BUSSW’s MSW Pathways Program Helps Future Social Workers Prepare for Graduate Education
Pathways to Social Work and Other Helping Professions, a free online certificate program recently piloted by The Network for Professional Education at the Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW), helps learners decide if social work is the right career path for them. Learners in the program explore career paths in social work and other helping professions, gain knowledge on what a career in social work entails, and receive guidance on how to apply for a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.
With support from the Accelerate the Future organization, the program was developed by Prof. Jorge Delva and Prof. Bronwyn Keefe, research associate professor and director of The Network.
“When developing our program, we wanted to make it as interactive and engaging as possible to reach two groups of individuals,” Prof. Delva shared. “One group is those with a bachelor’s degree who are working in a helping field and have been thinking about a graduate education in social work. These individuals generally know the specific career path they would like to pursue but are less certain about what an MSW program consists of, the application process, and other details about graduate education in social work. The second group is people who may have a bachelor’s degree or are enrolled in a community college or undergraduate degree who have heard about social work but have a limited understanding of the social work profession. With both populations in mind, our program includes information that describes the broad range of career possibilities an MSW degree can provide.”
The course was recently piloted with 28 learners across the country who were considering an MSW degree. A survey of the participants revealed that after completing the program, they felt more confident in their understanding of the social work profession, more knowledgeable about the job opportunities available, and more prepared to apply for MSW programs.
Benefits of MSW Pathways Program
Upon completing the program, 89% of learners agreed or strongly agreed that the course prepared them to apply to an MSW program. 79% reported that the training was helpful in pursuing their long-term career goals.
“This course has been incredibly valuable in helping me clarify my path toward a career in social work,” one participant said. “I appreciated the clear structure, the supportive instructors, and the opportunity to explore different areas within the helping professions.”
“Having … guest speakers talk about their experiences helped me put things into perspective and reaffirmed my belief that you can still be successful regardless of your age or where you are in life.”
“The program exposed me to different areas of the field—like community work, and policy advocacy—which helped me identify my interests and strengths.”
Next Steps
Following the success of the pilot, The Network is developing partnerships with other schools and colleges at BU and with community colleges to introduce the program and the social work field to undergraduate students and those considering career changes.
Most recently, they collaborated with BU’s Center for Career Development (CCD).
Agustina Morón, career success coach for the Education & Human Services Career Community at the center shares, “The CCD is pleased to offer this program as a resource for students considering a degree in social work and other helping professions. The CCD envisions this program enriching our conversations with students as they learn and gain more clarity about different practices and career paths within the social work field. We also believe the program will help students learn about the elements of a graduate programs’ application process and allow them to draft their documents with greater insight.”
The Pathways to Social Work and Other Helping Professions program is now available at no cost through The Network for Professional Education’s website.
Learn more about the outcomes from the pilot study.