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Hi, I'm a current MSW student with an existing MPH - people do it all the time with the clinical focus and it is an extraordinarily useful combo. Your job prospects will be much greater... Good luck!

Hi, I think it is truly an excellent idea to also obtain an MIA from SIPA, especially if you do not have any existing international advocacy work. Combining that with an MSW will give you quite a strong foundation for the type of work you describe. In terms of debt, I liken it to priorities...everybody has their own preferences when it comes to an investment. Sure you could do your masters elsewhere for for much less $, but SIPA does have some pretty interesting professors (think Jeffrey Sachs) Good luck on your decision!

Just to reemphasize - name recognition is certainly not the only way to get into international NGO work - it is simply one avenue out of many and there are certainly no guarantees just because you went to a "big name school" that you will get the job of your dreams. Going to a state school and then going overseas to volunteer and make connections is also a viable approach. Good luck!

Hi, I do agree about not going into to debt if you want to go into straight-up social work direct practice, i.e. case management which is clearly one of the worst paying jobs in America - and always has been! However, if you are interested in applying your MSW in a different direction, let's say combine it with an MPA or MPH or your existing masters to go into academic research (as TerriM mentioned), international consultancy work, work with a large INGO (Red Cross, IRC, etc) or a job at the UN even, then it likely may be worth it if you have one of these specific career goals. The bottom line on deciding what is 'absurd' versus 'logical' in terms of education debt really depends on what it is you want to do in this broad field and where priorities are (i.e.paying for house and mortgage instead of loans). Common sense would tell us that if you want to work with homeless women in inner-city Chicago, a position I held for several years, going into huge debt is not worth it as I was making around $40,000 with an exisiting masters. Alternately, if you are interested in workin with the IRC, in Sudan for example, a masters from a school with perhaps some more connections can help quite a bit....as a current development worker with well over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector, I do see this quite a bit. But I don't want to imply that gaining an MSW from a school without a high profile will keep you from achieving higher paying international work - it just might be a little more challenging or take a bit more time. So when you apply - depending on what it is you really want to pursue - apply to a wide range of schools from NYU to NSU, you may be surprised about what you can achieve with your existing stats!! Best of luck to you

Good to hear this feedback as I am a prospective CUSSW student and this message has come across in quite a few instances when speaking with current/previous CUSSW students. However, it sounds to me that students often enter this program with different expectations that are more aligned with the SIPA program or they don’t fully understand the process of obtaining work internationally or within the international sector. For example, many people I know who have gone to SIPA have done so in interest of pursuing policy analysis work and are quite interested in working within the UN and on more administrative/academic levels; less within 'the field.' (I stress that this certainly does not apply to all SIPA students, but many I have known!) In this case, I do see how SIPA would offer a superior academic experience if you were going to research aid distribution in West Africa, for example. However, if your interest was to be a coordinator/director of a gender-based violence program on the Thai-Burma border, for example, with say the IRC, one of the most important things they would be looking for is a clinical background. With a social work psychosocial background, combined with existing overseas experience, there are quite a few international job opportunities that will open up to you, but would not open up if you had a degree from SIPA. If you want to be a researcher for an international think tank, by all means go to SIPA! But a degree from SIPA is not going to do as much for you if you want to be a technical advisor on sexual violence in the Congo. I say this because I have been working overseas for three years without a clinical or social work background (I have a more theoretical MPH degree) and I have been told on several occasions that I need a more clinical background to go further into the field of working within the GBV sector with refugees. I can’t tell you how often I wished I had gone for a more ‘hands-on’ degree like an MSW over the MPH which is much more general. (Not to say an MPH is not worth while, it just was not the best fit for me) This is only one example, but I believe it would apply to many of the subsectors of the international social welfare field that students are interested in. I understand the allure of working overseas – but jobs are highly competitive and the field is saturated with unemployed people with law degrees from NYU and MS degrees from SIPA. In short, this is not what gets you hired! It is the combination of overseas work (this is most important – two but normally three years is needed and can often be gained from Peace Corps or through other volunteer orgs) and practical skills that will catch people’s attention. SIPA sets you up with a wonderful background in international affairs/development that is obviously superior to CUSSW academically, however the MSW will prepare you for a so very much if you want to work with grassroots communities, refugees, UNHCR, and more. I am dreading the first year at CUSSW in many ways – I know I don’t want to be a caseworker with substance abusers – but I do know understand that I will gain valuable skills that will greatly increase my employability through the process. I guess I would like to wrap this up by saying that pursuing a career in international development work does not come to you by way of a superior academic degree although it can help with initial contacts (many of my friends/colleagues fall into this category) but is rather heavily based on real world experience, proof of cross-cultural competence and having practical skills to offer others.

