Social Work, M.S.W.

Student Handbook  Field Education Policy and Procedures Manual

Saint Louis University's Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) prepares social work professionals for work with vulnerable populations facing health, social and economic challenges.

Social workers are educationally prepared to provide services including therapy, policy advocacy, case management, group work, crisis intervention, children and family practice, and leadership for nonprofit organizations. M.S.W.-level social workers are employed in a wide variety of human service organizations including family and community centers, mental health and treatment centers, hospitals, schools, nonprofit agencies, residential children’s or adult centers, justice centers, and many more organizations.

SLU's M.S.W. program offers multiple course delivery formats to assist students who are working full- or part-time and for students who want to progress faster by taking additional credits per semester. Formats include the traditional 15-week format (two-and-a-half-hour classes, fall and spring semesters) and a ten-week format (three-and-a-half-hour classes, summer semester). Electives may also be offered in the following formats: two intersession periods of week-long classes, online blended classes or five consecutive Saturday sessions (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Curriculum Overview

SLU's M.S.W. curriculum includes generalist foundation courses, advanced practice courses in an area of concentration and field practica. The generalist foundation courses provide the basic social work theory and methods for working with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Students then select an advanced practice area of concentration and proceed with courses in these areas. Saint Louis University's School of Social Work offers three concentrations:

• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Clinical
• Community and Organization

SLU's M.S.W. degree is 57 credits, with full-time and part-time options available. Students with a Bachelor of Social Work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program many earn up to 18 credits of advanced standing toward the M.S.W. 

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration

The applied behavior analysis concentration focuses on evidenced-based methods to assist children, adults, and organizations in changing behavior. The curriculum prepares students to be eligible to become a board-certified behavior analyst.

Clinical Concentration

The clinical concentration focuses on assessment, intervention and outcomes in clinical work with individuals, families, groups or larger systems. Courses focus on working with diverse families and family systems across a developmental life span using core clinical approaches to engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation of outcomes in a variety of clinical practice settings.

Community and Organization Concentration

The community and organization concentration focuses on mezzo and macro level community work, such as community organizing and advocacy, nonprofit administration and local, state and national policy advocacy and implementation.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

While completing coursework, students will also be mentored by an M.S.W. field instructor and work in a social work capacity in the community.

Students can further specialize their studies through coursework or practicum experiences in the following areas:

• Community mental health practice
• Criminal justice
• Gerontology
• Global social work
• Health practice
• Nonprofit administration
• Practice with children and youth
• School social work
• Substance use disorder treatment
• Therapy with individuals and families
• Trauma-informed practice
• Veteran services

Careers

SLU's M.S.W. program is ranked in the top 20 percent of social work programs nationally. Possible careers include work in the fields of healthcare, mental health, school, child welfare, family services, criminal justice, gerontology, policy, advocacy, administrative and community development.

Admission Requirements

Successful applicants should possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.

Application Requirements

• Application form and fee $65
• Transcript(s)
• Three letters of recommendation (two academic, one professional)
  • Two academic letters from professors who have evaluated academic performance in the classroom
  • One professional letter from a supervisor who has evaluated your work in the field or related volunteer experience
• Résumé
• Interview
• Professional Statement

Requirements for International Students

SLU's M.S.W. program requires a TOEFL of 92 or higher.

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Application Deadlines

All applicants who apply by the priority deadline of March 1 for fall and Oct. 1 for spring are reviewed for merit-based scholarships. Applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed for admissions until Aug. 1 for fall and Dec. 1 for spring. To be considered for a graduate assistantship, students must fill out the GA application found under "Scholarships and Financial Aid" by March 1.

Review Process

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The admissions committee considers several factors to determine a candidate's eligibility:

• Academic achievement
• Strength of the undergraduate program
• Application information
• Professional statement
• Work experience
• Any graduate degrees earned
• Motivation
• Leadership and service
• The undergraduate GPA is weighted with other criteria in the admissions process

Advanced Standing

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree in social work from an eligible, CSWE accredited program, can receive up to 18 credits of “advanced standing” toward a Master of Social Work at Saint Louis University; approved advanced standing students will need to complete only 39 credits of master's coursework.

