Loyola University Chicago MSW

Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work has been essential to social work education since 1914. This 109-year-old institution ranks among the nation’s finest social work graduate programs.

The school’s excellence shows in its rankings. U.S. News & World Report ranks #28 nationally, placing the MSW program among the country’s top social work graduate schools. These rankings highlight the program’s academic excellence and professional development focus.

The school’s Jesuit foundation shapes its approach to social work education. Students learn at micro, mezzo, and macro levels, with the Social Work mission and Jesuit values as their guide. This framework champions social justice, community involvement, and compassionate service—values that drive the program’s teaching and research.

The school stands out by blending academic theory with hands-on experience. Expert faculty members share their knowledge in class while students put their learning to work through unique internships in real-life settings. Students become ready to tackle today’s challenges, conduct meaningful research, and create positive change in Chicago and beyond.

The school has built strong ties with over 1,000 agencies, non-profits, hospitals, and schools across Chicago. These mutually beneficial alliances give students a great way to get field experience while they complete their degrees.

Faculty excellence drives the Loyola MSW experience. Almost all faculty members hold terminal social work degrees and bring more than five years of professional practice. These nationally-known scholar-teachers show steadfast dedication to:

• Breakthrough interdisciplinary research
• Teaching excellence and student mentorship
• Social justice advocacy and community development
• The Jesuit principle of cura personalis—care for the whole person

Since 1921, the School of Social Work has kept its accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. This shows its long-term commitment to exceeding professional standards in social work education.

The school has grown while staying true to its mission. Recent breakthroughs include streamlined MSW programs with fewer credits (from 60 to 49), making education more affordable and accessible. On top of that, the school launched online programs, including the contiguous U.S.’s first fully Online Bilingual MSW degree, showing its commitment to accessibility and cultural awareness.

Programs offered

Loyola University’s Master of Social Work program is leading their graduate offerings. This complete two-year program needs 49 credit hours and includes two internships that add up to 1,000 hours of field experience. Students can finish the degree in two years with full-time study or four years with part-time study. This flexibility helps students with different schedules and commitments.

Students who earned their BSW degree in the last five years can choose the Advanced Standing option for an efficient path. They can complete this accelerated program with just 23 credit hours and one 600-hour internship in a single year. Keep in mind that students can only start this option in fall.

The MSW program has two specialized areas that match different career paths:

• Micro Practice Specialization: Offers tracks in Advanced Clinical Practice, Certified Alcohol and other Drugs Counselor training (CADC), Migration Studies, and Schools/Professional Educator License (PEL)
• Leadership, Mezzo, & Macro Practice Specialization (LMMP): Features the Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy (LCAP) track

Students who complete the program meet all educational requirements for LSW and LCSW licenses. This makes them eligible for clinical licensure right away.

Loyola offers innovative ways to earn an MSW degree. Their Online MSW delivers the same strong curriculum through both live sessions and self-paced content. The university launched the first fully Online Bilingual MSW degree program in the contiguous United States, showing their dedication to cultural competence.

Students can also pursue dual degrees that pair the MSW with other fields. These combinations include Social Work/Public Health (MSW/MPH), Social Work/Children’s Law and Policy (MSW/MJ), Social Work/Law (MSW/JD), Social Work/Social Justice (MSW/MA), and Social Work/Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (MSW/MA).

The Bachelor of Social Work program gives students essential training for general social work practice. Undergraduate students can connect this four-year program to the MSW through the 5-Year BSW/MSW accelerated option and earn both degrees in five years.

Students interested in the highest level of academic achievement can pursue a Ph.D. in Social Work. This program develops scholars who are fluent in clinical research, scholarship, and teaching.

Loyola uses connections with more than 1,500 agencies, organizations, hospitals, and schools in the Chicagoland area. These partnerships create exceptional supervised internship opportunities for students.

About the online program

Loyola’s online MSW program delivers an exceptional education that matches its campus-based program. Working professionals will appreciate the added flexibility. Students get detailed training through a well-laid-out approach with live class sessions that go together with one another with self-paced content, whatever your location.

Students complete 49 credit hours in eight consecutive semesters, including summer terms. You’ll also get practical experience through two required internships that total 1,000 hours. These field placements happen in-person in your home state. You can build professional networks locally as you study remotely.

The Advanced Standing option gives BSW graduates from the last five years a faster path. It needs only 23 credit hours and one 600-hour internship. This option begins in the spring semester only.

Loyola’s cohort model stands out, especially during the Foundation portion. You’ll take courses with the same group of peers. This approach encourages meaningful connections and shared learning. The pre-selected course sequence helps you meet graduation requirements quickly. No class substitutions are allowed.

Your specialization options include:

• Micro Practice (focusing on Advanced Clinical Practice or Schools/Professional Educator License for Illinois students)
• Leadership, Mezzo, & Macro Practice with the Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy track (currently paused)

Loyola has launched the first bilingual online MSW program in the inland United States. This innovative option prepares clinicians to work with Latinx/e, immigrant, and refugee communities. These populations often face major barriers to mental health services.

Your studies will benefit from Loyola’s century-long expertise in training social workers. All courses meet Council on Social Work Education accreditation standards. Graduates fulfill educational requirements for both LSW and LCSW licensure examinations. LCSW certification needs additional post-graduate clinical supervision hours and a passing score on the licensure exam.

Loyola’s membership in the Jesuit network of 27 colleges and universities nationwide brings extra benefits. You’ll access career advising services, resume help, interview prep, career fairs, and job listings across U.S. Jesuit institutions.

