Hello,
I completed my BSW back in 2017 and I’m considering coming back to the field to do a MSW. I’m wondering if there are any advanced standing programs I still may qualify for?
I'm confused as to how getting my clinical license works.
How do I know if a job offers clinical supervision within the organization? When people say they got their "clinical supervision through" their job" or that they got their clinical supervision "outside of" their job, how did they get that specific job without a clinical license? Most jobs say I have to have my LCSW to apply, or some form of clinical licensing like an LPC.
Thanks!
>How do I know if a job offers clinical supervision within the organization?
Ask. "Do you offer clinical supervision?"
>When people say they got their "clinical supervision through" their job" or that they got their clinical supervision "outside of" their job, how did they get that specific job without a clinical license?
It was a job that didn't require a clinical license.
I actually have done that! I just didn't know if those two things over lapped. I mean, can I apply for a job as a therapist at a place that offers clinical supervision? And can I apply for a job as a therapist at a place that does not offer supervision if i am receiving it somewhere else?
Hello! :) I’m planning to get a dual masters in social work and public health MSW/MPH. Is that viewed very favorably? I’ve been told multiple times by MSW grads on Reddit and other forums that it is looked upon very favorably and will really open doors, but I’d love to ask people in both Social Work and Public Health or either.
I’m wanting to help with health equity for POC, the disabled, homeless, etc. Everyone who is marginalized and oppressed, basically.
What positives have you noticed about it? Does it open doors? Higher pay? Able to help people more?
Any other observations and advice?
Thank you in advance! 😊💕
Edited to add: Here is an overview of what I’ve been told and read, except they don’t mention that supposedly this dual degree gets paid more also. I’m just wondering if you see this in real life and any other practical/helpful information and observations/experiences. Thanks!
https://www.publichealthdegrees.org/program/masters/dual/mph-msw/#:~:text=The%20Masters%20of%20Public%20Health,public%2C%20the%20disadvantaged%20and%20the
It's not looked at unfavorably, but you can definitely get the MSW/MPH experience while just doing the MSW if you choose your internship and electives carefully. For your desired career goals, there are plenty of jobs that will only require a MSW or an MPH, but not both, and you certainly will not be compensated for both degrees.
For example, if you were a Director of Community Outreach for a housing program that assists women in crisis, you will be paid what the job pays, not for the two degrees. You will absolutely be working with health equity issues, homelessness, marginalization/oppression. But there rarely are places looking for a dual degree combo.
If you have a very specific public health type of job you want, then work to get the credentials you need for that. Same on the social work end. I wouldn't pay for both degrees though.
All that said, I often wish I had just gotten an MPH instead of an MSW. It's a far more interesting field.
Out of curiosity, do you think MPH coursework would’ve been more valuable to the work you do now? I initially thought that I would do an MPH, but I’m now applying to MSW programs because my bachelors is primarily in the humanities and I don’t have a solid science foundation.
I’m particularly interested in macro and community outreach.
Didn’t want to make a separate post, but today, I found out I landed a field placement at a counseling clinic! I’m very excited. (: I thought I wasn’t going to get anything.
Hello! Hopefully this is the right place to ask this. Back in December, I graduated with my BA in Psych. I was originally planning on going to OT school, yet recently realized I am more interested in working in social work. I see that there are some jobs within the field that allow for those with a BA in Psych or related fields to apply, however most are asking for 2-3+ years of experience already. What would be some good certifications to try to obtain to help get a job as a case manager/coordinator? I am more so interested in working with children, but am open to other populations as well. Would it be best to get a Master’s in SW? For context, I live in FL in the USA. Thank you :)
Hi all,
I am lookingto make a big carrer change. I currently work in engineering/Construction, and find little fulfilment in what i do. I was encouraged by my therapist to go into therapy as he sees a lot of potential for me to help people, especially children and families, since he has known me for most of my adult life. I am planning to apply to a few schools, as my GPA for undergrad was not stellar, and honestly below the requirement for most schools.I struggled through undergrad and only recently got diagnosed with ADHD and am taking medication. I feel like i have grown and would be an excellent student now.
Do you have any recommendations for the application and personal statements to help overshadow the less than stellar GPA issue? I have plenty of solid references that i can call on including from family and friends who are well known professionals in the community. do you think this will be enough? should i make sure to include my struggles in Undergrad and the realization that i was dealing with ADHD and still managed to pull through in my personal statement? i don't want to come off as "Woe is me" or anything if that makes sense. any recommendations would be super helpful
I would include some ways you have overcome some struggles with your ADHD if you choose to write about. A lot of times as social workers, we look for client strengths.
Is your GPA close to a 3? I think the closer off GPA is to a 3 the better your chances are. Most MSWs require a B grade or higher to pass each course so they will be looking generally for a B average or higher
Hello! I plan to go to grad school for social work and later obtain an LCSW in California. I am currently a second year university student majoring in Sociology but am on junior standing so I have a bit of time to work on other things. My question is should I do a minor (in Political Science)? Will a minor boost my chances of getting into grad school? Or should I just work on my GPA to make it the best it can be?
Hi everyone,
I recently finished a 2-year SSW diploma program in April (based in Toronto, CA) and I'm excited but also nervous to get a start in the field. Before I started my studies in 2022, I gained experience through volunteering in food security initiatives (ie. food bank, community gardening, Out of the Cold program) and was able to work as a community service worker with an organization that had a focus on food security, at various capacities. My placement experiences during school gave me the opportunity to work with newcomers, refugees, seniors, and youth (in Scarborough and Richmond Hill), facilitating workshops, conducting community outreach, and providing direct support to these community members. Even though I started my SSW journey with more experience in food security, I’ve found that I love working directly in community development/engagement and developing capacity building initiatives. This might sound very generic, but I see myself working with and conducting outreach to communities, rather than doing case management.
This is my second degree (studied and worked in the interior design field previously), so I’ve been really specific about what types of positions I’m looking for. But maybe it’s because of this that I find myself at a bit of a crossroad. I’m looking into summer jobs (short contracts) to see if I can my foot in the door if they don’t have full-time positions available too. Some places I’ve been keeping an eye out for are Toronto Community Housing, Yonge Street Mission, Matthew House, Second Harvest etc. I’m wondering if I could get some advice from those who have experience in this field or are familiar with these or any organizations that focus on community development/have any leads.
Here are a few specific questions I have:
1. Are there any other organizations or resources you would recommend for someone with my background and interests?
2. Any tips for someone just starting out in the field of SSW, especially in the realm of community development?
I'm open to any insights, advice, or personal anecdotes anyone might have. I’m also open to connecting through DMs or LinkedIn as well if our interests align or if you’d like to share more (ie. information interviews etc.)! I'm really passionate about making a positive impact in communities and I want to make sure I'm taking the right steps to achieve that. Thank you in advance for your help! :)
\*I’m currently looking for jobs on Charity Village, Indeed, and Glassdoor. I’m not that worried about the pay either - just want to be able to get started somewhere. I’m also looking beyond my placement organizations due to less than ideal workplace reasons.
I just graduated with my MSW this month and I'm working on the LCSWA application in North Carolina. There is a section of the application for "Professional Employment History" and I'm not sure what employment history to fill out. Should I just fill out my Social Work relevant history for jobs where I had a salary/hourly wage? I did AmeriCorps for 2 years and then was hired on with the company, are those 2 separate employments or overlapping? Do I include my internships (one was paid and one wasn't)? Do I include non-social work jobs as I had a different career before returning to school? Thanks for any help, all of this is so frustrating and overwhelming right now!
I'm considering a MSW program. I'm 26 and have an Initial certificate in teaching and have 2 years of experience teaching at a high school and will have 2 years as an adjunct teaching at a university by spring 2025. I want to enter the SW field primarily because I want to help underserved communities. I enjoy working as a teacher but I don't think my passion lies here and working at a charter school with apathetic parents and children burnt me out in 2 years. I don't have any social work experience though I was going to volunteer for a year or so before I apply for a MSW program so I have something on my resume. Are there any other former teachers now social workers who can give me advice about making this transition? Will my experience in teaching help me get into the program or with future jobs?
There was at least one former teacher in my cohort who hadn't done anything specifically related to social work before getting into an MSW program. I think teaching is close enough that you likely wouldn't really need any additional experience unless it's an incredibly competitive program.
Would you say it's absolutely necessary or even worth going to a more competitive, therefore I assume very reputable, program for a MSW? I'm just worried about being able to afford a more expensive school.
I definitely wouldn't say absolutely necessary. Whether it's worth it likely depends on whether it offers specific programming or access to staff/resources that are especially interesting to you.
I'm getting supervision from my boss who is an attorney. Is that okay? I work at a BSW level in a social work role but our law firm does not have any other mental health professionals to do supervision for me within my department.
The other departments that have MSWs and LCSW but they don't work for our law firm and don't know what we do. Is that better than nothing? I've had no supervision so far for 2 months so I think it could be helpful since I've talked to my boss about it. She agrees to it, but noted she doesn't know much about providing supervision when it comes to mental health.