To be eligible, students must have:

• Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Earned grades of ‘B’ or better in undergraduate social work courses
• Completed his/her bachelor’s at a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
• No additional transfer credits will be accepted.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

We recognize that when choosing to continue your education, cost can be a concern. To help ease that decision, we have identified the following financial aid resources.

FAFSA and Other Resources
All incoming students should complete the application for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A step-by-step guide to submitting your FAFSA is available online.

Saint Louis University Student Financial Services provides a Graduate Financial Aid Handbook that outlines the process of financing your graduate education. 

The following links to resources in Saint Louis University Student Financial Services may also be helpful:

• Graduate Loan Options
• Confirming Your Award
• Paying Your Bill and Payment Plans

Scholarships
New and continuing students are eligible for merit-based scholarships. Prospective students who apply for admission by the priority deadline are automatically screened for scholarship eligibility. No additional application is required; awards are based on information provided in the admission application.

The priority deadline for fall is March 1 and the priority deadline for spring is October 1. 

Please note that the terms of scholarship are subject to change if the student petitions for a degree transfer or fails to remain in good academic standing.

Fellowships
The Doerr Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion is a full-tuition fellowship funded by the School of Social Work for new and continuing students. A separate application is required with a deadline of March 1. This fellowship requires that recipients serve as members of the School of Social Work's Equity and Inclusion Committee. Recipients will also be expected to actively participate in the diversity, equity and inclusion activities sponsored throughout the year by the Doerr Center.

Newly accepted master's or doctoral students and students in the first year of a program are eligible to apply for a University-wide Diversity, Dissertation or Presidential fellowship. You must first submit the full application minus the nomination letter to the School of Social Work by Jan 2 to be considered for nomination. Please click here for more details on application components. Completed applications including all application components minus the nomination letter should be submitted as a PDF to Kristi.richter@slu.edu.

Graduate Assistantships
By filling out a graduate assistantship application, you will automatically be considered for a full or partial graduate assistantship with the School of Social Work. Assistantships are appointed for one year. Students must reapply to be considered for a second year and there are no guarantees that recipients will receive subsequent/continuing assistantships.

Full graduate assistantships are University-funded assistantships (UFA) awarded by the School of Social Work. They are assigned and funded for two semesters, a duration of nine months, 20 hours per week, working with designated faculty. Most full assistantships are assigned to help faculty with research (GRA) and a small number may be assigned to assist with administrative work (GA) or faculty teaching (GTA). 

The full graduate assistant works with one or two faculty members, depending on faculty needs. Time is divided between both faculty mentors, if assigned two. Students who receive a fully-funded UFA in one year may not receive a UFA in subsequent years, although they remain eligible for partial assistantships throughout their pursuit of a graduate degree in the School of Social Work.

Partial graduate assistantships are funded and awarded by the School of Social Work. They are assigned and funded for two semesters, a duration of nine months, 8-16 hours per week, working with assigned faculty. Partial assistantships may be assigned to assist with administrative work (GA), research (GRA) or faculty teaching (GTA). Depending on the hours assigned, tuition benefits will differ; health insurance and stipends are not awarded with Partial Assistantships.

Current Students
Current students may be eligible for conference/training funding, graduate assistantships and scholarships. For more information and applications, visit the School of Social Work's Google Site.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate social work program at Saint Louis University has been continuously accredited since 1974.
 
The master’s social work program at Saint Louis University has been continuously accredited since 1930.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
1701 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-3457
Phone: 703-683-8080 

1. Graduates will be able to identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
2. Graduates will be able to apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
3. Graduates will be able to apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
4. Graduates will be able to engage diversity and difference in practice.
5. Graduates will be able to advance human rights and social and economic justice.
6. Graduates will be able to engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
7. Graduates will be able to apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8. Graduates will be able to engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
9. Graduates will be able to respond to contexts that shape practice.
10. Graduates will be able to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate.
11. Graduates will be able to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations & communities.

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration

Clinical Concentration

Community and Organization Concentration

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration (Full Time)

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration (Part-Time)

Clinical Concentration (Full Time)

Clinical Concentration (Part Time)

Community and Organization Concentration (Full Time)

Community and Organization Concentration (Part Time)

Apply for Admission

For additional admission questions please contact,
Kristi Richter, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
Director of Recruitment and Admissions
School of Social Work
314-977-2752