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+--- Thread: Best way to attack an online MSW with low undergrad GPA (/Thread-Best-way-to-attack-an-online-MSW-with-low-undergrad-GPA)
Best way to attack an online MSW with low undergrad GPA - joben - 12-19-2024
Hi all!
I've been perusing the forum a bit today after just stumbling across the site and it feels like a great source of information. But I'll cut to the chase here (hopefully; I have a tendency to be a bit long-winded)...
I am wanting to pursue an MSW with the long-term goal of achieving LCSW licensure.
I do already have a BA in Psychology and Counseling, but it was about 10 years ago and my undergrad GPA was rather poor - approximately 2.4 I believe. This is of course below the threshold that most MSW programs will accept.
Currently I work in a social work/case work type role on the inpatient psychiatric unit of a hospital. I had entertained the idea of a more counseling-focused degree path (leading to LPC/LCPC, etc) but in short I think in a clinical setting an LCSW will open far more doors. Additionally, my owner offers specific advancement-paths for persons seeking their MSW/LCSW and a sign-on bonus once you have completed your LCSW. They also have generally been pretty flexible in working with schools to accommodate their internship/placement requirements.
Initially I had applied for Liberty University's online MSW program. I have met all the requirements except for GPA.
I inquired about "conditional admission," academic probation, etc but no luck. I was given three alternative options:
1. Apply as a "non-degree seeking" student, complete 12 credit hours, and "obtain at least a minimum GPA required for good academic standing in, and graduation GPA from your desired program"
2. Reapply to a different program (no luck) or a lower-level (undergrad) program
3. I was also told that if I obtained 12 "graduate level" credit hours that would meet GPA requirements then I would be able to be admitted.
Option 1 is difficult as "non-degree-seeking" students are not eligible for any financial aid, so you pay the entire thing out of pocket. I have also received some conflicting information but in speaking with a few folks they made it sound like for a graduate-level program these would need to be graduate-level credits as well. That would be close to $7000 out of pocket by my count which is not really feasible for me.
So of course that leaves options 2 or 3.
I tried applying to a few different graduate level programs, and ran into the same thing - met all the requirements except GPA too low. However, I did get accepted into their BSW program, and was able to transfer in 60 credits, putting me at roughly halfway to completing a BSW. From here, assuming I do well enough, I'd be able to then enter the advanced-standing MSW program, which is only 31 credit hours. In roughly mapping out the credits, I don't think it would be huge difference (time-wise) to complete half a BSW then an advanced-standing MSW vs going straight to a non-advanced-standing MSW. So I am considering that route, though trying to see if there are any additional transfer credits I'd be able to bring in quickly to shorten the time to achieve a BSW as well. I know they allow you to transfer up to 90 credits, so I'm still trying to hash that out.
For #3, I'm pretty much open to any option. I didn't know if anyone had any ideas for strictly graduate-level credits that I'd be able to obtain quickly (and ideally at minimum cost) to pump up my GPA to gain admission directly to the MSW program.
Of course, I should caveat all this by saying that I'm not strictly married to LU, it's just who I've been most familiar with and have had the most correspondence with. I would certainly be open to other options if anyone can think of anything that would be a better fit, perhaps.
I'll try and outline my existing/transfer credits in a post below, as I'm already going a bit long here (told you).
My current/transfer credits - here is what Liberty has credited with me for incoming transfer credit towards a BSW.
