The Andrews University School of Social Work has announced a new online program for those interested in pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW). The program, which is scheduled to begin in the fall semester of 2022, will focus on clinical counseling and trauma.
The goal of the program is to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in social work. The program will include interventions with individuals, families and communities, non-profit program design and evaluation techniques, emotional trauma treatment, social policy development, mental health assessment and treatment and therapy techniques for the treatment of adults, children and families.
“Online learning has become increasingly popular, as has the knowledge and ability to teach graduate programs online. Busy professionals see the need to pursue a master’s degree in social work to open up more career opportunities, but are unable to carve out enough time to attend live classes held during the day or relocate to the area,” says Alina Baltazar, professor of social work. and Director of the MSW Program and the Center for Prevention Education at the Institute for the Prevention of Addictions at Andrews University.
Designed for busy professionals, the program will consist of live but fully remote classes, scheduled to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. EST. The remaining 50% of class time will be completed offline. Each cohort will allow up to 25 students.
Compared to the current in-person MSW program, the new online program will be taught at a slower pace. “Live class time is cut in half, giving more flexibility to meet program requirements,” says Baltazar. “The program is offered at a slower pace so professionals can maintain their current responsibilities. Live classroom instruction will take place in the evenings so full-time employment and family responsibilities can be maintained.
“I have to say that I enjoy the MSW distance learning program offered by the university,” shares Ashella Fletcher, a distance learning student in the first semester of her graduate degree. “The lessons are very interactive and I learned a lot from all my teachers, who are very competent, well organized and very professional. I would recommend [the program to] anyone looking to progress [and] promote their studies or their profession as social workers.
The online Master of Social Work program will not require an undergraduate degree in social work; however, having a bachelor’s degree in social work reduces the length of the program. For students with an undergraduate degree in another subject, the program will last three years and begin in the fall of 2022. For students who have completed an undergraduate degree in social work, the MSW program will take two years and will begin in the fall of 2023.
“I love all the teachers and I can tell they all care a lot about us. I see the effort they put in and they try to help us succeed. I appreciate that and it made the experience better says sophomore MSW student Kiley Johnson.
The application deadline for the online Master of Social Work program is July 30, 2022. For more information about the program, visit andrews.edu/cas/socialwork. To apply for the program, visit andrews.edu/admissions.
