• Frequently Asked Questions
• How do I apply to the B.A.S.W. Program?
• How do I apply to the M.S.W. Program?
• Is This Program Right for You? 
• Take Quiz 1 - Work Habits and Learning Preferences
• Take Quiz 2 - Technical Preparedness
   

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a Field Practicum?

Students, in collaboration with the Field Education Director, select field placements to meet their professional goals. Students in the undergraduate program complete a two-semester field placement two days a week.  Graduate students who are in the regular program complete four semesters of field practicum in two different settings, requiring the student to be in field two days a week during the first placement, three days a week during the second placement.  Advance standing students complete a two semester practicum in one setting which takes place three days a week.

Current placements include a variety of settings such as community mental health agencies, child welfare agencies, county health departments, and area schools. In some situations it may be possible to make special provisions for a field placement within your current work setting. If you are working full time you will need to plan for daytime release time from your job to participate in the field practicum.

What are the costs? 
                                            University Tuition Costs**
Undergraduate (per credit hour)                           Graduate (per credit hour)Resident                   $200.00                                      Resident                       $278.00
Non-resident             $553.00                                      Non-resident                 $574.00 Technology Fees        $161.00                                     Technology Fees            $161.00

 **Notwithstanding any other provision of this or any other University Publication, the University reserves the right to make changes in tuition, fees and other charges at any time such changes are deemed necessary by the University and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.

How do I apply to the B.A.S.W. Program? 

The B.A.S.W. degree program consists of 41 credit hours.  There are 33 credits of classroom work and 8 credits of supervised field practicum.  Students can be admitted to the program if they have an associate’s degree or 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree. Students will need to meet the Salisbury University general education course requirements and are required to have 120 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree from the university.

Application to the B.A.S.W. program is a two part process.  First you must apply to Salisbury University. You can find the application on line at www.Salisbury.edu/apply.  Indicate on your application which satellite campus you wish to attend and choose Social Work as your major. 

Secondly, during your first semester you must apply to the Professional Social Work Program which is an additional step to the declaration of the major in order take the upper division social work courses.

Decisions regarding acceptance to begin the upper division social work courses are made according to the cumulative GPA from all institutions attended and with consideration of the overall academic record.  To be considered for admission to the upper division social work courses, current and prospective students must fulfill the following requirements: 

     -  First semester junior standing having completed approximately 60 hours
     -  Completion or enrollment in:
                  Liberal Arts Prerequisites:
                          ~  Sociology 101
                          ~  Psychology 101
                          ~  Biology 101 (or it’s equivalent)
                          ~  Math 155
                  Core Social Work Course:
                          ~  SOWK 200: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
             Note: All of the above courses must be completed with a “C” or better.
     -  Have cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a Social Work GPA of 2.7 

How do I apply to the M.S.W. Program? 

The regular M.S.W. degree program consists of 62 credit hours. There are 49 credits of classroom work and 13 credits of supervised field practicum.  Prerequisites include successful completion of 24 hours of liberal arts, including courses with content in sociology, psychology, English, biology with a lab, and political science or history.   The regular M.S.W. program is open to students who have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from an accredited college or university.  If a student has a recent bachelor’s degree in social work and a minimum 3.2 GPA in their last 60 hours, he or she may be eligible for the Advanced Standing Program.  The Advanced Standing Program permits qualified students to complete their M.S.W. in 31 hours.

Application to the M.S.W. program is a two part process that requires graduate students to apply to SU for Graduate Study AND to apply to the Master of Social Work Program.  You can find the application to Graduate Studies online at http://www.salisbury.edu/gradstudy/admission.html.  Application to the Master of Social Work Program requires an MSW application, a professional resume, three letters of recommendation and three written personal statements as well as a graduate field application.  These documents are available from the MSW and Satellite Program Office at 410-677-5363. 

What does “Blended Distance Education” mean?

Blended classes are those which are enhanced with one or more forms of technology.  The blended satellite courses combine traditional face to face modalities with on-line instruction and interactive video broadcasting.  This enables the students at the remote site to fully participate in the educational experience.

Am I ready to take a Blended Distance Education class with on-line components?

