There are many thoughts and concerns regarding the overall presence of macro social work within MSW education programs across the U.S. including the University of Maryland. In a survey of 2018 social work graduates, the vast majority—almost 82%—of MSW educational programs were reported to focus on direct practice or clinical work, while only 9% focused on community organizing/advocacy and 9% on indirect practice.. Additionally, the top three specializations for MSW students were mental and behavioral health, work with children, youths, and families, and generalist practice, accounting for over 75% of respondents..
In light of this information and ongoing conversations among students within the macro concentration, the opportunity was provided to University of Maryland and students from other universities across the U.S., past and present, to express their thoughts on the topic. Below are the questions asked and the feedback provided.
Questions:
Did you have adequate opportunities for education and practice in both macro and clinical social work?
What was the best part of your experience? What would you like to see change?
Christina Koch, UMB SSW
Best part: I loved all the macro professors themselves. Davitt’s class that we were in was one of the best because she actually critiqued our writing and I write so much in my job! What I wish I could change: The policy classes are very centered on advocacy and focus less on data/research. I did not feel qualified enough to apply for policy jobs that required strong data/ research skills.
Fatima Zia, UMB SSW
Although I am not a macro student at SSW (I’m clinical), I am a dual degree public policy student at SPP. I found that the macro course options at SSW were lacking and overall not thorough enough for the work I want to do in the future. This was a big reason as to why I made the decision to pursue a dual degree and add the public policy degree on. Similar to the comment above, there just weren’t enough quant/data skills I could have obtained with the limited macro options at SSW alone. I am really glad I made the decision to get these quant social policy skills down at SPP.
Anonymous, UMB SSW
Overall, I do not think I had adequate opportunities for macro social work during my time as a student. Many macro classes advertised when I was a prospective student were not offered when I attended. Field placements were limited and I was denied suggesting my own field placement despite being told in the admissions process that it was an option. The career fair was also mainly for clinical students, but advertised for both, with obviously fewer options for macro students. I do feel that SSW macro classes were beneficial, especially those pertaining to research.
The best part of my experience was my field placement. I felt that this is where I truly learned the most and was able to see macro social work in action. I would like to see a change in how SSW advertises their courses. It is misleading and creates frustration and doubt in students. It is not okay to advertise macro classes and then not offer them or support students who chose macro. It is hard to find a job in Macro social work, especially when you are a new graduate, and SSW doesn’t prepare students for that.
Loraine Arikat, UMB SSW
I honestly think there needs to be more clinical/macro cross-listed courses where students within class can choose whether to do a clinical focused assignment or macro focused, but students should be learning and thinking about both.
I took SWOA/SWCL 738 Financial Stability with Vulnerable Populations and the professor did a great job tying in both. There were great insights from both clinical and macro students.
I am not happy with the way the school encourages you to do clinical because there are “more job opportunities after school.” Also, there is not enough career guidance for macro students.
Macro education should have more abolitionist system change perspective and be collaborating with law students and other professions to practice advocacy alongside individuals directly impacted by the system (criminal justice, healthcare, foster, etc.).
More professors who have deep practice and experience in community organizing need to be hired.
Kapria Lee, Florida State University
I attended Florida State University and completed their macro track. There were ample opportunities for macro and clinical education and decent opportunities for practice.
As with other social work programs, a stronger focus on examining racial injustices would be nice, though I did have those discussions in some of my courses. I highly recommend people who are interested in macro work to complete programs with a macro concentration.
I think the best part was learning about the research of faculty, and how social problems in settings from nursing homes to prisons were being examined through social work research. I had an opportunity to serve as a research assistant, so I got to see how policy, practice, and research all work together.
Carrie Bearie, UMB SSW
I graduated from UMB SSW. I did both concentrations with macro social work being the primary. The best part is that I did both macro and clinical because now I have my clinical license. I think it depends on where you live. I honestly know two people who graduated who are in macro positions, but they both have dual degrees MSW/MPH and MSW/JD. Macro positions may be available in other regions, but they are scarce in the DMV. Maybe things have changed, but more robust advising on what macro courses to take to prepare for macro opportunities and making specific macro courses required that teach research and statistical software, grant writing, etc. [would be helpful].
