OU-Tulsa / Social Work / Master of Social Work
The MSW program at OU-Tulsa prepares students for advanced, ethical, and client-centered practice across a wide range of service settings. The curriculum emphasizes integrative practice, equipping graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to support individuals, families, groups, and communities in diverse environments. Graduates are employed in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, nonprofit agencies, and other settings where they serve in both direct practice and leadership roles. Social workers are among the primary providers of mental health services in the United States, and their training also prepares them to address complex social challenges at both the individual and systems levels.
The OU–Tulsa MSW program builds on over a century of social work education, offering a nationally recognized, research-informed curriculum. Students benefit from small class sizes, access to advanced simulation facilities, and opportunities for graduate research assistantships. Our campus environment supports interdisciplinary collaboration and professional development. Through selected electives and field placements, students may also qualify for the Social Work with American Indians certificate without additional coursework, gaining focused preparation for work with tribal and Indigenous communities.
The MSW program begins with a strong foundation in the ethical and professional knowledge and skills essential to the field of social work. This includes a focus on understanding varied sociocultural factors, human development across the lifespan, the role and responsibilities of the social work profession, and effective practice with individuals, families, organizations, and communities. Students also study policy frameworks and research methodologies relevant to responsive and ethical practice.
Following foundational coursework and a supervised practicum that allows students to apply these principles in a real-world setting, students enter the concentration phase in integrative practice. This phase emphasizes advanced practice competencies with individuals, families, and larger systems such as communities and organizations. Elective options allow students to deepen their expertise in focus areas such as behavioral health, services for children and families, health-related social work, and other areas of client need.
The program culminates in a final practicum, during which students demonstrate mastery of professional competencies in a field setting. Graduates are prepared to engage ethically and effectively across a range of practice environments, with the professional integrity and applied knowledge necessary to meet the needs of diverse client populations.
The MSW program is well-suited for students with backgrounds in early childhood, child development, special education, psychology, health sciences, and related fields. Social work offers a wide range of career paths addressing diverse client needs. Demand and salaries for social workers in Oklahoma have grown in recent years—making this an excellent time to join the profession.
Graduates of the program are well-positioned for roles such as:
The MSW program at OU (Norman & Tulsa) offers a range of scholarships based on factors such as academic performance, financial need, Oklahoma residency, service orientation, and demonstrated commitment to supporting individuals with varied life challenges.
Scholarship amounts typically range from $300 to $3,000 for the academic year (fall and spring). Students may apply through the OU CASH system between October 1 and February 1 for the following school year.
Our program’s value is well demonstrated through the employers our graduates have worked for:
All degree sheets for Tulsa MSW programs are available at the link below.
Your Master of Social Work degree from OU-Tulsa can open doors that set you off on a journey of a lifetime.
