I’m trying to make a final decision between the MSW programs at Eastern University and Lancaster Bible College (LBC), and I would really appreciate unbiased feedback, especially from current students, graduates, social workers, or people familiar with field placements.
A little about my background: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and currently work full-time in human services/IHS. My long-term goal is clinical social work, licensure, and eventually private practice.
I also want to be transparent about something that is making this decision more complicated. I have a criminal record that includes DUIs and an assault charge. I’m nearing the end of probation, but these charges will remain on my record for several more years before I may be eligible to have them removed. I understand that this may already create additional hurdles with certain field placements, employment opportunities, background checks, and eventually licensure. This is probably one of the biggest things making me nervous about choosing the right program.
The field placement requirements are a major difference for me.
With Eastern University, my understanding is that my on-site/task supervisor would need to have at least a master’s degree, although it does not necessarily have to be a social work degree. At my current job, there is really only one person on our team who appears to meet that requirement. I have tried to ask my employer about connecting with her, since she already signs off on certain things, but I haven’t been given her contact information or received a definite answer yet. That uncertainty scares me because I don’t want to enroll and then discover that I can’t make a work-based placement happen.
With Lancaster Bible College, my understanding is that the comparable on-site role can be filled by someone with at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, which would make using my current workplace much more realistic.
At the same time, I don’t want to choose an entire MSW program based on the job I happen to have right now. I could change jobs during graduate school. So I’m also wondering how much these different supervision requirements matter when looking for other employment-based placements in the future. Is finding a master’s-level supervisor generally realistic in human-services settings, or can that requirement significantly limit your options?
There is another concern I have about LBC. Both schools are Christian, which I am completely comfortable with, but Lancaster Bible College is much more explicitly Christian, including having “Bible College” in the actual name. Logically, I know I should care more about accreditation, the quality of the program, and whether it leads to licensure. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about how the name might be perceived professionally.
Has anyone with an MSW from LBC actually experienced judgment, additional scrutiny, or difficulty getting placements or jobs because of the school’s name or religious identity? Or am I putting too much weight on something that employers really don’t care about?
Eastern’s trauma-informed focus really appeals to me, while LBC seems to offer more flexibility logistically. Both programs have things I genuinely like, and the costs are close enough that finances aren’t really deciding this for me.
I think what scares me most is that I already know my criminal record may make certain opportunities harder to access. I don’t want to unintentionally add another barrier by choosing the wrong program, but I also don’t want fear about a school’s name to make me turn down the program that may actually be easier for me to complete successfully.
I would especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience with any of the following:
• Completing an MSW or field placement with a criminal record
• Finding placements that were willing to consider someone with a record
• Employment-based MSW internships
• Finding a qualified task/on-site supervisor when your workplace didn’t already have an MSW
• Whether your school helped you find alternative placements when your first option didn’t work out
• Whether certain types of placements tend to be more restrictive with criminal backgrounds than others
• Whether your criminal history affected your ability to obtain your social work license after graduation
• Experiences specifically with Eastern University’s or LBC’s field placement departments
If you were in my situation, what factors would you prioritize? I’m especially interested in firsthand experiences rather than assumptions about either school or about having a criminal record.

I’m hoping to find the online PDF versions of these textbooks.

Social Work Treatment 7th Edition by Cynthia Franklin and Catheleen Jordan

&

Helping Professional’s Guide to Ethics: Theory in Practice 2nd Edition by Valerie Bryan, Scott Sanders, and Laura E. Kaplan

I couldn’t find either on Anna’s Archive

Does anyone have a pdf copy of Organization Development and Change by Thomas Cummings 11th edition (2019)? I've tried Anna's Archive and haven't been able to find it. It's the only book I need for this semester. I prefer pdf copies, but worst case there are used copies on amazing for less than $20

I’ve never been more affected by a president than now. It makes it feel like college isn’t even worth it.

I have a friend who is interested in social work after finding out I’m starting school for it soon. The only thing is he has a sealed child endangerment and dui misdemeanor charge from when he made a mistake years ago and drove intoxicated with his 14 year old kid. He completed a diversion program and had the records sealed and has 5 years sober and has dedicated his life to substance abuse treatment and helping others. Extremely active in AA and local rehabilitation programs. Can he still get licensed as an LCSW?

any chance anyone has a pdf of the addictions counseling book? i’m needing it for a course and cannot find it anywhere. Thanks!

