Macro Social Work Advice/Opinions

[Sam0]

Hello Everyone! I am most passionate about macro social work, and looking at the "big picture." I recently heard that many students who study macro sw are the older students who have been working for awhile and want to learn more about management, policy, etc. I however, am only taking a year off from undergrad before going to graduate school. I also heard that macro students tend to get a direct practice type job after grad school and then work there way up to more macro type work.

This made me a little nervous because I am so passionate about macro work, and that is where I feel like I will be able to make a difference. I have also been looking into getting an MPA, but I do not feel like this curriculum focuses as much on social justice.

Thoughts? Opinions? Advice? It would be much appreciated, thank you!

[michigan girl]

I earned a MSW (University of Michigan) focusing on macro practice. Many schools offer macro social work concentrations where you can tailor your coursework to fit your academic and professional needs. What type of population do you want to work with? What type of work setting do you prefer? If you know that you want to become a macro social worker, choose field placements that will allow you to gain skills in management, community development and policy practice. Most states do not require licensure for macro social workers (Michigan is the exception). I know that macro social work is a small but growing field, but there are plenty of jobs out there for us. You just have to market yourself well.

[Sam0]

Michigan girl- Thank you for your reply! From your experience/search you did for grad schools, which MSW programs seemed to have strong macro programs, and which programs seemed to have not so strong programs? I have been getting a little discourarged trying to figure this out! I have been looking at faculty profiles/courses offered, and I feel like that is a good indicator, but at the same time I would love to hear advice from other people rather than assuming things.

How old were you when you started your MSW program (if you don't mind me asking)? After someone told me that alot of macro social workers were older, I got a little nervous than I would be inexperienced compared to other students.

How exactly does the licensing process work for macro social workers in Michigan? If you were to get licensed in Michigan, and then move to another state, could you still keep your license/title, or would it be null in another state? Do you think the fact that Michigan offers licensing for macro workers is a plus? (I was wondering if in other states if someone does not have their LCSW, if that makes them less credible even if they are not practicing clinical sw).

I would most prefer to address structural/systemic inequalities present in education, or address issues surrounding homlessness/poverty.

May I ask what type of work you are doing now that you have your MSW? (Or some examples from some macro social work friends you might have)?

I apologize for all the questions, but I would love to soak up anything from your experiences (and from others on this forum aswell), thank you!

[briefinterviews]

I'm a noob to the MSW (haven't even started class yet!), but I understand where you're coming from. It took me a while to stumble upon the MSW as an option, as I previously had a narrow-minded view of what the degree entailed. Lo! I discovered macro, and then discovered that not every program had a macro track. It was important to me to be in (or near) a big city to continue working in an urban environment, at a school with a good reputation lest I ever want to pursue that elusive doctorate (never say never), amongst other factors.

You'll hear it again and again--the MSW is a generalist degree, and prepares you for a variety of jobs, which is great. Us macro folk, we can move in many different circles and mingle with MPHs, JDs, MPPs, MPAs, MBAs, and a plethora of other credentials, but we need to be strategic and deliberate in how we market ourselves. You will be pressed to find any structured trainings and conferences and networking opportunities explicitly geared toward macro-practice as for clinical.

When possible, I would heavily advise interfacing with programs you're interested in--information sessions (some juggernauts like Michigan send reps out across the country to take prospective applicants out to dinner! for free! and give application fee waivers! <3), Idealist.org Grad Fairs, talking to current students, etc. I actually really liked the way Michigan organized their concentrations, as most schools are just plain ol' "macro." It is one thing to read a bunch of information online and try to parse through a school's website, and another to hear it straight from the horse's mouth and also see how a program chooses to represent itself.

As far as your concerns about macro students ending up in direct practice jobs... I can't say I've heard much to this phenomenon, but I don't doubt that it may happen for myriad reasons. The longer people tend to work in this sector, the more likely they start to move into management and administration. That's true of most career paths to some extent, and has to do with the level of knowledge and expertise you gain being down in the trenches; everyone climbs the ladder, some just climb it faster than others. But it doesn't mean that you have to spend 2 years working toward working in macro social work but then resign yourself to working in a clinical capacity. Be deliberate in your field work, which brings me to my next point...

Programs structure their field work differently, though the consensus appears to be 2 days per week your first year, and 3 days per week your second year. Most first year field work placements are out of your control, and some programs I vetted almost seemed to throw students willy nilly into a random placement so as to expose them to a different population and different type of work than they're used to. I... didn't care for that approach. I've been working in direct practice for a while, and I have a very clear picture of where I want to be and the type of experience I want to gain from my MSW program to start moving into policy, etc, so I wanted at least *some* input, and feel like my program would want to be as purposeful in my placement as I wanted to be.

