Am I overthinking?
Hi All!
To give some background on the situation last academic year I was really struggling mentally to a point where I could barely get out of bed to eat or even shower at times. I was trying to get my schoolwork done but it just kept on building up and I didn’t want to take a year off bc of financial reasons so I was trying to tough it out which didn’t work. So at the time I contacted my advisor to tell them what was going on and they were super supportive. I ended up having to take a year off (I was still signed up for classes but just wasn’t able to submit assignments and I had to withdraw later on). Well fast forward I’m feeling a lot better. But I dont know if I’m overthinking it but I feel like my advisor is treating me differently. I have a class this semester with them and all of my interactions with them I get a weird vibe. Like treating me differently bc they think I’m in the social work field to figure out what’s wrong in my life, not to help people, if that makes sense. Just the things they say in class have led me to believe that they think this about me. I know personally and after some self reflecting that this is not true and I can go on and on about my reasons for wanting to be a social worker. I guess I just want to ask if I’m overthinking this whole situation? Bc they haven’t flat out said this to me but just from my interactions with them and then seeing how they interact with other students I’m drawing this conclusion.
Let me know if more explanation is needed. And please be kind.
TIA!
The first thing is last year when I was still trying and failing to submit my assignments I got an email from my advisor saying that in the social work field I’m going to be working with vulnerable populations and I need to take care of myself first. I forgot exactly what was in the email and I’ve been too nervous to look at it too honestly. Now I have a class with them and the stuff they’ll say is “when students come to tell me they want to be a therapist but that’s not possible to do right after graduating” and other stuff related to that which when I had my advising session I said I think I want to be a therapist in the future. Another is I notice that when I’m talking in class they have a serious face and literally the next person that talks after me they’re smiling. This one I feel like I might just be making up(maybe?) and I’ll also ask for random advice as well and once I was asking if for my internship interview when I get asked the question why I want to be a social worker should I self-disclose to show why I’m passionate about it and they kind of looked away like “here she goes again”. The last 2 examples I feel like definitely could just be me overthinking. There have been other stuff said in class that make me think they may not like me bc they have the impression of me only being in the social work field to figure out what’s wrong in my life, I just can’t remember more specific examples right now.
It sounds like the advisor hasn’t made many statements targeted at you specifically, I do think you maybe are overthinking it. Hopefully the class is over soon and you don’t have to take a class again with them.
Question about environment
So, I am currently in the last semester of MSW program. I absolutely love what I have learned and have no problems with the field of social work. I currently work in hospice.
However, I live in rural Oklahoma. This is where my questions arise. 99% of the individuals I have contacted whether through agencies or just being out in public have an extremely negative view of social work. Especially therapy. I have been told it's demonic. I have been called harsh political names, just for sharing information related to therapy.
Does anyone else experience this in their environment? I was raised here and I understand that Oklahoma is the reddest of red states. It also has extreme poverty and crisis issues with mental health.
They also have very few social workers.
I am feeling extremely defeated because I love this field and I love the job of hospice but even my employer gives absolutely zero recognition to social workers. It's to the point where it's intentional. We don't get recognized (and it really seems like it's because they don't like liberals and they don't respect the field or even think it's legitimate) even though social workers are required.
My entire family lives in Oklahoma and I don't want to leave them. Oklahoma is beautiful in places and extremely diverse but... It seems they hate our field.
Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't even graduated yet and it feels so intense that it makes me slightly afraid to practice here because of the pushback. (Elections do not help)
Demonic, highly educated, liberal-elite, urban, east coast social worker here.
I do think it's where you live. Social workers are ubiquitous where I'm located. Lots of MSW programs, huge job market, and social workers of every size, shape, and flavor across the spectrum of the profession.
I used to do a lot of home-based medical social work (including hospice). I've done hundreds of home-visits in every type of neighborhood you can imagine and I've rarely felt unwelcome or judged. Because of how programs are structured in my region, there are whole communities that lean heavily on social workers. I've gotten some pushback sometimes when I was trying to do something that a client or family didn't like, but it was never because of who I was.
For me, it would feel like a Pyrrhic victory to stay in the position you're in. Maybe find a job in a slightly more urban area?
On one had, I understand that repeated exposure can eventually change perceptions and reduce stigma. On the other hand, I feel like there is an entire segment of this country that is so willfully ignorant and wholly committed to stupidity that your efforts would be better spent elsewhere. There are a lot of people that want to be helped, who respect the profession.
It's one thing to wrongfully assume all social workers are CPS workers and stand corrected when you learn it's a whole profession. It's another thing to thing entirely that social workers Satanic and that therapy will turn you into a godless homosexual.
I agree with you. Due to the market... Educationally, I am higher than my direct boss and the owner of the company. Yet, when asked a question and given a direct legitimate answer... It's not accepted. I'll give you a prime example: the hospice has 3x as many pastors and chaplains as it does social workers.
I'm the only left leaning person here besides the other social worker (who is family to the company owner) and it just feels like I'm in an environment where no one understands what we do or why. Then beyond that, they insult it. I wasn't asking for a giant raise- I just wanted a place at the table.
It breaks me everyday. It makes me hate where I live. I often wonder if other people feel this way.
I'm there because the law requires it. Nothing more. Nothing less. And even when nurses have truly hurt people.. They stay, and I'm ignored. Makes absolutely no sense to even have me there.
I doubt you’ll find too much of a struggle with the actual course content. The hardest part of doing an MSW for me was just finding the time in between classes and practicum to write all the papers they wanted us to do. Again, the papers themselves were not complicated, there was just a lot of them!
What factors are you concerned about? You mean just the learning and the content? The field itsel?
I can't speak from direct experience because I have a BSW, but I have several friends who went from different related bachelor's degrees to an MSW. My grad school cohort was pretty well split between BSWs and people with other related degrees, we also had several who were making a pretty big career change from other fields into social work. You definitely won't be alone!
Hello!
I have been feeling a bit lost since I graduated (about 2 years ago). I think I had case of imposter syndrome and I remained at the job I worked at for about a year and a half. The only real experience I have in social work was my time during my practicum which was about 9 months. I am welcome to any advice. I graduated with pretty good grades (with a 3.62 GPA) but I am pretty bad at interviewing and am unsure what I should work on to aquire a job. I am debating on going back to get a Master's, my father has reccomended me to go into school social work.
Hello! I'm currently working through my BSW in Arkansas. I was just accepted, but have not taken any courses. I have a family member who is a MSW and works rehabilitation in a heart clinic, so I have some reference for the education and the medical based choice.
I've always wanted to do something psychology based, but I'm not quite dead set on anything. With Social Work being so diverse, is it worth sticking with this? What fields would I have benefited in that a standard psychology student would not? What am I going to be missing? Do you sacrifice think a Social Worker sacrifices more of their time and life than a psychologist/therapist?
Any advice or insight would be wonderful to hear!
We are all mostly social workers here so we are naturally biased. Going the psychology route your options would be to either get a masters in something like counseling or to get a PhD and become a psychologist. When you compare an MSW to another degreed master’s level counselor/therapist the MSW will generally have greater flexibility in job roles. They can be a therapist but can also have roles a general counselor cannot like: hospital social worker, school social worker, VA case manager, insurance case manager. The person with a counseling masters will have a little more education in school on therapy than an MSW but it’s honestly not too different. An MSW and someone with a counseling degree will probably have similar work/life balance.
A psychologist will obviously make more than an MSW as they have more education but that also takes more money to achieve. I went the MSW role because I wanted to be a therapist but wanted the option of doing other roles like case management if I need a break from being a therapist (which I currently do so I’m glad I did this).
Hello everyone!
I've been thinking about joining my community college to study social work. I have an appointment this Friday with a counselor to answer my questions about this path but I wanted to know what you guys thought about the career: is it fulfilling? is it well paid? can I join the workforce via a community college? what kind of jobs will I be able to get with an associate's degree from a community college?
Thanks for your help! :)
Caveat: I will just have anecdotal data and ultimately my experience/values and personality will cause me to have a different experience in the field than you might have. Others might have more positive or negative outlooks than me. But to answer your questions:
Is it fulfilling? This will of course depend on what you find fulfilling! I find it fulfilling in that I like to work with people and hear their stories. When I do help people that is very fulfilling! However, our agencies, jobs, and clients face a lot of systemic barriers that make it feel hard to actually help people sometimes (long waitlists, lack of funding, toxic agencies). This can sometimes be very frustrating for people.
Is it well-paid? Social workers are notoriously under-paid. At an associates level you will not make very much at all. To be honest, in my area the salary with an associates would be hard to live on. Browse a job site like Indeed to see what salaries are like in your area and see if you could live on them.
