Loyola University Chicago

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Studying Social Work at Loyola University Chicago

Simmons College appears in our ranking of the 20 High-value BSW Degrees in Metro Areas with Top Salaries for Social Workers.

There are several social work undergraduate and graduate degree programs available at Loyola University, Chicago, as well as a minor and a Ph.D. program. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work includes the core university curriculum that includes 16 diverse courses and a diversity class. The social work undergraduate degree program contains 41 to 42 credit hours in the social work major and 12 credit-hours in related requirements selected from social science electives and statistics classes. There is also a field practicum required for graduation.

The School of Social Work offers a Five Year BSW-MSW program that enables students to earn both the undergraduate and the graduate degree in five years of full-time study. Many of the first-year MSW courses can be completed during the undergraduate portion of the program. The Five-Year BSW-MSW program contains 60 credit-hours and two internships, the second of which is 720 clock-hours and is completed the last year of the program. There are five specializations available in the Five-Year program. These are Children and Family, Health, Mental Health, Schools and LDSS specialization. The social work minor is an 18-credit-hour program that is comprised of six courses and that must include SOWK 200,201,305,380 and also two social work electives.

The MSW program at Loyola is a two-year degree path that can be earned in one of two tracks: Clinical, which includes specializations in Health, Children and Families, School Social Work or Mental Health, or the Leadership and Development Track. At graduation, students will have completed the requisites for LSW or LCSW licensure. The program includes fieldwork. Some of the courses are available in online or in blended format.

The School of Social Work also offers an Advanced Standing MSW to students who hold a BSW from an accredited university. The advanced program contains 28 credit-hours and can be earned in 10 months of full-time or two years of part-time study. As in the other MSW programs, there is a 720-clock-hour internship required in the specialty areas. The MSW is also offered in a bilingual format that seeks to ensure competent social work practitioners in Latino communities. Loyola also has an available MSW at the Carthage campus. That program features classes that meet on Saturdays on a weekly basis. The program is taught in small cohorts. Students may earn the Carthage MSW in a traditional format in 26 months, or they may earn the degree through advanced standing in 14 months. Loyola also has a Ph.D. program in social work that prepares students for leadership and research roles.

About Loyola University Chicago

This private, coeducational research university is one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1870 as St. Ignatius College. It became Loyola University in 1909. Religious education is still a priority at Loyola, and the university houses Saint Joseph College Seminary. The school offers more than 80 undergraduate programs of study and 140 graduate programs. The total enrollment at Loyola is about 16,000, but the student-to-faculty ratio is only 14:1. The four-year graduation rate is 65 percent. The school is spread over six campuses in the Chicago area and one in Rome, Italy. In addition, there are programs in Beijing and in Ho Chi Minh City. The US News and World Report ranks the school as #103 of National Universities.

Loyola University Chicago Accreditation Details

The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The School of Social Work and all Social Work degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Loyola University Chicago Application Requirements

While students applying as first-year freshmen may print out and complete the application form, then submit it through the mail, Loyola prefers students complete the Common Application online. They must arrange for their high schools to send their official transcripts to Loyola, and to have any post-secondary institutions where they completed college courses send those transcripts as well. Freshman applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from a high school counselor and from a high school teacher. They must also complete the personal essay component of the Common Application and send the non-refundable $60 application fee to the university. SAT or ACT test scores are optional, but if a student does not submit the scores, he must send a second letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or a second personal essay.

Graduate students applying to the school should complete the Common Application as well. They will need to submit the official transcripts from all post-secondary coursework. Two letters of recommendation are required but three are recommended. Graduates should also submit their CV/resume and the $50 application fee with their application. Students applying to the School of Social Work in an education program must apply to the fall semester and submit TAP scores.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition at Loyola University is $47,750. There are an additional $1,358 dollars in fees. Housing and meal plans average $14,280. The undergraduate cost-of-attendance is calculated as $58,358 plus personal expenses and educational materials. Tuition for the MSW program is $1,007 per credit hour for a 60-hour program, plus mandatory university fees and possible tuition hikes.

The school estimates that 97 percent of incoming freshmen require some type of financial aid. The average financial award is $27,200. The first step for any student, undergraduate or graduate, who needs financial aid is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. This government program awards grants and student loans based on financial need. After receiving the FAFSA award confirmation letter, students should begin applying for scholarships.

Loyola has many grants and scholarships available through the university. To apply for these, students need only to complete their school application. There is no separate application for student aid. Loyola scholarships are based on merit and range from $16,000 to $21,000. There are also department grants and scholarships that are usually not available to first-year students. Students may also apply for athletic scholarships.

In addition to university aid, there are private individuals and corporations that fund grants and scholarships. These can be found through online scholarship portals. Student loans can make up any residual student obligations. Graduate students are eligible for departmental aid that averages $9,000 as well as some other scholarship opportunities. Graduate students are only eligible for student loans through FAFSA but may also take out student loans from lending institutions. Assistantships are available to graduate students. These are part-time, paid positions. A tuition waiver is not included in these jobs. In some instances, employers will help fund graduate degree programs for their employees. Tuition at Loyola University Chicago may seem daunting, but with some financial planning and diligent scholarship and grant searches students can afford their degree programs.