Edinboro University of Pennsylvania MSW Online
Program Options: Full- and Part-time
Tuition: $9,984 in-district; $10,074 in-state; $10,640 out-of-state
Acceptance Rate: 99.3 percent
GRE Required: Students with GPA of 2.8 must provide MAT or GRE scores
1-year/Accelerated Option: Yes
Campus Visits Required: No
Field Hours: 900 clock hours
CSWE Accredited: Yes
Application Deadline: July 1 for Regular program for fall; November 15 for Regular program for spring; May 15 for Advanced Standing
EU appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Affordable Master of Social Work Online (MSW) Degrees.
Overview
Edinboro University was founded as Edinboro Academy in 1857 as a private training school for teachers. The citizens of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, provided $3,400 to purchase an acre of land and to construct a two-story, six-room building which stands today. In 1861, the school joined the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to create the state’s second normal school, Northwest State Normal School. The school was renamed Edinboro State Normal School in 1914 when it was purchased by the state. It became Edinboro State College in 1927 before again changing its name to Edinboro State College in 1960. In 1983, the school gained university status.
Today, Edinboro University has an enrollment of 4,840 undergraduate and 1,341 graduate students. The school awards more than $4.7 million in scholarships and awards. Victory Media has named the school one of the top Military-Friendly Schools in the country for seven straight years.
The online Master of Social Work is meeting a trend that indicates the need for social workers will grow dramatically over the next decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for social workers is expected to grow faster than other industries in the United States.
Strengths
The online Master of Social Work program at Edinboro University follows the same rigorous curriculum as provided to students in traditional classrooms. Students are well-prepared for leadership positions in private practice, family-based agencies, mental health care facilities, addiction treatment centers and more. The program has been ranked as one of the top ten in the nation by SR Education Group. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the national examination for licensure as a social work practitioner.
Concentrations
Edinboro University does not offer any concentrations as part of their online Master of Social Work program.
Program Requirements
Students are provided an in-depth understanding of challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities. The program prepares students for advanced social work practice with a focus on the impact of trauma on the family. Students must complete 60 semester hours of classroom training as well as 900 hours of supervised internship. The curriculum is divided into two years, foundation and concentration.
Students may be eligible for the Advanced Standing option which allows them to waive the first semester of the program. In addition to those 12 credits, additional courses may be waived depending on course equivalency at the undergraduate level. All students must complete the concentration courses and admission to the program is competitive.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in the program. Only six semester hours with a grade of “C” will be accepted and only one “C” grade during a field internship is accepted. Students are provided an understanding of the Code of Ethics for the National Association of Social Workers and are expected to adhere to that Code.
Over four semesters, students are in the field two days each week while also taking classes. Most internships are within commuting distance from campus. Students taking the online program may be required to find their own internships if they live a significant distance from the campus.
Admissions Requirements
Students who wish to enter the online Master of Social Work program must complete an online application and pay an application fee. Students must provide an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended. One of the transcripts must indicate the conferring of a bachelor’s degree or higher. Students must have completed human biology or human anatomy and physiology. If not completed, students may take the courses during their first year of graduate study. Students must provide a professional resume and two letters of reference. Students should have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 for the regular program and 3.0 for the Advanced Standing program. Students who do not have the minimum GPA must provide GRE or MAT scores. A personal statement is also required.
Students must have completed 21 semester hours of credit within liberal arts curriculum including humanities, art, mathematics, physical and biological sciences as well as behavioral and social sciences.
The personal statement must include why the student wants to enter the social work profession, their ability to value perspectives of diverse populations, their readiness for graduate education and why they are motivated to apply at Edinboro.
To apply for the Advanced Standing program, students must provide copies of field internship evaluations and a letter from the undergraduate field supervisor.
Faculty
Edinboro University offers students an accomplished faculty and staff. Class sizes are small and taught by internationally recognized faculty. More than 90 percent of the faculty at Edinboro hold terminal degrees in their field of study. The online Master of Social Work is taught by the same faculty that teaches traditional students in a classroom setting. Students who are learning online are provided ample opportunity to receive one-on-one interaction with their instructors, whether through email, classroom discussion or other methods of communication.
Online Courses
Courses required for the online Master of Social Work program at Edinboro University include:
- Administration and Supervision
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Interventions with Families
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment: Theory and Intervention
- Human Behavior and Social Environment I & II
- Human Diversity
- Mental Health Practice in Social Work
- Social Welfare, Social Policy & Social Work
- Social Work Research I & II
- Social Work Practice I & II
- Social Work Practice with Families I & II
- Trauma-Informed Policy
- Trauma Theory and Treatment
Internships
Students must complete 900 hours of internship prior to graduation. Students may be placed or seek internships at some of the following locations:
- Addiction treatment centers
- Adoption agencies
- Correctional facilities
- Family-based agencies
- Foster care agencies
- Governmental agencies
- Hospitals
- Medical care facilities
- Mental health care agencies
- Nursing homes
- Psychiatric facilities
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Schools
- Senior centers
- Veteran’s agencies
Contact
Dr. Christine Rine, Ph.D.
MSW Head
814-732-2856