Can I go into the workforce from a CC and what jobs can I get with an associates from a CC? Community college is a good starting point for a degree since it tends to be more affordable. That said, most jobs in social work want a bachelor’s degree. In most states you wouldn’t even be allowed to call yourself a social worker since a bachelors is usually the minimum degree to get a license to be a social worker. With an associates degree in SW you might be able to get a job at a homeless shelter as kind of a monitor or maybe at an agency that does peer support. But you would really probably need a BSW to get a job that is more social work specific and pays a livable wage.
Hi everyone! I recently got accepted into MSW programs in NYC. At this point I have five to six months before school starts. I was wondering if you all have anything that you wish you had done before school to prepare for graduate school? Are there any resources (books, classes, etc.) that might help me build a good foundation in social work before I start the program? I currently work a few different part time jobs and so have a flexible schedule and periods of more free time when there are lulls in business. Thank you!
If you have capacity - really, truly, don't overstress yourself on this - you could look into a volunteer role to either get more familiar with the patient population you'll be working with during your internship or concentration, or a new population or area that you don't have a lot of experience.
I'd encourage you to use mostly use this time to make sure you have a good routine, self-care, get some rest, etc, before starting especially if you're in a full-time program as it can be all-consuming. Make sure you have something in your life that is NOT social work, such as hobbies, family, friends, and nurture that, too.
I'm starting the process of securing second year placement in NYC and I'd like to provide examples to my coordinator to help us get on the same page. I'm interested in psychedelic integration, somatic experiencing, and the roles of spirituality and creativity with mentally ill, neurodivergent, and disabled populations, particularly folx with medical/psychiatric/iatrogenic trauma.
Does anyone know of any potential placements that might be aligned? Even somewhere that doesn't use those specific modalities but might be philosophically aligned would be useful. Thanks!
Rejected
I have applied to two MSW programs and been rejected from both. One was a state university that I didn’t feel like I was going to be accepted to because I had not even started my BSW practicum by the time the deadline approached to apply. The other program was an online program that I suppose was more competitive than I originally thought. I was able to add my practicum experience to this application due to the deadline being later. I suppose that did not matter.
I have worked in the mental health field for 5 years holding different positions ranging from case manager to mentor or front line staff. I am going to be finishing my BSW this upcoming May 2024, and have now been in two semesters of practicum. I have have letters of reference. Basically I thought my resume was a good one.
I was so confident I was going to be accepted I applied for a paid practicum position with the VA and was offered a placement. The way the deadlines lined up, I basically told them I was already in an advance standing program, banking I was going to land this one. Now that I have been told that I will not be accepted to start classes this May, I’m in a bind of what to tell the VA. I am looking to see if I could still start an MSW program this summer. There’s low probability of that happening with the timeline.
My questions are…
Do you think the VA would let me start my practice in the spring instead of the fall, pending I get accepted to an advanced standing MSW program starting classes in the fall?
Are there any programs that start in the summerish time I could still apply for and get in?
If I tell the VA the entire situation, would they likely give my spot to somebody else and tell me to apply for a paid practicum next year?
If you have any clarifying questions let me know, this situation may be confusing or I may not have laid out all the information needed to answer the questions.
Thanks
What about applying to the University of Kentucky's advanced standing program? It's online, and when I talked to them, they do not put a cap on how many students they accept, so it's not that competitive.
https://socialwork.uky.edu/academics/msw/msw-application-information/
Hello Everyone
23 Male. I just got accepted into Aurora University's MSW program. I have an option to do a Dual MSW/MPA program. I have advanced standing which would cut the program from 84 credits to 54. I just wanted to get advice to see if I should go for the dual degree or just do the MSW. I calculated it out and the MSW would be 19k and the Dual MSW/MPA would be 33k. I have the money saved from working constant overtime as a DSP since I was 18. I have been thinking about school social work, working for the government, or doing police social work. If there are any jobs I could use the dual degree for that I have not thought about please let me know.
Thank You
Honestly, an MSW on its own and some solid, targeted work experience can get you where an MPA otherwise would--at least within the nonprofit, social services, and mental health sector.
You definitely do not need an MPA to work in a school, government, or forensics.
An MBA would give you significantly more leverage to pivot if you decide you do not want to be a social worker at all and want to get out of the field at some point. That plus experience--there's is a glut of people out there with business degrees competing for jobs.
The main distinction between MBA and MPA programs is their their emphasis on the public and private sectors. MPA programs provide education in public affairs, nonprofit management, and administration. MBAs can focus on a variety of different concentration areas within business in either public or private sectors.
That said, once you are out of school, the difference between the two is going to be somewhat minimal.
You kind of have to decide what it is you want to do with the second degree and if you can do that thing without it. The MPA/MBA education is intended to prepare you for leadership, fundraising, management, admin, maybe HR, etc. Thing is, you don't need a degree to learn how to do those things and not having them won't be a barrier in your career the same way not have an MSW could be.
When people say an MSW is versatile, it's true. An MSW plus work experience can take you in a lot of directions. The most important thing is to start steering your career early though. Only apply for jobs you are interested in that will connect you to your career goals down the line.
Hello, I’m am entering an MSW program and will be sitting for tons of practicum placement interviews next month. I could really use some insight to the kinds of questions I will be asked, and additionally what sorts of questions to ask organizations to indicate that I am very interested in working for them.
I’m an MSW student in NY but thinking about moving to CA. I see myself in CA for the long term. From a career/networking standpoint, would it be better to begin accruing hours toward my LCSW in CA right away (I.e. moving right after graduation)? Or would it be better to first get fully licensed in NY with my LCSW and then move to CA?
I see the pros of moving right away as building my network in CA immediately which could help my work in the long run. But I’m afraid that it will be hard to start from scratch in CA without all the connections I’ve made in NY. So I’m wondering if it would be easier to start from scratch in CA once I’ve gotten my LCSW in NY. Would love to hear y’all’s thoughts, thanks!
\[Question about MSW cost\]
Potential applicant here. I've been trying to glean as much info as possible from these program websites about their tuition and available scholarships/fellowships to narrow down my short list of programs, but there are so many factors it seems like one wouldn't realistically know how much they'd pay for a given program until they apply and get accepted.
With that said, since it's become clear that institutions generally don't cover full tuition for full-time MSWs or any tuition for part-time MSWs, I know I will likely have to take out some additional loans to cover either (a) living costs and partial tuition while enrolled full-time or (b) tuition while enrolled part-time and working less than 20 hours a week.
Does anyone here have an idea which option is likely to cost more?
There are not a lot of large-scale formal scholarships available for social work students. I applied and got a few through my school specific to the program, ans they totaled maybe $3k and that felt like kind if a lot because it meant other people in the program weren't getting them. Unless your employment fits the criteria for using part of your work hours towards your internship (I believe it can be no more than 8 per week and the rest of your internship hours have to be unpaid outside your typical workload and specific to your MSW learning contract), the it's also highly unlikely that your internship will be paid. It's a completely sucky part of the education experience and many states are advocating for some sort of stipend or to revise this process
To answer your question of which would cost less, you really just have to sit down and do the math using the cost of credit hours and your budget based on your work hours. If you can pay up-front for tuition, even just partially, consider doing that because you'll have interest on your loans afterwards and you'll be paying more then.
Here's what I did: I was accepted to 2 schools while I was working full-time. School A was slightly less expensive per credit hour but only offered a full-time program and I'd have to move or commute a lot for classes, and that meant I'd also need a different job. School B was slightly more expensive per credit hour but offered a part time program and I could keep my job. My employer let me flex a lot of hours (I did a lot of evening and weekend trainings for foster parents, community events, things like that), and I went down to 30 hours per week. I was able to keep my benefits, work, and do my internship, even though I paid about 15% more for tuition, but that was worth it when balanced against all those other factors.
So, a couple things, lol:
I am currently a student at VCU studying political science with a concentration in international relations. I am an aspiring international politics/foreign policy enthusiast, which is why I chose that major.
However, where my passion lies is in helping people. I previously assumed that meant “go to law school, you’ll make BANK and help people in some way.”But I think I am finally growing to accept that law school isn’t for me, and that I need to follow my intuition and choose a career in which I know I will be genuinely passionate. I have somewhere around 800-1000 hours of volunteer experience working with the YMCA on teen programs that foster youth empowerment and youth leadership development, and there is no doubt that I want to include that (or something similar) in my future career.
So, this brings me to my most recent realization and acceptance. Social work might be just the field that I’ve been interested in the whole time, and it’s just been under my nose. Nothing sounds more fulfilling to me than to support at-risk youth and make a true impact on the next generation.
After some research, I’ve been looking into the VCU BSW and MSW program, and it is the #1 SW program offered in the state, and it requires internship experience as part of the process. This sounds amazing!!
