MSW Clinical vs "Advanced Generalist" - The curriculum appear to be exactly the same.

[PGM_777]

I recently applied at a school that offers an Advanced Generalist education, and I also am applying at other schools that offer a Clinical track. I want to go into clinical work. I have also applied for Counseling at several places, so if you want to comment on that old debate SW vs Counseling feel free to weigh in.

Anyway, I have reviewed the curriculum at all of the Florida schools that offer a clinical track, and even some out-of-state. The curriculum are all pretty much the same. The only difference is that the "advanced generalist" programs use synonyms for clinical such as "Interpersonal" or "Direct Practice" and offer a less robust selection of clinical electives (though enough to fill the 4 elective slots with clinical stuff).

If i choose Social Work, I prefer the university that has the Advanced Generalist program because i wouldn't have to move. I also have been granted admission should i choose to enroll. I talked with a former professor (I graduated undergrad there) who has his LCSW, and he said the whole thing is political. "Advanced generalist" is just a way to get around using the word clinical.

The internships also may be generalist in the first year of programs with a clinical concentration. Then, the second year pretty much has to be clinical (at least at the Advanced Generalist program i am looking into which prepares for liscensure as an LCSW).

So i don't understand why the MSW mega-thread says you have to go to a school with a clinical concentration when this is the same. Does it mean avoid administrative track, instead?

If you're wondering, the school have been admitted to is UNF (UNF - The Graduate School - Social Work)

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[MAClinician]

Not a social worker but the program you linked to has Advanced Standing which is for students who already have a bachelors in social work. So some of the core/required courses were taken during the BSW. Those students have less credits to complete for the MSW compared to a student who studied sociology psychology or any other non-social work degree.

Clinical and administrative tracks are very different. NASW website has a section that describes the different concentrations one can pursue in an MSW program.

 

[PGM_777]

Not a social worker but the program you linked to has Advanced Standing which is for students who already have a bachelors in social work. So some of the core/required courses were taken during the BSW. Those students have less credits to complete for the MSW compared to a student who studied sociology psychology or any other non-social work degree.

Clinical and administrative tracks are very different. NASW website has a section that describes the different concentrations one can pursue in an MSW program.

Thanks for the reply.

I understand that clinical and administrative tracks are very different. However, "advanced generalist" programs - which have no different tracks - appear to be identical to clinical programs when the curricula are compared. Advanced generalist doesn't mean administrative, afaik (though "generalist" alone might).

What i am saying is that clinical tracks versus advanced generalist tracks are exactly the same. I am referring to traditional track, not advanced standing.

Clinical track programs from the CSWE.org website have exactly the same curriculum as the advanced generalist program above but with different language ("Clinical" vs "Interpersonal"). Even the curriculum at NYU is nearly the same, and NYU SW is considered very clinical.

 

[summerbabe]

So i don't understand why the MSW mega-thread says you have to go to a school with a clinical concentration when this is the same. Does it mean avoid administrative track, instead?

Not 100% sure but there are masters programs that don't lead to a clinical license, which can confuse people who expect to be practice as a therapist afterwards.

For your program, it sounds like a semantic choice. As long as the program will graduate you with a MSW and provide eligibility to get licensed as an LCSW in your state after completing the required post-grad supervised clinical hours, you're good.

But definitely do your full due diligence, including independent verification with appropriate state boards if you have any doubts.

 

[DownJonesIndustrial]

Ironically, a girl used to work for me that did the businessy-community track in her MSW program and never wanted to be a therapist. She graduated and got a job as a therapist and is paying supervision hours to get her LCSW. Everything about social work confuses me.

 

[Kokonaut]

I recently applied at a school that offers an Advanced Generalist education, and I also am applying at other schools that offer a Clinical track. I want to go into clinical work. I have also applied for Counseling at several places, so if you want to comment on that old debate SW vs Counseling feel free to weigh in.

Anyway, I have reviewed the curriculum at all of the Florida schools that offer a clinical track, and even some out-of-state. The curriculum are all pretty much the same. The only difference is that the "advanced generalist" programs use synonyms for clinical such as "Interpersonal" or "Direct Practice" and offer a less robust selection of clinical electives (though enough to fill the 4 elective slots with clinical stuff).

If i choose Social Work, I prefer the university that has the Advanced Generalist program because i wouldn't have to move. I also have been granted admission should i choose to enroll. I talked with a former professor (I graduated undergrad there) who has his LCSW, and he said the whole thing is political. "Advanced generalist" is just a way to get around using the word clinical.

The internships also may be generalist in the first year of programs with a clinical concentration. Then, the second year pretty much has to be clinical (at least at the Advanced Generalist program i am looking into which prepares for liscensure as an LCSW).

So i don't understand why the MSW mega-thread says you have to go to a school with a clinical concentration when this is the same. Does it mean avoid administrative track, instead?

If you're wondering, the school have been admitted to is UNF (UNF - The Graduate School - Social Work)

I can comment on where I received my MSW - they had both a policy planning (macro) route as well as a clinical concentration. Generally speaking what you've described for the courses they both would likely could as clinical when it comes to licensure. Advanced generalist might be used because you aren't going to explicitly be a specialist when you graduate (and that's likely true of most schools sans being a child welfare specialist or school social worker), that's something you grow into of sorts in a post-graduate setting.

 

[PGM_777]

I can comment on where I received my MSW - they had both a policy planning (macro) route as well as a clinical concentration. Generally speaking what you've described for the courses they both would likely could as clinical when it comes to licensure. Advanced generalist might be used because you aren't going to explicitly be a specialist when you graduate (and that's likely true of most schools sans being a child welfare specialist or school social worker), that's something you grow into of sorts in a post-graduate setting.

I'm enrolled and its sort of like both. They still call the 2nd year "Specialization year." There is emphasis on policy but its also clinical. But if you want to go therapy route they are very happy to get you into a counseling internship. You can also take electives from the Counseling MS program and the dept head of that program seems very happy to offer it.

But yeah I think you're right on that its about being a generalist vs specialist.