CJMSW

Hi Jooks! I have actually looked into both of those programs for the same reason you have. The price tag was a bit much for me but I'm going back to look at both of them again. I haven't heard anything either way regarding the program from people who have applied or attended. As for military social work, I can tell you it is very difficult to find/sustain a job with the military right now. Most of the positions are contract positions but unfortunately the funding has gotten cut...which as you can guess, means those contracts are getting sliced. There are some positions through branches of the DoD on usajobs.gov but a lot more through the VA. I have to say, some of the best work I've seen being done is by non-profits that assist military families and there tends to be more sustainability in some of the larger non-profits as opposed to working directly for the DoD. Hope that helps!

For those who are currently in a MSW program or have recently finished their degree: Which school did you attend? What were the pros and cons? Advanced standing, 60 hour, part-time, full-time, in person, online? Did you choose a specialization, if so what is/was it? Are you content with the school you select? I know most of us on here start topics trying to get a feel for what the different programs are truly like so maybe having a basic topic to get a general idea from people who have been there, done that, would be helpful.

You could also volunteer at your local Red Cross. They have opportunities within their Disaster and Service to the Armed Forces departments to do casework after they train you. Their International Services programs might also be interesting if you're wanting to go into a field dealing with global issues, family reunification, and humanitarian law.

I've been going back and forth trying to figure out what MSW program to apply to for a few months now. My biggest issue has been trying to find a program I can complete while working full time. I know many people on the board say that working full time while going through the MSW program can be extremely difficult and is typically not recommended. That being said, I've debated perhaps just resigning from my position so that I can attend grad school full time. This seems like a major risk though. The job market isn't amazing right now so the idea of leaving a job that I love (on most days) to go to grad school and graduate to potentially not find a job quickly makes me nervous. In my position now I started off at 40k, which seems to be a starting rate for those graduating with their MSW, and I supervise a team of 6 case managers. Before this position I was a case manager for a disaster relief organization, so I have a decent amount of experience which I'm hoping will help with getting a job after grad school if I do attend. Does it seem like too big of a risk to leave a position that is already paying decently well for a starting salary, in which I'm able to take on clients as I choose, and supervise the case management team in a field I love (Military, Veterans,and their families) to go to grad school and not be guaranteed a better position upon graduating and floundering in student loan debt? I'd love any feedback, especially for those who have graduated recently and are looking for jobs/landed a position. Thank you!

What can one do with a degree in Human Services? I've seen the program offered at a few schools but have yet to see careers associated with them. Is it a waste of a degree?

Does anyone know of some list or study that compares all the MSW programs based on categories? Most liberal vs. most conservative, Most expensive vs. least expensive, Most adult student friendly vs. least friendly, Most competitive vs. Least competitive etc

Thank you for the response. I actually ended up being offered the position...and took it! As you rightly pointed out, the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces division works primarily on emergency communication for members of the military, but now I'm pushing hard to expand the services we offer at my location. Fortunately, our facility is located on a large military installation so there is a good deal of opportunities to expand!

Thanks for shedding some light. I was really starting to think it was impossible & I'd be crazy to try keeping my job while going part-time. Would you happen to know of any good part-time programs out there, online? That's really encouraging to hear that you know people who were able to pursue their education while keeping their position. My biggest concern has been figuring out how to do the fieldwork portion of the MSW programs while working 40 hrs Monday to Friday.

I'm 26 but I'm facing the same rough decision of quitting work to go to Grad school. I only graduated from undergrad a few months ago but was able to land a job right after graduation (practically unheard of in my state) and was then offered a promotion 2 months later in the field I ultimately want to end up in. So yes, the idea of over-hauling life to go back to school is really overwhelming. The idea of graduating from MSW and NOT being able to find a job right away like I did after undergrad is scary. I was hoping to hear more people on the board who went back for their MSW and somehow managed to keep their jobs as well...but it appears that is a rarity

Has anyone worked/volunteered with the Red Cross in their Services to the Armed Forces division? I'm currently in the hiring process for a position within that division that seems to be a combination of case management and community engagement. I thought I read somewhere on this forum about someone who did their fieldwork with the SAF part of American Red Cross but I can't find it anywhere now lol If I do get the position I'm not sure where that'll leave me with my hope of grad school. I'm starting to fully believe that working full-time while in a MSW program is impossible

I've been looking at the American Red Cross for employment a lot lately. I saw on their career page that they have a division called "Services to the Armed Forces". As someone who is going into the Social Work field and having a strong passion for the military/our veterans I thought this might be a great opportunity. Has anyone had experience working with the Red Cross in that division? I never realized they even worked with the military until I saw the job postings.

