Fall 2014ers

[Lifesaver]

School is starting soon! Is everyone ready?

 

I have a few questions for you guys.

1) How many classes are you taking in the fall? If you know what they are, feel free to include.

2) How many books are you required to purchase?

3) How much did you spend on books?

 

I ordered my eleven books today and spent almost $500. YIKES!

[avflinsch]

3 classes in the fall (2x3 credits, 1x0 credits)

 

Intro to Library & Information Professions (online 0 credits)

Human Information Behavior (3 credits, traditional classroom)

Information Technology (3 credits, traditional classroom)

 

With close to 30 years professional experience, I could have waived out of the Info Tech class, but was advised not to, and just take the easy A. Waiving the course would have given me pre-requisite credit, but no actual course credits, so it would not have reduced the amount of courses that I need to take anyway.

 

So far the only book that is needed is the one for Human Info Behavior, and I already had a copy, so no expense so far. The other two courses are still listed as "material selection in progress", which means that the bookstore didn't get the list from the instructors yet, or that there are no required books.

[LittleDarlings]

I'm so ready!!

I have 4 actual weekly classes, 1 biweekly field seminar and then the field placement. I also have 2 additional classes with my fellowship program but we haven't been scheduled for those yet. So far I only know the book requirement for 3 classes. 1 class had a special package you could only get through the schools book store. I sent 223.00 on that, the other 2 classes I bought books on half.com and spent all together about 160.00 and now I'm waiting on the last class to tell us the books they are using. The real killer was my parking pass. I have a handicap so I guess the placard is a handicap pass for a certain lot (then I have to catch a bus to take me to actual classes) and the parking pass was 753.00!! I died when I saw that. I bought a 30 day pass for 83.00 but in the end I'm going to have to just spend the 750 for the year long pass.

[Munashi]

I'm taking 5 "classes" (3 credit, 3 credit, 3 credit, 1 credit, 1 credit .... don't ask, it's a weird situation).

 

I had to buy 2 textbooks.

 

Spent just shy of $200 for them.

[Threeboysmom]

I guess I'm ready.  I keep wanting to do something before the first day.  I have printed syllabi from previous years to give me an idea of how best to spend my time studying.

 

I'm taking two classes which is six hours.  Intro to the Counseling Profession and Counseling Theories and Techniques.  Five books combined were required for my classes and I spent a total of $500.00 on books. 

[Munashi]

Five books combined were required for my classes and I spent a total of $500.00 on books. 

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one paying an average of ~$100/book... lol

[avflinsch]

I have a handicap so I guess the placard is a handicap pass for a certain lot (then I have to catch a bus to take me to actual classes) and the parking pass was 753.00!! I died when I saw that. I bought a 30 day pass for 83.00 but in the end I'm going to have to just spend the 750 for the year long pass.

 

$753 = OUCH.

As a student I would be paying somewhere between 160 & 300 / year, depending on what lot/deck I wanted to park in, and then possibly take a bus.

Fortunately as a university employee, I am paying a variable amount - calculated as a percentage of my annual salary, so it periodically goes up (although it seems like the percentage goes up more often than my annual income), but I can park just about anywhere.

In either case, I am still not guaranteed a parking spot.

$753 is just ridiculous, I have owned cars that cost less than that. I hope that you have a guaranteed spot for that amount.

[Lifesaver]

That IS ridiculous. If I remember correctly, my semester parking pass in undergrad was only $73. Parking was free on campus where I did my first masters, other than $20 commuter decal that was good for the calendar year. Small schools are good for something - we could literally park at the doorsteps of the classrooms, for the most part.

 

I'm still debating how I'm going to get to class in September. I can either take the bus or I can drive and park (in various lots with different payment options). I'm going to do a test run on the bus in a few days. I've only been on a public bus once in my life. Kind of weird for someone who grew up in NYC.

