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Add Brown School News on Google (opens in a new tab)Faculty at Washington University’s Brown School have approved a redesigned concentration curriculum for the Master of Social Work program, marking the first major revision to the program’s curriculum framework in decades.
Faculty voted overwhelmingly on April 13 to approve the changes after two years of discussion, review and consensus-building. The redesigned concentration curriculum will apply to students entering the program in fall 2027.
“This new framework gives us an opportunity to rethink how we prepare students for the changing needs of the social work profession,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and a professor.
The redesign process began with a large committee of faculty, staff and students appointed by Dean Traube to examine models, discuss options and propose an initial framework. This was followed by a second year of continued refinement through the curriculum committee, additional input from small groups of faculty, students, admissions and advising, and ultimately a full faculty discussion and vote.
“This was a truly thoughtful and collaborative process, with faculty across the Brown School and multiple committees contributing to the discussion,” said Melissa Jonson-Reid, the Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work and associate dean for educational programs who led the initiative. “We wanted to build on the strengths of our existing concentration curriculum while making sure students are prepared for the changing needs of the social work profession and have a clear path toward career goals.”
Under the redesigned framework, MSW students will choose between two concentrations: Interpersonal Social Work Practice, developed with significant design input from and to be led by Ryan Lindsay, professor of practice; or Community, Policy and Organizational Practice, developed with input from and to be led by Brad Tucker, associate professor of practice. Each concentration will include three core courses required by all students in that concentration, followed by a curated selection of electives aligned with their chosen career path.
The Interpersonal Social Work Practice concentration will offer three career paths:
- Clinical Social Work Practice
- Children, Youth and Families Practice
- Health Promotion and Prevention Practice
The Community, Policy and Organizational Practice concentration also will offer three career paths:
- Community, Economy, and Environment
- Policy, Politics, and Government Administration
- Organizational Leadership and Management
The new structure retains the Brown School’s focus on social work’s competency-based education, evidence-informed practice, and a strong connection between classroom learning and professional practice, while offering greater flexibility in how students develop the skills needed to pursue a wide range of social work careers. It also maintains an emphasis on both micro- and macro-level practice, reflecting the school’s mission to prepare students to advance a better and more equitable society.
For Traube, the redesign represents both a continuation of the Brown School’s history and an investment in its future.
“The Brown School has a long tradition of developing rigorous, evidence-based programs that prepare social workers to lead and serve communities,” Traube said. “This curriculum redesign builds on that longstanding legacy while positioning us to meet the evolving needs of the profession. By strengthening the connection between education, evidence and professional practice, we are taking an important step toward preparing the next generation of career-ready social workers to make meaningful contributions throughout their careers.”