Here, we will be looking at the top MSW programs in Illinois.
You may be interested that Illinois is one of the U.S. provinces with the highest number of MSW studies. There are fifty-five of them, and they are fully certified by CSWE.
MSW Illinois Programs
That is proof of their quality of education.
If you enter any academic establishments that offer MSW studies, you will gain skills, experience, and knowledge to practice advanced social work in the public and private sectors.
However, until you get a state license, you will not be allowed to work as a certified social worker in Illinois. To obtain such a permit, you must have an MSW certificate from a government-certified institution.
Interested in the MSW studies in Illinois? So continue to scroll through this page.
We will discuss MSW enrollment options, type of MSW degree, practical studies, entry requirements for fellows, graduate assistantships, licensure, and earnings of MSW graduates in Illinois.
Let’s get back to business, so we don’t lose a lot of time.
Enrollment format
There are about three types of enrollment formats for MSW researchers in Illinois. These include online, on-campus, and hybrid education.
Online programs seem to be the most prevalent study format in Illinois, virtually all the academic governing bodies in the province that offer MSW operate online.
The study format offers academics flexible, practical, and cost-effective studies.
Campus study involves taking lessons and other course activities near the school. It’s a bit costly because you’ll spend money on transportation, housing, and other living expenses on campus.
Many academic establishments offer on-campus education in Illinois.
Hybrid studies blend on-campus and online studies. In other words, you will attend one day of lectures on campus once a week and finish other class activities online.
This is to enable you to connect with your professors and colleagues physically. However, not many universities offer hybrid studies for MSW in Illinois.
Kind of MSW Studies in Illinois
Illinois universities that offer MSW studies provide researchers with two study options.
These are foundation studies for those who do not have basic knowledge in social work and advanced standing studies for researchers with BSW certification from the approved CSWE university.
Foundation MSW syllabus in Illinois includes introductory and specialist courses.
The fundamental courses are taken in the first year of full-time study, including topics such as human behavior, social well-being, practical theory, and much more.
Then, specialized classes are taken in the second year, including health care, school social work, leadership administration, social work, forensics, etc.
Meanwhile, researchers under the core program get an average of 60 credit hours to finish their MSW studies.
The Advanced study is comprised solely of specialized disciplines, as outlined above. All essential topics are discarded to accelerate the studies.
Consequently, researchers have only an average of 30-35 credit courses to complete their MSW education. If you enroll for full-time studies, you can finish within a year.
But if it’s part-time, you can study for up to two years.
Practicum Studies
Researchers who opt for MSW’s traditional full-time continuing studies in Illinois will offer two practical studies total of 1200 hours of credit courses.
You will take an articling course that constitutes 480 credit hours in your first year. Then in your second year, you will take the second internship, which amounts to 720 hours of credit.
Meanwhile, don’t worry about where you can fulfill your internship requirements because the province is filled with organizations that will be happy to take you in.
Scholar’s Admission Standard
Before a researcher gets admission to study MSW at one of the educational institutions in Illinois, there are some entry requirements that you need to meet.
Among them, these conditions are:
- Candidates who wish to enroll in MSW advanced standing studies must submit their BSW obtained from the institution approved by the CSWE. Then, those enrolling in the formal study will present their undergrad certificate obtained in areas of expertise.
- Scholars must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to qualify for MSW studies in any academic establishment in Illinois.
- Applicants must also present their transcripts from previous institutions.
- Candidates must also provide three letters of recommendation from a previous educational institution or employer.
- Researchers will be asked to put together an expression of interest.
Tuition Cost
School fees for MSW studies in Illinois depend on the type of institution you choose.
Most private educational facilities in Illinois are more expensive than state ones. Secondly, researchers who are residents of the province pay less than those living outside of Illinois.
However, a typical tuition fee for Illinois residents is around $10,404 per semester. Then non-residents of the province are about $18,204 per term. There are educational institutions that charge above that.
Schools like the University of Chicago cost an estimated $50,000.
Grants, mortgages, and other financial support are available for MSW Fellows to help with their educational expenses. Therefore, you should visit your institution’s finance office for further details.
How Much Can I Earn as an MSW Expert in Illinois?
The payment structure for MSW graduates in Illinois varies depending on your field of specialization.
Mental health and addiction graduates earn about $54,900 annually, while health social workers earn an average of $55,250 annually.
Hospice, court social workers and others earn approximately $65,830 per year.
However, certain parts of Illinois are gaining below the threshold mentioned above. Social workers in places such as Rock Island earn an average of $46,660, and social workers in Bloomington earn about $36,840.
Finally, from our discussion all the way through, you can see that Illinois has one of the best MSW studies in the United States. Their learning options are designed to be suitable for all classes of scholars.
All applicants are required to select an educational institution in the state that offers MSW studies and submit their applications.
If you possess all the credentials, you stand a chance of getting admitted.
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