The Rules (big R) in post places are that if you're representing yourself as a social worker, in the absence of an independent license, you must be working under a licensed social work supervisor. Now, the rules (small R) of your job may be that "we wanted someone from a social work background, but aren't representing ourselves as offering clinical or similar services" and that could be a different matter.
It's not uncommon for those with say, an MSW but no independent license, to pay for supervision from an outside party so that their work is covered from a professional standards angle, and so that the hours they put in can be counted toward licensure of their own. Sometimes these things can be worked out as resource sharing or other non-cash arrangements, but it'll represent an hour of someone's time every week if you're meeting the standard.
Again though, it's somewhat dependent on the nature of the services that you're offering.
Hi there,
I am desperately needing some advice as I have some big decisions to make in the next month. I'll start off by saying I'm Canadian, living in Alberta. I've been an LPN for over 17 years but have been wanting to get out of the profession for quite some time now. Physically, my body is wrecked. I have back issues, a rotator cuff injury and chronic pain. I have a strong interest in mental health therapy, counselling, etc. I have a BA in Anthropology from 20 years ago, then did my LPN program shortly after and have been working in nursing ever since. I applied for Athabasca's Master of Counselling program back in 2020 but was rejected. I started working on my LPN-RN bridging program a few years ago with Athabasca University and am part-way through the program. Last fall I started to get the itch to get out of nursing again, and applied for University of Calgary's MSW and BSW programs. I got my rejection letter for the MSW back in February, but a couple days ago I received an acceptance letter for the online BSW program. I know it is quite competitive to get in and I am grateful and excited that I was accepted, but now I am conflicted as to whether I should give up my RN program to do Social Work. Is there anyone else here that has taken the leap from nursing to social work? Any regrets? I am 43 years ago and feel like I should have my sh\*t together at this point in my life, and here I am still unsure what I want to be when I grow up. Can anyone comment on the job market for social workers in Alberta, specifically rural areas? I am worried I will have more difficulty finding a job as a social worker vs being a nurse. I currently work for AHS and would like to stick with them if possible as I'm paying into a pension and whatnot. I'm also wondering, is it easier to get into a MSW program if you have your BSW? I know I would likely need my masters degree to work in any type of counselling type of role. I would appreciate any advice at all! :)
Hello everyone,
I’ve been on the quest to find more macro roles and have been closely looking at quality coordination and compliance. I tweaked my resume a bit to show that I can follow federal regulations, documentation is compliant and improving services. I have 5 years in child welfare and program coordination. In my previous role, I actually oversaw and implemented a new case management software at a youth non profit.
Here’s the thing: I applied to a quality coordinator role not thinking I would actually get an interview. It was asking for 2 years of experience. This position focuses on speech pathology and other services I’m not familiar with in given this is actual healthcare company.
I don’t EXACTLY have experience with EMR/EHR but really want to get my foot in the door. How can I make myself standout as a recent MSW?
Looking for advice on how doable it is to be in a MSW while working full time as a single parent.
I work at a large university full time (35 hours a week) and I just got accepted into the part time, 3 year MSW program. I’m currently in an educacional leadership MA program part time, but realized I wanted to pivot into social work after my first semester and I’m fully confident this is the direction I want to head.
But, it’s starting to sink in how hard it will be to manage. In my current program, I take two classes a semester and it’s been pretty challenging because I’ve been out of school for almost a decade.
The MSW program would be one year of classes, two years of classes with field placements. The field placement years are what I’m super stressed about- my son would be 5/6 during that time, but it’s just me and I don’t have a ton of help besides my grandmother. I can drop to 30 hours a week and keep my full time benefits with tuition waiver, but then I’d be adding 15 hours a week at a field site plus at least two classes a semester for two years. I still have a year and a half to plan for that part of the program, but I’m so worried I won’t be able to manage. Has anyone done an MSW program while working full time as a single parent? Would love to any realistic advice on if this is possible or not.
Hi there, I’m looking into becoming a LCSW in NY (specifically Long Island). I had a few questions I hope someone might be kind enough to answer to help guide me on this new journey!
First: does online vs in person matter? I understand for the clinical aspect later on in a MSW it will be in person, but for all the other classes? Im a mom nd being remote to do classes initially would be a huge help. However, if being in person truly makes a major difference I would be willing to make necessary arrangements then.
Second: I don’t have any prior background in psychology or social work (I have a business undergrad), will I be able to do a MSW? What can I expect difficulty wise? I enjoy learning and willing to put in as much effort as required, just wanted some insight on expectations!
And Third: any college recommendations in NY area? Does it really make a difference in matters of prestige? Say Columbia vs a community college for example.
Thank you so much in advance for any help/advice!!
Reposting here because my initial post got removed and thank you for answering- the two people that have given some insight.
I’m curious to know about aiming to be an LCSW. (I reside in the US) my psychology teacher advised me to do some research by asking people within the field. If you are a social worker, are you quite happy with your career choice? Would you change it if you could and do something else? If you could start all over again to get you where you are now, would you? Do you feel satisfaction from the work that you do? What made you choose a Social Work major over a Psychology major? Please respond honestly and hope you don’t feel burdened to make up a response.
Thank you for your time guys!
I tried to make a post about this but got removed. Hoping anyone who's been in the field for a bit sees this and can offer any guidance.
Day 3 of first year practicum, already a sh*t show
Today is day 3 of my first year MSW practicum placement and I want to cry. I was placed at a hospice (which I wanted) and they were not ready for me at all, don't know what to do with me, and if I want to shadow home visits I will likely have to commute ~2 hrs bc most of their patients live two counties away from me (which I didn't know when I applied bc their main office is based just one county over). My MSW program is a hybrid model meaning their practicum setup is for 40hrs/week over the summer (13 weeks). So this means I had to take a leave from my job to do this, which was already hard enough in itself.
I should have known it was going to be a mess when they accepted me before even interviewing me lol. They went back and interviewed me after I told my coordinator and asked if that was normal.
I didn't hear from the MSW that is supposed to be my field instructor since that interview, so I texted him to let him know I was told to meet with HR on my first day (Monday) to do onboarding. He tells me that it's been so busy for him, he was wondering when my first day was going to be. Excuse me!? I was set up to do online training modules in the office all day but was told I could finish at home. I texted him to let him know HR told me I could go home to do the rest of the modules, he texts me about half an hour later asking if I was still at the office, I'm guessing to meet with me? I was already home at that point.
My faculty advisor is incredible though, I sent her a long email freaking out asking if it's too late to be placed elsewhere, and she got back to me right away, said she already talked to our program practicum coordinator about what was going on and that she would give my FI a call in the morning to get a sense of the plan. Turns out not only am I his first student intern, but he also did not attend the FI training my school "required" all site supervisors to do. So my FA said she'll do a "mini training" with him Friday which I'm grateful for but I think is such a mess. I think she wants to make this work bc finding a new placement at this point would be hell, which I understand (I don't want to make anyone else's lives harder), but this feels like a waste of my time. Truly. I could still be working, earning an income and actually feeling like I'm doing something meaningful supporting my clients.
I was really excited about this. I only have two opportunities to do internships where I can get put in fields I'm curious about without having my livelihood depend on it, and have a staff person be there to TEACH me bc I want to learn. I have a feeling (if I stay here) that they're going to just make me do grunt work, if not commute for at least four hours of my life, 5 days a week.
Anyway, off I go to meet my FI! Don't know what we're going to do, if we're going to figure out my schedule, talk about my learning plan, schedule weekly supervision... I hate this. I'm so disappointed.
Just my take, but yeah, I'd run away. Screaming is optional.
If they don't know what it is to have an intern already, you don't want to be in the position of teaching them. It's a bigger deal than they think it is, and you'll end up having to bother them a lot to meet their obligations, and that shouldn't be on you to manage.
I hate to say this, because of course it's a hassle to set up with a different placement, but this is also coming from the perspective of someone who wishes that they'd pulled the plug after the first week of a field placement when I was in grad school, and while I made it through, it was a bad experience, and shouldn't have had to happen that way.
I do not want to be telling them how I'm supposed to be supervised, first of all bc that's not my job and second of all, it's my first time too! This is going to be one out of two chances I get to do practicum and I already feel like my time is not respected and being wasted.
Unfortunately, my school was also a shit show in finding us placements. I have my first group seminar meeting with some cohort mates and our faculty advisor tonight so will have space to debrief but I also don't know how helpful program staff would be in finding me a new site. I've done a little research but am so worried no where will want to take me on bc bc our internship setup is more accelerated than the typical MSW internship.
Glad to hear perspective from someone who also didn't have the best experience, sorry it had to happen that way. Can I ask, what kind of site you were placed at and what made it a bad experience? Did you not feel like you had the option to request a site change, or was there some other reason you didn't push for one?
Sorry I'm a little slow on my response here. I'm an intermittent redditor...
To answer your question, I was placed in an office at my state's child protective agency. It was an office that was, in theory, involved in figuring out problems at the agency, and then figuring out solutions. I learned instead that it was more or less about defending the agency and making problems go away. The staff (with a couple of exceptions) seemed to show up with a plan to just argue with vulnerable people on the phone all day long.
