Tips for Success as an MSW Student

Online education can open a world of opportunities for social work professionals who want to advance their education by earning a master’s degree. With coursework available online 24/7, you can study where and when it’s convenient for you.

But if you haven’t been in school lately, or are new to online learning, you may wonder if you’re ready. These student success tips can help guide you as you start your journey to earning a master’s in social work.

Getting Started

Set yourself up for success by taking time to plan and prepare at the outset.

• Choose a realistic start date. If your online school of social work offers multiple or rolling start dates, select one that will give you enough lead time to prepare. You may want to adjust your personal schedule, for example. In Chamberlain University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) online degree program, classes start every eight weeks.
• Work closely with a student support advisor. These enrollment experts can help you with everything from registration to MSW course planning to resources for financing your education.
• Review the student handbook. Get acquainted with your accredited online university’s policies and procedures in its student handbook. In it, you’ll find need-to-know information about textbooks, email accounts, student resources and much more. Pay close attention to the Student Code of Conduct.
• Get tech-ready. To earn a master’s in social work online, you’ll need a computer and software that meets your school’s technical requirements. The best online colleges and universities provide robust technical support to help you get set up and ready to enjoy the ease and flexibility of online education.
• Explore the online learning Learn how to navigate features like your MSW courses, discussion boards, calendar and tutorials, and how to submit assignments. Discover other useful tools and resources as well.
• Set up your workspace. Some MSW students prefer working in a dedicated study space. If that’s you, take the time to create a comfortable and functional setting. You can use that as your base, and still travel with your laptop to work at the library, coffee shop or a friend’s house — anywhere you have an internet connection.

Maximizing Your MSW Experience

The more you put into your online MSW degree studies, the more knowledge, skills and perspective you’ll possibly gain. These tips and resources can help you get the most from your MSW as you progress through your studies.

• Connect with faculty members. Online learning offers a variety of ways for you to engage with your MSW faculty members. There are online access hours, internet chat rooms and more. Make the most of these opportunities to ask questions, discuss your goals and share your challenges. Faculty members are invested in students’ success.
• Engage with classmates. Another exciting feature of online education is that your classmates are from all parts of the United States. Online social work master’s courses allow you to share experiences and ideas and connect and network. Together, you can help each other find success and enjoy camaraderie.
• Master your online library. Online colleges and universities put access to volumes of valuable resources at your fingertips. In Chamberlain’s online library, for example, you’ll find electronic journals and books, newspapers, videos, research guides, interactive materials, and more. You can take online workshops and connect with master’s-credentialed librarians via chat, text and email, and by appointment.
• Prepare for your field experience. Using your social work education in a real-life setting is an important and exciting part of an online master’s in social work. As you near this portion of your MSW program, you’ll want to work closely with the field experience team to make sure you are on schedule to find an approved placement and complete all the necessary prerequisites.
• Take time for yourself. Don’t forget to disconnect and destress on a regular basis. Dr. Aileen McCabe-Maucher, LCSW, a visiting professor in Chamberlain’s MSW program, believes self-care is essential and teaches beneficial mindful breathing activities. Chamberlain also gives students access to Perspectives, a confidential program that offers help on issues like school-life balance and stress management.
• Stay connected with career You don’t have to be an MSW graduate to use your university’s career services resources. Create resumes, access job boards and more.

Earn Your MSW Degree

Let these student success tips inspire you as you think about earning a master’s in social work online. If you haven’t chosen an MSW program yet, consider Chamberlain’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), this social work master’s program can prepare you for generalist practice or specialized practice in crisis and response interventions, trauma or medical social work.

You can learn more about the social work profession, social worker jobs and earning a master’s degree in our MSW eBook. You can also learn more about Chamberlain’s online MSW degree program by calling 877.751.5783.

Focus on your social work career by building knowledge and skills in an online master’s program designed to help you achieve your goals.

Chamberlain University, an accredited institution, offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 130 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

Chamberlain University’s Master of Social Work degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation, https://www.cswe.org. 

Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (https://www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Certified to Operate by SCHEV.

Unresolved complaints may be reported to the Illinois Board of Higher Education through the online complaint system https://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701-13774.

By Chamberlain University