Five-Year BSW/MSW
Loyola University Chicago offers one of the few combined BSW/MSW programs in the U.S. In the innovative program carefully crafted to increase affordability and accessibility, students complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in social work in five years, which expedites students’ time to an MSW degree and unlocks a greater array of professional opportunities.
Earn your MSW degree from an accredited, nonprofit college ranked #28 in the nation for graduate social work by U.S. News & World Report and prepare for a career in social services by also selecting one of two specializations, each offering its own tracks in the MSW program:
- Micro Practice
- Advanced Clinical Practice
- Certified Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselor Training Program (CADC)
- Migration Studies
- School Social Work/Professional Education License (PEL)
- Leadership, Mezzo, and Macro (LMMP)
Curriculum
The 5-Year BSW/MSW program requires the completion of 49 credit hours and two internships. The first internship is 400 hours and is completed during the student’s senior year, while students complete a 600-hour internship in their fifth year. BSW/MSW students begin the MSW program as juniors while still paying undergraduate tuition.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Earn your degree from an accredited, nonprofit college rated #28 in the nation for graduate social work by U.S. News & World Report.
- Prepare for a career in social services, including child welfare, community mental health, drug/alcohol rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities.
- Make professional connections and gain experience through an internship at one of more than 1,000 partner agencies.
- Graduate from an established, accredited BSW program with a 100-year history of excellence in social work education.
- The MSW experience increases career mobility and gives a broader range of job prospects.
Career Outcomes
1200+
Field locations available for Loyola students to gain real-world social work experience
78%
of social workers social workers reported having a social work license or an MSW was a minimum requirement for their job
$13,000+
Average annual salary difference between those holding MSW and BSW degree holders
Faculty
Grounded in Loyola University Chicago’s Jesuit social justice tradition, Loyola Social Work faculty are committed to educating the next generation of transformative social workers through mentorship and community-based research so that students can be inspired, informed, and capable agents of change in whatever professional role they pursue.
80%
of tenure-track faculty involved students in research activities
Admissions
All BSW students must submit a 5-Year MSW program application in their senior year. Requirements for those wishing to pursue the five-year MSW program include:
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 at start of senior year
- The BSW degree can be completed by the end of the summer session (between May graduation and the fall semester).
- The 5th year can begin in the fall, spring, or summer semester.
Students who are fall graduates and wish to begin the program in spring should apply by September 15th of senior year.
Students who are spring and summer graduates who wish to begin the program in summer or fall should apply by February 1st of senior year.
For more information on qualifying for the program, contact the BSW Program Director, Dr. Jeanne Sokolec, at jsokole@luc.edu.
Costs, Scholarships, and Aid
Loyola's Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students secure the financial resources to make their education at Loyola affordable.
In addition to financial aid like scholarships, Graduate Assistant positions are available each academic year. These part-time paid positions, which are typically posted in the spring, are part-time paid positions for work done with a School of Social Work faculty or staff member.
Narratives
Loyola University Chicago offers one of the few combined BSW/MSW programs in the U.S. In the innovative program carefully crafted to increase affordability and accessibility, students complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in social work in five years, which expedites students’ time to an MSW degree and unlocks a greater array of professional opportunities.
Earn your MSW degree from an accredited, nonprofit college ranked #28 in the nation for graduate social work by U.S. News & World Report and prepare for a career in social services by also selecting one of two specializations, each offering its own tracks in the MSW program:
- Micro Practice
- Advanced Clinical Practice
- Certified Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselor Training Program (CADC)
- Migration Studies
- School Social Work/Professional Education License (PEL)
- Leadership, Mezzo, and Macro (LMMP)
Curriculum
The 5-Year BSW/MSW program requires the completion of 49 credit hours and two internships. The first internship is 400 hours and is completed during the student’s senior year, while students complete a 600-hour internship in their fifth year. BSW/MSW students begin the MSW program as juniors while still paying undergraduate tuition.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Earn your degree from an accredited, nonprofit college rated #28 in the nation for graduate social work by U.S. News & World Report.
- Prepare for a career in social services, including child welfare, community mental health, drug/alcohol rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities.
- Make professional connections and gain experience through an internship at one of more than 1,000 partner agencies.
- Graduate from an established, accredited BSW program with a 100-year history of excellence in social work education.
- The MSW experience increases career mobility and gives a broader range of job prospects.
Career Outcomes
Faculty
Grounded in Loyola University Chicago’s Jesuit social justice tradition, Loyola Social Work faculty are committed to educating the next generation of transformative social workers through mentorship and community-based research so that students can be inspired, informed, and capable agents of change in whatever professional role they pursue.
Admissions
All BSW students must submit a 5-Year MSW program application in their senior year. Requirements for those wishing to pursue the five-year MSW program include:
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 at start of senior year
- The BSW degree can be completed by the end of the summer session (between May graduation and the fall semester).
- The 5th year can begin in the fall, spring, or summer semester.
Students who are fall graduates and wish to begin the program in spring should apply by September 15th of senior year.
Students who are spring and summer graduates who wish to begin the program in summer or fall should apply by February 1st of senior year.
For more information on qualifying for the program, contact the BSW Program Director, Dr. Jeanne Sokolec, at jsokole@luc.edu.
Costs, Scholarships, and Aid
Loyola's Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students secure the financial resources to make their education at Loyola affordable.
In addition to financial aid like scholarships, Graduate Assistant positions are available each academic year. These part-time paid positions, which are typically posted in the spring, are part-time paid positions for work done with a School of Social Work faculty or staff member.