University of Tennessee Knoxville MSSW Online Fall 2019

[phillips6540]

Hi, I'm a 50+ yo African American female Lupus Survivor hoping to start a new career in clinical social work, preferably working with chronic illness patients in an integrated healthcare setting. My son says this forum was instrumental in his grad school quest. I don't have a BSW, but I have a BS-Biology with a high GPA. I've got some undergraduate biomedical research experience and I'm currently volunteering as a Long-term Care Ombudsman and a CrisisTextLIne counselor. I live in Nashville, so my first choice is the UTK College of Social Work's MSSW program, possibly online for convenience. I'd loved to get feedback regarding both the online & on-campus programs. Is the online program robust? Does it allow for meaningful interaction with professors and other students? Will my background be enough to be a competitive applicant? How competitive are UTKCSW MSSW graduates for job placement?  Any insight on scholarships, field placements? Any helpful info you have on UTKCSW is appreciated!

[louise86]

I graduated from the online program in 2016. The online program shares the same faculty as the on-campus program in Nashville. Online students complete all the same classes and coursework as on-campus students. Some classes will require live online meetings via Zoom or Skype. Some classes require group work so that will also help you connect with your fellow students. I started a Facebook page for my graduating class so we could all get to know each other better and I think that helped a lot! If you're in Nashville then you'll be able to schedule meetings with professors if needed and join a couple of the social work organizations/clubs they have. Online students typically attend the Nashville graduation ceremony instead of the one in Knoxville.

I live in the Knoxville area and had all the same field placement options as on-campus students in the area and was able to get to know several on-campus students by interning beside them. My field placements were at top community mental health organizations and no one was concerned about me completing the program online. It's also never been an issue when looking for a job. UTK has a solid reputation.

Getting into the online or on-campus program is really not that competitive. Put a lot of effort into your statement which weighs heavily in the application process and you have a good shot! There are not a lot of scholarships. There are also not a lot of assistantships or fellowship opportunities (not sure if online students are even eligible for these).

Overall, it's a good program and I highly recommend it.

[phillips6540]

Thanks! That was encouraging. Did you feel like the program prepared you well for licensing? How quickly were you able to get a real job?

[louise86]

Yes, I think I was well prepared for licensing. I passed the LMSW exam the first time with very little studying. I accepted a job at one of the organizations I interned with a month before graduation and started working the day after the graduation ceremony. The other organization I interned with also offered me a job at that time. I only know of a handful of students that graduated and did not already have a job offer. Of course this can vary with what area of social work you plan to pursue and where you plan to live.

Your internships (field placements) are very important because many students end up working for one of the places they interned at or their supervisor or someone they met while there helped them get a job elsewhere.

The MSW is a very versatile degree, though. I did my field placements in mental health and worked in mental health for a couple of years, but recently transitioned into medical social work (dialysis).

[phillips6540]

This may be a dumb question but I'll ask anyway. In the instructions for the professional statement, I was confused about how to interpret this last question:

"If relevant, personal experiences that have contributed to your interest in this social problem."

Should I interpret "personal experiences" as events in my personal life (like my own health crisis) or professional/volunteer experience?

[louise86]

Yes, events in your personal life that may have contributed to you choosing the social problem you chose to discuss in your statement.

Social work is a bit different from a lot of fields because it's generally ok to discuss your personal experiences with mental/physical health and/or social problems. My suggestion to people is to briefly discuss the personal experiences and if relevant mention how you cope with or overcame those difficulties so it's clear it won't impact your academic or professional life.

[phillips6540]

Thank you! That was my interpretation, but I was worried about being redundant. I mention surviving my illness in the first line of my answer for #1 "motivation for social work career" but I also discuss it in terms of my social media engagement with fellow patients for #5d "personal experience" that inspired my interest in serving chronic illness patients. I've attached a draft of my professional statement. I appreciate feedback on strengths and weakness.

UT MSSW Professional Statement 4.txt