msw i convocation check-in dr. dale russell, graduate program director [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Agenda for MSWI Convocation
Check In
Plan for next year
Advancement to Candidacy Form
Policies Review
Field Orientation / Planning
Culminating Experience Options (SW500 / 296A/B)
What is your appraisal at this
point in your MSW experience?Experience with a range of the teaching styles of faculty
Experience with your own learning style
Anxiety level is probably reduced
Going into last year with about 100 total students
Learned that in graduate education – depth, student colleagues, student drive
Challenging to work, engage in field and do well academically
Effective management of your time is crucial
Fewer choices in classes, electives, sections, etc. than is optimal
Advancement to Candidacy
Acknowledged by University as a contract
All sections of form must be completed accurately
If changes made to advisor, electives, course work, requires a “petition for exception” to change
If you change educational contract (i.e. Sequencing of classes) that results in additional semester or year, requires petition to change
If you did not meet the conditions of admission – for ex. do not have your undergraduate degree – will be dropped from all rolls and need to reapply
Advancement to Candidacy Form
Academic Standards
Field Professionalism
Academic Standards
Must maintain a 3.0; Cannot receive more than 2 Cs or lowerAcademic probation if below 3.0Must retake any course with grade less than “B”Academic Disqualification when on probation and/or GPA is .9 or more points below 3.0
Also when a student receives 3 or more “C” grades during their graduate studies
Disqualification & Reinstatement
Administrative-Academic Probation/Disqualification
Withdrawal from most of courses in 2 successive semesters in 3 termsRepeated failure to progress toward degree
Must satisfy a deficient grade in a sequence course before moving on (204 abcd, 235 a, 295 abcd, 250/51)
Must pass 210 and advance to candidacy before beginning 500 or thesis/project/culminating experience
Leave of Absence – medical, maternity, military, planned educational leaves
Grade Appeal
Grade Appeals –
1) student/instructor, 2) student/director 6th week following semester, 3) student/director/instructor possible
Student grade appeal form & panel with student member
Pupil Personnel Credential Coursework
Summer work and more costly per unit, however operated with fewer students.
College of Continuing Education (CCE)
Piloting Alternative to Traditional Thesis
2 courses instead of guided study
501 Advanced Methods of Evaluating Practice
502 Social Work Graduate Capstone
Hold enrollment to 20 students
Decision to develop an alternative
Interest in stronger exp. with research methods/tools/stats
Possibility for deeper, classroom guided learning to evaluate practice once graduate
Challenges with SW 500 for some learners
Structure/absence of class meeting
Isolation/independence
Learning style
Budget issues - labor intensive for faculty
Comparable Alternatives
Students requested this alternative and faculty responded to the request
Comparable academic rigor
Same song played with a different instrument
Sign Up for Traditional Culminating
Experience or Alternative
Meet with a thesis advisor or email professor to explore that option
Sign a special VORTA form
Do student’s think they know which option they want?
Are you flexible?
Self-assessment Considerations for Option
20 students
Equivalent to SW500 in demand and rigor
Work well with the structure of a regular class
Strong student academically
Interest in quantitative analysis
Not wed to a particular topic for project
Group work
Flexibility during the pilot year
Organization of SW501
Advanced Methods of Evaluating PracticeSW 501 Advanced Research Methods course with a focus on practice evaluation, either qualitative or quantitative focus. Ethnography, Narrative, Grounded Theory, Phenomenology
Fall semester
Must receive a B in 210
Begins with question of how to evaluate practice and which tools to use
Extension of 210 in terms of methods; chi-square, t-tests, ANOVA, multivariate concepts (quantitative). Ethnography, Narrative, Grounded Theory, Phenomenology (qualitative)
Offers a deepened investigation of the evaluation methods and appropriateness of their use b/c not first exposure
Interactive – group work with student colleagues, as well as potential individual project work
Lab work
Guest speakers from field with living laboratory research possibilities
SW502 Social Work Research Capstone
SW 502: Capstone Project
Spring semester
Group & Individual projects
Expedited human subjects review
Organized around similar group and faculty interests with some individual choices in certain classes.
Integrated paper as a result, not filed in library or with grad. studies, no more than 2 students working on each – less choice in research topic
Community service, secondary data, …