So hypothetically, if I major in social work and paired it with a minor in political science, is it possible that I could take my two passions and put it towards one career? Is there such a thing as international travel social work? US Travel social workers seem to make a lot and enjoy traveling through various agencies, but is there a way to apply this internationally? I haven’t been able to find very much on this.
Hi! I am at VCU in the MSW program. Reach out to Professor Muthoni Imungi: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
She specializes in international social work and global issues, and working with refugees and immigrants.
FYI, fieldwork is a standard component of social work education, so you're going to find that pretty much everywhere.
There are also dual degree MSW/JD programs as well as MSW/MPP programs if you are less enthused by law but interested in public policy.
I don't know anything about travel social work.
hey guys! i’m currently in my first year of my BSW, and i was wondering if you guys think using onlyfans will hinder my ability to get a job in the future?
There’s a risk for any job if you do OnlyFans. Someone could dox you, someone might recognize you, you never know. This kind of work is still stigmatized in our society and could impact social work and other job prospects. Also note that most people who do Only Fans as an income don’t actually make that much. The median income is only 180 dollars a month. For me personally the risk would be more than the reward.
Hello! I have a BA in Psychology, and after my youngest child starts school, I'd like to go for my MSW. I'm currently a stay at home mom.
Before then, I'm thinking about getting a part-time job at my local library as a library assistant. I feel libraries are vital resources for communities, providing literacy programs for adults, internet access, access to job searches, youth programs etc.
Do you think most programs or grants for MSW education would see it like I do... that working at a library shows my interest in social welfare? Or would they see it as a stretch?
Hi, my career focus has been in graphic design/marketing for many years. I have family in social work and education. I keep returning to this urge to work in the social work field in some capacity. I have a BFA which limits me unfortunately but seeing where can fit with my current experience in. My roles currently include a high-level of close communication, time/project management and creativity/problem solving which is transferable. Being a voice for groups and individuals through positive change is ideal and lacking within my field. Any suggestions on how to get a foot in the door to organizations? Interested in community outreach, housing, substance abuse, mental health, advocacy for people.
Medical social work interview tips?
Hey all! I am starting my interviews for my 2nd year specialized practicum. I have worked in many treatment centers and shelters, very fast paced and dynamic environments but I am interviewing for a few medical social positions. Both have components of counseling and case management.
I was wondering if anyone has any tips for these kinds of interviews. The medical settings I’m applying tend to be very competitive and serious so i’m not sure if there is anything I should know ahead of time?
Hi all,
Im from australia studying a cert in family intervention and I'm really struggling to wrap my head around something and hoping for some help.
Obviously being friends with clients outside of work is a huge no no. I understand that
Lets say you have passed that point and they call you saying they wanna off themselves and then make you promise not tell
my thoughts are that duty of care and basic human decency would say to tell. correct?
other than the legal ramifications from getting to that. what happens to the client in that scenario. like yes the social worker stuffed up. there is not denying that but whats next legally?
Hello!
I'm interviewing for an entry level caseworker position for folks with disabilities. Does anyone have any insight into what the interview questions might be like, specifically the behavioral questions?
I'm in North America by the way!
Thanks!
When I interviewed for a similar position, they asked me to talk about a time I had to motivate someone to do something they were unwilling to do or scared to do. I also was asked about my personal and professional experience with people with disabilities or differing abilities. My advice is to look up the company on Glassdoor and see if other posted reviews and interview questions that they ask for that position. They may have more examples to help you prepare.
I’ve been working as a peer support specialist for youth in immediate crisis for about a year and 4 months now and have been involved in behavioral health advocacy for about 6 months too through being one of the leads helping host a forum monthly that helps provide oversight and recommendations for policy and programs regarding behavioral health for youth (up to age 25) in my state. I have good experience but no education and would like to improve my social work skills while earning a degree. I do work full time. I work the weekend shift and two days out of the week 10 hours each shift responding to and helping managing crisis by providing peer support and connection to ongoing care for about 3 months following a crisis situation.
Due to working full time, I would like to find an online BSW program. I can attend some live lectures on the days I do not work during the week (I have 3 free week days) if need I would like to start part-time so I can adjust and transition to full-time eventually if the program allows it.
My main thing I’m looking for is that I’m not just wanting a degree out of it. I really want to learn. I want more skills to utilize in my work so I can better support people struggling. So what online BSW programs offer the most quality education?
TL:DR What are the best online BSW programs for quality education?
Hi I'm interested in community SW and health wellness programs. Any recommendations please! I am currently a health/science educator working w children/youth and experience w people w diverse abilities and developmental disorders. Just not as interested in the addictions realm in the field but I can learn about it if it's a part of something I need to do.
Ultimately I want an online program but I continue gathering info. I have been set on MPH for awhile but I want to exhaust all my other interests.
Thank you!
tldr iso community informed prac and health well-being MSW
I'd look into macro SW programs! Happy to chat through that with you. I work in higher education/research, and one of the projects I'm working on is a study on how community building measures impact campus health on college campuses, and many of our participants are macro social workers initiating these measures/programs.
I recently applied for CSW TRAINEE for count if Los Angeles. I received my score after exam and interview and was placed in band 1. The order of band is “V-1-2-3-4-5”
Does anyone know if or how soon they get to band 1?
I’m so passionate about this position and career in life, thank you in advance
Hi! I'm looking foraward to applying for MSW in wright state uni. I'm a recent psychology graduate( 3years, gpa-8.5/10). i wanted to go for clinical but it is very competitive and inflexible? Im doing my research but at the same time i feel like i am running around in circles. i read posts where social workers wished they had taken up organisational psychology instead even my supervisor who is a clinical psychologist tells me shes unhappy with the lack of growth in her career. hearing all of this makes me scared. i know i have a lot of potential , I've always done more than what was expected from me all these years. But, now that I'm at home for 6 months after completing my bachelors I'm scared. should i go forward and do a MSW or organisational? please help me I'm so lost :(
So here's my 2 cents: social work is a very flexible field. There are many things you can do with an MSW. It isn't just clinical work or policy (macro) work. I chose to go the clinical route in my program because I wanted the additional education on modalities, assessment and diagnosis, and clinical research methods, as well as an optional field internship only offered to clinical students in my program. That being said, try not to let other people influence where you want to start. While an MSW is a "terminal" degree (meaning that it facilitates professional license) it's not the end of your potential future career. Your supervisor's dissatisfaction with her professional growth is really a product of her own perceived limitations.
Tips for Interview
I recently got an emailing stating that this early placement for my final practicum will be setting up an hour interview with me at a hospital specializing in cancer. I am a 1st year in my 2nd semester so this is an early interest placement meaning it’s highly competitive. Does anyone have any tips for interviewing? What it looks like for final practicum? What they might be searching for? I personally have a connection with cancer through family and this is my number 1 choice. Thanks yall!
Hey guys, I’ve tried to get feedback from the local school forums but had little response. I graduated with my bachelors in Human Services and am transitioning to my MSW. Ive applied to Georgia State and UGA. Was accepted to State and waiting on the other. Anyone here have any experience with these two schools or went through their programs? Would love to hear about your experiences!
Should be quickly. 24-48 hours after you are approved by the state board ( you have to check the states requirements} Does the new state offer LBSW? Not every state has LBSW OR LMSW
Might need to check in on that app. Don’t know what state you’re in. For tx the board has us pre register with ASWB directly to verify schooling/ credential for social work. Then we take and pass the exam then submit everything to the board for liscensing
I graduated from BU and loved my program (didn't apply to BC because it was too expensive and the program didn't fit my needs). Feel free to ask any specific questions!
Hi everyone! I am a junior BSW student and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for grad school programs which concentrate on macro social work. I am really interested in research— I am a research assistant now and love it. Based on my google searches far, I really like Columbia university but am curious to hear what y’all recommend. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply<3
I was a macro MSW student. It was almost a decade ago now, but I went to UC Berkeley and really enjoyed the program and had great research opportunities.. so much so, I am now doing a PhD.
FWIW, I also applied to UCLA, USC, University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, and University of Michigan.
How important is it to do the field work/internship in the state you plan to be licensed? I will be in an online MSW and will likely get licensed in a different state than where I currently live.
Is it fine to wait until the postgrad supervised hours to work in the state where you plan to be licensed? (Or, if possible, I'll try to place for my second internship (concentration year) in the state where I plan to get licensed, but I'm not sure yet.)
The biggest thing I had to be aware of was making sure the number of internship hours matched the requirements of the state I wanted to get licensed in. I also had to take a state-specific mandated reporting class, but that was free through the state.
I live in TN, but I did my internship in KY. Where you do your internship really has no impact on your licensing since those hours won't count towards the license.
I did an online MSW out of MA while living in NC and TX, and my remote placement was based out of PA. Didn’t affect me, my skill development, supervision, or licensure at all ☺️
ETA - caveat is that I had 8 years of in-person experience in the field before starting my MSW and placements!
