Widener University Reviews

"Participating in Widener's Online MSW was one of the worst decisions I've ever made. The faculty members are not at all supportive ( at least of some students -I can't speak to others' experiences, though I've had people reach out to me on other forums to say they have had the same experiences in this "program") they label and judge the students, and are not educators by any means. After reading reviews on every site I can find, I've developed the theory that the majority of the MSW faculty and admins are simply threatened by the very intelligent students. I have seen a lot of positive reviews, and many of them come from students who didn't think they could even get into a graduate-level program. There are a lot with "due to the persistence of my advisor" type statements, so clearly the advisors must be catering to a specific cohort of students. I can't think of any other reason why administrators would make success stories out of students who were previously - by their own admission - not up to the standards of a graduate program. On a larger scale this contributes to devaluing the degree, but I'll get back to Widener specifically. I was dismissed from Widener's MSW program with 30+ credits and a 3.8 GPA after they placed me in THREE horrific field placements (don't believe a word of the "we will work together to find you a suitable placement" nonsense on their website), denied my very reasonable request for a disability accommodation due to a major illness, and to top it off, I ended up quitting my full-time job because I was so stressed out and depressed during the time I was in this program.Read Less"

"Their master's of social work program is well structured and worthwhile."

"it had a great clinical social work program, awesome internship placements"

"As a new student with Widener University's Online Master of Social Work program, I have been supremely impressed with how very thorough the program staff have been with getting new students oriented to not only the university's program in general, but also to the specifics of how the program is run via the online platform. The staff have, likewise, been very open and thorough (thus far) with communicating the importance of key curricular points, helping to translate this information into our real-world careers.Read Less"

"The school challenges me to do my best and to push myself. It has increased my knowledge while working with various individuals and populations. It has brought the best out of me because I did not think I was able to do it and have my grades be good. I have received so much support while enrolled at Widener. I am part of their family and that is felt through every interaction with their staff."

"Widener University's online MSW program is wonderful. Professors have worked in the field and have hands on experience working in the field of social work. The curriculum is rigorous, very reading and writing intensive, and everything you learn will be applicable to your future or current career. I have applied so much of what I've learned so far at Widener to my current career as a therapist for children with ASD. I would highly recommend the program to anyone looking to peruse an MSW. Though the program is 100% online, there is much interaction between classmates and professors are just a phone call away. Having never taken online courses in the past I am very pleased with my experience in the online MSW program.Read Less"

"Widener is a small university, the Master's in Social Work program teaches relevant material that will be applied out in the field after graduation. My biggest issue with the program is the process for internship placement, and the quality of other classmates is questionable at times."

"I love the online graduate program with Widener University, all of the professors that I have had were great and care about the quality of our work. The online program gives me the opportunity to work and also practice self care when I feel overwhelmed with life in general. Although the program is three years I am excited to see what is a head. The program also focuses on trauma which I believe will help me when I am searching for a job. I appreciate the opportunity to receive the scholarship sponsored by the Graduate Program Foundation LLC, the scholarship would assist in making my dream of being a MSW a reality. Thank you for your time and attention.Read Less"

"Widener University has been the perfect choice for me to earn my MSW. The staff and faculty are very professional, helpful mentors and the students are easy to connect with from all over the country even through the online program. I appreciate the Social Work programs trauma informed focus very much and look forward to helping adults with disabilities or veterans when I graduate in 2018. The only thing I miss with the online program are the campus organizations and other networking opportunities afforded to people who attend on campus programs.Read Less"

"Widener was the best choice I could've made for a quality online graduate education."

"I love participating in the online social work program at Widener University! They have a great structure for their online program. If you are in the part time MSW program, they do 2 classes a semester, but one class at a time. Each class is 7 weeks long. It allows you to focus all of your attention on one class at a time."

"I am thoroughly enjoying earning my Master of Social Work degree online from Widener University. Online education is flexible in hours and the professors are very supportive. I do miss the in-person interaction with other students, but the online contact and connection outside of class is good, too through email, Skype and phone. I just began the program in August 2015, so I am still getting adjusted to the online format, the absence of lecture from professors and class interaction in person, but I am enjoying the flexibility of achieving my master's degree on my schedule and the connection with students from all walks of life, at various levels in my chosen field of study and all over the country very much.Read Less"

"The program was a convenient option, one of just a few in the area which meant a long commute to classes. Field placement was random and job search help after graduation not useful. The program is more geared to those already in the field. Coursework was challenging and teachers were engaging. The university instituted certificates and an online program the year after graduation both of which would have be helpful to have while in the program. Academic/career advising was too general to provide any value after graduation. This program is best suited for students able to attend graduate school full time and take advantage of all the offerings.Read Less"

"My graduate program is designed to conform to my needs as opposed to me conforming to the program. I love that I am able to take the classes online so that I can continue to work and be available for my family."

"Widener's Dual MSW/M.Ed. program in human sexuality is a wonderful program. It is a shame that there is not more financial support for the graduate students."

"I love the social work faculty. However, the enrollment services staff members have no idea what they are doing. They are unhelpful when it comes to loan information. They have not refunded my left over loan amount and billed me for $1,500 worth of insurance charges even after I proved I had my own health insurance. If you can get past enrollment services Widener is a great school education wise."

"Widener University is one of the best colleges around. It has a great reputation in the community and with surrounding businesses and agency. Because of this reputation I it will be easy for me to find a job once I graduate with my Masters in Social Work. I am happy to say I am a Widener student."

"I love the program, but there is room for improvement. I do not recommend the program to anyone who is not serious about there education. I think this program has changed my thinking and life. The professors are phenomenal and supportive."

"Widener University was a great program for my dual degree experience. I was there for social work and education in human sexuality. The social work program had professors that were very knowledgeable and obviously studied their crafts outside of the classroom setting. Many of the teacher went above and beyond for the students and continue to keep in touch even after graduation. Other pros include flexible class, day and night time class offerings; knowledgeable staff, smaller class sizes, hands-on experience. A con that was sited by many of my class members though not personally experienced was the difficulty in securing an internship for additional experience and reconciling that with a full time work schedule. Please note, that the staff does attempt to work with those individuals who have full time jobs and other obligations. I did feel that there was sometimes a disconnect between the two programs that I was in, as they did not seem to communicate very much with one another. However, some of those issues were alleviated by having an advisor who straddled both programs and knew how to navigate them both.Read Less"