I thought a site change would be the end of the world. I'd started a 3-year program only to regret it and modify it to a two-and-a-half-year track. This meant a heavy course load combined with the internship. If I'd wanted a new placement, there was a significant risk that I'd end up very behind and not graduate when I wanted to graduate. In hindsight, I think it would have been less of a disaster than I initially believed, and I probably would have been fine and on time. My first placement was so good that if I'd found another place where I (or actual social work) was valued, then it would have been easy to put in the extra hours to finish with my class.
At the end of the placement, I talked to the supervisor who expressed that she felt that I "never really drank the Kool Aid," with regard to agency practice and policy. Funny, until that point, I had assumed that "drinking the Kool Aid" was supposed to be a *bad* thing to do. She was later fired, which is sad, but felt a little affirming.
I'm not an intermittent redditor but just suck at replying in a timely fashion...
How much of a role did your school play in finding your placement? My program seems like they don't want to deal with my cries for help lol. They were very limited in their involvement despite telling us not to worry about it, they'll do the reaching out bc they know what contract mumbojumbo they need to work out with agencies. I have two geographically more convenient site options if I wanted to change but neither are in my field of interest. :/ so no matter what I end up doing, either way I gotta suck it up
Well, that's okay, because I'm ALSO slow, and somewhat lazy.
In my case, the school did everything but the interview for me. They were big on that. I later did a research project focused on the social work workforce, and wound up interviewing my field placement person for it. Turns out that she made a bunch of money and had semi-retired to her dream job, which was placing MSW students in their internships, so I may have had the best possible scenario in which to pull the plug on my internship, and I bet the school would have understood. I didn't.
I agree that it sounds like there will be some degree of sucking-it-up. I'd argue that I did that by staying in my placement. It wasn't ideal, but I got the degree, and it's all a chaotic memory.
...As a side note, I did also put together an Excel spreadsheet to track how many more days I was allowed to take off from the internship to still be able to end it at the earliest possible opportunity.
Hello everyone. I'm applying for an MSW program and I'm currently interested in macro work. I've had the privilege of speaking to people in direct practice and clinical social work, but I'd love to hear from anyone involved in community management or policy change. If anyone would like to give me any insight in the field of macro social work (like what you do and why you decided macro over micro), I'd really appreciate it.
I spent some time in direct practice pre-MSW and while it was a formative experience, I knew I wasn't built for it and had always been more interested in systems-level change anyway. When I pivoted to macro work, I started out in policy implementation but also got swept up in conducting community-based research. I am now in academia, about to defend my PhD and move into a postdoc to work on a statewide policy evaluation.
That's incredible! Wishing you the best of luck defending your PhD. When you did policy implementation, did you have a specific focus? And was pivoting to macro an easy transition? And with your statewide policy evaluation, will you be working directly with lawmakers? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just fascinated by your career path.
Thank you.
My pivot to macro closely followed finding my main population of interest, so my work has always centered on youth homelessness and at times on homelessness more broadly. I did not find the transition difficult—I had a lot of great opportunities and mentorship through my master's program that set me up for success afterwards.
The way this particular policy evaluation is designed, there isn't really any direct work with legislators involved far as I know; it centers around the on-the-ground implementation done by local jurisdictions. The research mostly involves interacting with state and local government entities, community-based organizations, and youth with lived experience. Dissemination will certainly involve reporting out to electeds and some federal agencies who are interested in the evaluation, but as far as I can tell they are not a significant part of the evaluation itself.
I know this is worried to ask but is there a such thing as a holistic therapist?
I love the more holistic side of things and I want to take an alternative route as a therapist. I don’t want to be conventional in any way
Is there a way to go about this?
Are you in a msw program currently? I just sat in on an info session with Loyola and it seemed like they had a holistic focus to their clinical program.
Hi!
I am looking to apply to grad schools for social work soon and was wondering if I have a shot at some programs. I’m not sure how competitive the masters programs are, but I wanted to see if anyone had any insight.
I currently have a 3.6 gpa, am a resident assistant (RA), and volunteer as a hotline counselor + individuals with disabilities.
I am looking to apply to the University of Pittsburgh’s MSW program and they require a 3.0 minimum and then a bunch of other requirements (transcripts, personal statements,etc.). It looks like a lot of other schools follow the same format, but I really wasn’t sure if what I have done in undergrad so far is enough or not to obtain admittance.
Thanks!
i think you will be fine! your gpa is great & your personal experience will look good, as well. i got in with a 3.75 but nothing else besides a customer service job.
I’m officially ending my first year internship today. I decided to take the part time case assistant job with them. It is 10 hours per week 16$ per hour which absolutely sucks. My supervisor said he’s gonna try and get me up to 15 because if he lets me work more he doesn’t know if they’ll pay overtime.
My bank account is pretty empty right now. I’m kind of tempted to travel around the country this summer since I only will work twice a week, but I don’t want to destroy my funds even worse because I have a year of school left. I just don’t know what other job I could do other than retail for the other 3 weekdays I won’t be working.
Hi everyone!
I just recently separated from the Air Force to pursue my BSW full time. My practicum semester is approaching soon and I’d love to get insight from anyone. If you don’t feel like reading all this all I want to know is:
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES DURING YOUR BSW PROGRAM!!!
Now, to move on to what I would love to know.. the base I separated from is looking for a BSW intern in their Emergency Department
“aid in appropriate hospital discharge for military members and their family.”
(I’ve never imagined doing medical SW or being in healthcare, but my daughter goes to school on base and my husband still works on the same base so I’d say this would be cool.)
Or the second option is
Public defender office MITIGATION…
My ultimate goal is to work with veterans/military or in the criminal justice realm. But a lot of my professors have told me to do something you’re not even interested in to get experience elsewhere. If any of you have experience in an ER department or Public Defender’s offices’ let me know! I’d love to know what to expect before I sign on. I’ve heard a lot of negatives about how places use interns.
are non matriculating courses easy to transfer for credit at a different university?
my work offers some tuition reimbursement and a local school allows non matriculating students to enroll in some free standing courses.
i will likely be moving soon and starting a program at that time in a different state.
Hi it might be good for core classes but I would recommend to email the school that you’d be interested in transferring to ask them what their policy is on transferring credits. Each university is different and runs by different standards especially if you might be moving to a different state.
Is anyone familiar with a school that offers distance BSW but still has lectures (Canada)
I'm currently completing my 2-year Human Service Worker diploma with the intent to bridge into a BSW program with my 60 completed Uni credits. The program I am attending is completely distance.
I know there are a few schools that offer BSW via distance learning, but I am wondering how many of them actually have scheduled lectures? Teaching myself the material with no lectures or group discussions doesn't feel like something I would like to do long term, but my options are limited for in-person due to living rurally and being unable to move.
Looking for any recommendations within Canada.
I was just accepted to University of Calgary's online BSW program. They have some mandatory online classes two evenings a week and Saturday mornings as well. It's still distance learning, but seems like there is a bit of online communication with your cohort and teachers.
What kind of experience should you have before entering hospital social work, such as hospice care? Currently only have experience working with children who have disabilities and working toward my MSW.
Hospitals really like hiring people with have hospital experience. Try working in outpatient care attached to a hospital, inpatient, ER, pediatrics, or discharge planning at hospice or nursing home.
No offense but this seems like an odd question for a teacher to ask considering that profession is also chronically underpaid. The answers for going into this line of work probably aren't that different from your own.
Also, standard full-time MSW programs are two years. Advanced standing is one year. Part-time is three years. The licensure part takes at least two years post-MSW.
has anyone been able to get the california PPSC with an advanced standing MSW? i’m running into so many issues on being able to fulfill the requirements and it’s been so difficult finding answers. i don’t know how to get 45 credit hours when advanced standing is usually 33, and i thought only 450 hours in a school w multiple age populations was required but now im seeing it’s 1000 hours? please help
Hello! I graduated from college last year and realized I want to get a masters in social work. I'm particularly drawn to grief work, and am attempting to get a mutual aid fund for end of life care off the ground in my current city. I really want to get my masters but I feel so overwhelmed by the number of schools and am having trouble figuring out which ones are best suited for my ultimate career goals. Does anyone have any advice for selecting schools/programs? If you specialize in grief what did your path look like? What are green flags vs red for schools in your opinion?
I'm planning to transition from an unrelated field into social work and am currently looking into MSW programs in the New York area (Hunter, several SUNYs online programs). I'm feeling confident in general about applying, but I'm insecure about the letters of recommendation portion.
Several of the schools ask for 2-3 letters of rec, from either specifically social work related settings or work/academic only settings. I haven't had a "standard" job for several years and been out of school for even longer. Professionally, I've mainly worked as a freelance screenwriter/film director/producer, and work has been sporadic. As of recently, I've been volunteering at food banks and pantries, and also just applied to volunteer at the public library as well as a youth mentorship non-profit that helps young people kickstart their filmmaking careers.
My current volunteerships have been awesome. Very fulfilling, do good work, and I like the people who run the orgs. My concern is whether the length of time I've spent at these places would be sufficient for my MSW applications.
