ or 200‑hour supervision totals, and (for clinical work) 1,800 hours of direct clinical client contact. (mn.gov)

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5. Practical Sequence if You Are Planning Your Career Path

1. Earn an accredited MSW (or DSW) that meets Board criteria. (mn.gov)
2. Register for and pass the ASWB Master’s exam.
3. Apply to the Minnesota Board of Social Work for licensure as an LGSW by examination; complete the criminal background check and pay all required fees. (mn.gov)
4. Once licensed as an LGSW, choose your practice focus:
   • Nonclinical practice: plan for 4,000 practice hours + 100 supervision hours (4/160 ratio) during your early career. (mn.gov)
   • Clinical practice: plan for 4,000–8,000 clinical practice hours, including at least 1,800 direct clinical client contact hours, and 200 supervision hours (4–8/160 ratio) with an LICSW or approved alternate supervisor, in order to qualify later for the LICSW. (mn.gov)
5. Track your hours carefully (practice, direct clinical contact, and supervision) on Board‑acceptable forms to verify compliance if/when you apply for LISW or LICSW.

This structure reflects the Minnesota Board of Social Work’s current rules and the 2024–2025 versions of Minnesota Statutes chapter 148E.