MSW/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The dual MSW/MBA degree program prepares students for advanced practice in managing and leading organizations and larger organizational systems. Students learn skills such as performance management, quality improvement, nonprofit consulting, capacity building, fundraising, organizational development, corporate social responsibility, and social entrepreneurship, which prepare them for managerial and leadership positions in nonprofit, government, academia, or for-profit organizations.
Students will earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the Brown School and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Olin Business School. This program of study requires 100 credit units taken over the course of three years, 48 units of which are taken at the Brown School and 52 units of which are taken at Olin. Students enroll for approximately three semesters in social work and approximately three semesters in business. Students who choose the accelerated Olin option complete the MBA in one calendar year. Because of the global summer semester, students are strongly advised to begin in business and complete their MBA before beginning their MSW. However, students can also start their studies at the Brown School and apply for admission to Olin.
The Brown School experience begins with the foundational coursework required for practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This coursework addresses professional and ethical practice competencies at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. The experience at Olin Business School starts with a required six-week summer global immersion program in Washington, D.C., Barcelona, and Shanghai. Students are "on the road," gaining a better understanding of the context in which businesses operate and how companies adapt to these differences. By the end of this summer semester, students will have completed 16 credit units of the 52 units required from Olin for the MBA. In addition to this unique experience, students can build their MBA curriculum around five career platforms: Consulting, Corporate Finance & Investment, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Operations & Supply Chain Management. Additional subspecializations are also offered.
More information about the MBA requirements is available on the Olin Business School website.