Earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) prepares graduates for clinical, counseling, and leadership roles. But what if you’re interested in a career path that spans disciplines?
MSW dual degree programs combine the social welfare training of an MSW program with other graduate fields, allowing degree-seekers to complete two degrees in an accelerated timeframe. A dual degree can also build specialized expertise for careers that span disciplines.
What Is an MSW Dual Degree?
MSW dual degrees pair a Master of Social Work with a complementary graduate degree. Graduate students work on both simultaneously, creating an interdisciplinary course of study.
Dual degree programs allow MSW students to count some of their graduate credits toward both degrees. For example, dual-degree students in Tulane’s MSW and MS in Disaster Resilience Leadership program apply up to 12 credits toward both degrees. This allows graduate students to meet degree requirements in less time, which can also translate into cost savings.
Pairing an MSW with another program allows degree seekers to gain both a breadth and depth of knowledge.
MSW Dual Degree Programs
What are some common degrees to pair with an MSW in a dual degree program? MSW students can combine their program with training in fields like leadership, administration, public health, and law.
Disaster Resilience Leadership
MSW programs emphasize social welfare and advocacy, making a master’s in disaster resilience leadership a good fit for social work students. In this dual degree program, graduate students complete courses in disaster operations, environmental infrastructure, and leadership, combined with hands-on fieldwork to build specialized knowledge and skills. Master’s students may also specialize their curriculum with courses in risk management, trauma intervention, and emergency management.
These programs lead to careers as social workers who focus on natural and manmade disaster resilience. In particular, a dual degree in this area prepares the leaders who design resilience programs, run emergency relief social services organizations, and implement disaster assistant programs.
Master of Public Health
The fields of social work and public health overlap in key ways, including their focus on community-based interventions and cultural contexts. Leaders at the intersection of public health and social work need a diverse skill set, and a dual degree program can provide the interdisciplinary training for these roles.
In an MSW/MPH program, graduate students deepen their understanding of effective and engaging approaches to improve community health and well-being. In addition to social work field education, learners explore health systems policy, epidemiology, and other public health fundamentals.
Juris Doctorate
An MSW/JD program provides interdisciplinary training in social issues. By combining legal and social work coursework, MSW students deepen their understanding of the legal system and the available tools to support their clients.
With a law degree and an MSW, graduates pursue career paths in public policy, child advocacy, and human rights. This dual degree program also meets the requirements for a career as a licensed attorney.
Benefits of MSW Dual Degree Programs
Enrolling in an MSW dual degree program offers students several benefits, including opportunities to increase the breadth of their expertise, prepare for unique roles, and complete two graduate degrees in a shorter time frame.
- Specialized Expertise: A dual degree program builds graduate-level expertise in two fields, complementing clinical social work education with a degree in public health, business, law, or other disciplines. Specializing in two areas allows professionals to expand their knowledge while preparing for careers that span multiple fields.
- Cost and Time Savings: Earning two separate graduate degrees takes longer than a dual degree program. For example, traditional MSW programs take two years, while a JD takes three years; Tulane’s MSW/JD program takes four years, saving students a full year of graduate school. This can also translate into cost savings.
- Unique Career Options: Social workers apply their clinical and practice skills in diverse fields. Adding a second graduate degree opens additional career doors, particularly in careers that require expertise in multiple areas. For example, a dual degree can mean more opportunities in child welfare, community health, or disaster resilience.
- Higher Earning Potential: Earning a master’s degree typically translates into a higher earning potential and more employment opportunities. With a dual degree, professionals can enter the workforce with two advanced degrees and potentially benefit from higher-paying career paths.
Career Outcomes for MSW Dual Degree Programs
In addition to MSW careers such as licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a dual degree can lead to many other career paths.
With graduate degrees in social work and disaster resilience leadership, for example, professionals can work as disaster recovery managers who oversee social services teams providing services to impacted communities. Or they can lead social services or nonprofit organizations that prioritize hazard mitigation and sustainability.
Combining an MSW with a graduate degree focused on management, administration, or leadership can lead to opportunities as a social or community services manager. While social workers reported a median annual wage of $58,380 as of May 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, social and community services managers earned a median pay of $77,030.
Bridging social work and public health can prepare graduates for community health planning and policy roles while combining social work and law can lead to a role as an attorney who advocates for marginalized clients.
Enroll in an MSW Dual Degree Program at Tulane
Tulane’s School of Social Work offers a unique MSW dual degree program that combines social work and disaster resilience. The Online Master of Social Work and Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership Dual Degree program develops compassionate leaders who help communities prepare for disasters and recover in their wake. By incorporating experiential learning, students develop clinical and community-based practice skills.
As the first academic program of its kind, the MSW/MS-DRL offers a unique opportunity to strengthen interdisciplinary leadership skills. Find out how Tulane can help you embark on a meaningful career today.
Forbes, “Will a Master’s Degree Help Advance Your Career?”
Indeed, “Jobs With a Dual Degree in Social Work and Public Health”
Indeed, “Top 10 Benefits of Earning a Master’s Degree”
The Art of Applying, “Dual Degrees, Dual Masters, and Double Degrees”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Pays 2023
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Social and Community Service Managers