That being said, I have had a great experience working with my Field Education Consultant at Berkeley. It really felt like us working together as a team for her to determine an appropriate placement, and I even interviewed with my site before finalizing anything to make sure it was a good fit for us both. Essentially, I told her: "No direct practice, no grassroots orgs, I want to be working with a larger agency on a larger scale. I'm interested in policy, in relationships amongst a variety of service providers and entities, and in pursuing my burgeoning interest in homelessness and transitional age youth." I'll now be working with one of the oldest and largest agencies in the East Bay as they launch their new transitional housing program for youth aging out of the foster care system under AB12. It is a massive project, and I will have opportunities to work in policy implementation, to collaborate with major players in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, to help design their strategic plan, and to wear a variety of other hats. For my second year, we have our eye on a placement that would be more akin to policy analysis/design, and I love that arc. My long-term goals aren't set in stone, but I have notions of eventually working for DHHS or HUD.

Long story short, I'm 25, and I have worked as a Program Manager (designed, implemented, managed a county-wide mentoring children of prisoners program for 2 years at a grassroots agency) and a Case Manager (working with transitional age homeless youth, but due to my prior experience I ended up also working in development, building community partnerships, outreach, reporting, and ultimately creating more structure for a program that was really struggling through its own transitionary period). I don't know how much that had to do with my placement, but regardless, I see the fieldwork as the opportunity to personalize your learning experience and begin bridging any gaps in your work experience to help get you where you want to be professionally.

I haven't gotten to know my cohort yet, but it is typical for a range of experience to be represented in MSW program--from students coming directly from undergrad to those who have spent years, if not decades, in the field. Most programs, however, do seem to stress 1-year of full-time work experience in order to demonstrate commitment to the field. I will say that I value my work and direct practice experience tremendously, and believe it will inform my studies better than if I had just leapt right in from undergrad, but everyone has their own backgrounds and perspective to bring to the table.

So that I don't go on forever.. things you might want to consider in your search: location (this can often govern what type of fieldwork opportunities are available to you); structure of field placements; research opportunities; size of cohort; certificates or other specialities available; cost; opportunities to take classes outside of social work (e.g. at Berkeley's School of Public Policy, there is an interdisciplinary seminar on youth policy); extracurriculars.

[michigan girl]

Sam0, briefinterviews wonderfully explained the opportunities available with a macro-focused MSW. You can study management, community organizing and policy practice. I also agree that the big-name state programs (Michigan and Berkeley) tend to offer both a strong curriculum and field placement options for macro social work students. Smaller universities may only offer clinical programs. As a Michigan resident, I am able to take advantage of in-state tuition. You should research your regional universities for macro social work programs.

I was (and still am) in my mid-twenties when I entered graduate school. The MSW is a great generalist degree that will prepare you for many career paths with children and youth, health care, the elderly, homelessness, educational settings, and communities. Currently, I am finishing my second master's degree (Higher Education) at the University of MIchigan. Like you, I also wanted to study systematic / structural inequalities within (higher) education. I focused my assignments around diversity topics, and did my field placement at a social justice education program. However, I discovered that if I wanted a well-rounded background in educational issues, I needed to take coursework (cognates) in other professional programs (education, public policy, law, etc.). I enjoyed my cognates so much that I decided to pursue the master's degree in higher education after I completed my MSW. When people ask what do I study, I consider myself a licensed macro social worker who focuses on diversity issues (administration and policy) in higher education.

Edited July 28, 2012 by michigan girl

[citychild]

I am another future Macro student. I am really impressed with Boston College, however, their Macro program doesn't start until January and school ends in April. I just don't feel comfortable taking a job for ~6-7 months :-/

[michigan girl]

Citychild, have you considered Boston University's macro social work program? I am not sure where else you are planning to apply but if you want to live in the Boston area you should also research BU's program. On the West Coast, you should check out UCLA, UC-Berkeley and Arizona State.

[citychild]

michigan girl -- I presently go to Arizona State :-) UCLA requires the GRE but I LOVE their program and visited their campus. I was really energized by the experience, however, the GRE is a huge barrier for me since I have 5 p/t jobs and can't afford it :-( Same for Berkeley.

I am going to check out BU and Simmons. It's discouraging so many schools don't offer Macro... I was really interested in SFSU.

[Sam0]

Thank you everyone! -For those of you who have gone through the application process, is it tough to get funding for MSW programs. From what I can tell it seems that it is.

citychild- I only just started looking into Boston College's program. When I read through this forum however, I read some posts that said that their macro program was not very strong, have you heard otherwise? I didn't realize that their macro program doesn't start until January! I feel your discouragement as well.

