Master of Social Work

In fieldwork, known as a practicum, you’ll step out of the classroom to implement real change in the community. The Brown School’s innovative Office of Field Education has affiliations with more than 500 organizations, located across St. Louis, throughout the United States and around the world.

Our students have the unique opportunity to select their own practicum sites. This is designed to help you develop skills and meet leading professionals in an organization aligned with your professional interests. With the help of a Field Advisor, you’ll complete two practica, a 360-hour Foundation Practicum and a 600-hour Concentration Practicum.

The Brown School offers generous merit-based scholarships—more than $6 million awarded last year—as well as need-based financial aid. Students typically cover their educational expenses through a combination of the following:

• Scholarships from the Brown School
• Scholarships from External Organizations
• Brown School Fellowships
• Yellow Ribbon Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
• Federal Work-Study and Part-Time Employment
• Federal Student Loans
• Out-of-Pocket Payments

The MSW tuition rate for the 2020-2021 academic year is $21,730 per semester. Every student who requests merit-based aid receives an award.

We remain a student-centered institution and welcoming community that will guide you in your academic, personal and professional growth, and we are dedicated to connecting each student with the resources they need to thrive.

An Office of Diversity and Inclusion fosters an inclusive environment and promotes dialogue among all students. Our Communication Lab and Stat Lab offer support in critical areas of your academic work. The innovative Career Services team prepares you to navigate the job market successfully with one-on-one coaching, specialized workshops and networking events. As well, our three-tiered advising system ensures you have faculty and administrative guidance throughout your program.

The Brown School considers each applicant holistically. Our students come from a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Although we welcome students with an undergraduate degree in social work, it is not a requirement for the MSW program. Admissions and scholarship decisions are based primarily on a review of the following:

• Commitment to the mission of the Brown School
• Undergraduate GPA
• Additional academic work
• Specialized training relevant to the program
• Human service-related experience
• Leadership experience or potential
• Ability to think critically
• Recommendations from academic and professional references