Frequently Asked Questions
General
1. What
is Social Work?
2. How
do I know if I'm suited to being a social worker?
3. I
really want to work in a certain setting. What types of field placements
are available?
Financial
1. What
types of financial aid are available for social work students?
BASW
1. What
are the BASW program requirements?
2. I am
a transfer student from another university. Will my courses transfer
into the BASW program?
3. I'm
thinking of transferring to social work from my current major at UMaine.
What do I need to do?
4. Will
I be able to minor in addition to my social work studies?
5. What
if I want to go on to do an MSW?
MSW
1. What
is the focus of the University of Maine MSW Program?
2. I am
interested in clinical social work. Will I be eligible for licensure at
the Licensed Clinical Social Worker level?
3. What
are the MSW Program requirements?
4. How
do I know if I am eligible for Advanced Standing?
5. I
took graduate level courses at another university. Will I be able to
transfer those credits into the MSW program?
6. I've
taken over six credits as a non-degree student at the UMaine School of
Social Work? How do I transfer these courses?
7. I
have many years of work experience in human services? Can I receive
credit for this work and life experience?
8. Is it
possible to work and be enrolled in the program simultaneously?
9. Where
do social work students do their field placements?
General
1. What is Social Work?
Social work is a distinctive profession which views
people and their environment as integrally intertwined and interactive.
We share a commitment not only to work with individuals, but also share
a commitment to institutional and societal change. As a profession,
social workers maintain a primary commitment to disadvantaged,
vulnerable, and economically deprived persons in our society.
Historically, social workers led the fight for child labor laws, voting
rights for women, and other progressive milestones. Social workers share
a common set of professional values and ethics, and common set of basic
or generic skills that enable them to work with diverse populations and
fill diverse roles in a variety of settings.
2. How do I know if I'm suited to being a
social worker?
The social work profession is suited to people who
are flexible, socially and politically aware, self-motivated, eager to
learn over a life time, desirous of personal growth, altruistic,
comfortable with ambiguity, and interested in changing social conditions
that are adverse to healthy human development, self-determination and
social justice.
3. I really want to work in a certain
setting. What types of field placements are available?
A list of public and private agencies which have
supported field placements is given on this web site within the
"academic" link under "Field Instruction -
field placement sites."
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Financial
1. What types of financial aid are available
for social work students?
Financial aid which is not specific to the School of
Social Work is available through the University's Financial Aid Office.
BASW and MSW students should check the
Student
Financial Aid Office web page or call 207-581-1324 for a financial
aid packet.
Graduate Assistantships: A limited
number of graduate assistantships are available through the School of
Social Work, based on faculty research interest and funding. Students
are notified of School assistantships as available. Other graduate
assistantships are also available through the Graduate School,
Residential Life, the Division of Lifelong Learning, and other
University of Maine departments.
Scholarships: Several scholarships
are available for graduate students at the University of Maine. Each
year, the School of Social Work may nominate up to three current MSW
students for Trustee Tuition Waivers. Canadian students who are
graduates of an Atlantic Provinces college or university are eligible
for the Atlantic Provinces Tuition Waiver. A limited number of Tuition
Waiver Scholarships are also available to international students.
Tuition waiver scholarships provide tuition scholarship for up to 18
credit hours. See the Graduate School for additional information.
Top
BASW
1. What are the BASW program requirements?
All the program requirements are listed in the
Sample Plan of Study available on this web site and in the information
packet, which we will send you on request [(207) 581-2389)]. To graduate
from UMaine with a BASW degree most students take a minimum of 121
credits with 73 credits in their social work major. Many of the
prerequisites for social work match the University's General Education
Requirements, leaving room in a student's program to complete a minor in
another area. Some students minor in psychology, women's studies, or
sociology - all disciplines with relevance for social work.
2. I am a transfer student from another
university. Will my courses transfer into the BASW program?
Once a student has applied to the University of
Maine, the transcript is evaluated. You will receive a copy of that
evaluation and will meet with the BASW Program Coordinator to plan your
Course of Study based on the evaluation. Courses that have direct
equivalents at UMaine will show the course number at your prior
institution and the corresponding course number for UMaine. Courses not
comparable to any UMaine course but receiving transfer credit will
appear with the course number at your prior institution and a course
number of 1XX or 2XX.
3. I'm thinking of transferring to social
work from my current major at UMaine. What do I need to do?
Internal UMaine transfer students should call
581-2389 to schedule an appointment with the BASW Program Coordinator.
During your appointment, the Coordinator will evaluate which courses will
apply to your proposed BASW program. Students wishing to change majors
must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Once you decide to change majors, you
will complete a Change of Major Form available at the School of Social
Work and submit the form for the necessary signatures. When all the
paper work is processed, you will receive a letter from the BASW Program
Coordinator welcoming you to the major and notifying you of your
academic advisor. We encourage all students to keep in contact with
their academic advisors not only during registration periods but also
whenever questions arise about their program. All faculty advisors are
available by phone, by email or First Class, and in person during office
hours.
