MSW Advising: Overview

The faculty and advising staff work together to ensure that students have access to information and advice regarding the structure of the curriculum, course choices available, the process for developing learning plans, where to seek attention and resolution to grievances or conflicts, and resources where students are encountering significant difficulties in meeting one or more program requirements. These formal advising functions are provided by the faculty and advising staff of the Social Work Program.

Two Types of MSW Advising

Graduate Program Adviser

The Social Work Graduate Program Adviser is responsible for helping students with the technical pieces of graduate student life—deadlines, forms, and formal procedures. Registration, course scheduling, graduation requirements and grade issues are all areas the Graduate Adviser can assist you with. The Graduate Program Adviser also functions as liaison to the Graduate School.

Faculty Adviser

All students are randomly assigned an official faculty adviser with whom they should meet on a periodic basis. As students get to know faculty members better, they may request to the Program Director a change of adviser. In addition to the faculty adviser, students can turn to any faculty member regarding specific issues. Such "informal advising" is common and highly encouraged. Faculty are best used when students need counseling on educational and professional career choices or in circumstances when students experience personal difficulties that are affecting their progress in the program.

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