Choosing the Right Social Work Graduate School for You!

Do you have questions about choosing the right social work graduate school?  Chances are, you do!  Your questions might include the following:

• Does the school have the right accreditation?
• What concentrations does the school offer?
• How long does it take to complete the degree?
• How much does it cost?
• When should I apply?

THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine published an article on these and other questions you may have.  The article was published several years ago and is still just as relevant today!

Read it HERE!

Tell us what other questions you have that are not addressed in the article, or tell us about your experience in getting your questions answered.

Models of Macro Social Work Education

by Jesús Reyes (excerpt from The Social Work Graduate School Applicant's Handbook)

    The approaches to macro social work education vary a great deal. They are often as unique as are the faculties of the various institutions. There are those programs that view social policy strictly from the perspective of social workers. In those programs, faculty are, for the most part, trained in social work. Other schools, however, have multiple disciplinary perspectives present on their faculties. Such schools are just as likely to have faculty trained in economics, public policy, public health, and law as they are to have faculty trained in social work.

    The policy course offerings will be a good reflection of the faculty’s training and interests. If you have particular interests in specific policy areas such as international social work policy, healthcare policy, immigration policy, or Latin American affairs, to name a few, a thorough review of the course offerings and faculty publications would serve you well.

    Another important area of exploration is, interestingly enough, the offerings of other graduate and professional schools that are also part of the host university of the social work program. If the university has programs in public policy, law, international studies, business, or other areas of your interest, there may be the opportunity to round out your education outside of the social work program. Of course, you need to find out how available classes outside of the school in other areas of the university will be to you and whether they will count as credits toward your degree. If the given university does not have programs in the particular areas of your interest, find out if cooperative arrangements exist with neighboring institutions. If this is the case, you definitely want to explore implications to cost, financial aid, and the total number of courses required for graduation.

    Examples of macro concentrations you are likely to come across in your search for a program are:

    •    Social and Economic Development
    •    Community Organization
    •    Management and Planning
    •    Fund Raising
    •    Research and Evaluation
    •    Social Welfare Administration
    •    Social Policy and Planning

Order THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT'S HANDBOOK here.

Have you considered a graduate school fair?

Idealist.org is presenting several grad school fairs this Fall. Recruiters from a variety of schools, including schools of social work, will be available at these fairs to provide information to prospective students. The upcoming fairs  will be in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Houston, New Orleans, and Miami. You can get details at http://www.idealist.org/info/GradFairs.

If you have attended one of these fairs in the past, please comment and let us know about your experience!

Tips on Making Your Social Work Grad School Application Stand Out

Robin R. Wingo, MSW, LISW

Applying for graduate school is a big step! Whether you are just graduating with your bachelor’s in social work or you have been out for a few years, preparing that application takes time, energy, and careful consideration. Your grades are only one indicator of readiness for graduate study. It is highly likely that you will be asked to write a professional statement or essay along with completing a standardized application form.  Although some admissions committees conduct personal admissions interviews, your first representation will be in writing, and your readiness will be evaluated on how you present yourself, your experiences, and your professional aspirations.
    Every graduate school’s application process is different. Some are fully online and others use hardcopy, but they are all looking for the same thing—students who can clearly and thoughtfully make a case for how they are the best fit for acceptance into that particular graduate program.
    As that applicant, you want to be successful, but making the most of the application process is a relatively unexamined process. Each program will provide forms and directions as part of the application, but little direction is provided regarding what works to meet the expectations.

A new article in THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine gives 14 tips for putting your best application forward.  Read it here:

Your Social Work Graduate School Application: 14 Tips to Help You Get an Acceptance Letter