Master's Degree in Social Work

If you plan to take up a master's degree in Social Work, you can actually choose from a couple of specific fields -- a community practice field which puts an emphasis on political or community advocacy and management of human services and a clinical field or track which puts emphasis on direct contact with clients or patients. (1) Aside from these two basic fields, many universities and colleges offer additional tracks for those who want to take up a master's degree Social Work. Most of these tracks require field experience as part of the curriculum which is a helpful learning tool especially for those who want to go into community involvement or organizing. (2)

Basically, a master's degree in Social Work can be granted if you are able to complete an undergraduate degree and a 2-year postgraduate degree along with field work or experience. You don't have to finish a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work as an undergraduate degree in order to get your master's because many schools accept graduates coming from a wide range of degrees in liberal arts. (3)

Before enrolling for a master's degree Social Work, it's best to do first a bit of research regarding the school whether it's an actual university or an online school that offers such a degree in Social Work. Checking the school's official website is a first step since these online sites offer updated information regarding curriculum, tuition rates, and enrollment procedures. Getting copies of a school's official brochures or pamphlets is also a good idea. These information tools are easy to acquire and they contain updated contact information for more inquiries. You can also ask around -- asking among friends, colleagues, and relatives regarding a school's reputation is a reliable way of getting information about a certain university or college. Visiting the actual campus is of course a must when checking out universities or colleges. In this way, you can also see if the brochure or leaflet is telling the truth regarding the school's facilities. (4)

When opting for an online master's degree in Social Work, double checking the school's accreditation and reputation is very important since there are plenty of online sites that offer fraudulent diplomas that are not recognized by other schools or employers. (5)

Literary Citations & Article References:

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Social_Work

2) http://www.temple.edu/socialwork/Master-of-Social-Work.asp

3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Social_Work

4) http://distancelearn.about.com/od/choosingaschool/a/doyourhw.htm

5) http://distancelearn.about.com/od/onlinecourses/a/masters_degree.htm