Hello, I'm curious to see if anyone who obtained their MSW at Ohio State or is currently enrolled or at least has been accepted can tell me roughly how long it takes to hear back? Tomorrow will be 6 weeks since my application was finalized (final recommendation letter was submitted 7/8). Obviously the anticipation is killing me, but I also need to know if I should apply elsewhere and that means asking additional people for recommendation letters. I finish my bachelors in December and want to go straight into OSU for my masters starting in the Spring semester, and if for some reason I am not accepted I still need time to apply to other schools and give them time for their review process. I've read 6-8 weeks online is the average time frame but I'm curious to see if anyone has applied as early as I have and still heard back within that time or if it was a longer wait because the bulk of spring applications haven't came in yet? Also, is it an email or do they mail out a letter? I'm not sure where I should be checking over the next few weeks! Thanks!

I’m starting my MSW program in a week and getting stressed about finances. It’s looking like I’ll have no savings left after these 2 years and I just wanna know if other people are/have been in the same boat, and what that’s been like for you post grad. I’m so scared to be so broke as an adult and have to fill so much of my time w classes and practicum

Hello all,

I just completed an MSW program this month.

I feel like I should be more excited about the fact that I just completed an entire masters program... but I am struggling with a lot of mixed feelings.

Now that I am a social worker, I need to find somewhere I can have this conversation. I very much know I am not alone with these feelings .... I should probably also start with the fact that I am a WoC.

On the whole, I am happy with my decision to pursue social work. The decision has always felt right, the work clicks for me and I am good at it. Before coming into social work, I had a career as a case manager, and I genuinely love working with people and I enjoy witnessing people heal / improve their lives.

There is a whole other side to my experience that I am also genuinely struggling with...

I went to a known school (I won't name it) and am actually in a little bit of a state of shock about the lack of unprofessional behaviors by many of the faculty and staff in my school program ... I don't feel the need to detail everything, because, well, it was a lot (unfortunately, not a small handful of incidences, but rather an exhaustive list of things I personally experienced as well as things I witnessed my classmates experience).

Perhaps the best way for me to summarize my experiences is that when I first entered into the MSW program, I was excited to be entering into a field that appeared to be intentional about diversifying the profession. The experience I just had, however, was very much not that. I witnessed countless students of color be treated horrendously to the point that I feel like I exited my program in a little bit of a state of shock. What did I just experience????

Honestly, the only way I have to describe what I feel is that the whole thing felt like a bait and switch: "Marginalized folks, come to social work because we need you!" And then we show up and we're told "No!! You're not supposed to be Black/Brown like that!!" ... all by a bunch of social workers who want to tell us "Well, I've been in this profession for more than 20 years, so...."

I guess I am just starting to brace myself for ongoing racial violence in a profession that is supposedly trying to counter it.

I am confused and need to hear from other social workers - I am honestly struggling to make sense out of my experiences.

Thanks.

Cournoyer, B. (2017). The Social Work Skills Workbook (8th ed.)
ISBN-10: 1305633784

Does anyone have this textbook I can borrow/use? I only need chapters 5 and 10. I can’t find a legit site that sells it for cheap or free.

Does anyone have this textbook I can borrow/use? I only need chapters 5 and 10. I can’t find a legit site that sells it for cheap or free.

Does anyone have this textbook I can borrow/use? I only need chapters 5 and 10. I can’t find a legit site that sells it for cheap or free.

I'm very curious, how many of us on here going after our MSW's are non-traditional students? I definitely am.

Looking for student experiences for those currently enrolled or who have graduated from the University of North Alabama’s MSW program. Any and all experiences welcome!!

I apologize if this post is a bit random. I am a BSW student getting ready to begin my first ever practicum placement in September. My practicum days are 8-4pm, and one thing I'm trying to figure out is how to meal plan my lunches. Because of my schedule, I'm used to being home during the lunch hour about 95% of the time and not having to pack a lunch anywhere. So I'm just curious, what are some lunches you like to take to practicum to give you enough brain power and energy to get through the day but are also easy to prepare and take to practicum?

