jmcomicÂþ»­

Hi, If you apply for the online program and you are not close to the school--forget about it. It says it is a distance learning program but they don't have relationships with organizations where I live (which they should have disclosed from the start) and 4 days prior to the semester, I have no field placement (this is mandatory). I also told them I work full time, M-F, roughly 8am-4pm, and they have no field placement for me after 4.5 months of them "searching." I was only sent to two interviews.... Read More If you are looking for a flexible online program where you can still work or if you have a family, this is NOT for you. I withdrew. Dr. Brown was on a call where the faculty said to me, "we don't know what to do for your situation." It is literally their job to find a placement for me and they "don't know what to do." Incompetence. Please look elsewhere--even other CSUs are less barriered and you can still work.

The pros of the Social Work Graduate program is the professors are relatable, accessible and very supportive. Often the administrator is sending links for scholarships, extracurricular activities and events to keep the cohort connected. The program does use technology well, we stay informed through a program called moodle, where the professor posts videos, important links and documents and other educational resources.The cohort is pretty small thus it really does feel like a family. The cons of the... Read More graduate program is the work load is pretty heavy, spending two days to school and interning for another two, it does become a little consuming. Lastly, our grad program's value is not the best as we are not very recognized in the school or are a prestigious program, in revers I always find myself explaining to students what social work even is.

A pro for the Master's in Social Work program at CSU, Nothridge includes many things. This program is an accredited program through CalSWEC, which provides students with more access and opportunities regarding potential future employment as well as alternative ways to achieve financial aid. I think that this is one of the top benefits for being a part of this program at this particular campus, as not all Social Work programs are accredited - and this matters. Another pro is that that program is a... Read More more generalist focus of Social Work rather than a single concentrated area of the field. I feel as though this enhances the knowledge, diversity of skills, and comfort in a variety of positions where they may be needed as opposed to only one area in such a diverse field. Like many Master's programs, financial aid is a negative aspect, however as a CSU, Cal State Northridge is more affordable than say, a UC or a private university. There are definitely means for financial assistance, however, aid for Master's programs are less available than say undergraduate or PhD students. Another negative, or con, is that some students may not have the availability required to complete the MSW program. I believe that the required attention is similar at many universities, but that does include a full time schedule in addition to required supervised hours as part of an internship in the field. Thus, making is difficult for an additional job, social life, or family time. The benefit to this though? A foot in the door for a possible job after school!

I feel that the major pro to this part time program is that you can work full-time while still being able to juggle internship and schoolwork. It is close to many surrounding cities and the professors are very educated in the material they teach. The biggest con is having no vacation time ! We begin early january and go on all year until the end of December ! Hard work will pay off ! Other than that this program has allowed me to continue with being able to work but also further my education. I am... Read More very thankful for this part time program.