Wow it is so exciting to see others moving to pursue their educational goals! Is anyone else concerned about the out of state tuition that is associated with being a newbie in the state they're moving to? Most of the out of state schools I've looked at going to require between 6-1 year of residency before being eligible for the awesome in-state tuition rates.

Wow! Clear across the country. That is so exciting!!

Are many of you moving to go to grad school or is it more typical to go to a school nearby?

How many people have applied to USC and have heard back? What kind of experience do ya'll have? So excited to hear how everyone is making out with their application process to USC!

Wow after reading through the experiences of everyone on here I now feel extremely defeated. Sadly I do not have nearly the amount of volunteer experience as anyone here. I finished my BA this past Fall in Criminology so I don't have the advantage of having a BSW which apparently makes me less competitive off the bat. My GPA is below what it should be (2.8) which I know is a huge blow to my application. I do have an essay explaining the reasons why but still I don't know if it will be enough to increase my chances of getting into a program. I did do an internship with a committee of the Dept of Defense for a semester and stayed on for the following year. It was mostly working with their public relations side and assisting members of the National Guard/their families with obtaining jobs in the civilian world. Following that I did an internship with my college's Office of Veterans Affairs to develop support programs on campus (PTSD group counseling, military significant others support group, and assisted in writing a grant for a new reintegration program with veterans who were just entering college). My goal in Social Work is to have a career with the VA or some other organization that works with Veterans/their families. the MSW programs I'm looking at applying to have concentrations/coursework with Veterans/Military personnel so I'm hoping my experience with Veterans and the DoD will help a little. A few years ago I volunteered at a public school within their special needs department but that's about it. Most of my paid positions were in retail/office work. I just recently started working as a Case Manager with the Red Cross as part of their disaster recovery program. In that position I am working with people effected by Hurricane Sandy who are displaced or are just now starting to get back in their homes. It entails a great deal of advocacy, coordinating services with other non-profits, and developing a long-term care plan for the clients so as to get them as close to "normalcy" as possible. Overall I don't think I'm a strong applicant after reading all of the great work the people in this topic have done. Is it better to hold off on applying till I have more experience? Blah

I was actually looking into their program. Would love to hear from anyone who was accepted there or are currently enrolled.

For those who are still looking for a program with this concentration, Catholic University of America offers a Clinical Military Social Work concentration. They have an agreement with the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in addition to the VA. It seems to be a pretty decent program from what I've seen on their website. Has anyone else looked into CUA?

The most daunting part of applying to Grad School has definitely been the price tags associated with it. I'm looking at a pretty hefty cost for my MSW degree and I'm trying to find grants or scholarships to help lower the financial burden. Is anyone aware of grants/scholarships for students with disabilities or students that a dependents of Veterans (disabled Veterans)? I've tried Googling but I haven't come up with much sadly.

If you don't mind me asking, which of the schools you are applying to offers such a fellowship?

Bumping this topic. Anyone have information on available concentrations for students wanting to work with the VA/military/veteran population? VA practicum experience? etc

For those of you who are already in MSW programs, how are your field placements so far? Which programs have the best placements? Which have been awful at placing students? And which have just been a horror? I've been hearing some pretty crazy stories about different programs leaving their students to fend for themselves causing a few students to graduate late due to field placements not happening on time. Please tell me this is not typical!

I know that there is an extremely high rate of homelessness among members of the LGBT youth community sadly. I should have been more specific I suppose. The schools in my area put a heavy focus on the T part of the LGBT. The majority of people out there are not transgender and I doubt that 40% of the cases I take on will be dealing with that specific demographic which is why I am put off by the fact that nearly 50% of the coursework involved in the 3 out of 4 MSW programs near me focus so heavily on that demographic. I want a well-rounded education that focuses on the demographics we will work with in proportion. Hope that makes sense.

As I've been searching for the best MSW program fit for me I've made an observation that many MSW programs are heavily "liberal" in their focus. Literally all of the Grad schools in my state that offer the degree have an extreme emphasis on LGBT issues, disproportionately so. The school I attended for undergrad had many students drop out of the BSW program due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of the projects/research studies/presentations dealt with transgender/bisexual topics rather than topics of child welfare/addictions/ trauma/homelessness/relationships etc. Is this the way it is in the majority of MSW programs across the board? I want to get a well balanced education that includes all issues not one with a heavy emphasis on sexuality geared issues, especially because the road of Social Work I'm wanting to go down will not be dealing with that population the majority of the time as compared to any other population. Does anyone have a list of MSW programs from both ends? (The super liberal and super conservative)

Are there any other MSW programs online that anyone knows of? I was looking into USC's program but the price tag attached to it seems absurd ($84,000 roughly for the 2 years). Many of the above mentioned Online MSW offerings require living in-state or in a certain "range" which really limits many of them as options.