ENGL 101 Rhetoric/Comp - 3CR
ASCS 1XX Academic Success - 1CR
BIBL 1XX Biblical Studies Elective - 2CR
BIBL 1XX Biblical Studies Elective - 4CR
BIBL 364 Acts - 4CR
EVAN 101 Evangelism/Christian Life - 3CR
BIBL 1XX Biblical Studies Elective - 3CR
BIBL 2XX Biblical Studies Elective - 3CR
BIBL 2XX Biblical Studies Elective - 4CR
PHIL 210 Logic - 3CR
BIBL 2XX Biblical Studies Elective - 3CR
CCOU 201 Intro to Christian Counseling - 3CR
CCOU 302 Christian Counseling for Children - 2CR
YOUT 2XX Youth Ministry Elective - 2CR
BIBL 110 New Testament Survey - 4CR
BIBL 425 Romans - 4CR
CHHI 3XX Church History Upper Lvl Elective - 3CR
PSYC 2XX Psychology Elective - 2CR
BIBL 2XX Biblical Studies Elective - 4CR
CHMN 2XX Church Ministry Elective - 3CR
CHMN 3XX Church Ministry Elective - 1CR
PLED 2XX Pastoral Leadership Elective - 2CR
BIBL 330 Life of Christ - 4CR
CHHI 300 Survey of Christianity - 3CR
COMS 101 Speech - 3CR
PHED 2XX Physical Education - 1CR
CHMN 2XX Church Ministry Elective - 2CR
CHMN 4XX Church Ministry Elective Upper Lvl - 2CR
GEOG 2XX Geography Elective - 3CR
PLED 421 Homiletics - 3CR
PSYC 430 Abnormal Psychology - 3CR
BIBL 3XX Biblical Studies Elective - 2CR
BIBL 4XX Biblical Studies Elective Upper Lvl - 2CR
ENGL 102 Comp/Literature - 3CR
CHMN 1XX Church Ministry Elective - 2CR
CHMN 2XX Church Ministry Elective - 3CR
CHMN 4XX Church Ministry Elective Upper Lvl - 2CR
HIUS 3XX US History Elective Upper Lvl - 3CR
PSYC 210 Developmental Psychology - 3CR
RLGN 3XX Religion Elective Upper Lvl - 2CR
ENGL 000 English Assessment - 0CR/Waived
MATH 000 Math Assessment - 0CR/Waived
From this point on I went and did a few Sophia courses and gained the following credits:
BIOL 102 Principles of Human Biology - 3CR
BUSI 1XX Business Elective - 3CR
MATH 201 Intro to Probability and Statistics - 3CR
PHIL 201 Philosophy and Contemporary Ideas - 3CR
PSYC 101 General Psychology - 3CR
SCOM 1XX Speech/Communication Elective - 1CR
SCOM 1XX Speech/Communication Elective - 1CR
Total: 57 credits
The total degree plan is 123 credit hours, of which 63 are "core/major" hours, so in other words I have basically knocked out all the non-"core" classes. If I remember correctly, the only remaining one was "Cultural Studies Elective" (3CR) which I planned to complete through Straighterline's "Cultural Anthropology" course, which I've checked is an appropriate transfer equivalent.
Remaining would then be:
PSYC 255 Intro to Research - 3CR
PSYC 354 Statistics for Social Sciences - 3CR
SOWK 101 Intro to Social Work - 3CR
SOWK 135 Social Work Professional Exploration - 3CR
SOWK 250 Health of the Social Worker - 3CR
SOWK 260 Chemical Dependency - 3CR
SOWK 270 Ethics in Professional Helping - 3CR
SOWK 294 Social Work Program Gate 1 (0CR)
SOWK 300 Human Behavior and Social Environment - 3CR
SOWK 325 Social Welfare and Policy - 3CR
SOWK 355 Social Work Practice w/ Groups - 3CR
SOWK 365 Social Work Program Gate 2 / Jr. Field Enrollment (0CR)
SOWK 370 Junior Field Experience and Seminar - 4CR
SOWK 410 Social Work Macro Practice - 3CR
SOWK 431 Social Work in Mental Health - 3CR
SOWK 450 Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations - 3CR
SOWK 465 Social Work Program Gate 3/Sr Field Enrollment (0CR)
SOWK 470 Senior Field Experience and Seminar - 11CR
SOWK 494 Social Work Program Gate 4 (0CR)
SOWK ### - 3CR (SOWK 425, 432, 435, 439, 495, or 497)
SOWK ### - 3CR ("choose from a 300-400 level course from HSER, PSYC, or SOWK not already required in major)
Now as I said above - I am not totally married to LU, but as you can probably tell from my undergrad/transfer credits, I got my BA from a Christian College and I have had some difficulty in getting some of those credits to transfer to other institutions in the past. Liberty (of course, being a Christian school themselves, I suppose) have generally been fairly generous/accepting of these credits; I've been concerned that it will be difficult to get nearly as many eligible transfer credits elsewhere.
One other random thing that speaks (IMO) in favor of going BSW>advanced MSW is that while I'm currently (~2 years) working "in the field" I still feel a bit "rusty" as it relates to my undergrad education. Part of me thinks that perhaps it would be beneficial to go back in to a relevant undergrad curriculum rather than diving right back in at graduate level having been out of school for 10+ years, but I don't know.
Oh, I'll add this too, to try and make things a bit easier:
Your Location: IL, USA
Your Age: 33
What kind of degree do you want?: MSW, either directly/"traditional" or by way of BSW > advanced standing MSW
Current Degree, Credits ( of any sort): BA in Psychology and Counseling from Ozark Christian College
Budget: I don't really know. I'm open to taking out loan/aid.
Commitments: Full-time employment. Married with two kids both under 4y.o.
Dedicated time to study: I can put away a few hours in the evening and my weekends are generally fairly open. Can sometimes squeeze in some extra studies at work from time to time.
Timeline: ASAP!
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: My employer provides up to $10,000 in tuition assistance/loan for employees of 5 years or less (I have worked here for ~2 years). At 6 years or more this increases to a max of $20,000. Post-LCSW, there is an additional $10,000 in forgiveness available.