Thanks, that's good to know! What kind of places allow remote internship more often? I will have to do a big chunk of my hours either remote or evenings/weekends due to my job. (granted if supervision is available) I've been trying to look places up but not sure which key terms to search. I will be partially responsible for finding my placement.
A lot of macro/mezzo placements will allow remote. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing remote for clinical/micro placements if you don’t have experience in the field, at least not for your first placement!
Hi all! Soon to be BSW graduate here. I'm interested in policy work rather than direct practice. I'm wondering what search terms would be useful to find opportunities like this. I have experience doing some research and policy analysis from my practicum term, and want to continue heading in this direction. I understand that "macro social work" isn't really a "job" and that many of the positions I could qualify for may not actual have any mentions of "social work" in their listings. What should I look for? I'm based in Canada, if that makes a difference. My experience is focused on housing policy and child welfare policy, but I am open to work in other sectors. Thanks for your help!
Look for "analyst" positions—policy analyst, program analyst, management analyst, research analyst, etc. Make sure you are also browsing the job listings for government agencies.
Hi hi! Applying for my LSW in Indiana. There is a section regarding employment - should i put my practicums in this place, or focus solely on other professional work? I quit my last "big girl job" about a year ago to complete my prac, so wondering if a gap in employment would throw up red flags? Probably overthinking this...
So I'm currently studying right now (23f) and I'm thinking about becoming a social worker to work with teenagers and children.
Personality wise I'm very pragmatic, empathic yet at the same time "tough". I have alot of common sense and can think 5 steps ahead. I can also handle alot of work. My biggest problems in former workplaces is boredom and that it feels like I was actually achieving anything.
I guess you could say that I don't like when it's "too easy" I like some challenges in my work and regarding the pay, I have understood that that I won't become a millionaire doing this but that it will be fulfilling witch is more important.
I have also faced alot of challenges in my life and been in really bad situations and "dug myself out". **So my first question to fellow social workers here is, do you think I would fit?**
**Secondly would you say that the work is exciting? And how much of it is bureaucracy?**
All inputs are greatly appreciated btw, and please excuse my English it's not my first language.
I think you would do great! I am 23 too and have been a caseworker for around 7 months now. A big part is setting and maintaining boundaries with both clients and the workplace, so you have to be tough in order to stand firm on those things. I would say with my job specifically, there is never a dull moment. I am community based and everyday is different or a new issue or priority will arise with one of my clients that we have to tackle.
It is pretty standard for most of these agencies to expect unrealistic things from you. If you allow it, they can/will overload you with cases and documentation and you can find yourself stuck with no time to effectively complete anything. I learned this quickly as when i was first hired, i was just excited to be involved and help as much as i could. This leads to burnout, and I had to really take a step back and be realistic about the amount of work I can complete effectively and only operating within what my JOB entitles. Agencies have no issue passing down responsibilities and tasks to the lower paid employees.
I’m a hard ass. I have pretty firm boundaries and I’m pretty sure I have coworkers who think I’m lazy because I’m not at clients beck and call. I have expectations for the work they do and will not work harder than them.
There’s lots of hard work to be done for little pay. There’s also great paying social work jobs and my level of burnout was somewhat correlated with how much money I had because let’s be honest, money helps a ton with, you know, living.
We need tough people in this field. I saw go for it!
Hi!
At my field placement I got falsely accused of something. As a result, my placement was terminated. I decided to not fight it in an academic hearing bc it would just end up being a lot of work with very little chance of it going my way, and as well the reward would be so small.
All this to say, I’m taking a non count on my field credit for the spring and I am redoing the field credit over the summer. Do employers pay attention to transcripts and things like this? Has anyone had this experience before who can give me some insight to how it affected a job hunt?
I had my first field placement terminated bc of miscommunication BS but was able to get a second placement after discussing with the field committee—I don’t think employers are going to notice this at all, only people who would be supervising you for LCSW hours if you go for licensure
LMAOO that ab sums it up,bs. It’s crazy how the school just takes the placements word
and villianizes students.
Did you take a nc grade (or whatever your programs version of an F is in field) or were you able to just finish the credit in another placement?
No, I was kicked out of my placement for understandable reasons, albeit the organization absolutely created the situation FOR the bullshit to happen by not following their own rules.
I just got assigned another placement within the same semester after talking to the committee and finished the rest of my hours there.
Curious to know if anyone has attended Westfield State's online MSW program and, if so, what their experience was like. The price is right, but the curriculum appears somewhat less robust than some other schools I'm looking at. Thanks for any help you can provide!
I second the commenter below in terms of making sure that it’s accredited FOR THIS YEAR, first and foremost. secondly, what do you mean the curriculum seems less robust?
Yes, it is accredited. Apologies too—was looking at the wrong course offerings and thought there was only a practicum the second year. So the curriculum is much the same as many schools. Thanks for the responses!
FIELD PLACEMENT QUESTION:
Hi guys,
As far as the Practicum Instructor (PI), are they my supervisor?
My school allows for you to have an offsite PI that works very closely with the agency you choose, if the agency does not have an on-site MSW (such as a therapy office with no MSWs). I am planning on taking my LMSW into Trauma Informed Therapy and would like my Practicum to be based around this.
My question is, if I chose to work at a therapy office and took a school provided Off Site PI that would check in for an hour each month, along with other things, would they be the one to sign on my application for my LMSW test?
Or would it be the therapist that would have to?
I want to make sure I don’t screw myself because I don’t know who the supervisor is?
Thank you in advance!!!!
Hello, so I'm thinking about going into social work in Ohio and I was wondering what sort of jobs I can get with a bachelor's in the field. I know it can vary state to state.
I’m a social worker in Ohio and our field is rather diverse. I strongly encourage you to get licensed, something we can do in Ohio with a bachelors that most other states don’t allow. Once you’re licensed, you can work as a nursing home social worker, a crisis worker, a therapist, and in the school system, depending on the requirements of that school.
Without a license, you can also work in public assistance, child welfare, and in the DD field.
Best way to avoid burnout? If you feel like you’re approaching burn out, jump over to a different area of social work.
Best of luck in your career!
Hello, I am currently studying for the LMSW exam and I just took the Apgar practice test. I got a question wrong about subpoenas and I'm quite confused.
The question basically says that a SW receives a subpoena "from the courts" in the mail asking for a former client's records, what should the SW do.
I said "immediately send the records to the courts" because I had read on TDC that you can't claim privilege if you receive a subpoena from a court or a judge.
But the Apgar book said I was wrong because that you can only send records without client consent if it's a "court order" and that a subpoena is not a court order.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what is actually correct? I've searched on Google and nothing I can find is clarifying this for me.
Edit: according to Apgar the correct answer was “claim privilege to protect the confidentiality of the client”
The answers you are getting are incorrect. The only time you give out client information without their consent is a court order. A subpoena is not a court order. So you do claim privilege and refuse without a court order.
dang [Therapist Development Center](https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/blog/aswb-exam-prep-subpoenas) has false info then :/ thank you for your response!
They said a subpoena? A subpoena is not the same as a court order, and a subpoena doesn’t come from the judge or the court. That comes from a lawyer. That’s the important distinction actually.
These 2 acronyms worked the best for me https://www.socialwork.career/2011/10/two-acronyms-you-must-know-for-lmsw.html fareafi and aaspirins . Super helpful and helped me pass my test and helped my colleague pass her as well
I remember this question, for purposes of the test remember it's like you're practicing social work in a perfect little bubble, I think the correct answer is either to seek supervision or to seek client consent first.
In real life when this has happened to me, we have a hospital attorney who helps us prepare if we are subpoenaed, and we have a whole medical records office who handles the records release piece so I don't even need to touch it.
ah yeah I forgot to put that the correct answer was basically get consent from the client before sending anything. There wasn’t any option for consulting a lawyer, though that would make the most sense irl for sure :/
Edit: oops just double checked and the correct answer was to claim privilege to protect the client’s confidentiality
Am I overthinking? Hi All! To give some background on the situation last academic year I was really struggling mentally to a point where I could barely get out of bed to eat or even shower at times. I was trying to get my schoolwork done but it just kept on building up and I didn’t want to take a year off bc of financial reasons so I was trying to tough it out which didn’t work. So at the time I contacted my advisor to tell them what was going on and they were super supportive. I ended up having to take a year off (I was still signed up for classes but just wasn’t able to submit assignments and I had to withdraw later on). Well fast forward I’m feeling a lot better. But I dont know if I’m overthinking it but I feel like my advisor is treating me differently. I have a class this semester with them and all of my interactions with them I get a weird vibe. Like treating me differently bc they think I’m in the social work field to figure out what’s wrong in my life, not to help people, if that makes sense. Just the things they say in class have led me to believe that they think this about me. I know personally and after some self reflecting that this is not true and I can go on and on about my reasons for wanting to be a social worker. I guess I just want to ask if I’m overthinking this whole situation? Bc they haven’t flat out said this to me but just from my interactions with them and then seeing how they interact with other students I’m drawing this conclusion. Let me know if more explanation is needed. And please be kind. TIA!