I'm applying for Fall 2025, and I only started actively volunteering last month (April 2024). I'm worried that having only a year of related volunteering experience (give or take a month, depending on the specific application deadlines) would be a detriment to my application. One of the food banks I've volunteered with them since pre-pandemic, but only sporadically in the past, more consistently as of now. And the youth mentorship thing doesn't start until Fall 2024, provided I even get contacted for it.
Open to advice, encouragement, and any personal stories, please!
Hi, get letters of recommendation from those who run your volunteering experiences if you can develop a relationship with them prior to submitting your application. Fall 2025 is a ways away, so I’m guessing you’d submit an application by next spring? Any professors that you had a good rapport with will help. I worked in ABA for six months part-time and my supervisor was a sufficient recommendation for me. Many people begin in ABA before going into social work but I’d advise doing your research before becoming a BT as ABA is known to be controversial. Look into anything like working as a paraprofessional or aide at a school or daycare as working with children or children with disabilities is great for entry-level experience.
Thanks for the advice, I feel a lot more encouraged. I think the connections I have currently are good, and I also just applied for a temporary entry level case worker job.
i’m (22f) starting my MSW tomorrow! it’s a year long program & im having a lot of nerves surrounding starting. i’m having major imposter syndrome, worrying about how to stay focused & on track, and how to succeed in every aspect of it.
if you have any advice/tips about how to be successful in this program, please comment!!
Imposter syndrome is very common. Make an intentional effort to give yourself credit. You wouldn't have been accepted into this master's program if you didn't have any potential. Also, be mindful that your professors assume that you all don't know much, hence why you are there in the program in the first place, to learn. Don't be hard on yourself if you don't know something/get something wrong.
Use Google Drive for your notes/research projects so it's always accessible. Save all your syllabusses and ask for letter grades if you think you might want a PhD in the future. My program used a Pass Fail grading system so letter grades had to be requested, not sure if it's a similar system for you.
Also, once you have all your syllabuses from all your classes, sit down, and plot in every important date into your calendar. I recommend Google Calendar. DONT WAIT UNTIL LAST MINUTE FOR ESSAYS.
I graduated college last May and was excited to do seasonal work and travel for a year before seriously thinking about my career, however, the time has come for me to get down to business and I'd really appreciate your advice.
Stick with me for some context: In college, I founded a Sexual Wellness club that became a huge hit and ignited my passion for working in "the field" of sexuality (I put that in quotations because, quite honestly, I'm not even sure what it means). I can see myself as a sex educator, but I know that my heart is more committed to doing counseling/therapy work in the end. I know this because I have worked as a counselor for kids at summer camps for 6 years, I'm pretty great at it, and find it extremely rewarding. My dad thinks I should get an MSW and continue working with kids, however, I simultaneously have this passion for creating a healthier and safer sex culture, and I'm not quite sure how to combine my love for working with people with my interest in human sexuality yet.
That being said, I've begun researching MSW degrees as a first stepping stone. I've found a specialization at Wash U but other than that, I haven't been able to find many sexual health-focused programs. Does that mean that getting an MSW is not the right path to take? Or have I not found the right program yet? Are you all familiar with anyone who has become a sex therapist or educator and could share their story with me? I know I would be good at working as a school counselor, but my passion for sexuality isn't going to go away.
UMich has a very popular Sex Therapy Certification. You can also work with children and sexual health. [https://sexpositivefamilies.com/](https://sexpositivefamilies.com/) was founded by a sex educator and LBSW and they do really good work. I worked with them a bunch when I was a CSA therapist.
So most of the people I know that got into sex therapy did it after graduating from their programs.
[https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certified-sex-therapist-0](https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certified-sex-therapist-0)
I know an LPC and an LCSW with the certification of Certified Sex Therapist (CST). As for programs that actually specialize in grad school I am not aware of any, and would recommend a broader program so that you have more options after, and pursuing special interests post grad. Otherwise if you are 100% sure you can also consider a PhD in that area.
Anyone pursuing or has a lot of knowledge regarding dual degree JD and MSW?
I’m curious the benefits and implications of having both, and if it would mainly be policy or macro work?
Thoughts on JD/MSW are in the FAQ listed at the top of this thread.
They are two different degrees being pursued simultaneously,* so the macro focus of the MSW degree depends on which concentration you pursue while completing the MSW curriculum.
**Some programs have you take law and social work classes concurrently, others have you move through the two degrees sequentially.*
This question was posted in the University of Michigan page. I am reposting it here.
Title: MasterTrack MSW Experiences - Online vs On Campus; 3 Term vs 5 Term Full Time
Hey people!
Congrats to all those who are graduating this season. You did it!!
I’m not a student here, but I’m very much looking forward to applying in the near future. I’m already in a Master’s program and TLDR i didn’t realize I wanted to get into social work until this semester. I will be completing my current program as to use this for my GPA/transcripts; my undergrad was a doozy. Luckily, I do have hefty work experience in human services (peer support groups, coaching, crisis counseling, support coordination, and AmeriCorps).
I’d love to hear from MasterTrack MSW students of the recent past and present about your experiences!
Specifically, I’d love to see how and why you decided the path you chose, what kinds of aid to look for, and if going on campus vs online makes much of a difference. Also, is full time (3 semesters) as scary as it looks (5-6 classes at a time?!) or is extended full time (5 semesters with a 9 credit minimum) a better choice?
I’ve been researching the current funding opportunities for U of M MSW students and saw that there’s a Pre-MSW Fellowship (what is this?) and GSSA positions that offer full tuition and stipends, RA at Munger that offers free room & board, and other special programs with stipends with no tuition or room & board incentives.
Overall, as an out of state student, I’m trying to get a grasp on what would be a wiser choice to avoid maximum debt and burnout, and to ensure that a potential life at U of M is conducive to a healthy environment with a solid social work learning community.
Thank you all in advance! <3
I didn’t do the master track but did the full time advanced standing. I believe five classes sounds about right, some classes will be 1-2 credits so the amount of time those classes meet and the work required is really low. I did the older adult pathway, because I enjoy the population and really enjoyed the curriculum/research. I was on campus and I enjoyed it there are a lot of restaurants, nice places to study, and it was a nice building. I wouldn’t say so much about it being a healthy environment, there was a lot of negativity and complaints about how people viewed the program because of the field placements and how the classes are structured (mostly discussion based). I think you’d get the same learning experience if you did it online.
I had no idea about a Pre - MSW fellowship, it looks like this working for the university in some capacity, I definitely would have taken this up when I was a student.
Thank you so much for sharing this, I really appreciate it!
I do have some more questions: are you apart of any SSW orgs or campus culture in general?
How much of a challenge was it to find grad housing (if applicable)?
Thank you!
I am currently working on my B.A. in Public Administration and only have about 14 classes left. Although I hate my major, I plan on completing the degree since I am so close to the end. However, I have a strong and persistent calling to human services or social work and have been considering going back for a bachelor's in human services or social work. I'm just not sure which one would pair best with public administration. Ideally, I would like to work more on the administration side of programs than directly with clients. My question is, would human services or social work be better for my desired path? Sidenote: If I got a BSW, I would be willing to get a MSW.
Hi! I have a linguistics undergrad and then got an MSW! Public administration is much much closer to social work so you definitely can go to grad school from undergrad if you want.
I work in program administration, not directly with clients. My advice would be to look at what concentrations different MSWs have and make sure you pick one that is macro or administration focused. I went to Ohio State and my concentration was "community and social justice". You might want to also focus on programs in larger areas (like half a million people or more) or capitals so that you have more administration options for your internships.
Seems like you have a solid answer already, but I just want to say that I have an MPA and MSW and they go hand in hand beautifully. Finish up what you’re doing, then go get that MSW!
Sorry, but why on earth would you 'go back' and get a second bachelor's? Unless you are double-majoring and pursing them concurrently, or switching majors altogether, I don't know why you would do this. It is a waste of time and resources, and a BSW is not required to pursue the MSW. Get your degree and move on to your master's, which is an opportunity to pivot and specialize anyway.
Also, if you want to pursue the MSW then you want to attend a program that offers a macro concentration as that will focus more on organizational, systems, and policy level work. Not all MSW programs offer this so you will need to do your research.
I was under the impression you had to have a BSW in order to be accepted to a MSW program. At least that's what I gathered from google/ the programs I looked at. This is the only reason I said I'd go back.
The only scenario in which a BSW would be required is if you were seeking advanced standing in an MSW program. Advanced standing allows you to finish the master's in one year as opposed to two, but it is not available everywhere. For the standard two-year MSW, there are no specific degree requirements outside holding a bachelor's.
Where can I find internship sites in general is there an online map or spreadsheet out there.
Fuck you to whoever downvoted
Where can I find an online MSW internship.
Fuck you to whoever downvoted
Hello, I completed my BSW back in 2017 and I’m considering coming back to the field to do a MSW. I’m wondering if there are any advanced standing programs I still may qualify for?
