Loyola University Chicago

Loyola's clinical social work focus prepares students to practice in areas where knowledge and skill in direct service are essential, including mental health, school social work, medical social work, child welfare, elderly services, substance abuse, employee assistance, and counseling of individuals, families and small groups. The concentration in leadership and management prepares graduates for program planning and resource management of direct service programs.

Yes, we offer unique study abroad opportunities for students and alumni in Rome, Italy and Beijing, China.  These are wonderful opportunties to earn graduate credit or CEU's during the summer months.  Course offerings are determined on an annual basis. We also offer a 10-week summer field placement in Chiapas, Mexico where students work with families and community members in a rural village.  For more information click here.

Yes, the School of Social Work follows the regulations on the Council of Social Work Education, which requires 2 field placements as part of the MSW. Therefore, all students complete 2 field placements of direct social work practice as part of the program. The 1st year placement is 480 hours and the 2nd year placement is 720 hours. These placements are incorporated into your schedule with the help of our field placement advisors.

Classes are usually offered in the evening and during the day. Students may choose their courses based on their schedules, but we do not guarantee that you get your first choices each time you register.

Loyola is proud to promote a partnership with Carthage College in Kenosha, WI where students living in Wisconsin or near the Wisconsin border can complete a MSW degree from Loyola by attending a 29-month program at Carthage. For more specific information on this program and to request information, visit www.carthage.edu or contact Mike West at mwest@carthage.edu.

The School of Social Work offers many opportunities for students to be involved outside of class. For those interested in participating in research opportunities, we have three institutes where opportunities continuously arise for MSW participation. We have a student run organization called SSWSO, a Social Work only student publication called Praxis, and a Multicultural Affairs Recognition Committee within Social Work. Within Loyola's larger community, there are many more opportunities for students.

An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, strong academic performance, work/volunteer experience in human services, commitment to advocacy, interest in connection to others and self-awareness.

The recommended G.P.A. for applicants to our two-year masters program is a 3.0.  It is a 3.25 for our advanced standing applicants. While applicants with a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply, a solid undergraduate performance between 3.0-4.0 is usually a good predictor of the ability to do graduate work. We do look at each candidate as a composite of their academic experiences, professional development, references, commitment to service and ability to express themselves.

We are most interested in applicants who indicate a strong commitment to the field, a history of volunteer and/or relevant work experience and the ability to communicate and write on a graduate level.  If you are concerned about your GPA, you may submit an academic explanation essay that addresses reasons for your concerns and your plans for performing at a higher level in the future.  This statement should be no more than 1-2 paragraphs long.

No.  Interviews are not standard.  Students are welcomed, however, to set up an individual meeting or attend a class visit, information session or open house.  See visit us for details.

This is a one or two paragraph description of the applicant's coursework in human biology, demonstrating some understanding about physical development, health and disease.

Certainly, applicants from a host of academic and professional backgrounds are interested in pursuing an M.S.W. This contributes to a diverse and stimulating mix in our student body.

Once your application is complete, it should take our faculty and admission staff 4-6 weeks to make a decision.

In a 3-4 page statement, identify a social issue or problem that is of interest to you, and that has relevance to the social work profession.  Consider the following prompts as you address this topic:

1.  Reflect on the critical personal experiences, educational pursuits, and community influences that have shaped your understanding of this issue.  How have these factors informed your interest in this topic and your commitment to social work practice?
2.  Discuss your community involvement, particularly employment and volunteer experiences.  How have these endeavors informed your understanding of this issue, and your decision to pursue graduate studies in social work?
3.  Loyola University, the School of Social Work, and the National Association of Social Workers share commitments to promoting social justice, diversity, and human rights.  How do these principles impact the identified issue, and how might they be integrated into your academic, professional, and relational pursuits in social work? 
4.  Provide an overview of the profession’s practice and research in this domain.  What questions will guide your exploration of these subjects?  Considering current social work responses to this issue, how do you envision your professional development in social work?  What strategies might improve the profession’s response to this issue?
5.  For PhD applicants: Include your research interests and professional goals, current area of social work specialization, reasons for applying to Loyola's doctoral program, objectives of doctoral study, and aspirations for post-doctoral work.

The statement of purpose is a very important part of the application packet. It can be mailed in, emailed to gradapp@luc.edu, or filled in as part of the application document on your online application. It should be between 3-4 pages long - length is less important than content, but we do look for graduate level writing ability. Make sure to address the prompts listed in the application form. Also, the statement should include information that balances your personal experience, experiences/thoughts/goals regarding the profession, and academic references to support your writing. It is recommended that you use your writing to reflect what your references have said about you, as well as our experiences of interacting with you via phone conversations, emails and campus visits. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DOCUMENT IS CHECKED FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. Finally, don’t second guess yourself - you would not be applying if you didn’t have passion for this field. Take a breath and write what you already know!

