University of Utah Reviews of Master's in Social Work

"The Master's of Social Work Program offered and the University of Utah is a generalist social work program. If you are looking for something that is highly clinical and will help to train you to be a therapist only, this may not be the program for you. One full year of a Macro course is required. One full year of a Diversity/Social Justice course is required. Two and a half years of a clinical practice class (one semester you will enroll in two practice courses as this is a two year program) is required. The courses in the first year are all "required," but you are allowed to choose your course instructor. It isn't until you start your second year that you are given the options of electives. This has pros and cons. Just like any other University, some professors are better than others. Exceptional professors include: Lundahl, Gezinski, Buie. You will have a practicum (internship) both years of study. The first year is currently 450 hours (15 hours a week) and the second year is 600 hours (20 hours a week) in the full time two year program. There are many placement options within your concentration (not decided until your 2nd year and include: Global, Health, Mental Health, Aging. Child Welfare, Forensic and Substance Abuse)."

"For the most part this graduate program was really great but there was a huge divide in the level of education recieved from different professors. All were really well educated but not all should have been teaching. There seems to be a lack of clarity between many of the professors and staff as to what is being taught and what should be taught. Because of this you really have to work to get the education you want. Overall, it is an okay program and is a great price for a graduate program."

"The MSW program at the University of Utah has been an incredible experience. The professors are aiming for your success and never set you up for failure. You build bonds with both professors and other students to get a wide range of perspective and knowledge from everyone around you. The way professors want you to be successful is something I had not experienced before in other programs."

"Really great program! Professors are awesome and have great experience in the field. This is an essay writing major. There are many 7-9 pg papers throughout and no tests. The more experience you can get/have in the field the easier time you will have."

"In my experience, Utah can be polarized by those who are conservative and/or of the predominate religion and those who are liberal and/or hate religion. The U of U tends to attract the latter population. As a fairly conservative person, I was extremely nervous to attend the U of U's MSW program. I was afraid that the professors, students, and curriculum may be so liberal that it was close minded. I had heard such complaints from friends who had gone through the program before me. There were some faculty adjustments made recently and my experience has been amazing. I feel like the population of students is quite diverse (for Utah) with a lot of different backgrounds. I have been impressed with the professors and their ability to see multiple sides of a situation and teach in a relatively unbiased manner. Ultimately, I've really enjoyed my time in the program, the coursework and the cohort. It's a fairly easy program, in my opinion, as much of the information is subjective. I also think it's affordable. The only problem that I've run into is in trying to place my practicum in the summer. It does not work smoothly with the coursework for the macro course because the coursework is supposed to be congruent with the practicum. I also know that the part time students have had problems with the faculty. It sounds like they have options that accommodate a variety of different students, but it's not really a smooth process. I'd recommend this program. I'd go through this program again."

"I just completed my first semester towards my masters in social work. Honestly, I did chose the University of Utah because of the convince of being near home and the cost. The course work in the program will challenge you to understand how you learn best, while also having you reflect on who you are. Keep in my that the curriculum of this program is extremely fluid, each teacher has their own way of teaching the material and you will get out of the classes what you put in. All of the professors that I have had have encouraged me to look at myself, my interests and what I see myself doing in the future. They have all been available to meet outside class if you have any questions that arise or a problem that you need to discuss. The process of selecting a practicum at the U is an easy process. My practicum coordinator was honest about all of the placements I was considering and challenged me to assess what I would need out of a placement. I have found that through this experience it is extremely important to have a strong supervisors for your practicum. Having a strong supervisor will allow you as a student to feel supported as you move through working with your first clients, learning new things, and working towards your degree. Your supervisors and other clinicians are your practicum are the people that you will be learning the most from. This experience helps you become the best social worker you can be. I believe that the University of Utah helped me to sort through various challenges with my practicum and helped me to find a placement that met my needs as a student."

"I appreciate the supportive environment that the social work staff and professors provide. My education includes awareness and understanding of cultural diversity and LGBTQ issues, which has helped me to understand others better. I have made some great friends in my program and can actually say that I look forward to going to school each week."