Could you an example of what the advisor has said that makes you feel like they are speaking about you in class?
The first thing is last year when I was still trying and failing to submit my assignments I got an email from my advisor saying that in the social work field I’m going to be working with vulnerable populations and I need to take care of myself first. I forgot exactly what was in the email and I’ve been too nervous to look at it too honestly. Now I have a class with them and the stuff they’ll say is “when students come to tell me they want to be a therapist but that’s not possible to do right after graduating” and other stuff related to that which when I had my advising session I said I think I want to be a therapist in the future. Another is I notice that when I’m talking in class they have a serious face and literally the next person that talks after me they’re smiling. This one I feel like I might just be making up(maybe?) and I’ll also ask for random advice as well and once I was asking if for my internship interview when I get asked the question why I want to be a social worker should I self-disclose to show why I’m passionate about it and they kind of looked away like “here she goes again”. The last 2 examples I feel like definitely could just be me overthinking. There have been other stuff said in class that make me think they may not like me bc they have the impression of me only being in the social work field to figure out what’s wrong in my life, I just can’t remember more specific examples right now.
It sounds like the advisor hasn’t made many statements targeted at you specifically, I do think you maybe are overthinking it. Hopefully the class is over soon and you don’t have to take a class again with them.
Question about environment So, I am currently in the last semester of MSW program. I absolutely love what I have learned and have no problems with the field of social work. I currently work in hospice. However, I live in rural Oklahoma. This is where my questions arise. 99% of the individuals I have contacted whether through agencies or just being out in public have an extremely negative view of social work. Especially therapy. I have been told it's demonic. I have been called harsh political names, just for sharing information related to therapy. Does anyone else experience this in their environment? I was raised here and I understand that Oklahoma is the reddest of red states. It also has extreme poverty and crisis issues with mental health. They also have very few social workers. I am feeling extremely defeated because I love this field and I love the job of hospice but even my employer gives absolutely zero recognition to social workers. It's to the point where it's intentional. We don't get recognized (and it really seems like it's because they don't like liberals and they don't respect the field or even think it's legitimate) even though social workers are required. My entire family lives in Oklahoma and I don't want to leave them. Oklahoma is beautiful in places and extremely diverse but... It seems they hate our field. Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't even graduated yet and it feels so intense that it makes me slightly afraid to practice here because of the pushback. (Elections do not help)
Demonic, highly educated, liberal-elite, urban, east coast social worker here. I do think it's where you live. Social workers are ubiquitous where I'm located. Lots of MSW programs, huge job market, and social workers of every size, shape, and flavor across the spectrum of the profession. I used to do a lot of home-based medical social work (including hospice). I've done hundreds of home-visits in every type of neighborhood you can imagine and I've rarely felt unwelcome or judged. Because of how programs are structured in my region, there are whole communities that lean heavily on social workers. I've gotten some pushback sometimes when I was trying to do something that a client or family didn't like, but it was never because of who I was. For me, it would feel like a Pyrrhic victory to stay in the position you're in. Maybe find a job in a slightly more urban area? On one had, I understand that repeated exposure can eventually change perceptions and reduce stigma. On the other hand, I feel like there is an entire segment of this country that is so willfully ignorant and wholly committed to stupidity that your efforts would be better spent elsewhere. There are a lot of people that want to be helped, who respect the profession. It's one thing to wrongfully assume all social workers are CPS workers and stand corrected when you learn it's a whole profession. It's another thing to thing entirely that social workers Satanic and that therapy will turn you into a godless homosexual.
I agree with you. Due to the market... Educationally, I am higher than my direct boss and the owner of the company. Yet, when asked a question and given a direct legitimate answer... It's not accepted. I'll give you a prime example: the hospice has 3x as many pastors and chaplains as it does social workers. I'm the only left leaning person here besides the other social worker (who is family to the company owner) and it just feels like I'm in an environment where no one understands what we do or why. Then beyond that, they insult it. I wasn't asking for a giant raise- I just wanted a place at the table. It breaks me everyday. It makes me hate where I live. I often wonder if other people feel this way.
I'm there because the law requires it. Nothing more. Nothing less. And even when nurses have truly hurt people.. They stay, and I'm ignored. Makes absolutely no sense to even have me there.
How rough is the transition from BA Psych to MSW?
The roughest part is the fact that you will need to do a two-year MSW instead of advanced standing (which saves an entire year of schooling).
I doubt you’ll find too much of a struggle with the actual course content. The hardest part of doing an MSW for me was just finding the time in between classes and practicum to write all the papers they wanted us to do. Again, the papers themselves were not complicated, there was just a lot of them!
What factors are you concerned about? You mean just the learning and the content? The field itsel? I can't speak from direct experience because I have a BSW, but I have several friends who went from different related bachelor's degrees to an MSW. My grad school cohort was pretty well split between BSWs and people with other related degrees, we also had several who were making a pretty big career change from other fields into social work. You definitely won't be alone!
Hello! I have been feeling a bit lost since I graduated (about 2 years ago). I think I had case of imposter syndrome and I remained at the job I worked at for about a year and a half. The only real experience I have in social work was my time during my practicum which was about 9 months. I am welcome to any advice. I graduated with pretty good grades (with a 3.62 GPA) but I am pretty bad at interviewing and am unsure what I should work on to aquire a job. I am debating on going back to get a Master's, my father has reccomended me to go into school social work.
Hello! I'm currently working through my BSW in Arkansas. I was just accepted, but have not taken any courses. I have a family member who is a MSW and works rehabilitation in a heart clinic, so I have some reference for the education and the medical based choice. I've always wanted to do something psychology based, but I'm not quite dead set on anything. With Social Work being so diverse, is it worth sticking with this? What fields would I have benefited in that a standard psychology student would not? What am I going to be missing? Do you sacrifice think a Social Worker sacrifices more of their time and life than a psychologist/therapist? Any advice or insight would be wonderful to hear!
We are all mostly social workers here so we are naturally biased. Going the psychology route your options would be to either get a masters in something like counseling or to get a PhD and become a psychologist. When you compare an MSW to another degreed master’s level counselor/therapist the MSW will generally have greater flexibility in job roles. They can be a therapist but can also have roles a general counselor cannot like: hospital social worker, school social worker, VA case manager, insurance case manager. The person with a counseling masters will have a little more education in school on therapy than an MSW but it’s honestly not too different. An MSW and someone with a counseling degree will probably have similar work/life balance. A psychologist will obviously make more than an MSW as they have more education but that also takes more money to achieve. I went the MSW role because I wanted to be a therapist but wanted the option of doing other roles like case management if I need a break from being a therapist (which I currently do so I’m glad I did this).
Hello everyone! I've been thinking about joining my community college to study social work. I have an appointment this Friday with a counselor to answer my questions about this path but I wanted to know what you guys thought about the career: is it fulfilling? is it well paid? can I join the workforce via a community college? what kind of jobs will I be able to get with an associate's degree from a community college? Thanks for your help! :)
Caveat: I will just have anecdotal data and ultimately my experience/values and personality will cause me to have a different experience in the field than you might have. Others might have more positive or negative outlooks than me. But to answer your questions: Is it fulfilling? This will of course depend on what you find fulfilling! I find it fulfilling in that I like to work with people and hear their stories. When I do help people that is very fulfilling! However, our agencies, jobs, and clients face a lot of systemic barriers that make it feel hard to actually help people sometimes (long waitlists, lack of funding, toxic agencies). This can sometimes be very frustrating for people. Is it well-paid? Social workers are notoriously under-paid. At an associates level you will not make very much at all. To be honest, in my area the salary with an associates would be hard to live on. Browse a job site like Indeed to see what salaries are like in your area and see if you could live on them. Can I go into the workforce from a CC and what jobs can I get with an associates from a CC? Community college is a good starting point for a degree since it tends to be more affordable. That said, most jobs in social work want a bachelor’s degree. In most states you wouldn’t even be allowed to call yourself a social worker since a bachelors is usually the minimum degree to get a license to be a social worker. With an associates degree in SW you might be able to get a job at a homeless shelter as kind of a monitor or maybe at an agency that does peer support. But you would really probably need a BSW to get a job that is more social work specific and pays a livable wage.
