Program Overview

The College of Social Work and The College of Law offer a combined program of graduate-level social work and legal studies to students seeking to earn both a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) and a Master of Legal Studies (MLS). The program consists of an integrated curriculum specifically designed for those interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills pertinent to both disciplines. The MSSW program seeks to prepare its graduates to make demonstrable improvements in the quality of life of at-risk and vulnerable populations of individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, the state of Tennessee, the nation, and internationally.  The MLS program is designed for professionals whose fields intersect with the law and who would benefit from legal studies but do not wish to pursue a JD or practice law.

The program stresses an interdisciplinary approach, which values collaboration and communication skills. Alumni of the dual degree program in social work and legal studies at The University of Tennessee will go on to work in a variety of settings, including as social workers, program directors, and therapists.

Students must apply separately for admission to the two colleges.

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Program Curriculum

• Required Credit Hours:  75
  • 30 credit hours for the MLS, including six credit hours from the MSSW, for 24 credit hours.
  • 60 credit hours for the MSSW, including nine credit hours from the College of Law, for 51 credit hours.
• Curriculum:
  • Year I : Year I of the program is ordinarily undertaken completely at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work and consists of the traditional first-year curriculum.

Academic Standards

• The College of Law will award up to six credit hours for MSSW courses approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, provided the student earns a B grade or higher.
• The College of Social Work will award up to nine credit hours for law courses the student’s advisors have approved, provided the student has earned a 2.30 or C+ grade or higher.
• A dual program candidate must satisfy the graduation requirements of each college.
• Students withdrawing from the dual program before completion of both degrees will not receive credit toward graduation from either college for courses in the other college, except as such courses qualify for credit without regard to the dual program.

Credit Hours Required

• 75 credit hours
  • 30 credit hours for the MLS, including six credit hours from the MSSW, for 24 credit hours.
  • 60 credit hours for the MSSW, including nine credit hours from the College of Law, for 51 credit hours.

Non-Course Requirements

Students may not enroll in any MLS coursework while completing the first year of the social work curriculum.

Proposed Learning Outcomes for UT Graduate Catalog Submission:  The learning outcomes for each program remain unchanged.

Sample Program of Study – MSSW/MLS

• Counts only as Law
• ** Counts only as Social Work