(Adapted from Hagerstown Community College website at: www.hagerstowncc.edu/academics/distance/readiness downloaded 3/10/07)

There can be many advantages to taking BDE classes with online components:

• Increased flexibility in your academic schedule. You can work on assignments whenever the time is right for you. Even if you have a family and a full-time job you may still be able to take classes that are not available to you through the traditional face-to-face delivery format.
• Opportunities for better communication with your fellow students and instructors- electronic communication used in our Blended Education classes is fast, convenient, and inexpensive. It can occur asynchronously. You will also be able to keep a record of all your communications, which minimizes confusion and repetition.
• The ability to work at home…or wherever.  You may work wherever, and whenever you have access to a computer with Internet access. This might be on your lunch break at work, at home, or at your local library.
  
  On the other hand, BDE courses with online components may NOT be right for you. You may want to consider NOT taking a class if you:
   
• Require the discipline of a set schedule to accomplish your goals.
• Rely on face-to-face interaction with your instructors.
• Can work effectively only when provided with immediate feedback, assistance, and encouragement.
   

To be successful you should be:

• Self-motivated. You should be willing to do whatever it takes to learn.
• Self-disciplined. You should be able to budget your time and assign priorities to tasks.
• Willing to take charge of your own learning. You should be willing to seek out information from different sources….textbooks, library databases, and the Internet. You should also not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help when you need it.
• Able to comprehend and communicate well through writing. You should be able to understand college-level textbooks. You must be able to clearly express, in writing, what you have learned. You must also be able to identify and communicate any questions that you may have in writing.
• Aware. A flexible schedule does not mean that the course will be easy, or that you will not be required to meet deadlines for assignments. You must set aside time dedicated to fulfilling course requirements.
• Technically proficient. For online classes you should know how to access the Internet, how to use a word processing program, send email, and manage files.
   

TAKE THE QUIZZES! To help you decide whether or not a Blended Distance Education class is right for you, take the quizzes below. These quizzes are for your own use only so try to be as honest and as accurate as possible.

Quiz 1: Study/Work Habits and Learning Preferences
These questions will help you determine whether you have adequate study/work habits to succeed in a Blended Education class. 

1. Do you like to work independently?
     o Yes, I like figuring out things on my own. (3 points)
     o Sometimes, but there are times when I need help. (2 points)
     o No, I need a structured classrooms, personalized instructions, and frequent reminders to do my best. (1 point) 

2. How comfortable are you having your instructor serve only as a 'guide on the side'?
     o Very much so, I like the idea of learning something on my own without too much help. (3 points)
     o Somewhat, but there are times when I need more help. I expect my instructor to be there when I do. (2 points)
     o Not at all, I prefer to be told exactly what I need to do and know. It is the instructor's        job to teach me. (1 point) 

3. What do you do when you do not understand something in a class?
     o I continue to ask questions until I understand. (3 points)
     o I will ask a question or two but if I don't get it after that I give up. (2 points)
     o I will rarely ask a question. (1 point) 

4. When an instructor gives me written instructions for an assignment, I will:
     o try to figure out the instructions on my own. (3 points)
     o try to follow the instructions on my own first, then ask for help only if I need it. (2 points)
     o need the instructor to explain the instructions to me step-by step. (1 point) 

5. Considering my personal and professional schedule, the amount of time I can devote out of class to a 3-credit blended education class is:
     o 7-9 hours each week. (3 points)
     o 4-6 hours each week. (2 points)
     o 1-3 hours each week. (1 point) 

6. Having face-to-face interaction with my instructor is:
     o not very important to me. (3 points)
     o somewhat important to me. (2 points)
     o very important to me. (1 point) 

7. When it comes to monitoring and assessing my own progress in a class:
     o I can keep track of my own progress, even without immediate and frequent feedback from my instructor. (3 points)
     o I prefer to receive regular feedback from my instructor, but I don't mind if I don't get it immediately. (2 points)
     o I need immediate and consistent feedback otherwise I get very nervous. (1 point) 

8. In which type of environment do I learn best?
     o I am comfortable teaching myself and can manage my environment so that I can learn effectively.    (3 points)
     o I can work on my own but sometimes need help creating a structured and suitable learning environment. (2 points)
     o I need all instructions and materials explained to me and need the structure of a classroom environment. (1 point) 

9. How would you classify your ability to learn by reading printed materials?
     o I have good reading comprehension. (3 points)
     o I sometimes need to have the reading material explained and/or demonstrated to me. (2 points)
     o I am not a good reader and often need help understanding printed materials. I prefer hands-on activities. I am more of an “experiential” learner. (1 point) 