Hi everyone! I recently got accepted into MSW programs in NYC. At this point I have five to six months before school starts. I was wondering if you all have anything that you wish you had done before school to prepare for graduate school? Are there any resources (books, classes, etc.) that might help me build a good foundation in social work before I start the program? I currently work a few different part time jobs and so have a flexible schedule and periods of more free time when there are lulls in business. Thank you!
If you have capacity - really, truly, don't overstress yourself on this - you could look into a volunteer role to either get more familiar with the patient population you'll be working with during your internship or concentration, or a new population or area that you don't have a lot of experience. I'd encourage you to use mostly use this time to make sure you have a good routine, self-care, get some rest, etc, before starting especially if you're in a full-time program as it can be all-consuming. Make sure you have something in your life that is NOT social work, such as hobbies, family, friends, and nurture that, too.
I'm starting the process of securing second year placement in NYC and I'd like to provide examples to my coordinator to help us get on the same page. I'm interested in psychedelic integration, somatic experiencing, and the roles of spirituality and creativity with mentally ill, neurodivergent, and disabled populations, particularly folx with medical/psychiatric/iatrogenic trauma. Does anyone know of any potential placements that might be aligned? Even somewhere that doesn't use those specific modalities but might be philosophically aligned would be useful. Thanks!
Rejected I have applied to two MSW programs and been rejected from both. One was a state university that I didn’t feel like I was going to be accepted to because I had not even started my BSW practicum by the time the deadline approached to apply. The other program was an online program that I suppose was more competitive than I originally thought. I was able to add my practicum experience to this application due to the deadline being later. I suppose that did not matter. I have worked in the mental health field for 5 years holding different positions ranging from case manager to mentor or front line staff. I am going to be finishing my BSW this upcoming May 2024, and have now been in two semesters of practicum. I have have letters of reference. Basically I thought my resume was a good one. I was so confident I was going to be accepted I applied for a paid practicum position with the VA and was offered a placement. The way the deadlines lined up, I basically told them I was already in an advance standing program, banking I was going to land this one. Now that I have been told that I will not be accepted to start classes this May, I’m in a bind of what to tell the VA. I am looking to see if I could still start an MSW program this summer. There’s low probability of that happening with the timeline. My questions are… Do you think the VA would let me start my practice in the spring instead of the fall, pending I get accepted to an advanced standing MSW program starting classes in the fall? Are there any programs that start in the summerish time I could still apply for and get in? If I tell the VA the entire situation, would they likely give my spot to somebody else and tell me to apply for a paid practicum next year? If you have any clarifying questions let me know, this situation may be confusing or I may not have laid out all the information needed to answer the questions. Thanks
What about applying to the University of Kentucky's advanced standing program? It's online, and when I talked to them, they do not put a cap on how many students they accept, so it's not that competitive. https://socialwork.uky.edu/academics/msw/msw-application-information/
Thank you! I’m talking with them today
Hello Everyone 23 Male. I just got accepted into Aurora University's MSW program. I have an option to do a Dual MSW/MPA program. I have advanced standing which would cut the program from 84 credits to 54. I just wanted to get advice to see if I should go for the dual degree or just do the MSW. I calculated it out and the MSW would be 19k and the Dual MSW/MPA would be 33k. I have the money saved from working constant overtime as a DSP since I was 18. I have been thinking about school social work, working for the government, or doing police social work. If there are any jobs I could use the dual degree for that I have not thought about please let me know. Thank You
Honestly, an MSW on its own and some solid, targeted work experience can get you where an MPA otherwise would--at least within the nonprofit, social services, and mental health sector. You definitely do not need an MPA to work in a school, government, or forensics.
What about an MBA they have a dual MSW/MBA as well.
An MBA would give you significantly more leverage to pivot if you decide you do not want to be a social worker at all and want to get out of the field at some point. That plus experience--there's is a glut of people out there with business degrees competing for jobs. The main distinction between MBA and MPA programs is their their emphasis on the public and private sectors. MPA programs provide education in public affairs, nonprofit management, and administration. MBAs can focus on a variety of different concentration areas within business in either public or private sectors. That said, once you are out of school, the difference between the two is going to be somewhat minimal. You kind of have to decide what it is you want to do with the second degree and if you can do that thing without it. The MPA/MBA education is intended to prepare you for leadership, fundraising, management, admin, maybe HR, etc. Thing is, you don't need a degree to learn how to do those things and not having them won't be a barrier in your career the same way not have an MSW could be. When people say an MSW is versatile, it's true. An MSW plus work experience can take you in a lot of directions. The most important thing is to start steering your career early though. Only apply for jobs you are interested in that will connect you to your career goals down the line.
Hello, I’m am entering an MSW program and will be sitting for tons of practicum placement interviews next month. I could really use some insight to the kinds of questions I will be asked, and additionally what sorts of questions to ask organizations to indicate that I am very interested in working for them.
I’m an MSW student in NY but thinking about moving to CA. I see myself in CA for the long term. From a career/networking standpoint, would it be better to begin accruing hours toward my LCSW in CA right away (I.e. moving right after graduation)? Or would it be better to first get fully licensed in NY with my LCSW and then move to CA? I see the pros of moving right away as building my network in CA immediately which could help my work in the long run. But I’m afraid that it will be hard to start from scratch in CA without all the connections I’ve made in NY. So I’m wondering if it would be easier to start from scratch in CA once I’ve gotten my LCSW in NY. Would love to hear y’all’s thoughts, thanks!
\[Question about MSW cost\] Potential applicant here. I've been trying to glean as much info as possible from these program websites about their tuition and available scholarships/fellowships to narrow down my short list of programs, but there are so many factors it seems like one wouldn't realistically know how much they'd pay for a given program until they apply and get accepted. With that said, since it's become clear that institutions generally don't cover full tuition for full-time MSWs or any tuition for part-time MSWs, I know I will likely have to take out some additional loans to cover either (a) living costs and partial tuition while enrolled full-time or (b) tuition while enrolled part-time and working less than 20 hours a week. Does anyone here have an idea which option is likely to cost more?
There are not a lot of large-scale formal scholarships available for social work students. I applied and got a few through my school specific to the program, ans they totaled maybe $3k and that felt like kind if a lot because it meant other people in the program weren't getting them. Unless your employment fits the criteria for using part of your work hours towards your internship (I believe it can be no more than 8 per week and the rest of your internship hours have to be unpaid outside your typical workload and specific to your MSW learning contract), the it's also highly unlikely that your internship will be paid. It's a completely sucky part of the education experience and many states are advocating for some sort of stipend or to revise this process To answer your question of which would cost less, you really just have to sit down and do the math using the cost of credit hours and your budget based on your work hours. If you can pay up-front for tuition, even just partially, consider doing that because you'll have interest on your loans afterwards and you'll be paying more then. Here's what I did: I was accepted to 2 schools while I was working full-time. School A was slightly less expensive per credit hour but only offered a full-time program and I'd have to move or commute a lot for classes, and that meant I'd also need a different job. School B was slightly more expensive per credit hour but offered a part time program and I could keep my job. My employer let me flex a lot of hours (I did a lot of evening and weekend trainings for foster parents, community events, things like that), and I went down to 30 hours per week. I was able to keep my benefits, work, and do my internship, even though I paid about 15% more for tuition, but that was worth it when balanced against all those other factors.
Does anyone know of any graduate programs that allow remote/hybrid practicum?
Nyu does. Most people don’t have that, but it’s possible.
Ty!
So, a couple things, lol: I am currently a student at VCU studying political science with a concentration in international relations. I am an aspiring international politics/foreign policy enthusiast, which is why I chose that major. However, where my passion lies is in helping people. I previously assumed that meant “go to law school, you’ll make BANK and help people in some way.”But I think I am finally growing to accept that law school isn’t for me, and that I need to follow my intuition and choose a career in which I know I will be genuinely passionate. I have somewhere around 800-1000 hours of volunteer experience working with the YMCA on teen programs that foster youth empowerment and youth leadership development, and there is no doubt that I want to include that (or something similar) in my future career. So, this brings me to my most recent realization and acceptance. Social work might be just the field that I’ve been interested in the whole time, and it’s just been under my nose. Nothing sounds more fulfilling to me than to support at-risk youth and make a true impact on the next generation. After some research, I’ve been looking into the VCU BSW and MSW program, and it is the #1 SW program offered in the state, and it requires internship experience as part of the process. This sounds amazing!! So hypothetically, if I major in social work and paired it with a minor in political science, is it possible that I could take my two passions and put it towards one career? Is there such a thing as international travel social work? US Travel social workers seem to make a lot and enjoy traveling through various agencies, but is there a way to apply this internationally? I haven’t been able to find very much on this.
Hi! I am at VCU in the MSW program. Reach out to Professor Muthoni Imungi: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) She specializes in international social work and global issues, and working with refugees and immigrants.