Anonymous, UMB SSW
I definitely had opportunities for both [clinical and macro education and practice]. I would say that I wish I had more macro experience. I came into the program knowing that I wanted to do macro, but had to complete a fair amount of clinical work before I could take courses that aligned with my learning goals.
I would like to see the University lean into their macro program as they advertise it. I knew coming into the program that I wanted to do macro work, and I was really excited to enroll in a program that offered such a curriculum. I understand that certain CSWE metrics have to be hit but I think what I’ve been somewhat frustrated with is that, if you are advertising a macro curriculum, you should be honest about how that manifests within the mandated social work curriculum. I also think that while I certainly benefited from my clinical field experience during my foundation year, I also know I would have benefited from an additional year of macro field work.
The program also needs to be better about affirming the macro program and offer more guidance and course advice. One program advisor for an entire school is insufficient to appropriately counsel students as to the best pathways to meet their learning goals.
If you want to do macro work, you should be able to do that right away. UMB SSW needs to be more proactive about building a culture of social work policy professionals so that when their macro students graduate, the job market is already aware of the concept of macro social work.
By far, the people and culture at the SSW [were the best part of my experience]. I would not be the guy I am today were it not for an outstanding cohort of people that pulled me out of my shell and supported my involvement with the University.
2020 Graduate, UMB SSW
I really enjoyed the macro programming I was able to access, but many of the macro classes conflicted with each other and there were no other options. They were also all taught by like the same 3 white men. We could use some diversity in timing, offerings, and professors.
Anonymous, UMB SSW
I don't feel like I had adequate opportunities for either [clinical or macro education and practice]. I learned clinical skills but not nearly to the degree of competency that I expected. I don't feel very confident heading towards a therapist job. Apart from clinical skills, I don't think I learned any other hard skills. Certainly nothing macro - I have almost no exposure to community organizing, policy work. If I interviewed for a macro job I'd have a hard time selling myself.
The best part of my experience was probably building relationships with classmates and clients in field. And certain professors (Stubbs, Schneider, Fuld) who were phenomenal. What would I like to see change? We should have more agency over what classes we take, less restriction. Clinical classes should actually teach clinical skills!! Not just abstract theory. (Practice with individuals was not a useful class). Psychopathology should be renamed. Macro opportunities should be available to macro students. The SSW should take a more radical stance towards injustice, not just lip service that ultimately maintains the status quo. Capitalism should be abolished, student debt should be cancelled, police should be defunded
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What are your thoughts? Do the sentiments provided by peers and colleagues align with your viewpoint on the University of Maryland School of Social Work?
As a Macro/Clinical student, I wished that I was granted more opportunities to take a few more Clinical courses and afforded a chance to freely choose more of my Macro classes. However, the specialization tracks left little room for flexibility. With such rigidity and two years, including summers, to complete the core classes, the program’s design was not what I previously envisioned from advertisement and research pre-enrollment.
We believe there should be more than one academic advisor for a student population of 900 plus. It is impossible for one person to provide the keen guidance needed for Clinical, Macro, combined Clinical/Macro and Macro/Clinical students and the number of specialization and sub-specialization options students have to choose from. The school should also consider including the certificate programs into the cost of the tuition for interested students. As it stands, although our school has a robust certificate program, currently enrolled students have to pay an additional $2000 give or take to incorporate these into their learning. Could our school’s administration draw from the current process of developing student initiated independent study to provide students opportunities to tailor their learning experience? Could macro courses be better advertised to students as a means to increase their enrollment, in turn increasing the overall demand for macro courses?
What are your thoughts on representation of the Macro concentration at University of Maryland? Could you relate to any of our peers’ experiences? Do you have any additional insight into why macro education isn’t more of a priority in our field? Do you have any suggestions for how this could change at our school in particular or within MSW programs at large? Share your thoughts with us at sswstudentjournal@gmail.com!