Social Work Programs In Illinois
Social work, as a helping profession, involves working with people in a variety of situations. Social workers assist individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities in the areas of child and family welfare, corrections, health, mental health and a variety of other social service settings.
social work programs in illinois
The undergraduate social work curriculum at Northeastern is designed to prepare you for entry-level professional social work and for graduate study. You will build knowledge of human behavior, and develop the skills needed for helping individuals, families, small groups, organizations or communities in a diverse society.
Northeastern hosts the only public undergraduate social work program in the Chicago area. Because of our commitment to the highest-quality social work, education graduates from our program go on to graduate school and excel.
Completion of the Bachelor of Social Work at Northeastern Illinois University will satisfy standards for social work licensure as required in Illinois by the Association of Social Work Boards. Northeastern Illinois University has not made a determination as to whether the Bachelor of Social Work meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in any of the other of the 54 U.S. states and jurisdictions. Specific requirements for licensure or certification in states other than Illinois vary from state-to-state. In some cases, you may need to take additional coursework or exams to meet individual state requirements and/or you may need to complete background checks.
Corporations, school districts, and other organizations are finding ways to help alleviate higher levels of stress and anxiety by hiring social workers to make a difference. At AU, your professors will help you choose the track that is right for you so you are ready to start work when you graduate.
DePaul University has a traditional MSW program that it offers at its Loop Campus in Chicago. The program gives students the option of specializing in Community Practice macro social work, or in Forensic Social Work practice with juveniles and adults in the criminal justice system. This is an 88 quarter-credit program that requires students to engage in 1,120 hours of field education. DePaul has a full-time traditional program track that takes two years to complete and a part-time track that can be completed in three or four years. The part-time track allows students to enroll in weekday evening courses, while the full-time track requires some daytime courses.
Loyola University Chicago (LUC) offers a campus-based MSW program designed for traditional students interested in either micro or macro practice social work. Students in the program can choose between a Micro Practice specialization, that has four concentration options: Advanced Clinical Practice, Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors (CADC), Migration Studies, and School Social Work, and a Leadership, Mezzo, & Macro Practice (LMMP) specialization with a concentration in Leadership, Community, Advocacy, & Policy (LCAP). Traditional students in this program complete a 49-credit curriculum that includes 1,000 hours of field education. The program also allows for part-time enrollment, which leads to graduating in four years.
The University of St. Francis has a traditional MSW program that allows students to attend evening and weekend campus-based classes in combination with online coursework. Students in the program can choose an Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice concentration that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work, or a School Social Work concentration. Both concentrations require traditional students to engage in 1,080 hours of field education. This is a 62-credit MSW program that is designed to be completed in two years by full-time students. Part-time traditional students can earn their degree in three to four years.
The University of St. Francis offers its MSW program in a fully online format that does not require any campus visits. The program has a 62-credit track for traditional students that includes 1,080 hours of field education. Students in the program have the choice of an Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice specialization that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work, or a School Social Work specialization that prepares students to work with students in public school settings. This program is designed to be completed in two years of full-time enrollment. Students who opt for part-time enrollment can graduate in three to four years.
Advanced standing MSW programs are designed specifically for students who hold a BSW degree from an undergraduate program that is accredited by the CSWE. Students who have completed a CSWE-accredited BSW program are generally prepared to begin their MSW studies with the advanced specialization coursework and field placements that comprise the second year of a full-time traditional MSW program. Thus, advanced standing students are typically able to earn their MSW degree in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.
Chicago State University (CSU) offers a campus-based MSW program with a 30-credit advanced standing track that requires applicants to have earned a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program within the last four years. Advanced standing applicants are also expected to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale. The CSU advanced standing MSW program track requires students to complete 30-credits, inclusive of 550 hours of field education. Students have the option of specializing in Direct Practice clinical social work or Program Planning and Administration macro practice social work. The program also has a School Social Work specialization that requires an additional 50 hours of field education (600 hours total). Advanced standing students in the CSU MSW program can earn their degree in one year of full-time enrollment or two years of part-time enrollment.
Erikson Institute has a campus-based MSW program with three concentration options: Child and Family Policy; Children, Adolescents, and Adults; and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. The program has a 35-credit advanced standing track for students who hold a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. To qualify for full advanced standing status, BSW graduates must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a four-point scale. BSW graduates with a GPA below 3.0 are subject to a transcript review to determine whether or not they will receive credit for undergraduate social work courses and field education. Students who meet all advanced standing requirements are required to engage in 500 hours of field education and can graduate in one year of full-time enrollment. Part-time advanced standing students can earn their degree in two years.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) offers a campus-based MSW program that has an advanced standing track that can be completed in one year over three consecutive semesters (summer, fall, and spring). To be eligible for advanced standing status, applicants to the SIUE program must hold a BSW degree conferred within the last seven years by a CSWE-accredited undergraduate program. Students who are granted advanced standing status complete a 30-credit Advanced Generalist curriculum that includes 500 hours of field education and provides preparation for careers in clinical and/or macro practice social work. While this is a primarily a campus-based program, some courses include online instruction.
A student is eligible for Advanced Standing admission if you have completed a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited program within 8 years. Students receiving degrees from international social work programs do not qualify for Advanced Standing admissions. Applicants are asked to specify on your application if you meet the qualifications for Advanced Standing and this is verified through reviewing transcripts and the CSWE accreditation status of the undergraduate program. Advanced Standing applicants must meet all other university and program admission requirements.
If an applicant to the MSW program has an undergraduate social work degree from an international program and wishes to be considered for advanced standing admissions, the applicant will need to have their degree evaluated through the International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service (ISWDRES), an office of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
An applicant with a social work degree from an international program may choose not to have their degree evaluated by ISWDRES. If an applicant with a social work degree from an international program declines to have their degree evaluated by ISWDRES, they will apply for admission to the full program, and will not be considered for advanced standing.
Entry into the social work program and profession is also based on legal requirements. The Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics outline the laws around getting your license and practicing in the field.
BSW programs may also be the minimum degree requirement for many entry-level careers in the social work field. Some students may prefer traditional degree programs that include face-to-face learning and in-class lectures, while other students may require flexible online programs that fit the needs of a busy schedule.
Illinois State University's program consists of a 54 credit-hour requirement that is spread over the course of 4 years. During this time frame, students can study the introductory aspects of social work, techniques related to assessment and planning in the field, and details about specific treatment groups that they may come in contact with while working in this field.
In addition to course work, many programs offering the BSW may also require that students participate in internships or other supervised field experience while enrolled. This experience can allow learners to experience aspects of their curriculum that they may never have come in contact with and provide them with hands-on experience for use later in their careers. 041b061a72