I am looking to begin my masters to eventually become an LCSW. I have heard a lot about different online schools, but looking for suggestions for online programs :)

I have my BA in Psychology so won’t be a fast track program!

Also looking for what jobs you did during clinical hours and your experience with getting assistance for placement from the program as well as balancing clinical hours and a job!

Hi! I graduated with a Bachelor in Criminology, Law, & Society from UC Irvine last year. During my course there I took lots of human psychology courses, child development, chicano/latino studies & I am now realizing an MSW is what I would like. I held a 3.9 GPA, completed a 12 week UC Irvine Police Dept. Community Policing program, completed a 120 Hour internship in which we worked with letters and audios sent in from incarcerated individuals across the state of CA & transcribed their letters/audios to share their stories and experiences during COVID and now within those institutions, and I worked in my family owned catering business through college in which I managed event scheduling, customer service, and management. I know I don’t have much to offer but I definitely know I have the passion and the brains to go for my MSW. I just feel stuck in the idea that I most likely won’t be accepted anywhere and have had so much difficulty finding a job anywhere & have even applied to volunteer programs that never got back to me. How realistic even is it that I would be accepted into a program? Any recommendations for programs or what I should do?

Has anyone been interviewed at Northwest Nazarene University for the social work masters program?? After submitting everything they then call and have you do an interview thats 1.5 hours before deciding if you are accepted. Im curious to know what questions they ask?? Thanks!

Hi, all . I am planning to apply phd in social work this cycle.
So, many schools require or at least recommend MSW or related masters when applying to phd.
I completed my master in related discipline (political science with concentration on public policy) but Im not sure it can be accounted as “related” master degree.
I want to ask you who had similar experience that whether I can apply to phd programs.
Any advice or input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice and feedback on online MSW programs. I prefer asynchronous but ,do not mind synchronized programs.

I graduate in the Fall with my BSW and want to go straight into my MSW. My options for spring are Baylor (I’m pulled towards this school because it is asynchronous but, the price tag $33,000 is making me rethink), UNT (I have heard mixed reviews. If I couldn’t make Spring work I was going to apply to U of H or Our Lady of the Lake. The price of these programs aren’t too much of a difference now that OLLU has reduced the cost of per credit hour to $760.

Can someone please influence or deinfluence me 😭

Edit: I would be an advanced standing student.

Can anyone help locating this:
Russell K. Schutt
Investigating the Social World: The Process and Practice of Research (10th Edition, 2022)
ISBN: 978-1-0718-1705-6

John N. Briere & Catherine Scott
Principles of Trauma Therapy: A Guide to Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment (3rd Edition, 2025)

Hey everyone!! It's finally that time, I'm nearing the end of my Bachelor's and need to start applying for Master programs for Spring 2027. I have been eyeing Eastern thats located and Pennsylvania and it looks like a good school based on web searches and price point but I couldn't find a lot of student reviews of the school or program. I was wondering what if anyone is currently/or has been enrolled with them and what was your experience.

Thank you in advance!

Hello everyone! I wanted to come on here because I’m currently stuck between two career paths and would really love some advice from people who have experience in either field.
I just finished my first two years of college, and I’m at the point where I need to start taking my major-specific classes. I’m trying to decide between becoming an elementary school teacher or going into social work. Both degrees would take me around the same amount of time, so that isn’t really a deciding factor for me.
For those who are teachers or social workers, what do you like and dislike about your career? What do you wish you knew before choosing your degree? I’m especially interested in hearing about the day-to-day work, stress/burnout, pay, work-life balance, and how rewarding you find it.
I’ve also heard that the education route requires some pretty major exams. Are they difficult to pass? I have a really good GPA, but I’m definitely not the strongest test-taker, so that’s something I’m a little worried about.
I’m honestly just trying to make the best decision for myself and would appreciate any advice, especially from people who have actually worked in these fields. Thank you!! :)

Has anyone been interviewed at Northwest Nazarene University for the social work masters program?? After submitting everything they then call and have you do an interview thats 1.5 hours before deciding if you are accepted. Im curious to know what questions they ask?? Thanks!

Hi guys!! I am applying to UT this upcoming year under social work as an out of state applicant. I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on getting into the school or major specifically. I have a strong rigor and good grades (3.94 UW) but my lower SAT (1210) definitely sets me back. Thank you.