Offered jointly with the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, this dual degree gives clinical skills and a broader understanding of the human concerns in legal interventions to practicing lawyers. Students in this program gain psychological and social perspectives that come into play when representing and advocating for children, families, women, and the elderly.

Related Programs

Curriculum

MSW/JD Dual-Degree Program

The MSW/JD combines courses offered by the School of Law's JD program with courses offered by the School of Social Work's MSW program. In the School of Social Work, students are required to complete all foundation courses. In addition, advanced practice courses are taken according to specialization area and electives.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
JD Requirements
LAW 113	Civil Procedure	4
LAW 122	Constitutional Law	4
LAW 132	Contracts	4
LAW 140	Criminal Law	3
LAW 152	Property	4
LAW 162	Torts	4
LAW 190	Legal Writing I	2
LAW 190R	Basic Legal Research	0
LAW 192	Legal Writing II	2
LAW 210	Evidence 1	4
LAW 232	Bar Exam Fundamentals 3	2
LAW 270	Business Organizations 1	4
LAW 414	Professional Responsibility	3
LAW 424	Professional Identity Formation	1
BCCR Elective 2		2-3
LAW Electives		24-28
Law Experiential Learning Elective		6
Law Perspective Elective 4		2-3
Law Rigorous Writing Elective 5		2-3
MSW Requirements
Generalist MSW Courses
Community Immersion Program (1-Week Community Immersion Program)		0
SOWK 500	Life Span Development, Human Behavior, Trauma, & Theory	3
SOWK 501	Assessment of Client Concerns in Context	3
SOWK 502	Power, Oppression, Privilege, and Social Justice	3
SOWK 503	Practice Skills with Individuals and Families	3
SOWK 505	Group Work Practice in Social Work: Micro/Mezzo/Macro	3
SOWK 506	Research and Evaluation in Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 508	Integrated Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Practice 6	3
or SOWK 504	Integrated Micro/Mezzo/Macro Theory and Practice
SOWK 509	Social Work Policy and Community Intervention	3
SWII 530	Internship I & Simulated Experience	0.5
SWII 531	Internship II & Simulated Experience	0.5
SWII 530S	Integrative Seminar	1
Specialized Courses
Courses Required of All Students
SOWK 680	Advanced Micro-Level Practice	3
SOWK 682	Advanced Mezzo and Micro Practice 6	3
or SOWK 681	Advanced Mezzo & Macro Practice
SWII 632	Internship Instruction III & Simulated Experiences	0.5
SWII 632S	Integrative Seminar	1
SWII 633	Internship Instruction IV & Simulated Experiences	0.5
Micro Practice Specialization		9
Advanced Clinical Practice Track
3 Track Courses
See Course Options for the Advanced Clinical Track 1
Total Hours		120

¹

This requirement only applies to students beginning their JDs in Fall 2023 or later.

²

This requirement only applies to students beginning their JDs in Fall 2022 or later. For students beginning their JDs in Fall 2023 or later, students must take this BCCR course before, concurrently with, or as part of their enrollment in any clinic or externship field placement. 

³

Students who have a GPA below 2.9 after their second, third, or fourth semester of law school must complete “BAR EXAM FUNDAMENTALS” (LAW 232) in order to graduate. This class should be taken in the Fall or Spring of their third year for full-time students, and in the Fall or Spring of their fourth year for Weekend JDs.            

⁴

2 or 3 credit hours in Spring semester of first year for full-time students; part- time students must take perspective elective after the first year.

⁵

At least one class with an RW designation after 1L year and before graduation. Prior completion of Legal Writing III will satisfy the RW requirement. A student cannot use their RW course to concurrently satisfy any other of their other graduation requirements.

⁶

Students who matriculated before Fall 2025 should take SOWK 504 and SOWK 681. Student who matriculated in Fall 2025 or after should take SOWK 508 and SOWK 682.

