WashU's Brown School to Fund MSW Practicums and Living Stipends

Program to be first in nation to fully cover practicum costs and provide monthly living stipend for all MSW students starting fall 2026

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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WashU's Brown School will be the first in the nation to fully fund practicum credits and offer living stipends for all Master of Social Work (MSW) students starting this upcoming fall semester. The Practicum Support Award will cover the costs of both the foundation and concentration practicums, totaling 960 hours needed to complete WashU's MSW, as well as provide a $500 monthly living stipend during the fall and spring semesters.

Why it matters

The financial stresses of unpaid practicums are pervasive amongst social work students, as this fieldwork is a graduation requirement for both a bachelor's and master's in the field. The new funding aims to alleviate this burden and allow MSW students to focus more on their academic and professional development.

The details

The new award system will provide approximately $15,000 of tuition coverage for a full-time MSW student and a $500 monthly living stipend. This replaces any previous practicum support, which was limited to $2,500 for the first two semesters. The funding is made possible through a combination of University resources and donor support.

  • The new Practicum Support Award will begin in fall 2026.

The players

Tyler De Shon

Associate dean for academic affairs and enrollment management at the Brown School.

Anna Steensma

First-year MSW student at the Brown School with a health concentration and violence and injury prevention specialization.

Emma Murphy

First-year MSW student at the Brown School with a mental health concentration.

Dorian Traube

Neirdorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School.

Lorien Carter

MSW graduate of the Brown School and now a professor of practice.

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What they’re saying

“I'm very transparent about how I fund my school because I don't think there's enough transparency about that. The only reason I'm able to attend school is because of student loans. I do have some scholarships, I'm very grateful for them, but federal student loans are the only reason I'm here. It's amazing that the dean and the rest of the higher-ups at the Brown School recognize that [tuition] is a lot of money for anyone to be paying.”

— Anna Steensma, First-year MSW student (Student Life)

“Honestly, when I first heard the news about the Brown School funding practicums, I wondered, 'Oh, is this just a publicity thing?' I was skeptical, and I thought this might just be a new name for the already-existing financial assistance for practicum. And in some regards, that is a little bit of it. The amount of money that I am getting this semester versus next semester isn't actually changing at all. However, this new award is adding financial support to my final spring semester, as well as some tuition assistance that I didn't expect.”

— Emma Murphy, First-year MSW student (Student Life)

“Some people may say, 'Well, what's that going to pay for?' For me, that takes care of more than half of my portion of rent. It's more than I can say any other school I've attended has done.”

— Anna Steensma, First-year MSW student (Student Life)

“The Brown School is central to WashU. 'In St. Louis, For St. Louis' is a very social work perspective.”

— Dorian Traube, Neirdorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School (Student Life)

“There is something really special about the community that gets built here. The agencies [that MSW students complete practicums at] are still able to get the support that they need … [and] our students still get to ask for learning opportunities because the funding is coming from the Brown School. Students … won't be sacrificing learning for laboring.”

— Lorien Carter, MSW graduate and professor of practice (Student Life)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This new funding model at the Brown School demonstrates a commitment to supporting the next generation of social workers and reducing financial barriers to accessing high-quality social work education. It sets a precedent that other social work programs may look to emulate in the future.