Social Work, M.S.W. and Criminology and Criminal Justice, M.A. Dual Degree

If you want to change systems — not just work within them — the dual M.S.W./M.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice is built for you.

If you care about justice, equity and real-world impact across systems like courts, corrections, community agencies, policy organizations and advocacy groups, this program is designed for you. You’ll gain the clinical and community-practice skills of social work alongside a deep understanding of crime, law and justice systems — so you can support individuals and influence the systems that shape their lives.

In the dual degree, you will:

Learn to work directly with individuals, families and communities through social work practice

Study crime, law, policing, courts and corrections from a social, political and ethical lens

Develop skills for careers in victim advocacy, corrections, law enforcement, reentry services, youth justice, policy work, forensic social work, program leadership and justice reform

Graduate with a Master’s in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program and a Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice in less time than it would take earning each degree separately*.

You can pursue the dual degree through either the Clinical concentration in the M.S.W., depending on whether you want to focus more on direct practice or systems-level change.

If you hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program, you may qualify for advanced standing, allowing you to apply up to 15 credits toward the M.S.W. portion of the dual degree and complete the program even faster.

This dual degree is ideal for students who want careers that sit at the intersection of social work and justice — where helping people and changing systems go hand in hand.

*Students complete both degrees with a total of 57 credit hours, including 36 credits in social work and 21 credits in criminology and criminal justice. Coursework is integrated so that your learning in one program strengthens your work in the other.

Fieldwork in Justice-Focused Settings

Field education is the heart of social work training, and in the dual M.S.W./M.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, your practicum can align directly with your interest in justice and reform.

As a dual degree M.S.W./M.A. student, you can complete your social work field placements in justice-related settings, such as:

Courts, probation and parole agencies, and public defender or prosecutor offices

Juvenile justice programs and youth-serving justice organizations

Jails, prisons and reentry or diversion programs

Victim advocacy and trauma-informed service organizations

Community-based violence prevention and restorative justice programs

These placements allow you to apply classroom learning in real-world justice settings, working with individuals and communities while also seeing how policies and systems shape outcomes. Fieldwork helps you build professional skills, clarify your career path and graduate ready to work across both social service and justice systems.

Careers

Graduates of the dual M.S.W./M.A. program are prepared for careers that bridge helping professions and justice systems. With training in both social work practice and criminology and criminal justice, you’ll be equipped to work with individuals, communities, organizations and systems.

Common career paths include:

Forensic social worker or justice-involved services specialist

Victim advocate or survivor services coordinator

Probation, parole or court-based social worker

Reentry or diversion program coordinator

Juvenile justice or youth development specialist

Correctional system staff/supervisor

Police social worker/crisis response clinician

Violence prevention or restorative justice program staff

Policy analyst or program evaluator in justice or social service agencies

Community organizer or nonprofit program director

You will be prepared to work in settings such as courts, corrections, law enforcement, community agencies, schools, advocacy organizations, nonprofits and government agencies. The dual degree also prepares you for clinical licensure (through the M.S.W.) and for leadership roles focused on reforming justice systems and improving community safety and well-being.

For additional information, see the catalog entries for the following programs:

Criminology and Criminal Justice, M.A.

Social Work, M.S.W.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate social work program at Saint Louis University has been continuously accredited since 1972. The Master of Social Work program at Saint Louis University has been continuously accredited since 1952.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
1701 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-3457
Phone: 703-683-8080

Admission Requirements

Students need to complete the standard graduate application process (application, transcript, letters of reference, personal statement, resume) and have that application reviewed and approved by both the M.S.W. and M.A. in C.C.J. programs to secure dual admission.

Program Requirements

Students complete 36 credit hours of M.S.W. coursework (24 credit hours for students qualifying for ‘advanced standing’ status). This includes foundation coursework, concentration coursework (Clinical or Community & Organization), hallmark coursework, and the completion of a practicum. In addition, students complete 21 credit hours of C.C.J. coursework regardless of social work ‘advanced standing’ status. This includes 15 credit hours of core C.C.J. coursework and 6 credits hours of approved C.C.J. electives.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

This roadmap is just one example of a semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. There are other plans students can and do take. The plan of study for each particular student is established in consultation with each student’s academic advisor; this roadmap does not replace academic advising appointments.

Roadmap notes:

This Roadmap assumes full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses/Milestones marked with an “!” are critical and must be completed in the semester listed in the Roadmap to ensure a timely graduation.
Course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Roadmap assumes a Fall semester start.

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
Fall		Credits
SWRK 5750	Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, & Groups	3
SWRK 5751	Social Work Practice with Communities & Organizations	3
CCJ 5100	Ethics in the Administration of Justice	3
CCJ 5300	Proseminar in Criminal Justice	3
	Credits	12
Spring
SWRK 5702	Social Policy	3
SWRK 5725	Human Behavior & the Social Environment	3
SWRK 5819	Generalist Integrative Practice Seminar	1
SWRK 5841	Master of Social Work Generalist Practicum	2
CCJ 6400	Issues in Jurisprudence	3
Select one course with the "CCJ Elective" attribute		3
	Credits	15
Summer
SWRK 5706	Antiracism and Social Work Practice	3
SWRK 5708/CCJ 5200	Research and Evaluation in Social Work Practice	3
	Credits	6
Year Two
Fall
SWRK 5733	Advanced Clinical Practice with Individuals ¹	3
SWRK 5762	Diagnosis & Assessment in Clinical Practice ¹	3
SWRK 5820	Specialization Integrative Seminar	1
SWRK 5842	Clinical Practicum I	2
CCJ 5000	Criminological Theory	3
	Credits	12
Spring
SWRK 5707	Policy Practice for Social Justice	3
SWRK 5736	Advanced Clinical Practice with Families and Groups ¹	3
SWRK 5843	Clinical Practicum II	3
Select one course with the "CCJ Elective" attribute		3
	Credits	12
	Total Credits	57

¹: SWRK 5733, SWRK 5736, and SWRK 5762 are all MSW clinical specialization courses. Courses may be moved around dependent on the format you need and what format is offered (i.e., online or in-person).

Apply for Admission

For admission questions, contact:

School of Social Work Graduate Admissions Office
sswadmissions@slu.edu
314-977-2752

For program questions, contact:

Social Work

Kristi Richter
Director of Master of Social Work program
Assistant clinical professor of social work
kristi.richter@slu.edu
314-977-2738

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Dyan McGuire, Ph.D., J.D.
Director of criminology and criminal justice programs
Associate professor of criminology and criminal justice
dyan.mcguire@slu.edu
314-977-2191