BCCR Electives

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LAW 107	Illinois Litigation Racism, Injustice & Poverty	2
LAW 143	Environmental Justice: Race, Class and the Environment	3
LAW 146	Mass Incarceration	2
LAW 156	Abolition and Movement Lawyering	2
LAW 166	Education Law Practicum	1-4
LAW 179	The Law of Jury Selection	2
LAW 193	Diversity and Inclusion: A Professional and Social Responsibility	2
LAW 202	Human Trafficking Seminar	2
LAW 209	Law, Life and Jesuit Spirituality	2
LAW 212	Civil Rights	2
LAW 214	Race and the Law	2-3
LAW 215	Domestic Violence Practicum	1-3
LAW 249	Human Trafficking: Advancing Protections for Children Practicum	1-2
LAW 265	Black Traditions in International Law	1-2
LAW 276	Criminal Law Practicum	1-3
LAW 294	International Human Rights	1-3
LAW 302	Intellectual Origins of "Othering" in the Law of Nations	2
LAW 312	Street Law	3
LAW 341	Educational Advocacy Lab	2
LAW 358	The Quest for Racial Justice in the Long 1960s	3
LAW 389	Public Interest Law Seminar	1-2
LAW 402	"Say Her Name:" Intersectional Feminism & Police Violence	4
LAW 408	Restorative Justice Workshop	1
LAW 440	Criminal Procedure Capstone	3
LAW 447	Federal Indian Law	3
LAW 483	Federal Tax Clinic I	2-4
LAW 486	Federal Tax Clinic II	1-2
LAW 504	Lawyers as Leaders	2
LAW 525	Law, Politics, and Society	2
LAW 538	Critical Race Theory	2
LAW 539	Affordable Housing Law & Policy	2
LAW 555	Children and the Law	2
LAW 590	Victims and the Criminal Process	2
LAW 601	Child, Family, and the State	2
LAW 606	Legislation and Policy Clinic	2-4
LAW 608	Juvenile Justice	2
LAW 620	Civitas ChildLaw Clinic	1-4
LAW 730	Health Justice Practicum	3
LAW 745	Access to Health Care	2-3
LAW 755	Health Justice Project	3-4

Experiential Learning Electives

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LAW 166	Education Law Practicum	1-4
LAW 173	Advanced Education Law Practicum	1-4
LAW 215	Domestic Violence Practicum	1-3
LAW 246	Advanced Mediation Advocacy Practicum	1-4
LAW 249	Human Trafficking: Advancing Protections for Children Practicum	1-2
LAW 276	Criminal Law Practicum	1-3
LAW 341	Educational Advocacy Lab	2
LAW 470	Immigration Practicum Advancing	1-4
LAW 483	Federal Tax Clinic I	2-4
LAW 486	Federal Tax Clinic II	1-2
LAW 493	Adult Guardianship Project	3
LAW 518	Advanced Mediation and Courthouse Practicum	1-3
LAW 540	Community Law Center Clinic III	2
LAW 554	Family Law Practicum	1
LAW 584	Mediation Certification & Courthouse Practicum	4
LAW 586	Community Law Center Clinic Veterans Practicum	2-4
LAW 595	Community LawCtr Clinic I	4
LAW 596	Community Law Center Clinic II	3
LAW 599	Externship Intensive Field Placement	1-3
LAW 606	Legislation and Policy Clinic	2-4
LAW 617	Policy Practicum: Issues in Childlaw	1-3
LAW 620	Civitas ChildLaw Clinic	1-4
LAW 730	Health Justice Practicum	3
LAW 745	Access to Health Care	2-3
LAW 755	Health Justice Project	3-4
LAW 757	Advanced Health Justice Project	2-4
LAW 825	Business Law Center Clinical & Seminar	2-4
LAW 826	Business Law Clinic II	1-3

Perspective Elective 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LAW 127	Law and Psychology	3
LAW 185	Business and the Law	2
LAW 208	Advanced Criminal Law	2
LAW 262	Genetics Law and Policy	2
LAW 265	Black Traditions in International Law	1-2
LAW 294	International Human Rights	1-3
LAW 319	Jurisprudence I	3
LAW 339	Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management	2
LAW 341	Educational Advocacy Lab	2
LAW 348	Law & Poverty	3
LAW 388	Global Access to Medicine: A Patent Perspective	3
LAW 459	Intro to English Legal Profession	1
LAW 461	Education Law and Policy	2-3
LAW 522	Election Law	2-3
LAW 525	Law, Politics, and Society	2
LAW 538	Critical Race Theory	2
LAW 558	Comparative Freedom of Speech	1-2
LAW 564	Animal Law and Policy	2-3
LAW 597	The Use of Force in International and Domestic Law	2
LAW 601	Child, Family, and the State	2
LAW 608	Juvenile Justice	2
LAW 745	Access to Health Care	2-3

