Profile: Nick Sanders
Not only do our students go on to do great things, but many of them have already done incredible work before starting at Tulane School of Social Work. We'd like to introduce you to Nick Sanders, an Advanced Standing student who earned his MSW in 2018.
"One of the reasons I chose to attend TSSW was the location, for one! New Orleans' culture, food, and people are what made the experience feel like home," Sanders says. Our downtown campus is lucky to be seated in the heart of New Orleans, just minutes from the historic French Quarter. With diverse cultures and histories imbued into every pore of this city, we believe that there is no better place to learn and practice social work.
"My favorite part of TSSW was the support from the staff members! I felt very supported leaving the program with the tools they provided," Sanders says. "My favorite professors were Dr. Ager and Dr. Glaude; they provided my most utilized tools. They are so awesome in their own special ways — how they deliver the materials to be a successful and effective social worker."
As a member of the Advanced Standing program, Sanders earned his MSW in just 12 months. After earning his degree, he worked as a school social worker, a forensic therapist, and a social work intern at the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention before becoming a Clinical Social Work Manager at Mount Saint Vincent — a nonprofit that supports children and families with preschool, pediatric behavioral health, and foster care.
Are You Eligible for Advanced Standing?
Tulane's Advanced Standing program offers a streamlined path for individuals with a Bachelor's in Social Work (BSW) to accelerate their career in social work. By building on foundational knowledge, the program allows students to dive deeper into specialized areas like clinical practice, policy advocacy, or community organization. This advanced degree enhances job prospects, qualifies graduates for higher-level roles, and deepens their impact on communities. With fewer credits and reduced time in school, an Advanced Standing MSW maximizes efficiency without compromising the quality of education, making it a strategic choice for aspiring social work leaders.
To be eligible for Advanced Standing, students must have:
- Received a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited institution within the last 5 years;
- Earned a B+ average or higher in their field practicum;
- Obtained a grade-point average of 3.3 or better on a 4-point scale in social work-related courses.
