Lyceum Books




Reader Comments

I think this book would be helpful to MSW students-to-be. As a second year MSW student, I found the final three chapters of the book to be specific, detailed, and pertinent to my situation; the book is indeed helpful to those already in a program.

I appreciate the straight-forward and simple tone of the book's prose.

- Bridget Colacchio, MSW (University of Chicago)

I would have loved to have had this book as I began my process - and would have definitely continued to use it!

Good and important content on application and financial aid.
The chapter on support systems is great. I especially appreciated the discussion of work expectations, time management, and pacing yourself.
Good information on registration procedures and bookstores!
Chapter 5, “Understanding the Social Work Curriculum and Internship,” is excellent and informative. It may have been my favorite chapter, as I am in an MSW program now but did not have a full appreciation for why the program was structured the way it was.
The content about licensing and credentials is excellent.

- Lei Ann Marshall, JD, MSW (Loyola University, Chicago)

Comprehensive and filled with specific details about many aspects of the process of selecting, applying, and completing a social work program. I liked the authors' enthusiasm for the profession and the elaboration of the diversity of job opportunities that the degree offers.

The suggested questions that students might use when interviewing field instructors are excellent.

- Penny Johnson, PhD, Dean of Students in the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago

Getting Your MSW: How to Survive and Thrive in a Social Work Program

Karen Sowers, University of Tennessee (MSW and Ph.D. Florida State University)

Bruce Thyer, Florida State University (MSW University of Georgia, M.A. Psychology and Ph.D. University of Michigan)

Thinking about graduate school in social work? Unlike other guides to graduate school selection and experience, this book is written specifically for students considering and entering social work programs.  Karen Sowers and Bruce Thyer, two distinguished professors of social work, have written this guide to the process of earning a MSW from beginning to end.  Not only have the authors been through the steps of the process themselves, they have served on most of the significant committees in a typical school of social work, taught at various universities, and worked with several professional organizations.  Their combined experiences make them well qualified to share advice and informational resources specific to graduate school in social work. 

Professors Sowers and Thyer honestly address specific concerns in informal but detailed prose.  This book is an insider’s look at how graduate social work education is designed, and what new students can expect as they enter on the MSW program.  Every topic of interest to the MSW student is discussed: getting oriented to the university, housing, financial aid, enrolling in classes, completing the internship, coping with potential problems, finding their first post-MSW job, and even becoming socialized into the profession.

Contents

Preface

1 Selecting the Right MSW Program
2 What Schools Want to Know and How Best to Apply
3 Strategies for Support and Survival
4 Getting Started in Graduate School
5 Understanding the Social Work Curriculum and Internship
6

School Services
7 Becoming Licensed and Earning Other Credentials
8   Finding a Social Work Job After Graduation

Appendix: Joining Professional Social Work Organizations

About the Authors

Karen Sowers is professor and dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee.  Respected in the field of social work for her teaching and published research, Professor Sowers is the co-editor of Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal, and has also published four books, including Finding an Academic Job.

Bruce Thyer is professor of social work at Florida State University.  He has served as dean of the school of social work, and has taught abroad in Ireland and the United Kingdom.  Professor Thyer is the founding editor of the journals Research on Social Work Practice and PsycSCAN: Behavorial Analysis and Therapy. He also served as the editor for the “Surviving Graduate School” series.

2005 Paper, 100 Pages, ISBN 978-0-925065-70-4, Price $19.95