Ferris State University master’s of social work program is transitioning to a fully online format.
This change, expected to be completed by the fall of 2025, will allow graduate students to pursue an MSW from anywhere in the state and eventually anywhere in the country.
The MSW program provides a pathway for students to obtain licensure within the state of Michigan and practice clinical services in various settings. These include hospitals, private practice, schools, prisons and several other environments.
While the Ferris MSW program has been offered in a hybrid setting since COVID-19, the social work department is currently transitioning the program to be offered solely online.
The program is currently working with e-learning to develop a well-rounded online setting with a concrete standard for course organization to make the program more user-friendly.
Dr. Carolyn Sutherby, the director of the MSW program here at Ferris, says that this change has been long awaited by students.
“The data about prospective students coming in says they want to be online,” Sutherby said. “We have many people that are in situations where there are barriers in coming into campus. There is this idea of inclusivity to allow anyone who wants to get an MSW to be able to access it.”
The online program will include asynchronous and synchronous sections, providing students the opportunity to continue connecting with their professors and their peers. Additionally, online students will also have access to campus resources such as the Personal Counseling Center, the Writing Center and other various academic assets.
Advisors within the program will continue to work with students to match them with opportunities in fields they are interested in. For out-of-state students, these advisors will also extend help to find opportunities available in their respective states.
Sutherby also noted that research has demonstrated that online MSW programs are equivalent to campus-based counterparts. In addition, the quality of education and learning standards do not change with this transition to online.
Internships for the MSW curriculum will remain in person, allowing students to practice hands-on skills in real clinical settings and building connections along the way.
Sutherby noted that supporting students throughout the program remains a top priority.
“We are gathering data and continuing to research students going through the program, specifically about connection and support,” Sutherby said. “The support piece is about intentionally using feedback from our students, if they need more support, or what they would like in terms of connection to the university.”
Students in the social work program seem to have mixed feelings about online delivery for a graduate program.
Social work senior Isabella Campoli is grateful for the flexibility an online program offers.
“It opens up where I can live,” Campoli said. “Online gives me the opportunity to do it in the comfort of my own home. Also, with the internship, I don’t have to worry about scheduling around class time.”
However, social work senior Mia Osorio worries that it may be difficult to build a relationship with professors.
“I think it’s good and bad,” Osorio said. “I would say online sometimes can be difficult to get all the information you usually get from an in-person class, like the tactile worksheets and interviewing skills.”
For students currently applying to the master’s program, the early application deadline is Dec. 1. The normal application deadline is March 15.
For questions about the program and application process, students can contact Carolyn Sutherby at carolynsutherby@nullferris.edu.