Rigorous Writing Elective

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LAW 145	Gender Based Violence: Law, Practice, and Policy	2
LAW 146	Mass Incarceration	2
LAW 176	International Trade Law	1-3
LAW 194	Bar Exam Writing Skills	1-2
LAW 293	Advanced Writing for Legal Practice	1-3
LAW 302	Intellectual Origins of "Othering" in the Law of Nations	2
LAW 361	Insurance Law	2
LAW 407	Immigration Litigation: Admin Law Challenges to Immigration Policy	2
LAW 417	Advanced Business Law	3
LAW 419	Business Skills in Sports and Entertainment Law: The Introductory Skill Set	2
LAW 455	Appellate Advocacy-Intellectual Property	2
LAW 516	Prisoner Constitutional Rights Litigation	3
LAW 556	Alternative Dispute Resolution	2-3
LAW 712	Legal Writing for Medical Malpractice Trial: The Expert	2
LAW 739	Health Information Privacy and Technology	1-2

Specializations & Track

The Social Work/Law (MSW/JD) program has the following specialization and track option:

• Micro Practice Specialization
  • Advanced Clinical Practice Track

Suggested Sequence of Courses

The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework.  An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study.  Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.

The following course templates offer a guide on how to complete all course requirements within four years:

Full-Time MSW/JD Student Template 

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Hours
LAW 113	Civil Procedure	4
LAW 152	Property	4
LAW 162	Torts	4
LAW 424	Professional Identity Formation	1
LAW 190	Legal Writing I	2
	Hours	15
Spring
LAW 132	Contracts	4
LAW 122	Constitutional Law	4
LAW 140	Criminal Law	3
Perspective Elective		2-3
LAW 192	Legal Writing II	2
	Hours	15
Summer
SOWK 502	Power, Oppression, Privilege, and Social Justice	3
SOWK 509	Social Work Policy and Community Intervention	3
Law: law elective (optional)		0-2
	Hours	6
Year 2
Fall
SOWK 501	Assessment of Client Concerns in Context	3
SOWK 503	Practice Skills with Individuals and Families	3
Law	Law Electives 1	4
Law	Rigorous Writing Elective	2-3
SWII 530	Internship I & Simulated Experience	0.5
SWII 530S	Integrative Seminar	1
	Hours	13.5
Spring
SWII 531	Internship II & Simulated Experience	0.5
SOWK 500	Life Span Development, Human Behavior, Trauma, & Theory	3
SOWK 505	Group Work Practice in Social Work: Micro/Mezzo/Macro	3
LAW 414	Professional Responsibility	3
Law	LAW Electives 1	5
	Hours	14.5
Summer
SOWK 508	Integrated Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Practice	3
	Hours	3
Year 3
Fall
SOWK 506	Research and Evaluation in Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 680	Advanced Micro-Level Practice	3
Law	LAW Electives	8
	Hours	14
Spring
Law: LAW Electives		8
SOWK 682	Advanced Mezzo and Micro Practice	3
SOWK	Track Course	3
	Hours	14
Summer
Law: LAW Internship		0
	Hours	0
Year 4
Fall
Law	Experiential Learning Elective 1	4
SOWK	Track Course	3
SWII 632	Internship Instruction III & Simulated Experiences	0.5
SWII 632S	Integrative Seminar	1
Law	LAW Electives	4
	Hours	12.5
Spring
SWII 633	Internship Instruction IV & Simulated Experiences	0.5
SOWK	Track Course	3
Law: LAW Electives		9
	Hours	12.5
Summer
Study for Bar Exam in June and July
	Hours	0
	Total Hours	120

• JD = 77 Credit Hr. Required (Plus 9 hrs. transfer in from MSW to equal 86 JD hours)
• MSW = 49 Credit Hr. Program (43 MSW credits on template, plus 6 hrs. transfer in from JD equals 49 MSW hours)
• This template is only a suggestion, but the order and the semester in which courses can be taken can vary. Please consult with MSW Advisor and JD liaison to the School of Social Work before making changes.
• Child Law Fellows need to work with their child law advisors to determine required Law classes and schedule.
•  Any Law students seeking a specialization certificate need to meet with an administrator from the specialization program to determine required courses and schedule.

