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Important Update - Fall 2020 Semester

Dear (Student, Applicant, etc.)

I am writing to let you know that the School of Social Work will be offering all social work courses online for the fall 2020 semester. This includes all social work classes in the BSW, MSW, and PhD programs. Please note that this decision does not reflect what other Loyola University Chicago schools and departments may be planning for the fall. If your plan of study involves courses outside of the School of Social Work, you will need to wait to hear what that specific school or department has planned. If you are a BSW student, there may be the opportunity to take some non-social work courses on campus in the fall.

There are several reasons the School of Social Work reached this decision. First and foremost, we wanted to attend to the health and safety of our students. Social Work students who are in field internships in the fall may have an increased chance of exposure to COVID-19, even with the required use of personal protective equipment and following all public health guidelines. Exposure to high risk situations is common in this profession. For this reason, it made sense to keep our students out of the classroom at this time while different areas of the city, state, and nation continue to recover from the pandemic.

Second, the university, should it be allowed to offer face to face instruction come August, will need the additional classroom space to allow undergraduates to take classes with proper physical distancing requirements in place. Such physical distancing restrictions will also apply to elevators, common areas, and the like. By having social work students online in the fall, we can support our university community by making it easier for undergraduates to have a safer experience on campus.

Finally, the School of Social Work has the experience and expertise to offer a rigorous and pedagogically sound curriculum online in the fall. Whether you plan to relocate to the Chicago area, or take courses from home, we are confident our courses will meet your expectations.

If this decision impacts your decision to relocate to the Chicago area, please know that this will not impact your ability to begin your field internship. Our field staff will work closely with you to ensure you can begin your internship wherever you are located. And while we look forward to welcoming any and all students back to campus for the spring, we will work with you to make a plan so you will not have to disrupt your internship.

We look forward to supporting your journey as an emerging member of the social work profession.

Sincerely,

Goutham Menon
Dean and Professor