MSW-MPH Dual Degree

The LSU School of Social Work and the LSU Health Sciences Center SPH in New Orleans offer a dual-degree program through which a student will receive both the Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Behavioral and Community Health Studies. Students successfully complete the dual degree receive two separate degrees: the MSW awarded by the School of Social Work and the MPH with a concentration in Behavioral and Community Health Students awarded by LSU Health Sciences SPH.

The recognition of concurrent credit as described below allows a student to complete the requirement for both degrees in three years, including summer semesters, instead of the four years that otherwise would be required.  By obtaining the dual degree, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health, prevent disease, and enhance the delivery of evidence-based health and social services in the community. Upon completion of the MSW-MPH dual-degree program, graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the breadth of each field and their interface, as well as have ability to incorporate interdisciplinary skills in public health and health-related settings. The MSW-MPH dual-degree program is designed to prepare graduates for work in a variety of interdisciplinary health and health-related settings and, for some, may provide a basis for future doctoral study.

Although the two programs remain independent, the dual degree accelerates the completion of both degrees because of each school’s recognition of credit hours earned for course work completed in the MSW-MPH dual-degree students will satisfy the requirements for 60 MSW credit hours and a minimum of 45 MPH credit hours.  Students enrolled in the MSW-MPH dual-degree program will complete a minimum of 92 credit hours.

Students wishing to participate in this program must meet the admission requirements for both the LSU Graduate School, School of Social Work, and the LSUHSC. Students must apply separately to all three schools, with appropriate test scores provided. Application to the LSUHSC SPH is made through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS), a centralized admissions system used by the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health.

Students will begin this dual degree program within the School of Social Work, with the first year would be devoted exclusively to the first-year social work requirements. The remaining years will be devoted to a combination of MSW and MPH courses, with the MPH Culminating Course in the 3rd year. The respective faculties of the SPH-BCHS program and the SSW have approved an award of 13 hours of MSW credit toward the MPH degree for courses taken in the SSW, and of 12 hours of MPH credit toward the MSW for courses taken in the SPH.  

Social work students will have the option to complete a thesis.  The total number of hours for the MSW curriculum (60) would not change under the dual degree program. No web-based social work courses can be taken through the LSU MSW Online program; however, web-based social work courses that are offered during regular LSU Baton Rouge campus semesters can be taken.