SOCIAL WORK/WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES (MSW/MA)

Shape your role in social work with a focus on women’s and gender studies

A Social Work/Women’s and Gender Studies MSW/MA dual degree will give you a foundation for developing a career in social work that emphasizes social responsibility, advocacy and activism. This unique program places a focus on gender, community and social justice.

The program can be completed in three years with classes available at both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses.

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Study social welfare in the community of Chicago

Your classes will challenge you to see human behavior and your environment through the lens of a women’s and gender studies scholar. Take part in rigorous social work curriculum, while having access to Chicago-based organizations like the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network, the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and About Face Theater.

Application Deadlines

The priority deadline for MA applications is February 15. Applications will continue to be accepted until April 1 which is the deadline for the MSW program.

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, official transcripts, essay, two letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and curriculum vitae or résumé.

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Required Courses

You’ll complete 76 credit hours in the MSW program and 32 credit hours in the Women’s and Gender Studies program.

MSW RequirementsMA Requirements

 

95%

of LAS master’s degree recipients were employed, continuing their education or not seeking employment within six months of graduation.

 

89%

of employed College of LAS graduates were in a job related to their field of study.

Faculty with a breadth of social work and service experience

You’ll learn from faculty like Assistant Professor Maria Ferrera who specializes in child welfare, medical social work and assists the Filipino American and other immigrant communities with social service needs. Her areas of practice and research involve the influence of colonization on ethnic identity development; community-based, socially just practices and mixed-methods-research with ethnic minority youth. Ferrera also studies health disparities and the impact of health care law on new and undocumented immigrants in Chicago.

“I chose this program for the integration of two fields that I hold very near to my heart, and for the importance in practice that I think they hold for each other. While Women's and Gender Studies allows us to delve deep into theoretical frameworks, Social Work ultimately binds our academic journey in praxis. I hope to work in the social work field with at-risk LGBTQ teens with a focus in community building and restorative justice.”

Kate (MSW/MA ’20) 

Alumni Network

Alumni of the MSW/MA in Women’s and Gender Studies degree have followed a number of trajectories. Graduates go on to become social workers for non-profits, while others are leaders in education, media and communications, human rights, public policy, community-based organizing, creative arts and social justice.

Scholarships & Aid

The department offers yearly graduate assistantships that include a stipend. Learn more about the opportunities available to you.

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is home to more than 30 graduate programs and 10 certificates, as well as the School of Public Service. To be eligible for admission, students must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited higher education institution.

Applicants must demonstrate a capacity for achievement through past academic or professional work. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences looks at each application as a unique presentation of a candidate's profile and will consider a variety of information sources.

Admission Information

General Instructions

To begin the application process, please submit your application online. You may submit your non-refundable $40 application fee at the end of the application via credit card or e-check or send a check/money order made payable to DePaul University with your supplementary application materials.

All applicants must submit official transcripts from each junior/community college, college, or university attended including DePaul University, if applicable. Credits transferred and posted on the record of a second school do not constitute an official transcript from  the original school. Electronic transcripts must be emailed to GradDePaul@depaul.edu directly from the issuing institution in order to be considered official.

Other supplementary materials can be sent as .doc or .pdf attachments to GradDePaul@depaul.edu or mailed to the graduate admission office. Please remember that we cannot guarantee books, DVDs or bound materials will be reviewed by the department.

Official paper transcripts, other supporting materials, and application fee can be sent to the graduate admission office:

The Office of Graduate Admission
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
DePaul University
2400 N Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614-3936

International students must submit additional documents to complete a graduate application. Please visit International Admission for additional instructions.

Program Specific Requirements

Admission criteria, application procedures and application deadlines specific to each program can be found on the program pages:

Supporting Materials

Supporting materials may be required in addition to the online application and official transcripts. Please visit the program website for materials required.

Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement

Most programs require a one- to two-page statement explaining the applicant's academic goals, career plans, and reasons for selecting the graduate program. Please note that some programs require additional or specific information.

Letters of Recommendation

If required, confidential letters of recommendation should be written by individuals who are able to evaluate the applicant's capability to succeed academically at the graduate level. Please notify recommenders that the letter should include the applicant's full name and the name of the program to which the applicant is applying.

Letters of recommendation can be submitted through the online application. They also can be given to the applicant in a sealed envelope that has been signed over the seal or sent directly to the graduate admission office. Letters of recommendation sent via email must be a PDF attachment on official letterhead and sent directly from the recommender to GradDePaul@depaul.edu

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Most programs do not require the GRE. Please visit the program website for specific requirements.

Applicants should take the GRE early enough to meet the application deadline. For information about the GRE, please visit www.ets.org or call (800) GRE-CALL (800-473-2255).

Only scores submitted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) using the DePaul University institution code (1165) are official.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary depending on program.  Please refer to the program website for specific application deadlines.

Only complete applications will be sent to the academic department for review. Applicants will be notified via email if any credentials are missing from their application. You also can check the status of your application materials through your application portal.

Decisions

Applicants will be notified of their admission status via email and their application portal. Admitted students also will receive a welcome packet in the mail. At the time the application file is sent to the department for review, applicants receive an email telling them when they are likely to receive an admission decision. For the most up-to-date information, please log into your application portal.

MSW Degree Requirements

?Course Requirements

All candidates for the MSW/MA Women's and Gender Studies degree enrolled in the 3 year program must complete 76 credit hours of course work within the MSW program. 

This includes 44 credit hours detailed below:

Course Title Quarter Hours
MSW 401 PROFESSIONAL WRITING AND DEVELOPMENT 4
MSW 411 HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT I 4
MSW 412 HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT II 4
MSW 421 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH 4
MSW 431 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY I 4
MSW 481 FOUNDATION PRACTICE I 4
MSW 491 FOUNDATION FIELD EDUCATION I 4
MSW 482 FOUNDATION PRACTICE II 4
MSW 492 FOUNDATION FIELD EDUCATION II 4
MSW 483 FOUNDATION PRACTICE III 4
MSW 493 FOUNDATION FIELD EDUCATION III 4

Candidates for the MSW/MA Women's and Gender Studies degree must also complete 32 credit hours of MSW concentration courses, listed here?.

Content displayed from this DePaul University catalog page.

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Tution Fee : USD 681 per credit hour

Intake : august  Jul  May 

Universities : DePaul University 

Study Level : Masters Degree

Location : Chicago, USA

Mode of Learning : On Campus

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