Both master's and doctorate levels exist for social work programs. The Masters in Social Work is intended for those that want to get a start on possible employment in this field. A doctorate, on the other hand, prepares students to conduct research and policy analysis mostly in academic and non-academic research centers.
The masters class is intended to help students learn more about various policy trends and styles in social work. Most students graduate well under the 3-year mark. In addition, plenty of financial aid programs are available to students taking masters degrees that can spare students the extravagant tuition expenses of education.
A Master's in Social Work requires a lot of field experience from the student. Your tasks here deal with the arrangement of different projects as well as their review. They are also expected to specialize in specific areas such as mental health, health care, aging, corrections, child welfare or employee assistance.
Among the specializations available would be public policy and the field of psychotherapy. The most common workplaces for people from the degree would be governmental agencies and non-profits. Some opt for the joint degree, which is a viable solution if you have two areas of interest.
The CSWE is the organization that deals with accreditation for social work courses. The council's list of accredited schools all boast excellent social work courses that can be continued with doctoral courses. Students are then able to finish their Masters program within a year’s time.
If your goal is to become a true expert in the theories and concepts as well as analytical models used for social work, you can seek out a doctorate program. There is no consensus on which is the better term: PhD or doctorate. Do not be confused into thinking they stand for different types of programs, however.
The usual areas of employment for people finishing a doctoral would be universities and think tanks. You are going to be more involved with papers, usually, than actual people. The doctoral enables you to draw attention to yourself as a major thinker and analyst in the field.
Your classes are going to deal with techniques and concepts for assessment and investigation. To get the PhD, students are asked to submit a dissertation. You usually choose a topic that interests you, do extensive, probably year-long research on it, then compile that research into a single body of text.
You should set aside several years to finish the whole program: it is not going to be quick and easy. While many professionals have their primary focus on teaching and collaboration on research with academic colleagues, many still continue their social work practice. Some even go so far as to juggle commitments to both areas of the field.
Ironically enough, it is the doctorate program that is not accredited by CSWE and the masters in social work program that is indeed accredited. PhD programs typically do not have scholarships too. Longer years of working in the field as well as of study are valued when it comes to admissions for such programs, making them tough to enter.
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