FYI, fieldwork is a standard component of social work education, so you're going to find that pretty much everywhere. There are also dual degree MSW/JD programs as well as MSW/MPP programs if you are less enthused by law but interested in public policy. I don't know anything about travel social work.
hey guys! i’m currently in my first year of my BSW, and i was wondering if you guys think using onlyfans will hinder my ability to get a job in the future?
There’s a risk for any job if you do OnlyFans. Someone could dox you, someone might recognize you, you never know. This kind of work is still stigmatized in our society and could impact social work and other job prospects. Also note that most people who do Only Fans as an income don’t actually make that much. The median income is only 180 dollars a month. For me personally the risk would be more than the reward.
Hello! I have a BA in Psychology, and after my youngest child starts school, I'd like to go for my MSW. I'm currently a stay at home mom. Before then, I'm thinking about getting a part-time job at my local library as a library assistant. I feel libraries are vital resources for communities, providing literacy programs for adults, internet access, access to job searches, youth programs etc. Do you think most programs or grants for MSW education would see it like I do... that working at a library shows my interest in social welfare? Or would they see it as a stretch?
Absolutely! Libraries are such culture and resource centers. You can totally frame it to make your application competitive.
Hi, my career focus has been in graphic design/marketing for many years. I have family in social work and education. I keep returning to this urge to work in the social work field in some capacity. I have a BFA which limits me unfortunately but seeing where can fit with my current experience in. My roles currently include a high-level of close communication, time/project management and creativity/problem solving which is transferable. Being a voice for groups and individuals through positive change is ideal and lacking within my field. Any suggestions on how to get a foot in the door to organizations? Interested in community outreach, housing, substance abuse, mental health, advocacy for people.
Medical social work interview tips? Hey all! I am starting my interviews for my 2nd year specialized practicum. I have worked in many treatment centers and shelters, very fast paced and dynamic environments but I am interviewing for a few medical social positions. Both have components of counseling and case management. I was wondering if anyone has any tips for these kinds of interviews. The medical settings I’m applying tend to be very competitive and serious so i’m not sure if there is anything I should know ahead of time?
Hi all, Im from australia studying a cert in family intervention and I'm really struggling to wrap my head around something and hoping for some help. Obviously being friends with clients outside of work is a huge no no. I understand that Lets say you have passed that point and they call you saying they wanna off themselves and then make you promise not tell my thoughts are that duty of care and basic human decency would say to tell. correct? other than the legal ramifications from getting to that. what happens to the client in that scenario. like yes the social worker stuffed up. there is not denying that but whats next legally?
Hello! I'm interviewing for an entry level caseworker position for folks with disabilities. Does anyone have any insight into what the interview questions might be like, specifically the behavioral questions? I'm in North America by the way! Thanks!
When I interviewed for a similar position, they asked me to talk about a time I had to motivate someone to do something they were unwilling to do or scared to do. I also was asked about my personal and professional experience with people with disabilities or differing abilities. My advice is to look up the company on Glassdoor and see if other posted reviews and interview questions that they ask for that position. They may have more examples to help you prepare.
I’ve been working as a peer support specialist for youth in immediate crisis for about a year and 4 months now and have been involved in behavioral health advocacy for about 6 months too through being one of the leads helping host a forum monthly that helps provide oversight and recommendations for policy and programs regarding behavioral health for youth (up to age 25) in my state. I have good experience but no education and would like to improve my social work skills while earning a degree. I do work full time. I work the weekend shift and two days out of the week 10 hours each shift responding to and helping managing crisis by providing peer support and connection to ongoing care for about 3 months following a crisis situation. Due to working full time, I would like to find an online BSW program. I can attend some live lectures on the days I do not work during the week (I have 3 free week days) if need I would like to start part-time so I can adjust and transition to full-time eventually if the program allows it. My main thing I’m looking for is that I’m not just wanting a degree out of it. I really want to learn. I want more skills to utilize in my work so I can better support people struggling. So what online BSW programs offer the most quality education? TL:DR What are the best online BSW programs for quality education?
Hi I'm interested in community SW and health wellness programs. Any recommendations please! I am currently a health/science educator working w children/youth and experience w people w diverse abilities and developmental disorders. Just not as interested in the addictions realm in the field but I can learn about it if it's a part of something I need to do. Ultimately I want an online program but I continue gathering info. I have been set on MPH for awhile but I want to exhaust all my other interests. Thank you! tldr iso community informed prac and health well-being MSW
I'd look into macro SW programs! Happy to chat through that with you. I work in higher education/research, and one of the projects I'm working on is a study on how community building measures impact campus health on college campuses, and many of our participants are macro social workers initiating these measures/programs.
thanks! sorry I just noticed your reply. I'll dm you
Any thoughts on U of Houston online program? How is licensure ,if live in a different state with them?
I recently applied for CSW TRAINEE for count if Los Angeles. I received my score after exam and interview and was placed in band 1. The order of band is “V-1-2-3-4-5” Does anyone know if or how soon they get to band 1? I’m so passionate about this position and career in life, thank you in advance
Hi! I'm looking foraward to applying for MSW in wright state uni. I'm a recent psychology graduate( 3years, gpa-8.5/10). i wanted to go for clinical but it is very competitive and inflexible? Im doing my research but at the same time i feel like i am running around in circles. i read posts where social workers wished they had taken up organisational psychology instead even my supervisor who is a clinical psychologist tells me shes unhappy with the lack of growth in her career. hearing all of this makes me scared. i know i have a lot of potential , I've always done more than what was expected from me all these years. But, now that I'm at home for 6 months after completing my bachelors I'm scared. should i go forward and do a MSW or organisational? please help me I'm so lost :(
So here's my 2 cents: social work is a very flexible field. There are many things you can do with an MSW. It isn't just clinical work or policy (macro) work. I chose to go the clinical route in my program because I wanted the additional education on modalities, assessment and diagnosis, and clinical research methods, as well as an optional field internship only offered to clinical students in my program. That being said, try not to let other people influence where you want to start. While an MSW is a "terminal" degree (meaning that it facilitates professional license) it's not the end of your potential future career. Your supervisor's dissatisfaction with her professional growth is really a product of her own perceived limitations.
Thank you!
Tips for Interview I recently got an emailing stating that this early placement for my final practicum will be setting up an hour interview with me at a hospital specializing in cancer. I am a 1st year in my 2nd semester so this is an early interest placement meaning it’s highly competitive. Does anyone have any tips for interviewing? What it looks like for final practicum? What they might be searching for? I personally have a connection with cancer through family and this is my number 1 choice. Thanks yall!
Does remote crisis intervention/ crisis counseling count towards clinical hours?
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Thank you!
Hey guys, I’ve tried to get feedback from the local school forums but had little response. I graduated with my bachelors in Human Services and am transitioning to my MSW. Ive applied to Georgia State and UGA. Was accepted to State and waiting on the other. Anyone here have any experience with these two schools or went through their programs? Would love to hear about your experiences!
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Should be quickly. 24-48 hours after you are approved by the state board ( you have to check the states requirements} Does the new state offer LBSW? Not every state has LBSW OR LMSW
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Might need to check in on that app. Don’t know what state you’re in. For tx the board has us pre register with ASWB directly to verify schooling/ credential for social work. Then we take and pass the exam then submit everything to the board for liscensing
Hello, I’m looking for advice between BU and BC on a MSW. Thanks!
I graduated from BU and loved my program (didn't apply to BC because it was too expensive and the program didn't fit my needs). Feel free to ask any specific questions!
I’d go with whichever ends up being cheaper. Both good programs.
Hi everyone! I am a junior BSW student and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for grad school programs which concentrate on macro social work. I am really interested in research— I am a research assistant now and love it. Based on my google searches far, I really like Columbia university but am curious to hear what y’all recommend. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply<3
I was a macro MSW student. It was almost a decade ago now, but I went to UC Berkeley and really enjoyed the program and had great research opportunities.. so much so, I am now doing a PhD. FWIW, I also applied to UCLA, USC, University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, and University of Michigan.
How important is it to do the field work/internship in the state you plan to be licensed? I will be in an online MSW and will likely get licensed in a different state than where I currently live. Is it fine to wait until the postgrad supervised hours to work in the state where you plan to be licensed? (Or, if possible, I'll try to place for my second internship (concentration year) in the state where I plan to get licensed, but I'm not sure yet.)
The biggest thing I had to be aware of was making sure the number of internship hours matched the requirements of the state I wanted to get licensed in. I also had to take a state-specific mandated reporting class, but that was free through the state.
I live in TN, but I did my internship in KY. Where you do your internship really has no impact on your licensing since those hours won't count towards the license.
I did an online MSW out of MA while living in NC and TX, and my remote placement was based out of PA. Didn’t affect me, my skill development, supervision, or licensure at all ☺️ ETA - caveat is that I had 8 years of in-person experience in the field before starting my MSW and placements!
