USU beginning social work Master’s degree
Students wanting to pursue a Master’s degree in social work will soon be able to do so at USU when the new program starts in the fall of 2008.
The program will start with the traditional two year program on-campus and as a part time program through Distance Education sites in Tooele, Ogden and Brigham City said Terry Peak, director of the social work program. She expects the program to expand in the future to such sites as Roosevelt and Vernal as there is need there.
“People are calling every day asking when the program is going to start,” said Peak.
Around 400 students have expressed interest in the program at some point and Peak hopes to be able to help everyone who still wants to go through the program.
An undergraduate degree in social work isn’t required to get a Master’s and Peak said many of the students to whom she has talked have a degree in something else, but work in the social work field or are simply interested in the degree.
The program will consist of 60 credits, including 900 practicum hours. Peak said at least half of these must be supervised. This gives not only the students good experience, but also the businesses for which they work. They will be able to have volunteer students who are under supervision and able to help with their workload.
“This program will help address the needs of individuals and families and public and private human service agencies throughout Utah,” said USU Vice Provost Ronda Menlove in a press release from the university.
Most of the classes will be taught in the afternoon and evenings as many who will go through the program are currently employed in a social work setting.
“The classes will primarily be taught face-to-face as social work is a practice profession,” Peak said
Six new faculty members will be hired in order to accomplish this. Three will be on campus and the other three will split their time between the distance education sites depending on enrollment.
Forty-five students will be in the on-campus program and 40 at the distance education sites the first year. There will be an application process of sorts, but that is still to be decided on exactly.
Distance Education has been very supportive Peak said. She also cited Provost Raymond T. Coward as being instrumental in starting up this at other universities and has been supportive of the program at USU.
When the final decisions are made about the program the information will be posted on the Social Work website.
-albaugh@cc.usu.edu