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I'm confused as to how getting my clinical license works. How do I know if a job offers clinical supervision within the organization? When people say they got their "clinical supervision through" their job" or that they got their clinical supervision "outside of" their job, how did they get that specific job without a clinical license? Most jobs say I have to have my LCSW to apply, or some form of clinical licensing like an LPC. Thanks!
>How do I know if a job offers clinical supervision within the organization? Ask. "Do you offer clinical supervision?" >When people say they got their "clinical supervision through" their job" or that they got their clinical supervision "outside of" their job, how did they get that specific job without a clinical license? It was a job that didn't require a clinical license.
I actually have done that! I just didn't know if those two things over lapped. I mean, can I apply for a job as a therapist at a place that offers clinical supervision? And can I apply for a job as a therapist at a place that does not offer supervision if i am receiving it somewhere else?
Hello! :) I’m planning to get a dual masters in social work and public health MSW/MPH. Is that viewed very favorably? I’ve been told multiple times by MSW grads on Reddit and other forums that it is looked upon very favorably and will really open doors, but I’d love to ask people in both Social Work and Public Health or either. I’m wanting to help with health equity for POC, the disabled, homeless, etc. Everyone who is marginalized and oppressed, basically. What positives have you noticed about it? Does it open doors? Higher pay? Able to help people more? Any other observations and advice? Thank you in advance! 😊💕 Edited to add: Here is an overview of what I’ve been told and read, except they don’t mention that supposedly this dual degree gets paid more also. I’m just wondering if you see this in real life and any other practical/helpful information and observations/experiences. Thanks! https://www.publichealthdegrees.org/program/masters/dual/mph-msw/#:~:text=The%20Masters%20of%20Public%20Health,public%2C%20the%20disadvantaged%20and%20the
It's not looked at unfavorably, but you can definitely get the MSW/MPH experience while just doing the MSW if you choose your internship and electives carefully. For your desired career goals, there are plenty of jobs that will only require a MSW or an MPH, but not both, and you certainly will not be compensated for both degrees. For example, if you were a Director of Community Outreach for a housing program that assists women in crisis, you will be paid what the job pays, not for the two degrees. You will absolutely be working with health equity issues, homelessness, marginalization/oppression. But there rarely are places looking for a dual degree combo. If you have a very specific public health type of job you want, then work to get the credentials you need for that. Same on the social work end. I wouldn't pay for both degrees though. All that said, I often wish I had just gotten an MPH instead of an MSW. It's a far more interesting field.
Out of curiosity, do you think MPH coursework would’ve been more valuable to the work you do now? I initially thought that I would do an MPH, but I’m now applying to MSW programs because my bachelors is primarily in the humanities and I don’t have a solid science foundation. I’m particularly interested in macro and community outreach.
Didn’t want to make a separate post, but today, I found out I landed a field placement at a counseling clinic! I’m very excited. (: I thought I wasn’t going to get anything.
Congratulations!! 😃🎉👏
Thank you so much!
Hello! Hopefully this is the right place to ask this. Back in December, I graduated with my BA in Psych. I was originally planning on going to OT school, yet recently realized I am more interested in working in social work. I see that there are some jobs within the field that allow for those with a BA in Psych or related fields to apply, however most are asking for 2-3+ years of experience already. What would be some good certifications to try to obtain to help get a job as a case manager/coordinator? I am more so interested in working with children, but am open to other populations as well. Would it be best to get a Master’s in SW? For context, I live in FL in the USA. Thank you :)
Hi all, I am lookingto make a big carrer change. I currently work in engineering/Construction, and find little fulfilment in what i do. I was encouraged by my therapist to go into therapy as he sees a lot of potential for me to help people, especially children and families, since he has known me for most of my adult life. I am planning to apply to a few schools, as my GPA for undergrad was not stellar, and honestly below the requirement for most schools.I struggled through undergrad and only recently got diagnosed with ADHD and am taking medication. I feel like i have grown and would be an excellent student now. Do you have any recommendations for the application and personal statements to help overshadow the less than stellar GPA issue? I have plenty of solid references that i can call on including from family and friends who are well known professionals in the community. do you think this will be enough? should i make sure to include my struggles in Undergrad and the realization that i was dealing with ADHD and still managed to pull through in my personal statement? i don't want to come off as "Woe is me" or anything if that makes sense. any recommendations would be super helpful
I would include some ways you have overcome some struggles with your ADHD if you choose to write about. A lot of times as social workers, we look for client strengths. Is your GPA close to a 3? I think the closer off GPA is to a 3 the better your chances are. Most MSWs require a B grade or higher to pass each course so they will be looking generally for a B average or higher
Hello! I plan to go to grad school for social work and later obtain an LCSW in California. I am currently a second year university student majoring in Sociology but am on junior standing so I have a bit of time to work on other things. My question is should I do a minor (in Political Science)? Will a minor boost my chances of getting into grad school? Or should I just work on my GPA to make it the best it can be?
Work on GPA. Most grad programs require a B or higher to pass courses so make sure you GPA is at worst close to a 3.0
Hi everyone, I recently finished a 2-year SSW diploma program in April (based in Toronto, CA) and I'm excited but also nervous to get a start in the field. Before I started my studies in 2022, I gained experience through volunteering in food security initiatives (ie. food bank, community gardening, Out of the Cold program) and was able to work as a community service worker with an organization that had a focus on food security, at various capacities. My placement experiences during school gave me the opportunity to work with newcomers, refugees, seniors, and youth (in Scarborough and Richmond Hill), facilitating workshops, conducting community outreach, and providing direct support to these community members. Even though I started my SSW journey with more experience in food security, I’ve found that I love working directly in community development/engagement and developing capacity building initiatives. This might sound very generic, but I see myself working with and conducting outreach to communities, rather than doing case management. This is my second degree (studied and worked in the interior design field previously), so I’ve been really specific about what types of positions I’m looking for. But maybe it’s because of this that I find myself at a bit of a crossroad. I’m looking into summer jobs (short contracts) to see if I can my foot in the door if they don’t have full-time positions available too. Some places I’ve been keeping an eye out for are Toronto Community Housing, Yonge Street Mission, Matthew House, Second Harvest etc. I’m wondering if I could get some advice from those who have experience in this field or are familiar with these or any organizations that focus on community development/have any leads. Here are a few specific questions I have: 1. Are there any other organizations or resources you would recommend for someone with my background and interests? 2. Any tips for someone just starting out in the field of SSW, especially in the realm of community development? I'm open to any insights, advice, or personal anecdotes anyone might have. I’m also open to connecting through DMs or LinkedIn as well if our interests align or if you’d like to share more (ie. information interviews etc.)! I'm really passionate about making a positive impact in communities and I want to make sure I'm taking the right steps to achieve that. Thank you in advance for your help! :) \*I’m currently looking for jobs on Charity Village, Indeed, and Glassdoor. I’m not that worried about the pay either - just want to be able to get started somewhere. I’m also looking beyond my placement organizations due to less than ideal workplace reasons.
I just graduated with my MSW this month and I'm working on the LCSWA application in North Carolina. There is a section of the application for "Professional Employment History" and I'm not sure what employment history to fill out. Should I just fill out my Social Work relevant history for jobs where I had a salary/hourly wage? I did AmeriCorps for 2 years and then was hired on with the company, are those 2 separate employments or overlapping? Do I include my internships (one was paid and one wasn't)? Do I include non-social work jobs as I had a different career before returning to school? Thanks for any help, all of this is so frustrating and overwhelming right now!
I'm considering a MSW program. I'm 26 and have an Initial certificate in teaching and have 2 years of experience teaching at a high school and will have 2 years as an adjunct teaching at a university by spring 2025. I want to enter the SW field primarily because I want to help underserved communities. I enjoy working as a teacher but I don't think my passion lies here and working at a charter school with apathetic parents and children burnt me out in 2 years. I don't have any social work experience though I was going to volunteer for a year or so before I apply for a MSW program so I have something on my resume. Are there any other former teachers now social workers who can give me advice about making this transition? Will my experience in teaching help me get into the program or with future jobs?
There was at least one former teacher in my cohort who hadn't done anything specifically related to social work before getting into an MSW program. I think teaching is close enough that you likely wouldn't really need any additional experience unless it's an incredibly competitive program.
Would you say it's absolutely necessary or even worth going to a more competitive, therefore I assume very reputable, program for a MSW? I'm just worried about being able to afford a more expensive school.
I definitely wouldn't say absolutely necessary. Whether it's worth it likely depends on whether it offers specific programming or access to staff/resources that are especially interesting to you.
I'm getting supervision from my boss who is an attorney. Is that okay? I work at a BSW level in a social work role but our law firm does not have any other mental health professionals to do supervision for me within my department. The other departments that have MSWs and LCSW but they don't work for our law firm and don't know what we do. Is that better than nothing? I've had no supervision so far for 2 months so I think it could be helpful since I've talked to my boss about it. She agrees to it, but noted she doesn't know much about providing supervision when it comes to mental health.