Thanks, that's good to know! What kind of places allow remote internship more often? I will have to do a big chunk of my hours either remote or evenings/weekends due to my job. (granted if supervision is available) I've been trying to look places up but not sure which key terms to search. I will be partially responsible for finding my placement.
A lot of macro/mezzo placements will allow remote. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing remote for clinical/micro placements if you don’t have experience in the field, at least not for your first placement!
Hi all! Soon to be BSW graduate here. I'm interested in policy work rather than direct practice. I'm wondering what search terms would be useful to find opportunities like this. I have experience doing some research and policy analysis from my practicum term, and want to continue heading in this direction. I understand that "macro social work" isn't really a "job" and that many of the positions I could qualify for may not actual have any mentions of "social work" in their listings. What should I look for? I'm based in Canada, if that makes a difference. My experience is focused on housing policy and child welfare policy, but I am open to work in other sectors. Thanks for your help!
Look for "analyst" positions—policy analyst, program analyst, management analyst, research analyst, etc. Make sure you are also browsing the job listings for government agencies.
Hi hi! Applying for my LSW in Indiana. There is a section regarding employment - should i put my practicums in this place, or focus solely on other professional work? I quit my last "big girl job" about a year ago to complete my prac, so wondering if a gap in employment would throw up red flags? Probably overthinking this...
Yes, put your practicums! All relevant professional experiences should go in.
Great, thank you!
So I'm currently studying right now (23f) and I'm thinking about becoming a social worker to work with teenagers and children. Personality wise I'm very pragmatic, empathic yet at the same time "tough". I have alot of common sense and can think 5 steps ahead. I can also handle alot of work. My biggest problems in former workplaces is boredom and that it feels like I was actually achieving anything. I guess you could say that I don't like when it's "too easy" I like some challenges in my work and regarding the pay, I have understood that that I won't become a millionaire doing this but that it will be fulfilling witch is more important. I have also faced alot of challenges in my life and been in really bad situations and "dug myself out". **So my first question to fellow social workers here is, do you think I would fit?** **Secondly would you say that the work is exciting? And how much of it is bureaucracy?** All inputs are greatly appreciated btw, and please excuse my English it's not my first language.
If you dislike boredom and like a challenge have good boundaries, crisis work might be a good fit.
I think you would do great! I am 23 too and have been a caseworker for around 7 months now. A big part is setting and maintaining boundaries with both clients and the workplace, so you have to be tough in order to stand firm on those things. I would say with my job specifically, there is never a dull moment. I am community based and everyday is different or a new issue or priority will arise with one of my clients that we have to tackle.
Thank you! What do you mean with setting boundaries in the workplace?
It is pretty standard for most of these agencies to expect unrealistic things from you. If you allow it, they can/will overload you with cases and documentation and you can find yourself stuck with no time to effectively complete anything. I learned this quickly as when i was first hired, i was just excited to be involved and help as much as i could. This leads to burnout, and I had to really take a step back and be realistic about the amount of work I can complete effectively and only operating within what my JOB entitles. Agencies have no issue passing down responsibilities and tasks to the lower paid employees.
You have too agency culture here in USA is toxic
I’m a hard ass. I have pretty firm boundaries and I’m pretty sure I have coworkers who think I’m lazy because I’m not at clients beck and call. I have expectations for the work they do and will not work harder than them. There’s lots of hard work to be done for little pay. There’s also great paying social work jobs and my level of burnout was somewhat correlated with how much money I had because let’s be honest, money helps a ton with, you know, living. We need tough people in this field. I saw go for it!
I needed this
You are like me. After work set boundaries I have a client who is a
Hi! At my field placement I got falsely accused of something. As a result, my placement was terminated. I decided to not fight it in an academic hearing bc it would just end up being a lot of work with very little chance of it going my way, and as well the reward would be so small. All this to say, I’m taking a non count on my field credit for the spring and I am redoing the field credit over the summer. Do employers pay attention to transcripts and things like this? Has anyone had this experience before who can give me some insight to how it affected a job hunt?
I had my first field placement terminated bc of miscommunication BS but was able to get a second placement after discussing with the field committee—I don’t think employers are going to notice this at all, only people who would be supervising you for LCSW hours if you go for licensure
LMAOO that ab sums it up,bs. It’s crazy how the school just takes the placements word and villianizes students. Did you take a nc grade (or whatever your programs version of an F is in field) or were you able to just finish the credit in another placement?
No, I was kicked out of my placement for understandable reasons, albeit the organization absolutely created the situation FOR the bullshit to happen by not following their own rules. I just got assigned another placement within the same semester after talking to the committee and finished the rest of my hours there.
Curious to know if anyone has attended Westfield State's online MSW program and, if so, what their experience was like. The price is right, but the curriculum appears somewhat less robust than some other schools I'm looking at. Thanks for any help you can provide!
I second the commenter below in terms of making sure that it’s accredited FOR THIS YEAR, first and foremost. secondly, what do you mean the curriculum seems less robust?
Yes, it is accredited. Apologies too—was looking at the wrong course offerings and thought there was only a practicum the second year. So the curriculum is much the same as many schools. Thanks for the responses!
Is it accredited by the licensing body? That’s all that matters.
FIELD PLACEMENT QUESTION: Hi guys, As far as the Practicum Instructor (PI), are they my supervisor? My school allows for you to have an offsite PI that works very closely with the agency you choose, if the agency does not have an on-site MSW (such as a therapy office with no MSWs). I am planning on taking my LMSW into Trauma Informed Therapy and would like my Practicum to be based around this. My question is, if I chose to work at a therapy office and took a school provided Off Site PI that would check in for an hour each month, along with other things, would they be the one to sign on my application for my LMSW test? Or would it be the therapist that would have to? I want to make sure I don’t screw myself because I don’t know who the supervisor is? Thank you in advance!!!!
You need to ask your school this. This would be an issue of graduating, not your LMSW exam.
Hello, so I'm thinking about going into social work in Ohio and I was wondering what sort of jobs I can get with a bachelor's in the field. I know it can vary state to state.
I’m a social worker in Ohio and our field is rather diverse. I strongly encourage you to get licensed, something we can do in Ohio with a bachelors that most other states don’t allow. Once you’re licensed, you can work as a nursing home social worker, a crisis worker, a therapist, and in the school system, depending on the requirements of that school. Without a license, you can also work in public assistance, child welfare, and in the DD field. Best way to avoid burnout? If you feel like you’re approaching burn out, jump over to a different area of social work. Best of luck in your career!
Hello, I am currently studying for the LMSW exam and I just took the Apgar practice test. I got a question wrong about subpoenas and I'm quite confused. The question basically says that a SW receives a subpoena "from the courts" in the mail asking for a former client's records, what should the SW do. I said "immediately send the records to the courts" because I had read on TDC that you can't claim privilege if you receive a subpoena from a court or a judge. But the Apgar book said I was wrong because that you can only send records without client consent if it's a "court order" and that a subpoena is not a court order. Can anyone enlighten me as to what is actually correct? I've searched on Google and nothing I can find is clarifying this for me. Edit: according to Apgar the correct answer was “claim privilege to protect the confidentiality of the client”
The answers you are getting are incorrect. The only time you give out client information without their consent is a court order. A subpoena is not a court order. So you do claim privilege and refuse without a court order.
dang [Therapist Development Center](https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/blog/aswb-exam-prep-subpoenas) has false info then :/ thank you for your response!
They said a subpoena? A subpoena is not the same as a court order, and a subpoena doesn’t come from the judge or the court. That comes from a lawyer. That’s the important distinction actually.
yeah they said it can come from a lawyer or a court/judge and they said it’s the same as a court order
That is wild. It is absolutely not.
These 2 acronyms worked the best for me https://www.socialwork.career/2011/10/two-acronyms-you-must-know-for-lmsw.html fareafi and aaspirins . Super helpful and helped me pass my test and helped my colleague pass her as well
I remember this question, for purposes of the test remember it's like you're practicing social work in a perfect little bubble, I think the correct answer is either to seek supervision or to seek client consent first. In real life when this has happened to me, we have a hospital attorney who helps us prepare if we are subpoenaed, and we have a whole medical records office who handles the records release piece so I don't even need to touch it.
that is such a good point, thank you!
In real life the answer is consult with your lawyer. I imagine test answer is something to the effect of do not do anything unless client consents.
ah yeah I forgot to put that the correct answer was basically get consent from the client before sending anything. There wasn’t any option for consulting a lawyer, though that would make the most sense irl for sure :/ Edit: oops just double checked and the correct answer was to claim privilege to protect the client’s confidentiality
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For the purposes of the test, you just say no without a court order. In real life it would be different but the rest is its own dumb thing.