Online MSW Program (Master of Social Work)

Students must complete 150 hours of field education over six semesters, for a total of 900 hours. View curriculum details in the Registar's course catalog. Review our program fact sheet.

For a full list of application steps for financial aid, please review the 2025-2026 MSW aid application checklist.

Graduate students seeking financial aid are assigned a counselor committed to helping them understand how financial aid works and identifying the resources necessary to make their education affordable. Call (504) 988-6135 or email hscfinaid@tulane.edu

United States citizens and Permanent Residents should complete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for federal financial aid and work-study. Tulane’s school code is 002029. Tulane School of Social Work financial aid can provide additional assistance.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Foundation offers graduate school scholarships and doctoral fellowships.

The National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) offers scholarship resources.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) offers funding opportunities for students.

Phi Alpha Honors Society for social work offers scholarships.

The Social Science Research Council offers a variety of fellowship programs that foster the innovation of new policy solutions to meet our most pressing needs.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine share fellowship opportunities for graduate and doctoral students.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education hosts a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from graduate scholarships to postdoctoral fellowships.

The Population Council offers fellowships for students studying social sciences.

The Leopold Schepp Foundation provides educational scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students with professional goals that benefit society and who demonstrate a combination of fine character, academic excellence, financial need, compassion, and a commitment to volunteerism.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those pursuing careers as public service leaders.

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund is for students who demonstrate active participation in civil rights, economic justice, international solidarity, or other progressive issues. These need-based scholarships are awarded to those able to do academic work at the university level and who are part of the progressive movement on the campus and in the community.

The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program (formerly known as Fellows/USA) is a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

Applicants to Tulane’s MSW program must meet the following requirements:

1. A strong performance in undergraduate or postgraduate study or strong employer references.
2. A bachelor's degree. An official transcript listing your bachelor's degree with the conferral date is required.
3. A grade-point average of 3.0 or better on a 4-point scale (preferred).

Applicants to the Master of Social Work program must submit the following documents with their electronic application:

• Statement of Interest - Our Master of Social Work program’s mission, through a person in environment framework, is to educate and inspire competent social work leaders that are committed to advancing human rights and social justice within communities, promoting quality of life for all people locally and globally, whilst engaging with clinical in community practice and service that is evidence-based, ethical, and culturally responsive, enhancing the holistic dignity, worth, well- being and equitable treatment of individuals, families, and communities. We seek to enroll students who are committed to envisioning and actively pursuing a more just society through professional social work practice.
  With that in mind, please respond to the questions below in three to five double-spaced pages, using one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. Your Statement of Interest will be evaluated based on writing quality, content, and authenticity. 
  If you choose to include personal experiences, focus on their relevance to social work practice rather than detailed personal narratives. Your Statement of Interest should address the following:
  1. Describe what social work means to you and how you envision yourself as a future social work professional.
  2. Personal and professional growth often occurs through mistakes, discomfort, and challenging conversations, particularly when engaging in discussions related to oppression, discrimination, and injustice. As an emerging social work professional, describe how you will contribute to an ethical, brave, and respectful environment in the classroom and in interactions within the TSSW community. In your response, explain how you will respectfully apply lessons from your lived experiences in the learning environment.
  3. Practicum education is a required component of the MSW program and includes a minimum of 900 hours of supervised practice in diverse settings. As a social work student, you will bring your own background and experiences into these spaces. Describe how you will engage in self-reflection, respect for organizational structure, and mitigate the influence of your personal assumptions, experiences, or biases in order to remain open to learning while being responsive to client and community needs.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) - If you are unsure how to format your resume, feel free to reference our guide.
• Official Transcript(s) - One copy of official transcript(s) from each Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral level institution you have attended. To be considered official, a transcript (1) must be sent directly from your institution to Tulane School of Social Work and (2) must show completion of coursework required for the degree, the degree earned, and the date of degree conferral.
  • Official copies of all transcripts are required before you can register, enroll, or begin graduate coursework. You must submit a transcript with your degree posted prior to starting your graduate program. If you have not yet earned your bachelor’s degree, your admission will be revoked, as you cannot begin graduate studies without having completed your undergraduate degree.
• References/Recommendations - A minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation must be submitted directly by your recommenders through the application portal. Please provide the recommender's name, organization, title, professional email address, phone number, and your professional association with them. Acceptable recommenders include current or former course instructors, professors, faculty advisors, or professional or volunteer supervisors. Personal references are not accepted, including relatives, friends, family friends, colleagues, co-workers, social acquaintances, or individuals whose primary relationship with you is personal rather than academic or professional. As an applicant, keep the following guidelines in mind:
  • Applicants who are currently students: at least one letter of recommendation should be submitted by a professor who has directly assessed your academic work.
  • Applicants who are currently employed: at least one letter of recommendation should be submitted by your current supervisor.
  • Applicants who are currently engaged in volunteer work or an internship in human services: one letter may be submitted by your direct supervisor.
  • If you need guidance on asking for letters of recommendation, please review our helpful tips.

Reference/recommendation letters can be submitted via the application website, mailed to the TSSW Office, or emailed:

Tulane University School of Social Work #8906
127 Elk Place
New Orleans, LA 70112

tsswtranscripts@wave.tulane.edu

Online MSW (Traditional and Advanced Standing) 

Full-time, accelerated and part-time options available. Terms begin in fall, spring, and summer.

Advanced Standing MSW

Fall

Spring

*Application opens the prior year

Applicants who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree within the past five years from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program may be granted advanced standing, enabling them to qualify for a MSW in three semesters of full-time study.

Advanced standing requirements include:

1. Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 point scale
2. 3.0 GPA in all undergraduate substantive courses
3. B+ average in their field practicum

The MSW can only accept transfer credits from other MSW programs that were accredited by the Council on Social Work Education at the time the student attended. Review our Transfer Credit Policy here.

Review our International Student Admission Policy here.