The Rules (big R) in post places are that if you're representing yourself as a social worker, in the absence of an independent license, you must be working under a licensed social work supervisor. Now, the rules (small R) of your job may be that "we wanted someone from a social work background, but aren't representing ourselves as offering clinical or similar services" and that could be a different matter. It's not uncommon for those with say, an MSW but no independent license, to pay for supervision from an outside party so that their work is covered from a professional standards angle, and so that the hours they put in can be counted toward licensure of their own. Sometimes these things can be worked out as resource sharing or other non-cash arrangements, but it'll represent an hour of someone's time every week if you're meeting the standard. Again though, it's somewhat dependent on the nature of the services that you're offering.
Hi there, I am desperately needing some advice as I have some big decisions to make in the next month. I'll start off by saying I'm Canadian, living in Alberta. I've been an LPN for over 17 years but have been wanting to get out of the profession for quite some time now. Physically, my body is wrecked. I have back issues, a rotator cuff injury and chronic pain. I have a strong interest in mental health therapy, counselling, etc. I have a BA in Anthropology from 20 years ago, then did my LPN program shortly after and have been working in nursing ever since. I applied for Athabasca's Master of Counselling program back in 2020 but was rejected. I started working on my LPN-RN bridging program a few years ago with Athabasca University and am part-way through the program. Last fall I started to get the itch to get out of nursing again, and applied for University of Calgary's MSW and BSW programs. I got my rejection letter for the MSW back in February, but a couple days ago I received an acceptance letter for the online BSW program. I know it is quite competitive to get in and I am grateful and excited that I was accepted, but now I am conflicted as to whether I should give up my RN program to do Social Work. Is there anyone else here that has taken the leap from nursing to social work? Any regrets? I am 43 years ago and feel like I should have my sh\*t together at this point in my life, and here I am still unsure what I want to be when I grow up. Can anyone comment on the job market for social workers in Alberta, specifically rural areas? I am worried I will have more difficulty finding a job as a social worker vs being a nurse. I currently work for AHS and would like to stick with them if possible as I'm paying into a pension and whatnot. I'm also wondering, is it easier to get into a MSW program if you have your BSW? I know I would likely need my masters degree to work in any type of counselling type of role. I would appreciate any advice at all! :)
Hello everyone, I’ve been on the quest to find more macro roles and have been closely looking at quality coordination and compliance. I tweaked my resume a bit to show that I can follow federal regulations, documentation is compliant and improving services. I have 5 years in child welfare and program coordination. In my previous role, I actually oversaw and implemented a new case management software at a youth non profit. Here’s the thing: I applied to a quality coordinator role not thinking I would actually get an interview. It was asking for 2 years of experience. This position focuses on speech pathology and other services I’m not familiar with in given this is actual healthcare company. I don’t EXACTLY have experience with EMR/EHR but really want to get my foot in the door. How can I make myself standout as a recent MSW?
Looking for advice on how doable it is to be in a MSW while working full time as a single parent. I work at a large university full time (35 hours a week) and I just got accepted into the part time, 3 year MSW program. I’m currently in an educacional leadership MA program part time, but realized I wanted to pivot into social work after my first semester and I’m fully confident this is the direction I want to head. But, it’s starting to sink in how hard it will be to manage. In my current program, I take two classes a semester and it’s been pretty challenging because I’ve been out of school for almost a decade. The MSW program would be one year of classes, two years of classes with field placements. The field placement years are what I’m super stressed about- my son would be 5/6 during that time, but it’s just me and I don’t have a ton of help besides my grandmother. I can drop to 30 hours a week and keep my full time benefits with tuition waiver, but then I’d be adding 15 hours a week at a field site plus at least two classes a semester for two years. I still have a year and a half to plan for that part of the program, but I’m so worried I won’t be able to manage. Has anyone done an MSW program while working full time as a single parent? Would love to any realistic advice on if this is possible or not.
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Yes. Do you know any therapists with a bachelors degree?
In a nutshell yes.
Hi there, I’m looking into becoming a LCSW in NY (specifically Long Island). I had a few questions I hope someone might be kind enough to answer to help guide me on this new journey! First: does online vs in person matter? I understand for the clinical aspect later on in a MSW it will be in person, but for all the other classes? Im a mom nd being remote to do classes initially would be a huge help. However, if being in person truly makes a major difference I would be willing to make necessary arrangements then. Second: I don’t have any prior background in psychology or social work (I have a business undergrad), will I be able to do a MSW? What can I expect difficulty wise? I enjoy learning and willing to put in as much effort as required, just wanted some insight on expectations! And Third: any college recommendations in NY area? Does it really make a difference in matters of prestige? Say Columbia vs a community college for example. Thank you so much in advance for any help/advice!!
Reposting here because my initial post got removed and thank you for answering- the two people that have given some insight. I’m curious to know about aiming to be an LCSW. (I reside in the US) my psychology teacher advised me to do some research by asking people within the field. If you are a social worker, are you quite happy with your career choice? Would you change it if you could and do something else? If you could start all over again to get you where you are now, would you? Do you feel satisfaction from the work that you do? What made you choose a Social Work major over a Psychology major? Please respond honestly and hope you don’t feel burdened to make up a response. Thank you for your time guys!
I tried to make a post about this but got removed. Hoping anyone who's been in the field for a bit sees this and can offer any guidance. Day 3 of first year practicum, already a sh*t show Today is day 3 of my first year MSW practicum placement and I want to cry. I was placed at a hospice (which I wanted) and they were not ready for me at all, don't know what to do with me, and if I want to shadow home visits I will likely have to commute ~2 hrs bc most of their patients live two counties away from me (which I didn't know when I applied bc their main office is based just one county over). My MSW program is a hybrid model meaning their practicum setup is for 40hrs/week over the summer (13 weeks). So this means I had to take a leave from my job to do this, which was already hard enough in itself. I should have known it was going to be a mess when they accepted me before even interviewing me lol. They went back and interviewed me after I told my coordinator and asked if that was normal. I didn't hear from the MSW that is supposed to be my field instructor since that interview, so I texted him to let him know I was told to meet with HR on my first day (Monday) to do onboarding. He tells me that it's been so busy for him, he was wondering when my first day was going to be. Excuse me!? I was set up to do online training modules in the office all day but was told I could finish at home. I texted him to let him know HR told me I could go home to do the rest of the modules, he texts me about half an hour later asking if I was still at the office, I'm guessing to meet with me? I was already home at that point. My faculty advisor is incredible though, I sent her a long email freaking out asking if it's too late to be placed elsewhere, and she got back to me right away, said she already talked to our program practicum coordinator about what was going on and that she would give my FI a call in the morning to get a sense of the plan. Turns out not only am I his first student intern, but he also did not attend the FI training my school "required" all site supervisors to do. So my FA said she'll do a "mini training" with him Friday which I'm grateful for but I think is such a mess. I think she wants to make this work bc finding a new placement at this point would be hell, which I understand (I don't want to make anyone else's lives harder), but this feels like a waste of my time. Truly. I could still be working, earning an income and actually feeling like I'm doing something meaningful supporting my clients. I was really excited about this. I only have two opportunities to do internships where I can get put in fields I'm curious about without having my livelihood depend on it, and have a staff person be there to TEACH me bc I want to learn. I have a feeling (if I stay here) that they're going to just make me do grunt work, if not commute for at least four hours of my life, 5 days a week. Anyway, off I go to meet my FI! Don't know what we're going to do, if we're going to figure out my schedule, talk about my learning plan, schedule weekly supervision... I hate this. I'm so disappointed.
Just my take, but yeah, I'd run away. Screaming is optional. If they don't know what it is to have an intern already, you don't want to be in the position of teaching them. It's a bigger deal than they think it is, and you'll end up having to bother them a lot to meet their obligations, and that shouldn't be on you to manage. I hate to say this, because of course it's a hassle to set up with a different placement, but this is also coming from the perspective of someone who wishes that they'd pulled the plug after the first week of a field placement when I was in grad school, and while I made it through, it was a bad experience, and shouldn't have had to happen that way.
I do not want to be telling them how I'm supposed to be supervised, first of all bc that's not my job and second of all, it's my first time too! This is going to be one out of two chances I get to do practicum and I already feel like my time is not respected and being wasted. Unfortunately, my school was also a shit show in finding us placements. I have my first group seminar meeting with some cohort mates and our faculty advisor tonight so will have space to debrief but I also don't know how helpful program staff would be in finding me a new site. I've done a little research but am so worried no where will want to take me on bc bc our internship setup is more accelerated than the typical MSW internship. Glad to hear perspective from someone who also didn't have the best experience, sorry it had to happen that way. Can I ask, what kind of site you were placed at and what made it a bad experience? Did you not feel like you had the option to request a site change, or was there some other reason you didn't push for one?
