University of Maine Master of Social Work (MSW)
Program Options: Full-time, Part-time, Advanced standing
Tuition: $7,722
Acceptance Rate: 45%
GRE Required: No
1-Year/Accelerated Option: No
Campus Visits Required: Yes
Field Hours: 900
CSWE Accredited: Yes (1990)
Application Deadline: January 14
See our ranking of the Top 10 Affordable Master of Social Work Online (MSW) Degrees.
Overview
The University of Maine is the flagship university school system in the state. Founded in 1868 as a mechanical and agricultural school, it became a full university near the turn of the 20th century. Also called both UMO and Maine, the university offers dozens of majors and degree programs for doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students. U.S. News & World Report included UMO on its lists of the top colleges in America and the top schools around the globe. Both Washington Monthly and Forbes rank Maine on the national scale. Though it accepts more than 80% of the undergrads who apply annually, the university accepts less than half of the prospective graduate students who apply.
Strengths
UMO prepares students for working as licensed social workers after they graduate and assists them in learning how they can obtain their licenses. Though similar programs require that students log into an online system and take classes at the same time each day, this program gives students much more freedom. Though they follow the same course plan that traditional students do, they can do schoolwork in the middle of the night or in the middle of the day. As long as they log in and complete their weekly assignments, they will earn credit for those classes. UMO asks students to attend just two weekend sessions in Maine each semester.
Concentrations
Though UMO does not offer any social work concentrations, it does give students a number of ways to complete their degrees. It offers a weekend program designed for those who live close to its campus. Students will take classes on weekends and earn an MSW degree in just three years. Advanced standing students will finish the weekend program much faster. Many students prefer the online hybrid program, which includes online classes and a few weekly on-campus sessions each year. UMO also allows students to gain experience in different specializations of social work through their field education experiences.
Program Requirements
The amount of work that students do will vary based on whether they are advanced standing or traditional students. Traditional students can have a degree in any field and not have any social work experience, but they should take some liberal arts and social sciences classes at the undergrad level. Advanced standing students have both social work experience and a social work bachelor’s degree. The traditional MSW program gives students up to five years to complete all the required 63 credits of work, while advanced standing students have two years to complete 46 credits of work. Students will earn credits through the courses that they take and from their field education experiences.
Admissions Requirements
Online students enrolled in the UMO social work program will take part in a cohort. Students start together at the same time in small groups and work with that same group as they complete the program. They must agree to start during the fall semester and have their applications in by January 14. The university is very selective in who it admits because it wants to keep its class sizes as low as possible. There are usually fewer than 140 students enrolled in its social work programs.
To apply to this program, students must use the UMO online application and select the version of the program they want to enroll in and answer all questions on the application. It also includes different sections for contact information and other data. Students will submit a double-spaced essay of no more than four pages that lists their goals, experiences, and knowledge of social work. They’ll also talk about their futures and explain where they want to work in the social work field. Other admissions requirements include a resume, completed Master of Social Work study form and three letters of recommendation.
Faculty
Though Maine is home to some large cities like Portland and Augusta, which is its capital, the state is also home to a number of much smaller towns and villages. UMO professors often still practice after taking jobs with the university. They can give students insider information on the best places to work and which towns have the highest need for social work professionals. These professors also provide students with their years of experience and teach them how to use the skills they develop. Students can get advice on searching for jobs and applying for open positions too. The university’s teachers communicate with students online via email and class discussion boards and offline.
Online Courses
UMO requires that online/hybrid MSW students attend two weekend study sessions each semester in Belfast, which allows them to work with their classmates and professors in a traditional setting. The only other work that they do offline will come from their field experiences. Students typically take 21 credits during the first year, which include classes such as Practice in Generalist Social Work, Advanced Social Work Research, Human Behavior and the Social Environment and Social Welfare Policies and Issues for Generalist Practitioners. They will also do two fieldwork experiences during these semesters. The courses they take later in the program include Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice with Families and Small Groups and Advanced Professional Integrative Seminar. Students will also take three electives like Supporting Families Under Stress and Introduction to Mediation.
Internships
To meet the CSWE accreditation guidelines, UMO cannot award students credit for any past experiences they have or work they did prior to enrolling. The university divides the field education requirement into two different stages. Students will do generalist practicums in their first two semesters. They must do at least 400 hours of fieldwork, but the university gives students the option of working in one or two agencies/organizations to complete those hours. In their second or third years, students will do a specialist social work practicum. This requires that they do at least 500 hours of fieldwork. The University of Maine offers assistance to students who need help locating practicum placements.
Contact
5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 122
Orono, ME 04469-5713
(207) 581-5858
UMaineOnline@maine.edu