 

Anyway, back to the initial topic. These are my 7 fall classes, 16 credits total:

 

Professional Foundations - 1 credit

Social Welfare, History, and Politics - 3 credits

Diversity and Social Justice - 2 credits

Intro to Organizational and Community Management - 2 credits

Theories of Human Behavior - 2 credits

Intro to Direct Social Work Practice - 3 credits

Tools for Learning and Practice (formally known as Research Methods) - 3 credits

[LAKingsMaverick]

5 Classes: 4 weekly and 1 bi-weekly which is my field placement seminar.

 

Human Behavior and Social Systems 1 (3 credits)

Social Policies, Programs, and Services (3 credits)

Direct Social Work Practice 1 (3 credits) 

Communication and Technology for Social Work Practice (3 credits(

Field Practicum Seminar (3 credits)

 

I will be commuting to campus from home, which is a 40ish minute drive, luckily my classes are in an off campus building so parking is free. But, on the down side, the classrooms are the size of a TAs office and have 25 desks in them. 

 

9 books for around $500. I actually plan on buying some of these as opposed to renting as I'm trying to build my professional library. 

[pdwilks]

Human Behavior 1,  4 units – 1 book and APA manual (This book was used in undergrad, but I traded it in.. Grrr)  Can rent text book for ¼ of the price about 40-50.00 for the quarter

Race Gndr Inequal , 4 units -  No books required (Yet)

Generalist Practice 1, 4 units - Two books, expensive at the school bookstore, but reasonable on amazon.  

Field Instruction 1, 4 units – not sure if this is weekly, bi weekly or monthly yet. 1 book

Internship - no books that I’m aware of yet.

Parking pass is 130.00 per quarter  (three quarters, actually get the summer off, woo hoo). We can park where ever we can find a spot on campus, but most of these classes are in the afternoon and evenings so parking shouldn't be too bad by then, I hope. 

 

With the exception of the APA manual, most of the books are 130-158.00 a book new, and used is only slightly less at the campus bookstore. To get a head start on what I was going to be reading for fall, I found some of my books in a previous edition and got them for less than 10.00. Here is to being able to use these instead of the newer more expensive versions.. Most likely I will have to spend 300-500.00.

[LynneP]

hey pdwilks, i wouldn't buy an apa book -- I never had any questions/issues this (free) website couldn't address: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

[louise86]

I have 5 classes:

Social, Economic & Political Environments (2 credits)

Lifespan & Neurophysiologic Development (4 credits)

Foundation Research (3 credits)

Introduction to Social Work Practice (4 credits)

Foundation Field Practice I & Seminar (2 credits) 

 

I'll also begin my field placement in early October for 16 hours a week for the fall semester and then 24 for the spring semester. I only had to get 4 books for a total of about $170 - bought 3 and rented 1.

[pdwilks]

hey pdwilks, i wouldn't buy an apa book -- I never had any questions/issues this (free) website couldn't address: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

While normally I would agree, I've already had a Biology class with the professor who is requiring the book in the fall. She is a stickler for being exact. I've found it was helpful for the summer course and its better safe than sorry.  Normally I use OWL with no problems.

No worries for me as it wasn't that expensive. Bargain shopper here.

[U-M_Detroiter]

I can't wait to start! 

 

My classes are:

Organizational, Community and Societal Structures and Processes (3cr)

Field instruction and field seminar (3 cr)

Interpersonal practice with individuals, families and small groups (3cr)

Intro to community organization, management, and policy/evaluation practice (3cr)

Geographic information systems (GIS) for social workers (1cr)

Grassroots community organizing environmental justice (1cr) 

 

As of right now, all of my reading is being posted online, or can be found in the library, so I wont have to buy any books unless I want them for future reference.

[momie2112]

Hi!

 

I'm taking 5 classes, 3 credits each. My classes are two days a week.  

 

Grant Writing

Field Practicum 

Issues in International and Community Social Work

Implications of Social Justice and Human Rights for Social Work

Seminar on Emerging Challenges in International Social Work 

 

I have about 11 or 12 books. I rented three and bought the rest for a total of $190. I bought most of it on Amazon. Also, our parking pass is free. 

 

[wesleysmith]

Five classes:

Foundations of Social Welfare Policy (3cr)

Human Behavior and Social Enviornment (3cr)

Social Work Research Methods (3cr)

Social Work Practice: Individuals and Family's (3cr)

Field Education/Social Work Practice (3cr)

 

Suprisingly only 7 books, all online (read it: not campus bookstore)

I can't recall the exact costs, I bought them at different times, but it was only are $350-400.00.