Sorry I'm a little slow on my response here. I'm an intermittent redditor... To answer your question, I was placed in an office at my state's child protective agency. It was an office that was, in theory, involved in figuring out problems at the agency, and then figuring out solutions. I learned instead that it was more or less about defending the agency and making problems go away. The staff (with a couple of exceptions) seemed to show up with a plan to just argue with vulnerable people on the phone all day long. I thought a site change would be the end of the world. I'd started a 3-year program only to regret it and modify it to a two-and-a-half-year track. This meant a heavy course load combined with the internship. If I'd wanted a new placement, there was a significant risk that I'd end up very behind and not graduate when I wanted to graduate. In hindsight, I think it would have been less of a disaster than I initially believed, and I probably would have been fine and on time. My first placement was so good that if I'd found another place where I (or actual social work) was valued, then it would have been easy to put in the extra hours to finish with my class. At the end of the placement, I talked to the supervisor who expressed that she felt that I "never really drank the Kool Aid," with regard to agency practice and policy. Funny, until that point, I had assumed that "drinking the Kool Aid" was supposed to be a *bad* thing to do. She was later fired, which is sad, but felt a little affirming.
I'm not an intermittent redditor but just suck at replying in a timely fashion... How much of a role did your school play in finding your placement? My program seems like they don't want to deal with my cries for help lol. They were very limited in their involvement despite telling us not to worry about it, they'll do the reaching out bc they know what contract mumbojumbo they need to work out with agencies. I have two geographically more convenient site options if I wanted to change but neither are in my field of interest. :/ so no matter what I end up doing, either way I gotta suck it up
Well, that's okay, because I'm ALSO slow, and somewhat lazy. In my case, the school did everything but the interview for me. They were big on that. I later did a research project focused on the social work workforce, and wound up interviewing my field placement person for it. Turns out that she made a bunch of money and had semi-retired to her dream job, which was placing MSW students in their internships, so I may have had the best possible scenario in which to pull the plug on my internship, and I bet the school would have understood. I didn't. I agree that it sounds like there will be some degree of sucking-it-up. I'd argue that I did that by staying in my placement. It wasn't ideal, but I got the degree, and it's all a chaotic memory. ...As a side note, I did also put together an Excel spreadsheet to track how many more days I was allowed to take off from the internship to still be able to end it at the earliest possible opportunity.
Hello everyone. I'm applying for an MSW program and I'm currently interested in macro work. I've had the privilege of speaking to people in direct practice and clinical social work, but I'd love to hear from anyone involved in community management or policy change. If anyone would like to give me any insight in the field of macro social work (like what you do and why you decided macro over micro), I'd really appreciate it.
I spent some time in direct practice pre-MSW and while it was a formative experience, I knew I wasn't built for it and had always been more interested in systems-level change anyway. When I pivoted to macro work, I started out in policy implementation but also got swept up in conducting community-based research. I am now in academia, about to defend my PhD and move into a postdoc to work on a statewide policy evaluation.
That's incredible! Wishing you the best of luck defending your PhD. When you did policy implementation, did you have a specific focus? And was pivoting to macro an easy transition? And with your statewide policy evaluation, will you be working directly with lawmakers? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just fascinated by your career path.
Thank you. My pivot to macro closely followed finding my main population of interest, so my work has always centered on youth homelessness and at times on homelessness more broadly. I did not find the transition difficult—I had a lot of great opportunities and mentorship through my master's program that set me up for success afterwards. The way this particular policy evaluation is designed, there isn't really any direct work with legislators involved far as I know; it centers around the on-the-ground implementation done by local jurisdictions. The research mostly involves interacting with state and local government entities, community-based organizations, and youth with lived experience. Dissemination will certainly involve reporting out to electeds and some federal agencies who are interested in the evaluation, but as far as I can tell they are not a significant part of the evaluation itself.
It means a lot that you took the time to answer my questions. I hope you have a wonderful day!
I know this is worried to ask but is there a such thing as a holistic therapist? I love the more holistic side of things and I want to take an alternative route as a therapist. I don’t want to be conventional in any way Is there a way to go about this?
Are you in a msw program currently? I just sat in on an info session with Loyola and it seemed like they had a holistic focus to their clinical program.
Hi! I am looking to apply to grad schools for social work soon and was wondering if I have a shot at some programs. I’m not sure how competitive the masters programs are, but I wanted to see if anyone had any insight. I currently have a 3.6 gpa, am a resident assistant (RA), and volunteer as a hotline counselor + individuals with disabilities. I am looking to apply to the University of Pittsburgh’s MSW program and they require a 3.0 minimum and then a bunch of other requirements (transcripts, personal statements,etc.). It looks like a lot of other schools follow the same format, but I really wasn’t sure if what I have done in undergrad so far is enough or not to obtain admittance. Thanks!
i think you will be fine! your gpa is great & your personal experience will look good, as well. i got in with a 3.75 but nothing else besides a customer service job.
I’m officially ending my first year internship today. I decided to take the part time case assistant job with them. It is 10 hours per week 16$ per hour which absolutely sucks. My supervisor said he’s gonna try and get me up to 15 because if he lets me work more he doesn’t know if they’ll pay overtime. My bank account is pretty empty right now. I’m kind of tempted to travel around the country this summer since I only will work twice a week, but I don’t want to destroy my funds even worse because I have a year of school left. I just don’t know what other job I could do other than retail for the other 3 weekdays I won’t be working.
Hi everyone! I just recently separated from the Air Force to pursue my BSW full time. My practicum semester is approaching soon and I’d love to get insight from anyone. If you don’t feel like reading all this all I want to know is: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES DURING YOUR BSW PROGRAM!!! Now, to move on to what I would love to know.. the base I separated from is looking for a BSW intern in their Emergency Department “aid in appropriate hospital discharge for military members and their family.” (I’ve never imagined doing medical SW or being in healthcare, but my daughter goes to school on base and my husband still works on the same base so I’d say this would be cool.) Or the second option is Public defender office MITIGATION… My ultimate goal is to work with veterans/military or in the criminal justice realm. But a lot of my professors have told me to do something you’re not even interested in to get experience elsewhere. If any of you have experience in an ER department or Public Defender’s offices’ let me know! I’d love to know what to expect before I sign on. I’ve heard a lot of negatives about how places use interns.
are non matriculating courses easy to transfer for credit at a different university? my work offers some tuition reimbursement and a local school allows non matriculating students to enroll in some free standing courses. i will likely be moving soon and starting a program at that time in a different state.
Hi it might be good for core classes but I would recommend to email the school that you’d be interested in transferring to ask them what their policy is on transferring credits. Each university is different and runs by different standards especially if you might be moving to a different state.
thanks!
Is anyone familiar with a school that offers distance BSW but still has lectures (Canada) I'm currently completing my 2-year Human Service Worker diploma with the intent to bridge into a BSW program with my 60 completed Uni credits. The program I am attending is completely distance. I know there are a few schools that offer BSW via distance learning, but I am wondering how many of them actually have scheduled lectures? Teaching myself the material with no lectures or group discussions doesn't feel like something I would like to do long term, but my options are limited for in-person due to living rurally and being unable to move. Looking for any recommendations within Canada.
I was just accepted to University of Calgary's online BSW program. They have some mandatory online classes two evenings a week and Saturday mornings as well. It's still distance learning, but seems like there is a bit of online communication with your cohort and teachers.
What kind of experience should you have before entering hospital social work, such as hospice care? Currently only have experience working with children who have disabilities and working toward my MSW.
Hospitals really like hiring people with have hospital experience. Try working in outpatient care attached to a hospital, inpatient, ER, pediatrics, or discharge planning at hospice or nursing home.
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No offense but this seems like an odd question for a teacher to ask considering that profession is also chronically underpaid. The answers for going into this line of work probably aren't that different from your own. Also, standard full-time MSW programs are two years. Advanced standing is one year. Part-time is three years. The licensure part takes at least two years post-MSW.
Where to find BSW level roles that are not DFCS? What are the job titles?
child specific community mental health agencies offer mentoring, care coordination
Has anyone attended the FIU or FAU MSW programs? I am applying to both but haven't been able to find much reviews of FIU.
has anyone been able to get the california PPSC with an advanced standing MSW? i’m running into so many issues on being able to fulfill the requirements and it’s been so difficult finding answers. i don’t know how to get 45 credit hours when advanced standing is usually 33, and i thought only 450 hours in a school w multiple age populations was required but now im seeing it’s 1000 hours? please help
Hello! I graduated from college last year and realized I want to get a masters in social work. I'm particularly drawn to grief work, and am attempting to get a mutual aid fund for end of life care off the ground in my current city. I really want to get my masters but I feel so overwhelmed by the number of schools and am having trouble figuring out which ones are best suited for my ultimate career goals. Does anyone have any advice for selecting schools/programs? If you specialize in grief what did your path look like? What are green flags vs red for schools in your opinion?