Dual Degree Programs

Students in dual degree programs are responsible for abiding by academic policies and graduation requirements of both academic units to which they are enrolled. It is strongly recommended that students schedule regular meetings with academic advisors from both units to ensure timely degree completion. Dual degree programs may have slightly different degree requirements from the standard for one or both of the degrees earned. Students should closely read through all degree requirements and ask for clarification as needed.

Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations

Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.

MSW Program Specialized Micro Learning Outcomes

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant policies, laws, and regulations that may affect practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand that ethics are informed by principles of human rights and apply them toward realizing social, racial, economic, and environmental justice in their practice. Social workers understand frameworks of ethical decision making and apply principles of critical thinking to those frameworks in practice, research, and policy arenas. Social workers recognize and manage personal values and the distinction between personal and professional values. Social workers understand how their evolving worldview, personal experiences, and affective reactions influence their professional judgment and behavior. Social workers take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally, understanding that self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Social workers use rights-based, antiracist, and anti-oppressive lenses to understand and critique the profession’s history, mission, roles, and responsibilities and recognize historical and current contexts of oppression in shaping institutions and social work. Social workers understand the role of other professionals when engaged in interprofessional practice. Social workers recognize the importance of lifelong learning and are committed to continually updating their skills to ensure relevant and effective practice. Social workers understand digital technology and the ethical use of technology in social work practice.

Social workers: 

• Demonstrate professional use of self as a social worker, reflecting knowledge of personal professional strengths, limitations, challenges, and cooperatively resolving interpersonal conflicts.  
• Demonstrate ethical use of advanced modalities in practice and any related technological applications in the micro field of social work.
• Recognize and manage ethical violations and resolve conflicting ethical obligations.  

Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights. Social workers are knowledgeable about the global intersecting and ongoing injustices throughout history that result in oppression and racism, including social work’s role and response. Social workers critically evaluate the distribution of power and privilege in society in order to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice by reducing inequities and ensuring dignity and respect for all. Social workers advocate for and engage in strategies to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social resources, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected.

Social workers:

• Articulate human rights violations the client and client’s system are experiencing, including environmental and economic issues that endanger the health of the client system.
• Demonstrate understanding of the impact of intersectionality of marginalized identities, systemic racism, and associated oppressions and plan practice accordingly.
• Demonstrate ways in which social workers can advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels as it relates to the micro field of social work practice

Competency 3: Engage in Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

Social workers understand how racism and oppression shape human experiences and how these two constructs influence practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community levels and in policy and research. Social workers understand the pervasive impact of White supremacy and privilege and use their knowledge, awareness, and skills to engage in anti-racist practice. Social workers understand how diversity and intersectionality shape human experiences and identity development and affect equity and inclusion. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of factors including but not limited to age, caste, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, generational status, immigration status, legal status, marital status, political ideology, race, nationality, religion and spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Social workers understand that this intersectionality means that a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege and power. Social workers understand the societal and historical roots of social and racial injustices and the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination. Social workers understand cultural humility and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, racial, technological, and cultural exclusions, may create privilege and power resulting in systemic oppression.

Social workers:

• Understand and demonstrate an understanding of anti-racism practice at the individual, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels that will allow for diversity, equity, and inclusion practice in the micro-level field of social work. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of discrimination patterns in society and how micro-level oppression impacts micro-level social work practice regarding race, class, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, age, and any other social categories in which oppression occurs.
• Demonstrate the ability to formulate how an anti-racist practice will advance the client and client system’s human rights. 

Competency 4: Engage In Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice 

Social workers use ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive approaches in conducting research and building knowledge. Social workers use research to inform their practice decision making and articulate how their practice experience informs research and evaluation decisions. Social workers critically evaluate and critique current, empirically sound research to inform decisions pertaining to practice, policy, and programs. Social workers understand the inherent bias in research and evaluate design, analysis, and interpretation using an anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspective. Social workers know how to access, critique, and synthesize the current literature to develop appropriate research questions and hypotheses. Social workers demonstrate knowledge and skills regarding qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis, and they interpret data derived from these methods. Social workers demonstrate knowledge about methods to assess reliability and validity in social work research. Social workers can articulate and share research findings in ways that are usable to a variety of clients and constituencies. Social workers understand the value of evidence derived from interprofessional and diverse research methods, approaches, and sources.

