MSW programs

[molly7]

I will be graduating with my BSW and am looking at several MSW programs. I am not really pleased with the ones offered in my state. Most offer no specialization, and don't offer courses in areas I am interested in. The two that do offer specialization only do so in Admin or Family Services.

There are several programs out of state that I am VERY interested in. The offer specializations I am interested in, as well as the courses I am looking for.

The issue of course is price. In state I am looking at less that half what I will pay to go out of state. This is concerning considering the research I have done on what I can expect in salary once I graduate.

So here's my question. Is it worth it to pay $25,000-$35,000 to go to a school that focuses on the areas I want to work in, or should I pay less to go to a school where I won't receive the education I want? Should I count on job experience to make up for what I won't learn in class?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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[WannaBeDrMe]

I did attend a specialized program where the course descriptions exactly fit my idealistic standards.

When the classes began, it was evident that what was on paper to support CWSE accreditation wasn't necessarily what was going to be taught to us that year.

The majority of my learning... ok, absolutely 98% of my learning, came from my field site. The field placement was everything.

The classes were, at best, a brief, superficial review of my entry level psych undergrad classes. They were entirely focused on busy work (hours and hours and hours of assignments each week, multiple 25+ page papers, metric crap tons of reading, more genograms than you could shake a stick at...)....

Still, go where your gut leads you... Money is a realistic concern and my biggest mistake was pretending for my first 5 years in the field that I was superior to the "money matters" mentality. I was dead wrong... and if I had it to do over again, I would have made a lot of different choices.

good luck w/your decision.

 

[zird00]

I agree with WannaBeDrMe. While most programs offer specialized "tracks" such as clinical, health care, admin, macro, micro, etc. these courses are of marginal help at best. Your true specialization comes from your practice experience (i.e. FIELD). While the courses that go along with these specialized tracks may be able to teach you some of the base theory and techniques needed for that area, nothing is a substitute for experience.

I am sure pingouin will be along with more info soon!

 

[pingouin]

Although I agree that the majority of your learning will occur in field placements, I do think paying attention to tracks and curriculum is extremely important. For example, if you want to practice clinically, you CANNOT go to an administrative or macro program. Licensure laws are being rewritten to prevent people from non-clinical tracks from getting clinical licenses- as it should be. That said, I don't know that schools without "track" programs are necessarily a bad thing, as long as the courses are available to get you the theory and practice courses that you need.

For example, if you're interested in a clinical/mental health track (which most of the people visiting this board are), then look at the curriculum for other schools that offer that concentration. Then compare that to the course offerings for the schools near to you. Does their curriculum match up? Can you get all those courses? Then save your money and create your own "track". If that school comes up short, keep looking.

Ultimately, I'd suggest you work on finding the least expensive option that meets your curriculum needs and has a good arrangement with quality field placements. And be damned sure it's CSWE accredited.

 

[molly7]

...for your replies. One issue I'm having is that the schools in my area offer no classes at all on one of the areas I am interested in, but they could get me internships in it. The class listings look like they would be the same thing I am learning for my BSW. None of the classes am I interested in are offered.

If I go out of state though, I am looking at 22-30K for my MSW, which is more than the max I can borrow. That is also a lot of debt for a social worker, on top of my loans for my BSW.

I've been contacting all the schools I am interested in and the ones in my area. It looks like I am going to have to choose between a school I can afford without classes I want and shelling out big bucks for one I can't afford. I'm probably going to have to suck it up and go to a program I'm not interested in. Hopefully I'll get a good internship, and then I can move out of state when I graduate.

 

[pingouin]

Can you do me a favor and either a) post a link or b) cut and paste a list for the available courses for the program you're considering? I would suspect that much of the education you're looking for is within a typical MSW curriculum, even if it's not 100% obvious. If you're saying that program has available quality field placements in hospitals, that's key. Because when you graduate... your field placement goes on your resume. Your coursework does not. So when the situation is not ideal you have to make the curriculum work for you.

Will you go Advanced Standing?

 

[molly7]

Thanks for your reply. I don't know where they do internships; it's not listed on their web site. From emailing someone there, they said they could probably get me an internship at a hospital or some type of clinic, and that medical social work is not discussed in any of their classes. It's an advanced generalist degree, which is good on some levels, but there are target populations I am interested in working with. It is the one I would go to in-state because the offer the Advanced Standing program part time at night, so I could still work, plus they're in the city, so better jobs. From what I've heard from other students, it's an okay program.

Here's a link to the classes they offer: http://cas.umkc.edu/socialwork/Academic.htm

 

[pingouin]

Wow, not a lot of options there. Have you considered the KU-Edwards Campus program? A lot more electives, at least one in health/mental health, and probably the same field placements at UMKC (or similar). Plus KU has a pretty darn good program and a "Metro KC rate" for MO residents in certain counties. Which would be in-state tuition.

BTW, if you're doing advanced standing, it actually may make more sense to give go full time for that year and subsist on loans. BSSWs don't tend to get paid much, and the MSW salary jump is fairly impressive- so in the long run it may be the better financial deal. Just food for thought.

 

[molly7]

I’ve looked into the KU Edwards campus. Even though it says the class is on health/mental health, according to the faculty I have contacted at both KU campuses, it is now strictly mental health-they’ve dropped the health aspect because mental health is “more important”. I will probably go to the program at UMKC because it is full time, while the program at KU Edwards is only part time (despite what it might say on the web site). I’m still holding out hope that my current school will get a MSW program up and running in the next year. It might happen.

I decided yesterday to just go right into my MSW, instead of taking some time off. I figure I’m not going to be able to save much money on a BSW salary to apply towards my MSW, so why wait. I know with my BSW, I have not been able to borrow any money for living expenses. I’ve only been approved for a little more than the actual tuition. I don’t know why, so I’m not counting on being able to get any more extra in loans for my MSW either. I’m just planning on working full time as well. If I don’t drop dead from exhaustion that is! It’s only one more year.

Thanks for all your help. My instructors don’t have a lot of concrete advice to give, so this has been really helpful.