MSW Programs In Arkansas

If Arkansas is where you wish to get your MSW, this writing is yours. Full details regarding MSW studies in Arkansas are provided below.

Keep reading. You will learn the types of Arkansas MSW programs and admission standards. Other things include tuition, job opportunities, course descriptions, MSW internship, and more.

Social Work Masters Programs in Arkansas

Social work schools in Arkansas provide MSW scholars with reframing academic backgrounds. The aim is to provide them with managerial skills and standards.

Moreover, it’ll also help them function both in clinical monitoring and social practice.

Types of MSW Studies and Duration in Arkansas

There are two types of MSW studies in Arkansas. They consist of advanced standing and foundation studies.

The traditional MSW is open to scholars with undergrad degrees in other disciplines. For that reason, it features introductory courses in its syllabus.

Additionally, the study path has choices for either full-time or part-time.

Full-time scholars can complete their studies online or on-campus within two years. Likewise, part-time can complete their studies online and on-campus but will finish in 3-4 years.

The advanced Standing study is a shorter way to get an MSW in Arkansas. The study path is designed for BSW graduates from a CSWE-approved facility.

However, most social work schools in Arkansas reduced the number of courses to accelerate the study. Instead of 60 to 65 credit courses in regular studies, they are reduced to 35.

Hence, you can finish your study within a year of full-time enrollment. But on part-time, it will take you two years to complete.

Lecture Schedule

MSW lecture schedule ensures that fellows offer the core or specialized classes in their master’s study. However, some MSW classes in Arkansas are offered once a year.

Depending on your study itinerary, those classes generally occur weekdays and weekends.

MSW Syllabus

MSW studies in most social work schools in Arkansas are split into two segments.

They are the core and specialty areas of study. The core study area aims to train scholars in learning, skills, and values.

There are nine core competencies that scholars must take within their study years.

Specialty areas of study prepare students for advanced direct leadership and community practice. There are also nine essential competencies that MSW scholars must learn during their study period.

These competencies are precisely based on proficiency, skills, and values.

MSW Courses in Arkansas

There are plenty of fields of study awaiting MSW academics in Arkansas. These courses include, but are not limited to:

Diversity and oppression
Social welfare policies and services
Assessment and differential diagnosis
MCP methods
Research methods
Clinical social work
Family and group
Statistics
Aging and social policies
Health and biology of aging etc.

There are some electives that every scholar must take regardless of specialty areas. These electives include human-assisted therapy, adult development, and aging.

Others include social aspects of death and dying.

Best MSW Colleges in Arkansas

Professional social work is challenging.

However, it can as well be rewarding and filled with exciting opportunities. If you want to attend such a professional level, consider earning your Master of Social Work at this school.

Their faculty and staff are committed to preparing students to meet the significant challenges social workers with advanced degrees address.

What’s more? Scholars can explore the field from many vintage points. As you keep flipping through, you’ll come across the academic establishments in Arkansas that offers top-notch MSW studies.

Let’s get started.

University of Arkansas

This school aims to use the social work profession’s knowledge, values, and skills for various purposes.

These include developing new social work knowledge, applying research findings in outreach efforts, and educating competent and effective advanced generalist leaders.

Prospective students have two study options to choose from. Among them are accelerated and standard MSW classes. The accelerated programs will suit you if you have basic social work knowledge.

There’re only a few specialization courses in its curriculum. You’ll be expected to finish 39 credits and 900 hours of fieldwork in under 12 months or two years.

However, you can opt for standard courses for basic social work knowledge. The study syllabus contains 63 credits and 990 hours of fieldwork.

Among these courses, there’re foundational classes and areas of focus. You can take this route full-time and graduate within two years.

However, if you opt for part-time courses, it may take up to three or four years to finish.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Master of Social Work studies in this institution prepares learners for careers in general social work practice.

For that, the school focuses on discovering and disseminating knowledge, embracing diversity, and more. As highlighted above, all advanced MSW classes in this school are fully certified by relevant authorities.

Students have the option to choose between standard and extended programs.