Social workers:

• Demonstrate understanding of and be able to contribute to the evaluation of social research regarding advanced micro practice. 
• Critically evaluate and select potential practice models relevant to the client’s systems.  
• Use their experience from their internship or practicum placement to identify real-life challenges and address the practical needs of clients
• Engage in partnerships with experienced social workers to help bridge the gap between theory and practice and broaden knowledge of social work practice as it relates to the micro field of social work.

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice 

Social workers identify social policy at the local, state, federal, and global level that affects wellbeing, human rights and justice, service delivery, and access to social services. Social workers recognize the historical, social, racial, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy. Social workers understand and critique the history and current structures of social policies and services and the role of policy in service delivery through rightsbased, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist lenses. Social workers influence policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation within their practice settings with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers actively engage in and advocate for anti-racist and anti-oppressive policy practice to effect change in those settings.

Social workers:

• Communicate to stakeholders and policymakers the implications of policies and policy change in the lives of clients.  
• Conduct and design a plan for organizational analysis and change, working with relevant constituencies to evaluate interventions that impact clients and communities utilizing best practice models reflecting social work values, ethics, and the organization's mission.  
• Collect, maintain, interpret, and analyze data from both internal and external organizational environments, the community of stakeholders, and diverse client groups to identify and prioritize social problems.  
• Recognize how oppression and social injustice affect client groups, organizations, and communities and intervene proactively for human rights and justice.  
• Understand strategies and techniques for advocating at local, state, and federal levels in policy development.  

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities 

Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with and on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Social workers value the importance of human relationships. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and person-in-environment and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are self-reflective and understand how bias, power, and privilege as well as their personal values and personal experiences may affect their ability to engage effectively with diverse clients and constituencies. Social workers use the principles of interprofessional collaboration to facilitate engagement with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as appropriate.

Social workers:

• Apply culturally appropriate resources available to assist with problem-solving. 

• Recognize and describe self-reflective competency in identifying bias, countertransference, and potential microaggressions when engaging diverse client systems. 
• Implement and describe the use of reflective listening tools when needed to engage and empower members of families and groups.  

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, and they critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in culturally responsive assessment with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Assessment involves a collaborative process of defining presenting challenges and identifying strengths with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to develop a mutually agreed-upon plan. Social workers recognize the implications of the larger practice context in the assessment process and use interprofessional collaboration in this process. Social workers are self-reflective and understand how bias, power, privilege, and their personal values and experiences may affect their assessment and decision making.

Social workers:

• Collect and organize data to support their professional decision-making as well as demonstrate critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies. 
• Illustrate knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies, understanding the lack of political neutrality in their work.  
• Exemplify a process in which mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives are generated based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies in their social environment; and  
• Convey a deeper understanding of how to select appropriate intervention strategies informed by assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies through the exercise of antiracist practice principles. 

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice. Social workers understand theories of human behavior, person-in-environment, and other interprofessional conceptual frameworks, and they critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in selecting culturally responsive interventions with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand methods of identifying, analyzing, and implementing evidence-informed interventions and participate in interprofessional collaboration to achieve client and constituency goals. Social workers facilitate effective transitions and endings.

Social workers:

• Practices self-reflective understanding of the professional use of self in interventions with diverse types of client systems in order to understand and challenge oppressive social forces as well as to avoid perpetuating racist biases, microaggressions, and disempowerment of clients.  
• Use supervision and consultation appropriate to developing skills for advanced and interdisciplinary practice.   
• Demonstrate an ability to intervene collaboratively and collectively with clients in choosing treatment plans and their implementation. 

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with and on behalf of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers evaluate processes and outcomes to increase practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness. Social workers apply anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspectives in evaluating outcomes. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in evaluating outcomes. Social workers use qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating outcomes and practice effectiveness.

Social workers:

• Demonstrate understanding of the logic and method of single case evaluation of practice from diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives. 
• Competently demonstrate case evaluation, including identifying problems and their resolution, the fulfillment of goals co-identified with client, and managing systemic problems that impinge on client well-being. 
• Demonstrate competence in incorporating client feedback processes in planning and carrying out the intervention plan.