Accreditation

Loyola University Chicago’s MSW program’s credibility depends on its accreditation status. The program has managed to keep continuous accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1921. This makes it one of the longest-accredited social work programs in the nation, which shows the program’s lasting commitment to excellence in social work education.

Your degree’s quality assurance comes from CSWE accreditation. Loyola’s MSW program meets strict national standards for social work education. This recognition plays a vital role because CSWE-accredited programs prepare you for professional practice and licensure examinations.

Loyola University Chicago has also held accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1921. The HLC looks at the university’s overall performance by perusing educational activities. They also assess governance, administration, student services, learning outcomes, financial stability, institutional resources, and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Your future career opportunities depend on the program’s accreditation status. Most states require graduates to come from CSWE-accredited programs before taking licensure examinations. Loyola’s accredited MSW program will give a clear path to sit for both the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) examinations.

The School of Social Work reflects Loyola’s broader commitment to specialized accreditation in disciplines of all types. Many academic units within the university have earned recognition from field-specific accrediting bodies. This detailed approach to quality assurance shows Loyola’s dedication to high standards across its educational offerings.

CSWE accreditation validates that your education meets current professional standards. The Council reviews accredited programs regularly and assesses curriculum content, faculty qualifications, field education experiences, and program administration. This ongoing oversight ensures Loyola’s social work program evolves with the changing digital world of professional practice.

Choosing Loyola’s MSW program means selecting an educational path backed by a century of continuous accreditation. This objective validation proves the program’s quality, rigor, and relevance to today’s social work practice.

Admission Requirements

The Loyola University MSW program welcomes new students through a competitive but simple admission process. The program takes an integrated look at your academic history, work experience, and personal statements instead of requiring GRE scores.

You’ll need several items to complete your application. Your previous schools must send official transcripts directly to Loyola. The university might review unofficial transcripts at first, but you’ll need the official ones before final acceptance.

Your application needs two professional references who can vouch for your ability to handle graduate work and supervised practice. A current resume or CV that shows your relevant experience should accompany these references.

The most important part is your statement of purpose—a detailed 1500-word, double-spaced essay that covers three main topics:

• Your social work profession understanding and how you’ve put its values into practice
• Your career interests, goals, and how they line up with Loyola’s MSW program
• Your reasons for choosing graduate school now and how you’ll manage both academic work and field duties

Students who want advanced standing must have a BSW from a CSWE-accredited school earned in the last five years. They need a minimum 3.0 GPA in social work courses. This faster track only starts in spring semester.

International students have extra steps to complete. Students whose first language isn’t English must take an official English proficiency exam. They also need an official transcript evaluation if they studied outside the U.S.—there’s no way around this requirement.

Loyola BSW students can take another path through the 5-Year BSW/MSW program. This option needs a 3.0 cumulative GPA when senior year begins. Application deadlines depend on when you graduate—September 15th for fall graduates who want to start in spring, and December 1st for spring/summer graduates planning to begin in summer or fall.

The core team stays ready to help you understand the requirements and deadlines. They’ll make sure you submit the strongest possible application to this prestigious program.

Tuition

The MSW education at Loyola University Chicago comes with several costs beyond simple tuition. The standard MSW program tuition costs $1,130 per credit hour. Students need 49 credit hours to complete the program, which brings the total cost to about $55,370. The Bilingual MSW Online Program provides better value at $785 per credit hour, which makes it a smart choice for students who qualify.

Students with social work background can save money through the Advanced Standing Bilingual Online MSW pathway. This program needs just 23 credit hours and costs $18,055 total. Graduate Social Work Certificate Programs also charge $785 per credit hour.

Each semester includes these required fees:

• Student Development Fee (based on credit load): $48-$194 per semester
• Technology Fee (based on credit load): $31-$130 per semester
• Graduate Social Work Field Fee: $100 per semester (Fall and Spring only)
• Student Health Insurance Premium: $3,684 annually

New students pay a one-time Matriculation Fee of $100 when they register. The Dual Degree MJ/MSW Program has different rates – MSW courses cost $1,130 per credit hour, while MJ courses cost $1,710 per credit hour.

Your Loyola education helps you build a career that supports people in need and promotes social and economic justice. The Financial Aid Office works with students to find funding options that make social work education available and affordable.

Loyola reduced its MSW credit requirements from 60 to 49 credits. This change shows their steadfast dedication to making the program more affordable while keeping high educational standards. You can find the latest tuition and fees on the Office of the Bursar’s webpage.

Additional Information

Loyola’s MSW candidates receive complete student support services that complement their classroom and field experiences. Students interested in transferring should check the Transfer Credit Webpage to learn how their prior graduate-level coursework applies to their MSW degree.

Career development plays a vital role in student success at Loyola. The School of Social Work hosts a spring career fair each year where 40-60 agencies gather. Students can explore job opportunities and build connections with potential employers. Loyola’s Career Services gives students access to job listings, career fairs, interview prep, and resume help.

Loyola supports students’ needs through specialized systems:

• The Student Outreach & Support (SOS) team helps students navigate complex personal, academic, or social challenges by connecting them with campus and community resources
• The Student Support & Wellness Promotion office provides balanced wellness resources in eight dimensions
• The Thrive Center gives students academic enrichment, mentorship programs, and support during their first-year transition

Performance-based scholarships based on student need show Loyola’s steadfast dedication. These awards welcome all students—including international, DACA, and undocumented students. The Lester Czernik Scholarship helps incoming MSW students who show financial need and professional promise.

Students can reach admissions staff through various channels including appointments, information sessions, and open Zoom meetings. This individual-specific approach aligns with Loyola’s Jesuit value of Cura Personalis—care for the whole person. Students receive complete support throughout their graduate education.