"I am only in my first year of the program, but so far it has been a little disappointing. I think I am extremely fortunate have the professors I have had so far and am really grateful for that. I hear common complaints from students about other professors and what they are, or more correctly, are not being taught. For social workers learning about promoting self-determination and supporting an educational experience, the program lacks integrity when systematic politics come into play. Field work/Practicum is such a vital aspect of this work and it is surprising that the University does not screen agencies and supervisors more carefully or know more details about what each practicum entails. I understand that would take a lot of time and effort, but that is a very important role and responsibility practicum coordinators have. The practicum is where students get tangible experience and are able to practically apply what is being taught in school. There needs to be much more focus and concern put into the practicum placements. J.S., D.D, and L.G.are wonderful professors."

"My undergrad education was at another Utah college. I was fortunate to have an amazing mentor but the school was more of an interference to my pursuits than a support. This was due to many factors but mostly to the divisiveness among the instructors in the department I was predominately in. My time at the U so far has been the opposite experience. My phone calls to many different areas from financial aid to the MSW administration have been received with professionalism and courtesy. The quality of my instructors has been very high. The campus is beautiful the Marriot library and the Graduate writing center have greatly supported my learning and success. It is a comfort to know if I have a question or an issue I don't get the run around. Instead, I get to interact with intelligent people who are resourceful and sincerely care about student success."

"I am currently in the master of Social Work program at the University of Utah. When I'm done with school, I'm hoping to become a therapist and work with trauma survivors, especially sexual trauma. So far, I've been very impressed with the professors in the program. They are all very knowledgeable, approachable, and many of them are also very humble. The class environment is respectful, while challenging. I'm only one semester in, and I already feel so much more prepared for working in the field."

"This program offers a variety of concentrations. All of the instructors/professors are currently working in their fields of expertise. All class sizes are small 30 students or less, which gives students better hands on learning. Internships are great and they fit you with the areas your interested in. Overall everyone involved in the program makes sure the students have the best learning opportunities they can get."

"Overall,the University of Utah is a great school. It has a wonderful campus and my program (social work) has the best professors you could ask for. Although they are not perfect, the professors work hard, are competent, and try to be sensitive to all students. The program seeks to be diverse and many individuals seek to understand one another rather than judge and make assumptions. Most of the professors are approachable and want you to succeed. We all are placed in practicums and have the opportunity to apply our knowledge in the field. If you choose the college of social work, you will not regret it!"

"The program has challenged me personally and academically. the professors prove to have great knowledge and passion for the field of social work. I have become close with my classmate and hope to continue both personal and professional relationships with them. I had a fear that the program would be too difficult and not allow me to have any time outside of work and school but the classes do not appear to have busy work and the homework is used for retainment and to show understanding. on some levels some of the course work is a review and common sense coming from a Psych background. My practicum has been the most helpful part of the program."

"The U challenged my belief system and fostered intellectual growth. Having been exposed to the curriculum at the MSW program has benefited me tremendously and I now am focused on advocating for all groups of people where social injustice exist. This program allowed me to "step outside of my box"."

"The social work program is great at the University of Utah! The professors are all very knowledge about this field and well-rounded with a diversity of different perspectives. A full time student has the privilege of a practicum placement first year, and the school provides many different fields and resources for social work. Not only do they have practicum placements in Salt Lake County, but they also include Utah County and Davis County and a few other ones. First year also involves students only only focusing on micro issues, but they also include macro issues and the overall perspective of social work. The program also has different concentrations second year, including adult and aging, substance abuse, mental health, health, child welfare, forensic, and global perspectives. The program also offers different research based perspectives models, including dialectical behavior theory (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, marriage and family, play therapy, group practice, grief and loss, crisis intervention, trauma, and many more."

"The professor's in my program and amazing! They care so much about their students and really value our successes. The professor's are open to answer questions and enjoy sharing their experiences. The cons of the graduate program are the same as any other graduate program, it is expensive!! Overall I enjoy my graduate program and I am very happy I made the choice to continue my schooling career."

"The pros of the University of Utah Master of Social Work program are: that field work starts the first year of the program, there are not many tests, most of the work is comprehensive, professors are available and easy to work with. The cons are that tuition is expensive and there are not many scholarships available, requires lots of time, limited preparation for the licensing exam, limited class options for the first year, and lack of preparation for after school."