Why Elms for your Master of Social Work degree?

  • Take courses online through St. Louis University (SLU) and in-person at Elms.
  • Earn your MSW from SLU, whose School of Social Work is ranked among the best in the U.S.
  • Advanced Standing option available to students with a BA in social work.
  • Take advantage of student support services at both Elms and SLU.

Master of Social Work (MSW) in partnership with Saint Louis University

Background

Elms College and Saint Louis University (SLU) have partnered to create a dynamic master of social work (MSW) program that is pushing the limits of graduate education. Combining online coursework through SLU and in-person instruction at Elms, the program offers students a powerful mix of blended learning opportunities that prepare them for advanced social work practice.

The MSW degree helps students harness their intellectual energies and build the expertise needed to improve social conditions at all levels, whether that involves counseling individual clients and diagnosing mental, behavioral, or emotional issues, or advocating for programs and policies within the community.

Graduates of the MSW program will receive their degree from SLU, whose School of Social Work is continually ranked as one of the best in the nation.

Program tracks

The MSW program is highly-flexible and tailored to different types of social work. Students can choose to specialize in the clinical track or the community and organization track. Courses can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis, and students who already have their bachelor’s degree in social work can accelerate their studies in the advanced standing program. Students without a bachelor’s degree in social work enter the foundation program.

Foundation Program

Students without a bachelor’s degree in social work will complete 48 credits in this track.

  • 24 online credits through SLU
  • 24 credits in the classroom at Elms. Nine of these credits will be earned in field practicums overseen by Elms faculty.

Courses include:

  • Social work practice with individuals, families, and groups
  • Social work practice with communities and organizations
  • Human behavior and the social environment
  • Social policy
  • Practicum I (2 credits)
  • Foundation integrative seminar (1 credit)
  • Mission and practice for global public health
  • Policy and practice for social justice
  • Research methods for social work
  • Values and ethics
  • Practicum II (2 credits)
  • Practicum III (2 credits)

Advanced Standing Program

Students who already have a bachelor’s degree in social work from an advanced standing program will complete 30 credits in this track.

  • 15 online credits through SLU
  • 15 credits in the classroom at Elms. Six of these credits will be earned in field practicums overseen by Elms faculty.

Courses include:

  • Organizational program planning (community and organization track)
  • Community theory and practice (community and organization track)
  • Advanced clinical social work practice (clinical track)
  • Human behavior and the social environment II (clinical track)
  • Diagnosis and assessment in clinical practice (clinical track)
  • Policy and practice for social justice

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Elms-SLU degree program must meet the following admission requirements:

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • 24 credit hours in the liberal arts
  • Online application
  • Resume
  • Professional statement
  • Two confidential reference letters (one academic and one professional)
  • Official transcripts

Resources

Students are encouraged to make use of academic and career services at both institutions. In addition to on-campus resources at Elms, students can virtually connect with SLU’s graduate student services, which include writing assistance, tutoring and counseling services, and career advising.

SLU is now accepting applications to the program, and is waiving its traditional application fee for Elms students.

Course offerings are updated on a rolling basis and can be discussed with your faculty advisor.

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