Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Basics of a Masters of Social Work


Those who desire to move beyond the usual four-year college program for the field may go into Masters Social Work programs. Bachelor's graduates go into theis program to further improve on their learning. The learning and training are on another level.

Naturally, you should have finished an undergraduate program first before entering this one. The undergraduate, after all, prepares you for the advanced ideas that are going to be thrown at you in a master's. This is a delicate, complicated discipline that requires students to deal with the blights hounding society, after all.

This is a program that is meant to educate those seeking to be able to analyze society and work out interventions that can make it function better. In other words, this is not a purely academic subject without real currency. If you have experience in social work, it shall assist you immensely.

This is a program that is focused on society itself. Understandably, a Masters program in this field of public service cannot and must not be confined to the classroom. People in the course have to do a lot of researching and problem-solving.

It is important to remember that theories cannot be confined to paper. Students should strive to gather experiential knowledge and experimentation to validate what theories they have learned. Practice cannot be separated from thought in true education.

It is rare for a Master of Social Work to go above the two-year mark. Coursework, research studies, internships, and hands-on training promise two years of meaningful learning in graduate school. Once you have completed your studies, you shall be qualified for advanced social work.

The ability to identify issues and figure out ways to fix them is crucial in this field. You should be skilled at handling practical situations. This course can also pave the way to further (doctorate) education.

You may well work for government after your studies, or perhaps for a non-governmental organization. Third-world countries are going to be the best markets for your talents. Naturally, they are also going to be challenging.

MSW students often have to take up a lot of studies about poverty-stricken countries. People prefer to refer to such areas as developing ones because it has a touch of positivity in it. People in the MSW program should understand that because their own goal is to help all societies.

This is a discipline and practice that involves its fair share of difficulties but can also be described as a satisfying calling. There are few things that make us feel better than contributing to society. A Master of Social Work aims to equip practitioners to better serve those who are in need of their services.

A Masters in Project Management Degree in a Nutshell


There are different requirements for admission when it comes to different schools. Aside from your educational background, another important consideration for educational facilities if your life as a working professional. Below are the most common application requirements for a masters in project management.

You need to earn a bachelor’s degree from a university that has the necessary accreditation if you wish to apply for a program like this. The thing about this course is that you should have professional work experience as an employee in any field linked to project management. For the kind of work that you do, you need a project management certification.

Since there are no standard rules for application in most schools, you might also be asked for a statement of purpose. Through this document, you will be telling the school why you are applying for the particular course. The statement of purpose may address the following: describing your previous work experience, your plans for your career path, and why you have chosen to pursue a masters degree in project management.

Do consider obtaining letters of recommendation from professional sponsors to make admissions a bit easier on your part. Depending on the school, you might need a couple of these. From your achievements in school to your professional works to your identity as a person, all of these will be described in these letters.

Another standard requirement when it comes to this is an official transcript of records. Your credit history in school is something that educational facilities need to be familiar with and this is why they need your transcript of records. It is a good idea to include the transcript of records that you have from all the schools that you have gone to.

Scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) might also be required especially if you are a student from an outside country. It is also important for applicants to have GMAT and GRE scores that they can show to the school they are applying for as this serves as the basis for their academic and professional evaluation for each applicant. 450 is the GMAT score that you need if you want to be considered for something like a project management degree.

There are times when GMAT and GRE scores are ignored if the applicant has been working for 7 years or so. If the 5 year span has not been passed upon you taking the GMAT, you can still use your scores when you apply for the program. If your GMAT scores are not considered, there is a formal process that has to be undergone before this is approved.

You must have the necessary certification if you wish to apply for a masters in project management program and have previous work experience in the field. If you do not have 10-12 weeks of work experience, they will not count. Related work experience in this case must deal with either one of these options which are initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing.

Another requirement for project management certification is to complete a 35-hour classroom course on project management. Another requirement in this case is passing a Project Management Professional test. The thing about a masters degree in project management is that there are lots of ways to boost your application and another way is by attaining a certificate in the field but this may cost you dearly.

There are no standard admission requirements that apply for all schools across the board. It then makes it practical to complete the mentioned basic requirements, so you will have time to tend to additional requirements. Take all admission requirements seriously as this is the initial step that you have to take to qualify for a Project Management Masters degree.