No. We do not accept the GRE as a part of the MSW. If you see a place to indicate you have taken the GRE on the online application form, simply leave this blank for our department. If you are interested in a dual degree program, however, you should check with that department to learn about their test-taking requirements.

 Transcripts are required for any credit-bearing, post-secondary course in which you’ve been enrolled. As already stated, it is considered academic fraud to fail to include these in your application packet.

 Transcripts can be mailed directly to the Graduate Enrollment Office at 820 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, or you can have them mailed to you, providing they are sealed, and send them in all at once. You are also welcome to drop them off if that makes you more comfortable.

International applicants are required to send in transcripts to be considered applicants for our graduate programs. It is okay if your transcripts are in another language. You are also required to have a course-by-course evaluation of your courses completed at www.ece.org. This will verify whether the degree earned is the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelors degree. Without this official verification, you may not be admitted into the program. This process will both verify your degree and translate your scores into a U.S. GPA, which is a factor in the admissions decision.

It is recommended that you obtain one volunteer, one professional and one academic reference. That being said, we invite diverse groups of applicants to apply and recognize that older applicants, as well as others for various reasons, may not have access to all three of these. If that is the case, then you may choose to use another combination of the three suggested reference types, but be sure to have those people speak to your strengths in the other areas defined as well. Letters from ministers, priests, rabbis are accepted only if you have volunteered or worked in some capacity for your place of worship. Letters from parents, spouses and therapists are not accepted.

Just as with transcripts, letters of reference can be sent in separately or together, as long as they are sealed upon arrival to the School. Letters of recommendation can be submitted via the online application form, sent directly by recommenders to gradapp@luc.ed, or sent via snail mail.

Note: Sending additional letters of recommendation does not strengthen an application.

You may start the application process by completing and submitting either a paper or online application. For complete instructions for both domestic and international applicants, please visit Apply Now.

 Make sure you double and triple check that you selected the correct program in which you are interested. Also please note the entry term in which you plan to begin graduate studies. Applicants to Loyola’s MSW program at the Water Tower Campus (Chicago) may begin graduate studies in Fall, Spring or Summer I Semesters; advanced standing applicants typically begin studies in the Summer II Semester. Students at Loyala’s MSW Carthage program (Wisconsin) begin the program in the Summer I Semester, while advanced standing students start in the Summer II Semester.

 For some of the dual degree programs, you will be required to fill out more than one application. Note: Although we offer rolling admissions at The School of Social Work graduate programs, you will need to check with any other departments for their policies.

 When listing institutions you have attended, you must list all institutions at which you have taken a course for credit (audits and non-credit bearing courses are not necessary). Neglect to do so is considered academic fraud.

No. In fact, many applicants opt to send in their materials “piece meal,” which is acceptable. Note, however, that the application will not be reviewed until the graduate enrollment office has received every piece of the required materials.

Loyola's School of Social Work accepts MSW applications all year around. The Water Tower program in Chicago admits students for Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters. Loyola's MSW at Carthage has entry for the Summer Semester only. Though there are no application deadlines, early application is encouraged.

Click here for complete tuition information.

The School of Social Work does offer a limited number of scholarships and graduate assistant opportunities.  These competitive gifts, based on work and volunteer experiences in the profession, academic merit, and promise in the field, are awarded to incoming students upon admission. All students who selected on their initial application an interest in merit-based awards will be considered. The application for the MSW program also serves as the application for these awards; no additional documentation needs to be submitted for consideration.

You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Loyolas Title IV School Code is 001710 or you can list our address: Loyola University Chicago, 6525 N. Sheridan Road., Chicago, IL. There is no fee to file the FAFSA. The online application is available at FAFSA ( http://www.fafsa.com/).

A student must be enrolled in at least 4 credit hours (or two classes) per semester to be eligible to receive financial aid.

The FAFSA form is annual and year-specific, so it must be submitted for each academic year that you would like to be considered for federal aid. (An academic year at Loyola begins with the fall term and continues through the end of the following summer term.) The FAFSA cannot be filed prior to January 1 each year. Therefore, if you want to be considered for federal aid beginning in the Fall 2009 you should file the 2009-2010 FAFSA as early as January 1, 2009. We recommend that you file your FAFSA by March 1st each year.

Visit the Graduate Financial Aid ( http://www.luc.edu/finaid/graduate.shtml ) page or contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at: 773.508.7704 or e-mail: lufinaid@luc.edu