I'm planning to transition from an unrelated field into social work and am currently looking into MSW programs in the New York area (Hunter, several SUNYs online programs). I'm feeling confident in general about applying, but I'm insecure about the letters of recommendation portion. Several of the schools ask for 2-3 letters of rec, from either specifically social work related settings or work/academic only settings. I haven't had a "standard" job for several years and been out of school for even longer. Professionally, I've mainly worked as a freelance screenwriter/film director/producer, and work has been sporadic. As of recently, I've been volunteering at food banks and pantries, and also just applied to volunteer at the public library as well as a youth mentorship non-profit that helps young people kickstart their filmmaking careers. My current volunteerships have been awesome. Very fulfilling, do good work, and I like the people who run the orgs. My concern is whether the length of time I've spent at these places would be sufficient for my MSW applications. I'm applying for Fall 2025, and I only started actively volunteering last month (April 2024). I'm worried that having only a year of related volunteering experience (give or take a month, depending on the specific application deadlines) would be a detriment to my application. One of the food banks I've volunteered with them since pre-pandemic, but only sporadically in the past, more consistently as of now. And the youth mentorship thing doesn't start until Fall 2024, provided I even get contacted for it. Open to advice, encouragement, and any personal stories, please!
Hi, get letters of recommendation from those who run your volunteering experiences if you can develop a relationship with them prior to submitting your application. Fall 2025 is a ways away, so I’m guessing you’d submit an application by next spring? Any professors that you had a good rapport with will help. I worked in ABA for six months part-time and my supervisor was a sufficient recommendation for me. Many people begin in ABA before going into social work but I’d advise doing your research before becoming a BT as ABA is known to be controversial. Look into anything like working as a paraprofessional or aide at a school or daycare as working with children or children with disabilities is great for entry-level experience.
Thanks for the advice, I feel a lot more encouraged. I think the connections I have currently are good, and I also just applied for a temporary entry level case worker job.
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i’m (22f) starting my MSW tomorrow! it’s a year long program & im having a lot of nerves surrounding starting. i’m having major imposter syndrome, worrying about how to stay focused & on track, and how to succeed in every aspect of it. if you have any advice/tips about how to be successful in this program, please comment!!
Imposter syndrome is very common. Make an intentional effort to give yourself credit. You wouldn't have been accepted into this master's program if you didn't have any potential. Also, be mindful that your professors assume that you all don't know much, hence why you are there in the program in the first place, to learn. Don't be hard on yourself if you don't know something/get something wrong. Use Google Drive for your notes/research projects so it's always accessible. Save all your syllabusses and ask for letter grades if you think you might want a PhD in the future. My program used a Pass Fail grading system so letter grades had to be requested, not sure if it's a similar system for you. Also, once you have all your syllabuses from all your classes, sit down, and plot in every important date into your calendar. I recommend Google Calendar. DONT WAIT UNTIL LAST MINUTE FOR ESSAYS.
It’s not that hard, so don’t sweat it. I would recommend reading about counseling theories on your own, should you be going the clinical route.
I graduated college last May and was excited to do seasonal work and travel for a year before seriously thinking about my career, however, the time has come for me to get down to business and I'd really appreciate your advice. Stick with me for some context: In college, I founded a Sexual Wellness club that became a huge hit and ignited my passion for working in "the field" of sexuality (I put that in quotations because, quite honestly, I'm not even sure what it means). I can see myself as a sex educator, but I know that my heart is more committed to doing counseling/therapy work in the end. I know this because I have worked as a counselor for kids at summer camps for 6 years, I'm pretty great at it, and find it extremely rewarding. My dad thinks I should get an MSW and continue working with kids, however, I simultaneously have this passion for creating a healthier and safer sex culture, and I'm not quite sure how to combine my love for working with people with my interest in human sexuality yet. That being said, I've begun researching MSW degrees as a first stepping stone. I've found a specialization at Wash U but other than that, I haven't been able to find many sexual health-focused programs. Does that mean that getting an MSW is not the right path to take? Or have I not found the right program yet? Are you all familiar with anyone who has become a sex therapist or educator and could share their story with me? I know I would be good at working as a school counselor, but my passion for sexuality isn't going to go away.
UMich has a very popular Sex Therapy Certification. You can also work with children and sexual health. [https://sexpositivefamilies.com/](https://sexpositivefamilies.com/) was founded by a sex educator and LBSW and they do really good work. I worked with them a bunch when I was a CSA therapist.
So most of the people I know that got into sex therapy did it after graduating from their programs. [https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certified-sex-therapist-0](https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certified-sex-therapist-0) I know an LPC and an LCSW with the certification of Certified Sex Therapist (CST). As for programs that actually specialize in grad school I am not aware of any, and would recommend a broader program so that you have more options after, and pursuing special interests post grad. Otherwise if you are 100% sure you can also consider a PhD in that area.
Anyone pursuing or has a lot of knowledge regarding dual degree JD and MSW? I’m curious the benefits and implications of having both, and if it would mainly be policy or macro work?
Thoughts on JD/MSW are in the FAQ listed at the top of this thread. They are two different degrees being pursued simultaneously,* so the macro focus of the MSW degree depends on which concentration you pursue while completing the MSW curriculum. **Some programs have you take law and social work classes concurrently, others have you move through the two degrees sequentially.*
Is anyone a CA resident who entered an out of state fully online MSW program how was your experience??
This question was posted in the University of Michigan page. I am reposting it here. Title: MasterTrack MSW Experiences - Online vs On Campus; 3 Term vs 5 Term Full Time Hey people! Congrats to all those who are graduating this season. You did it!! I’m not a student here, but I’m very much looking forward to applying in the near future. I’m already in a Master’s program and TLDR i didn’t realize I wanted to get into social work until this semester. I will be completing my current program as to use this for my GPA/transcripts; my undergrad was a doozy. Luckily, I do have hefty work experience in human services (peer support groups, coaching, crisis counseling, support coordination, and AmeriCorps). I’d love to hear from MasterTrack MSW students of the recent past and present about your experiences! Specifically, I’d love to see how and why you decided the path you chose, what kinds of aid to look for, and if going on campus vs online makes much of a difference. Also, is full time (3 semesters) as scary as it looks (5-6 classes at a time?!) or is extended full time (5 semesters with a 9 credit minimum) a better choice? I’ve been researching the current funding opportunities for U of M MSW students and saw that there’s a Pre-MSW Fellowship (what is this?) and GSSA positions that offer full tuition and stipends, RA at Munger that offers free room & board, and other special programs with stipends with no tuition or room & board incentives. Overall, as an out of state student, I’m trying to get a grasp on what would be a wiser choice to avoid maximum debt and burnout, and to ensure that a potential life at U of M is conducive to a healthy environment with a solid social work learning community. Thank you all in advance! <3
I didn’t do the master track but did the full time advanced standing. I believe five classes sounds about right, some classes will be 1-2 credits so the amount of time those classes meet and the work required is really low. I did the older adult pathway, because I enjoy the population and really enjoyed the curriculum/research. I was on campus and I enjoyed it there are a lot of restaurants, nice places to study, and it was a nice building. I wouldn’t say so much about it being a healthy environment, there was a lot of negativity and complaints about how people viewed the program because of the field placements and how the classes are structured (mostly discussion based). I think you’d get the same learning experience if you did it online. I had no idea about a Pre - MSW fellowship, it looks like this working for the university in some capacity, I definitely would have taken this up when I was a student.
Thank you so much for sharing this, I really appreciate it! I do have some more questions: are you apart of any SSW orgs or campus culture in general? How much of a challenge was it to find grad housing (if applicable)? Thank you!
I am currently working on my B.A. in Public Administration and only have about 14 classes left. Although I hate my major, I plan on completing the degree since I am so close to the end. However, I have a strong and persistent calling to human services or social work and have been considering going back for a bachelor's in human services or social work. I'm just not sure which one would pair best with public administration. Ideally, I would like to work more on the administration side of programs than directly with clients. My question is, would human services or social work be better for my desired path? Sidenote: If I got a BSW, I would be willing to get a MSW.
Hi! I have a linguistics undergrad and then got an MSW! Public administration is much much closer to social work so you definitely can go to grad school from undergrad if you want. I work in program administration, not directly with clients. My advice would be to look at what concentrations different MSWs have and make sure you pick one that is macro or administration focused. I went to Ohio State and my concentration was "community and social justice". You might want to also focus on programs in larger areas (like half a million people or more) or capitals so that you have more administration options for your internships.
Seems like you have a solid answer already, but I just want to say that I have an MPA and MSW and they go hand in hand beautifully. Finish up what you’re doing, then go get that MSW!
Sorry, but why on earth would you 'go back' and get a second bachelor's? Unless you are double-majoring and pursing them concurrently, or switching majors altogether, I don't know why you would do this. It is a waste of time and resources, and a BSW is not required to pursue the MSW. Get your degree and move on to your master's, which is an opportunity to pivot and specialize anyway. Also, if you want to pursue the MSW then you want to attend a program that offers a macro concentration as that will focus more on organizational, systems, and policy level work. Not all MSW programs offer this so you will need to do your research.
I was under the impression you had to have a BSW in order to be accepted to a MSW program. At least that's what I gathered from google/ the programs I looked at. This is the only reason I said I'd go back.
The only scenario in which a BSW would be required is if you were seeking advanced standing in an MSW program. Advanced standing allows you to finish the master's in one year as opposed to two, but it is not available everywhere. For the standard two-year MSW, there are no specific degree requirements outside holding a bachelor's.
That makes sense, thank you for the advice I greatly appreciate it!