Hi there! Yes, indeed am considering the policy pilot program...I am planning to do the International Welfare track (have been working overseas in advocacy work for the past three years) and minor in law. This program sounds great as it frees you up to take more classes inter-departmentally during your last year, such as through SIPA which, from what I have heard, is where the really interesting classes are (if you are interested in international issues.) I put my $400 deposit down but may be now have a job opportunity with IRC that would be difficult to pass up! This is a tough decision though because the job is in a tiny, hole-in-the-wall town on the Thai-Burma border and it's hard to pass the excitement of NYC up for that! Are you planning to take out the Grad PLUS loans or did you find alternate funding? Good luck to you!

Hi, Well - I lobbied the heck out of them and got the max scholarship of $8000 which helps and will be hearing about the further availability of work study funds in May. But even still, I'm still not sure I want to make this sacrifice! On one hand much of the program is just right for me - they now have what's called an accelerated policy program where your field placement is slightly cut down (you are in the field 2.5 days a week) and you take an additional class each semester first year, which frees you up to take other classes year two, inter-departmentally. There are classes through SIPA I'd love to take - as well as through the public health and journalism schools. But the DEBT! I did put down a deposit (which goes toward tuition, of course) but if something better comes up (like an amazing job!) I may bite the bullet and kiss that $400 goodbye. It's a gamble, but one in the end that I felt was worthwhile as I've been living overseas for the past three-years and have few job connections in the US and will be moving back in July. So...it least I have something lined up...albeit a very expensive "something!" Anyone else? And Congrats again TerriM about Oxford. That sounds like a wonderful, affordable opportunity!

Hi emoleys, Not to change the subject of this topic, but have you decided on Columbia? And regarding your school situation, pepper88, I have heard GREAT things about WUSTL and it is consistently rated as a top school.

Congrats on finally coming to the decision! That must feel great! So I gather you had a positive impression at the schmooze fest? Well, I still can't seem to convince myself that it is worth the money - even though I'm sure it is if you really put a lot into it! I know it is the kind of place where you can really get a lot from it if you put a lot into it! I may defer. Or win the lottery tomorrow! We shall see... Congrats to you!!!

Hi meisman, If you do choose to go to Columbia, do you have any idea as yo how you will afford it? I know two days - I'm still unsure - yikes!

Ha - well, if I did not currently live in Thailand I think I might camp out in front of financial aid and hold a little protest/rally for more aid! I wrote a letter discussing my circumstances - i.e. that I'm dirt poor! Anyway, are you going? I mean, is anyone willing/able to attend with such costs?

Well, I tried lobbying for more aid from Columbia and got the amount increased from $4,500 to $6,000. Still not very much! So, I am trying for another appeal....I hope they don't get too annoyed! Anyone else?

Hi, I am in the exact same situation. I am wondering, who else is and what are the most viable options?

I suppose the international concentration is a big draw for many students as it would be the only reason I would consider going into debt for Columbia. But they do only let a handful of students in to the program each have had considerable overseas experience so that is something to keep in mind. I am still hoping to talk with a couple of students/grads to make my final decision - I am still torn between a program that I know I will enjoy and loads of debt! I suppose if I was planning to go the clinical route without this specialized focus then, no, I would not be considering the financial investment into Columbia.

Ugh. Yes, I got mine. Very disappointing as expected. Can I ask, what did you get in scholarships? I think I might be pretty crazy for considering this debt!