4. Will I be able to minor in addition to my
social work studies?
Although it is not a requirement, many social work
majors complete minors in psychology, sociology, women's studies and
other disciplines. If you are planning a minor, check with that
department about requirements. Basic information on departments
offering minors is available in the UMaine Catalog at
http://www.catalog.umaine.edu/. If you decide to
minor in a particular discipline, you must complete a Minor Form
available either at the School of Social Work or in the department you
have chosen for your minor. Social Work does not offer a minor.
5. What if I want to go on to do an MSW?
Graduates from accredited undergraduate programs in
social work are eligible for Advanced Standing in most accredited MSW
programs. Because the courses taken in accredited BSW programs parallel
the courses taken in the first year of the MSW program, applicants
accepted for Advanced Standing programs usually can complete the
standard two-year MSW program in one full-time year plus a summer of
bridging courses. Bridging courses are taken the summer prior to
entering the second year MSW courses. Some MSW Advanced Standing
students elect to complete their program on a part-time basis - usually
over two years. The UMaine School of Social Work offers advanced
standing to qualified BSW graduates.
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MSW
1. What is the focus of the University of
Maine MSW Program?
The University of Maine School of Social Work
educates social workers from an advanced generalist perspective of
social work practice. Advanced Generalist social work practioners apply
multi-level, multi-method approaches to the resolution of the problems
of persons in their environments. The Advanced Generalist curriculum
focuses on the social work roles of clinician, consultant, supervisor
and administrator.
2. I am interested in clinical social work.
Will I be eligible for licensure at the Licensed Clinical Social Worker
(LCW) level?
Students interested in eligibility for practice as
an LCSW in Maine and in other states that provide for that level of
licensure should complete an elective in adult and child
psychopathology, other clinical social work electives, and an advanced
year field placement in a clinical setting.
3. What are the MSW Program requirements?
Students in the Regular MSW Program complete 63
credit hours including 18 credit hours for field placements. Students
admitted into the Advanced Standing Program complete 41 credit hours
including 10 credit hours for the advanced year field placement.
4. How do I know if I am eligible for
Advanced Standing?
Students with BSW degrees from undergraduate social
work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be
eligible for advanced standing status upon meeting general eligibility
requirements and submitting these additional materials from their
undergraduate program director -- a statement that the student has 400
clock hours in a field placement, a brief description of the field
placement, and the student's final field evaluation. To be eligible for
advanced standing students must have completed their BSW degree program
within six years of application to the MSW program. Students accepted
with advanced standing status are required to attend 8 weeks of summer
courses that provide new content and serve as a "bridge" or refresher
courses.
5. I took graduate level courses at another
university. Will I be able to transfer those credits into the MSW
program?
Applicants who have completed some coursework in
another CSWE accredited MSW program within the past five years may
request a review of that coursework for possible equivalency or elective
credit. Students who wish to transfer more than six (6) credit hours
should make a written request to the MSW Program Coordinator. The MSW
Program Coordinator will review the transfer request, examine pertinent
course syllabi, make a determination of transfer credits, and submit a
formal request to the Graduate School for transfer of credits.
Applicants who have completed coursework within a non-CSWE accredited
MSW program or within another discipline (e.g. counseling, psychology,
etc.) may provide a written request to the MSW Program Coordinator for
transfer of up to six credits as electives. Students must receive a B or
better for any course in which they request transfer credit.
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6. I've taken over six credits as a
non-degree student at the UMaine School of Social Work? How do I
transfer these courses?
Applicants who have completed UMaine School of
Social Work courses as non-degree students and have a received a B or
better in the course may request transfer of this coursework at the time
of application to the MSW program. Non-degree students in the Child and
Family Certificate program who are accepted into the MSW program may
have up to 15 credit hours transferred into their program of study.
7. I have many years of work experience in
human services? Can I receive credit for this work and life experience?
As part of the Council on Social Work Education
accreditation standards, in no case can credit be given for prior work
or life experience.
8. Is it possible to work and be enrolled in
the program simultaneously?
The MSW program is demanding. Our current students
have found that it is difficult to work full-time and attend the program
full-time. However, we do offer several program options to help students
who are juggling work, personal, family, and school life. The Part-Time
Option is available in Orono, and the Weekend Option is available at the
Hutchinson Center in Belfast.
9. Where do social work students do their
field placements?
Field placements are available at a wide range of
public and private agencies throughout the state of Maine. Several field
placements are also available in New Brunswick. A list of most agencies
which have supported field placements is given on this web site within
the "academic" link under "Field Instruction -
field placement sites."