Conventional studies are developed to suit scholars needing more social work backgrounds. Within your learning period, you’ll cover foundational and concentration coursework.

In addition to school work, you’ll be required to cover 1200 hours of field research. Usually, it takes learners two or three years to graduate.

For students with social work backgrounds, the extended classes will best fit you. The course content is structured with specialized classes only. In this case, you’ll cover a few credits with 720 hours of supervised field research.

You can finish within a year or two based on your chosen entry learning format.

Arkansas State University

You can also earn your social work master’s at this institution. Both scholars with and without basic social work backgrounds are welcome to participate in their programs.

They have one-year accelerated classes suitable for candidates with a BSW from a certified institution. The study curriculum of such programs only features specialized courses.

As such, you’ll cover only 33 credits and 600 hours of fieldwork.

For those with undergrad certificates in other fields aside from social work, regular studies will fit you. It includes both foundational and concentration coursework.

Within your study term, you’ll be required to finish 63 credits and 1000 hours of supervised field research. Those who opt for these programs finish their studies within two or three years.

You can earn a master’s degree in social work from either of these universities. However, securing admission might be challenging, considering they’re few.

Therefore, you must satisfy all entry conditions to have an excellent standing. You can acquire additional relevant skills to stand out from other applicants.

MSW Traineeship in Arkansas.

Most schools in Arkansas include practical courses in their MSW syllabus. Before scholars complete their studies, they must satisfy at least 1000-2000 hours of practice, depending on the study option.

Meanwhile, scholars enrolling for full-time studies must supplement their internships with other courses. Then part-time academics will offer it in the fall and spring of their second part-time year.

During the MSW placement, scholars must have contact with customer systems. It will help them develop the competencies critical to their social practice.

Among the places you can complete your MSW traineeship in Arkansas are profit and non-profit institutions, humanity and society, helping organizations, hospice care, aging services, people and disabilities, substance abuse services, and lots more.

Entry Conditions

Certain conditions are outlined for each candidate who wants to get an MSW in Arkansas. It is expected that you will meet all these standards to be admitted.

These standards are as follows:

Candidates must hold a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher
Students must have a BSW obtained from a CSWE-approved institution. Or an undergrad certificate in other study fields than social work.
Applicants must submit at least three letters of reference from past employers or social work schools.

Tips to Become an Authorized MSW in Arkansas

MSW certificate is a primary credential for getting a work permit in Arkansas. You can use the instructions below once you have obtained this advanced certificate.

It will help you navigate the process of obtaining a work permit.

Request for enrollment form from the relevant department and fill it out. When you are done, please submit it to the board. However, the form costs $100 or so.
After submitting the form to the Board for review, you should wait for feedback. While waiting, you can obtain an LLRW to operate briefly. However, this kind of permit lasts for only a year.
Once the licensor has determined you are eligible, you will be asked to take the ASWB test. The test comprises 170 questions, and the examination costs about $230.
If you are successful, the board will issue you a certified work permit. With this permit, you can work as an approved social worker.

License Renewal

Every Arkansas social worker should renew their work permit after two. The renewal shouldn’t exceed the last day of the expiration month.

Renewing your social worker permit in Arkansas will cost around $80. However, each practitioner must complete 40 hours of advanced study courses.

What about People with Out-of-State Work Permits?

Experts who have obtained a social work permit outside Arkansas may be allowed to work without passing the appropriate screening. Such certification is known as reciprocity.

All you need to do is fill out an enrollment form and forward it to the appropriate office. But it’s going to cost you only $100.

Income of MSW Graduates in Arkansas

Some factors determine the salary structure for MSW graduates in Arkansas. They include your type of workplace, educational level, experience, and type of specialty.

However, social workers in Arkansas make between $40,000 and $60,000 per year. You can earn more than this if you work in the state’s urban areas and at advanced levels.

For now, this is where our discussion will be held up. In the section above, we looked at Arkansas’s schools that offer MSW studies.

However, this information is sufficient to prepare you for higher education in social work. All you need now is to meet the entry requirements for candidates.

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