Master of Social Work
Tulane offers top-tier, graduate-level learning experiences for anyone willing to confront the status quo and develop skills to empower individuals, families, and communities for personal or social change. Empowerment through evidence-based and evidence-informed support and resources heals individuals to strengthen the whole of society.
Do work that matters.
Whether you opt to study online or on-campus, our Master of Social Work (MSW) degree integrates clinical and community-based practice so you can recognize and build upon personal, cultural, and community strengths that engage healing and growth. Plus, dual-degree options allow you to stand out from your peers in the social work field and integrate social work with another in-demand discipline. At Tulane, you graduate not only with a degree, but with a passion for service, a commitment to social justice, and a deep belief in the dignity and worth of each person. You’ve chosen social work so that you can affect change. Now, select a top-tier, fully accredited MSW degree program specializing in integrated clinical and community-based practice to do work that matters to you.
Add a focus area in Disaster and Collective Trauma or Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family with no additional credits, or get a graduate certificate in Disaster Resilience Leadership (DRL) with only two additional courses. If those classes pique your interest, you may want to go for a MSW/MS-DRL dual degree. Passionate about law or public health? Study on-campus to take advantage of Tulane's MSW/JD or MSW/MPH.
No matter your what your Bachelor's degree is in, you can get your MSW. Have a Bachelor of Social Work? Check out Advanced Standing program.
Talk with an enrollment advisor and get all your questions answered! Call 504-882-7846 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST, or email us any time.
The MSW program delivers clinical and community-based practice training via innovative learning opportunities that value student choice, classroom research, and leadership. Click the links below to learn more.
Warm Community, Accepting Culture, Strong Character
At Tulane, we focus on what matters most: people. Keeping individuals at the center of everything we do allows our graduates and their communities to thrive.
Which Program is Right for You?
We know everyone is different, so we offer a variety of options for students to earn their MSW. Whether you learn best in synchronous online classes or in the classroom, prefer to study part-time or get your degree ASAP, or want to earn multiple masters at once, we have something for you.
| AVERAGE FULL-TIME MSW WEEKLY TIME COMMITMENT (IN HOURS) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester: | 1 | 2-4 |
| Class Session | 12 | 13 |
| Internship | -- | 24 |
| Homework* | 24 | 24 |
| TOTAL HOURS: | 36 | 61 |
| AVERAGE PART-TIME MSW WEEKLY TIME COMMITMENT (IN HOURS) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Semester: | 1 | 2 | 3-8 |
| Class Session | 9 | 6 | 7 |
| Internship | -- | -- | 12 |
| Homework* | 18 | 12 | 12 |
| TOTAL HOURS: | 27 | 18 | 31 |
*Homework estimations reflect 2 hours of out-of-classroom coursework, reading, and studying per course hour. This number does not include the Field Practicum Seminar class, which is used to provide internship support and reflection and does not require out-of-classroom work.
On-Campus
16 months
Do social work the New Orleans way at our downtown campus. Our on-campus MSW students graduate in just 16 months, and many walk away with job offers from their field sites. As the oldest social work program in the South, we've been serving communities here for over 100 years, and we're excited for you to join us.
Online
16 or 32 months
Get the prestige of a Tulane degree from the comfort of your home. Our classes are synchronous to preserve that classroom feel. Plus, online students take classes in the evenings (Central Time) to accommodate their busy lives.
Dual Degree
20, 40, or 48 months
Increase your career opportunities by combining our world-class MSW with degrees from Tulane's top-ranked law and public health schools (offered on-campus only,) or set yourself apart with our Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership, the only program of its kind.
Find Your Passion With Field Education
In New Orleans, community is key. That's why Tulane School of Social Work's Field Education Department connects you with organizations that serve people in your local area. Our MSW students remain in the same field placement for the duration of their time at Tulane, so that they can forge strong connections, immerse themselves in a community's culture, and participate in the full spectrum of an organization's work.
Not sure what kind of social work you want to do? We've got you covered.
We know it can be confusing to navigate the world of social work education. There are tons of jobs searching for qualified MSW degree holders - in fact, the job outlook for social work is 7% faster than average, with over 63,000 openings projected per year. And that's not just a number: 97% of our alumni are employed within 6 months of graduation. We get that you might not know which one is the right fit for you. That's why we allow our students to explore whatever work feels best to them.
Tulane's MSW is holistic, meaning we do it all. Our classes touch on all elements of social work, and our field education program partners with a wide variety of organizations such as nonprofits, hospitals, counseling centers, and government agencies. Because of the well-rounded curriculum and experiences Tulane provides, our alumni do everything from private practice to policy work.
| What kind of work will I do? | What job can I get? | |
| MICRO | Direct action with individuals, families, or small groups. | 1. Behavioral therapist 2. School counselor 3. Case manager |
| MEZZO | Problem-solving for groups of clients, such as shelters, schools, and neighborhoods. | 1. Support group counselor 2. Site manager 3. Program developer |
| MACRO | Service development to address societal problems locally, nationally, or globally. | 1. Policymaker 2. Researcher 3. Community organizer |
Increase Your Marketability with a Focus Area
We don't want our students pigeonholed into a specific career path. That's why our MSW curriculum is holistic - our alumni work as global policymakers, local nonprofit leaders, private practitioners, and everything in between.
If you have a particular interest, add a focus area in either Disaster and Collective Trauma or in Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family without narrowing your career opportunities. With no additional classes and no additional cost, focus areas allow you to expand your resume rather than minimize your opportunities with a hyperspecialized degree.
Speaking of Marketability...
Tulane School of Social Work alumni play a crucial role in society by helping individuals and families navigate challenges and improve their well-being. They provide support in various settings, from hospitals and schools to community centers and government agencies. Our students go on to offer counseling, connect clients with resources like healthcare and housing, advocate for social justice, work to prevent crises, and more. In short, they #DoWorkThatMatters.
Clinical- and community-based work (read: private practice and nonprofit work) is our focus here at Tulane, but our alumni go on to high-level positions in a wide variety of fields. With classes like Psychopathology & DSM, Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups, and Community Organizing & Policy Advocacy, our curriculum prepares students for all aspects of social work.
What kind of work will your Tulane Master of Social Work empower you to do? If you know, tell us all about it in your Statement of Interest!
If you don't know yet, don't worry. Many of our students find their passion during their Field Education placement — in fact, lots of Tulanians go on to work full-time with their internship agencies after graduation!
Roy Cobb III
MSW '22
"If you’re looking for engaging and fulfilling class sessions, full of discussion and different perspectives from your peers and instructors, then this is the place for you. "
Jessica Fintak
MSW/MS-DRL '19
"During my time in the TSSW program I really enjoyed my field education placement. I appreciated that my internship and studies coincided and occurred in a place I felt passionate about. I loved that the New Orleans community was very tight-knit and all bike-able, really promoting work-life balance."
Arianne Stallings
MSW '18
"In my cohort, there were students and professors from all over, coming from all different personal and professional backgrounds. Valuing differences in perspectives and backgrounds is paramount in our work as social workers and was the basis of our learning at TSSW."
We are Masters of Social Work
Take the Next Step!
For more details about graduate programs through Tulane School of Social Work, complete our information request form. If you're ready to take the next step, apply today!