10. How would you classify your work/study habits?
     o I get started on an assignment right away and like to finish it ahead of schedule. (3 points)
     o I may procrastinate a little, but will pace myself so that I finish an assignment on time. (2 points)
     o I often wait until the last minute to get started and often turn in assignments late. (1 point)

11. How would you classify your writing skills?
     o I enjoy writing and do not usually need help organizing and writing my papers. (3 points)
     o I sometimes need help expressing my ideas in writing. (2 points)
     o I find writing difficult. I often need help with organization and grammar when writing. (1 point) 

12. How do you feel about using the library to conduct research?
     o I am comfortable using the library and enjoy researching material required for class assignments. (3 points)
     o I sometimes need help using the library and find research somewhat boring. (2 points)
     o I usually cannot find the information I am looking for at the library and will avoid doing research, even if it means not doing well on an assignment. (1 point)

Score Quiz 1:

30-36: You possess the necessary study/work habits and skills to be successful in a Blended Education class.
25-29: You may need to make some changes in your study/work habits to succeed in a Blended Education class.
Less than 24: Blended Education may not be right for you. You should sign up for a Blended Education class only if you are highly motivated to improve some of your learning skills.

Quiz 2: Technical Preparedness

These questions will help you determine whether your technology skills are sufficient to take Blended Distance Education classes. You will also need to check out the Computer Requirements for a Blended Distance Education class. 

1. I have access to a computer with an Internet connection:
     o At home. (3 points)
     o At work or a local library/computer lab. (2 points)
     o Not at all. (1 point)

2. What is your comfort level with computers?
     o I can install and run applications and manage files, including cutting and pasting text from one file to another. (3 points)
     o I sometimes need help to install and run applications and manage files. (2 points)
     o I am not comfortable using a computer and need a great deal of help doing so for any reason.  (1 point)

3. How do you feel when asked to learn to use some new software or other technology?
     o I usually look forward to learning something new and can teach myself and quickly master it.   (3 points)
     o I am usually apprehensive, but can eventually learn it. (2 points)
     o I try to avoid it and can only learn it if someone can show me what to do. (1 point) 

4. What is your level of experience with the Internet?
     o I can conduct research using the Internet and understand how to find, evaluate, and bookmark websites. (3 points)
     o I have surfed the Internet for my personal use using a 'point and click' strategy. (2 points)
     o I have never used the Internet. (1 point) 

5. How comfortable are you using e-mail?
     o I send and receive e-mail frequently. I can attach and open attached files. (3 points)
     o I send or receive e-mail infrequently but I do have an email account. (2 points)
     o I have never sent or received email and do not have an active e-mail account. (1 point) 

6. How familiar are you with word-processing applications?
     o I can use at least one word-processing application and feel comfortable doing so.  (3 points)
     o I can use one word-processing application but sometimes need help. (2 points)
     o I do not know how to use any word-processing applications and am uncomfortable typing on a keyboard. (1 point) 

7. Do you know how to copy and save document files to a disk or hard drive?
     o I am very comfortable with this and back-up my files frequently. (3 points)
     o I can usually accomplish this with some help, but I sometimes forget to back-up my documents.  2 points)
     o I do not know how to do this or feel very unsure about doing this. (1 point) 

8. How proficient are you at moving text between files and documents?
     o I know how to cut and paste text to and from all types of documents, including web pages. (3 points)
     o I can move text within a document only. (2 points)
     o I do not know how to do this, or can do it with some difficulty. (1 point) 

9. How proficient are you at managing your documents? This includes; creating,   copying, and renaming files or documents and directories, and moving files and  documents from one directory to another.
     o I am very proficient. (3 points)
     o I am somewhat proficient. (2 points)
     o I cannot manage my files, documents and directories without help. (1 point) 

10. If you need help performing a task on a computer you will:
     o use available tutorials, seek assistance from a help desk or an instruction manual. (3 points)
     o ask a few people to show me before giving up. (2 points)
     o give up. (1 point)

Score Quiz 2:
26-30: You should have the technical skills necessary to succeed in a Blended Distance Education class.
22-25: Your technical skills may not be sufficient to succeed in a Blended Distance Education class. You may want to consider taking a class to improve your technical skills before enrolling in a Blended Distance Education class.
Less than 21: You should consider significantly improving your technical skills before taking a Blended Distance Education class.