Earning LCSW licensing in the Bayou State will involve finishing a master’s at four accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana. Home to 4.68 million people, Louisiana is a Gulf Coast state that ranks 31st for size but 49th for opportunity by the U.S. News. Loyola’s 2016 Just South Index placed Louisiana last based on measures of social justice. The Louisiana Budget Project shows that 19.6 percent of the population faces poverty with a median low-income household earning $11,156. Racial disparities are prominent in Louisiana with nearly half of African American kids living below federal poverty levels. As some towns still recover from Hurricane Katrina, demand for social workers in Louisiana will climb by 12 percent. Join the 4,910 practitioners advocating for better living conditions statewide by attending one of these accredited social work graduate schools in Louisiana.
Grambling State University
School of Social Work
Featured on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, Grambling State University is a public, coeducational HBCU of the Southwestern Athletic Conference that’s endowed for $4.5 million under President Richard Gallot, Jr. to instruct 4,863 Tigers from its 590-acre campus within Lincoln Parish. Grambling is ranked America’s 60th best Greek life university on Niche, 44th top historically Black school by the USNWR, and 71st best master’s institution in Washington Monthly. The School of Social Work also stands 220th nationally for one of the accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana with selective 38 percent admission.
Master of Social Work
Chaired by Dr. Carolyn Hester, Grambling’s Master of Social Work maintains a 20:1 student-faculty ratio for preparing advanced generalists who autonomously deliver social interventions to alleviate suffering in north-central Louisiana, especially African American communities. Reaffirmed by the CSWE in 2015, the 60-credit Regular and 30-credit Advanced Standing curricula applies a Direct Practice Concentration. Available courses span from child neglect and resource development to substance abuse and mental health consultation. Post-grads devote two days per week to completing 960 fieldwork hours at agencies like Foster Johnson Health Center. Estimated to cost $3,691 in-state and $8,203 out-of-state per full-time term, the program also offers the Student Social Work Organization, study abroad trips to Costa Rica, and graduate assistantships.
Accreditation
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Contact
Charles P. Adams Building 308
403 Main Street, Box 4274
Grambling, LA 71245
(318) 274-3302
hesterc@gram.edu
http://www.gram.edu/academics/majors/pro-grad-studies/socialwork/
Louisiana State University
School of Social Work
Occupying a 2,000-acre, 14-college East Baton Rouge Parish campus designed by Andrea Palladio in Forbes’ 60th best city for job growth, Louisiana State University is endowed for $468 million under President F. King Alexander to serve 5,368 post-grad Tigers as a public, sea-grant RU/VH research hub. LSU is declared America’s 63rd best big college on Niche, 80th top university by the CWUR, and 246th best value with an average annual price of $27,200 in Money Magazine. Established 75 years ago, the School of Social Work is directed by Dr. Wesley T. Church with three degrees and over 96,000 fieldwork hours conducted yearly.
MSW Program
Starting six times per year in Baton Rouge or online, the MSW is perhaps the most flexible of accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana for LSU post-grads to advance their professional competencies as skilled, sincere practitioners focused on social justice. The 60-credit curriculum takes two years full-time, three to four years part-time, or shorter online. Some qualify for the 33-credit Advanced Standing track with BSW credentials. Building on major courses like societal oppression is possible with certificates in Gerontology or Children & Youth Services. Field instruction spans 960 clock hours total at diverse placements, including Capital Area CASA, Bishop Ott Shelter, St. Christopher’s Addiction Wellness Center, and Fort Polk.
Accreditation
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Contact
311 Huey P. Long Field House
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(225) 578-1234
sw@lsu.edu
http://www.lsu.edu/chse/socialwork/academics/msw.php
Southern University at New Orleans
Millie M. Charles School of Social Work
Since joining the five-site system in 1974, Southern University at New Orleans has grown its $3 million endowment under Chancellor Ann Smith as a public, historically Black college with 2,715 Knights studying atop its Park Campus in Forbes’ 110th best city for job growth. SUNO is ranked America’s 55th best HBCU by the U.S. News, 200th most selective school on Niche, and 395th top master’s university in Washington Monthly. Carrying on the civil rights work of alum Reverend Avery Alexander, SUNO delivers another of the accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana via its Millie M. Charles School of Social Work with an 86 percent job placement rate.
Social Work Graduate Program
Mandating a 2.5 GPA before the March 31st deadline, SUNO’s Social Work Graduate Program is headed by Dr. Rebecca A. Chaisson with a 15:1 student-faculty ratio for MSW students to prepare for advanced holistic practice promoting social and economic justice in multicultural populations. Emphasizing strengths-based strategies, the 63-credit traditional master’s takes four semesters full-time or seven semesters part-time for $4,176 each currently. Bachelor of Social Work graduates may waive foundational courses for a 37-credit curriculum. All options require devoting 10-16 clock hours to field practicum weekly in their Health/Mental Health or Children, Youth and Families concentrations.
Accreditation
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Contact
New Science Building 211
6400 Press Drive
New Orleans, LA 70126
(504) 286-5376
rchaisson@suno.edu
http://www.suno.edu/social-work-graduate-program
Tulane University
School of Social Work
Featured in The Pelican Brief and 22 Jump Street, Tulane University maintains a picturesque, 100-acre campus in Uptown New Orleans across from Audobon Park to accommodate 5,129 post-grads as a private, nonsectarian research-intensive SURA member with a $1.17 billion endowment. Tulane is recognized for America’s 45th best professors on Niche, 56th best college in Times Higher Education, and 57th top private value by Kiplinger’s. Also placed 32nd for its MSW on the U.S. News report, the School of Social Work has five accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana with 72 percent graduation.
Master’s Degree in Social Work
Presently priced at $16,288 per term, the Master’s Degree in Social Work at Tulane uses a clinical-community framework for developing advanced generalist practitioners who average an 81 percent LMSW exam pass rate. Chaired by Patrick Bordnick, PhD, the 60-credit traditional curriculum can be finished in 16 months full-time or 32 months part-time. Drawing on 100 years of experience, the convenient Online MSW was recently launched for busy professionals, but the 1,000 fieldwork hours are still required. Practicum is arranged at 150 Greater New Orleans agencies, including in coastal Mississippi. Some Tulane post-grads will add dual degrees like the Master’s in Disaster Resilience Leadership Studies or declare the Certificate in Family Practice.
Accreditation
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Contact
School of Social Work 8906
127 Elk Place
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 865-5314
msw@tulane.edu
https://tssw.tulane.edu/degrees/masters-degree-social-work
The BLS reports that Louisianans working in social work earn an average wage of $49,580 yearly. Although several MSW-level jobs like school counselor, medical social worker, community services manager, social work professor, and family therapist earn more, the field isn’t regarded for high profits. According to the NASW, social work instead focuses on meeting measurable goals improving societal well-being among the most at-risk global populations. If living modestly to serve the public sounds right to you, check out the four CSWE accredited social work degree programs in Louisiana.
Related Resource: Top 10 Best Online Social Work Degree Programs
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