So far I have been looking into Catholic University of America, VCU, UNC, and UGA. I'm planning on looking into University of South Carolina aswell. I might also look into Michigan. Any thoughts on these macro programs that haven't been mentioned yet?

My thing is I'm hoping not to go too far from home (NC), but I also do not want to limit myself!

[michigan girl]

citychild, I do know that Simmons and Smith College only offers clinical social work programs. Definitely check out Arizona State or social work programs in the city/state that you hope to work in the near future. Boston College has historically had a strong clinical-focused program, so their macro practice program is still a work in progress. That's why I mentioned Boston University might be the better option for macro social work opportunities in the Boston area.

Sam0, I recommend you apply to VCU and UNC-Chapel Hill if you plan to work in the region after graduation. Both have strong macro social work programs. Avoid UNC-Charlotte because it only offers a clinical curriculum.

Edited July 29, 2012 by michigan girl

[citychild]

I really have no desire to stay in Arizona long term. I am completely miserable her and have lived in NYC & Boston & Chicago and larger, more urban environments and have been much happier.

I plan to check out BU. I have even called there and spoken to someone. Thanks for the heads up!

[2011 MSW Hopeful]

I'll throw UChicago out there. Several macro tracks/concentrations/programs of study, and career services does a great job of connecting macro (administrative track, here) students with networking opportunities, like a week in DC in the spring to meet program alumni in the region. You also have the ability to take policy classes at Harris or business classes at Booth as electives.

[Inspired V]

From what I've seen, I would also say that U Maryland, Florida State University, and University of Texas seem to have strong Macro programs.

Really the strength of a school is going to depend on how well it fits your interests. This will probably require you to think beyond just "macro" and look for a location that has the population you'd like to work with, and ideally faculty who are engaging in your topics of interest. Good luck!

[mwarfield]

Hello!

I know this topic is a few months old but I wanted to jump in. If you are considering MACRO social work I would advise against UT Austin. I am currently in my first year in the CAL concentration, their MACRO focus. I started full time and dropped down to part time once I realized something wasn't right and I was questioning whether or not I chose the right school. UT is a clinical school. The MACRO program is struggling in the shadow of the LBJ School of Public Policy. They do a lot of what he MACRO program wants to do and I think it is suffering from an identity crisis. Really to get what you need out of this degree at UT you almost have to do a dual degree program. Austin is a fantastic city but the MACRO program at UT isn't so great. I would recommend looking elsewhere. I am transferring to the University of Michigan Fall of 2013.

Matt

[Lola1233]

This is great info, thanks everyone.

I am interested in a macro concentration as well, though I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I'd like to do with it. Does anyone know anything about opportunities in international social work (with a MSW with a macro concentration, I'd assume?)?

[mwarfield]

If you have an idea of what type of social work you want to do, I would suggest contacting schools and talking with their admissions department to see what the offer in that field. Also, go beyond that and talk with some students if you can so you can get an on the ground perspective. Be aware of the trap that grad students tend to be the cash cows for universities and don't take anything at face value. If you find a professor or professors doing work that you are interested in at a school, you could probably get out of it what you want. I feel like most schools put a lot of focus on one type of social work. For example, I have friends that graduated from University of Maryland Baltimore SSW and all three of them are now working for Foster Care, as that school heavily focuses on that. Here at UT there is a heavy focus on school social work, as most placements are in schools. You will also need to do your own research beyond talking to admissions as they will most likely tell you that the program can be whatever you want it to be. After all, their job is to get people to apply.

I know at UT that you can do your final field anywhere, including Internationally. They have a handful of connections for international social work and the majority of those are for the CAL (MACRO) concentration. They also offer some mini semester courses to explore international social work. This winter break they are going to London to see how the social welfare system is set up there. Keep in mind those expenses are additional to tuition, including air flight, hotel, etc. It is not cheap. Do a Google search for international social work and MSW programs and see what comes up. When I was looking at schools I think University of Denver had a focus on that? Not certain though.

As to funding, SSW programs are huge. There were 120 incoming students this year at UT, and at Michigan there were like 330. It is difficult to get funding out of such a large group of people. However, maybe your undergrad grades were amazing and you could be up for some merit based awards. Mine were total crap as I was too busy protesting stuff instead of actually going to class. Your best bet is to try and get a graduate student position that offers some sort of tuition reduction or stipend.

The biggest regret I have is not investigating more about what type of work the school does. Look at professors work, what they have published, what research they are doing, contact them even and ask if you can get what you want from the program. Also, talk to students!

Edited November 19, 2012 by mwarfield