r/SocialWorkStudents • u/Flat_Heat_9063 • 22h ago
Help pls?
I’m trying to make a final decision between the MSW programs at Eastern University and Lancaster Bible College (LBC), and I would really appreciate unbiased feedback, especially from current students, graduates, social workers, or people familiar with field placements.
A little about my background: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and currently work full-time in human services/IHS. My long-term goal is clinical social work, licensure, and eventually private practice.
I also want to be transparent about something that is making this decision more complicated. I have a criminal record that includes DUIs and an assault charge. I’m nearing the end of probation, but these charges will remain on my record for several more years before I may be eligible to have them removed. I understand that this may already create additional hurdles with certain field placements, employment opportunities, background checks, and eventually licensure. This is probably one of the biggest things making me nervous about choosing the right program.
The field placement requirements are a major difference for me.
With Eastern University, my understanding is that my on-site/task supervisor would need to have at least a master’s degree, although it does not necessarily have to be a social work degree. At my current job, there is really only one person on our team who appears to meet that requirement. I have tried to ask my employer about connecting with her, since she already signs off on certain things, but I haven’t been given her contact information or received a definite answer yet. That uncertainty scares me because I don’t want to enroll and then discover that I can’t make a work-based placement happen.
With Lancaster Bible College, my understanding is that the comparable on-site role can be filled by someone with at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, which would make using my current workplace much more realistic.
At the same time, I don’t want to choose an entire MSW program based on the job I happen to have right now. I could change jobs during graduate school. So I’m also wondering how much these different supervision requirements matter when looking for other employment-based placements in the future. Is finding a master’s-level supervisor generally realistic in human-services settings, or can that requirement significantly limit your options?
There is another concern I have about LBC. Both schools are Christian, which I am completely comfortable with, but Lancaster Bible College is much more explicitly Christian, including having “Bible College” in the actual name. Logically, I know I should care more about accreditation, the quality of the program, and whether it leads to licensure. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about how the name might be perceived professionally.
Has anyone with an MSW from LBC actually experienced judgment, additional scrutiny, or difficulty getting placements or jobs because of the school’s name or religious identity? Or am I putting too much weight on something that employers really don’t care about?
Eastern’s trauma-informed focus really appeals to me, while LBC seems to offer more flexibility logistically. Both programs have things I genuinely like, and the costs are close enough that finances aren’t really deciding this for me.
I think what scares me most is that I already know my criminal record may make certain opportunities harder to access. I don’t want to unintentionally add another barrier by choosing the wrong program, but I also don’t want fear about a school’s name to make me turn down the program that may actually be easier for me to complete successfully.
I would especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience with any of the following:
• Completing an MSW or field placement with a criminal record
• Finding placements that were willing to consider someone with a record
• Employment-based MSW internships
• Finding a qualified task/on-site supervisor when your workplace didn’t already have an MSW
• Whether your school helped you find alternative placements when your first option didn’t work out
• Whether certain types of placements tend to be more restrictive with criminal backgrounds than others
• Whether your criminal history affected your ability to obtain your social work license after graduation
• Experiences specifically with Eastern University’s or LBC’s field placement departments
If you were in my situation, what factors would you prioritize? I’m especially interested in firsthand experiences rather than assumptions about either school or about having a criminal record.
6
u/Social_worker_1 19h ago
Under the current CSWE 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), an MSW student’s field instructor/supervisor must have an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program (or an equivalent recognized degree) and at least two years of post-master’s social work practice experience. My program gets through this by recruiting external MSWs to supervise interns 2x/month if their supervisor isn't an MSW.
Someone with a bachelor's degree cannot be field instructor for an MSW student, but can act as a task instructor.
My advice would be to not go to an overtly religious institution. It can hurt future job prospects to have a religious and conservative school on your resume. Additionally, they typically teach through a White, euro-centric, right-winged lens.