Combined Degree Advice

So, someone I know is about to start a Bachelor of Social Work program. Obviously, to truly know, do, and get paid in the profession, my friend will need a Master of Social Work. There is a possibility that he will also get a Ph.D. in Social Work. The BSW and MSW are online, but he is going to be going to campus. Here is his dilemma:

The MSW by itself takes 21 months to complete. The Ph.D. by itself takes 24 months to complete. There is the option of doing a combined MSW/Ph.D. route, wherein some of the Ph.D. classes will count directly for the MSW. Degrees will be awarded along the way, as they are attained. The combined route takes 42 months to completed. He'd be saving approximately 3 months (which would *almost* be a term).

Is it worth it, in any of your opinions, that he do the combined route versus the traditional MSW and then getting a Ph.D. after if he wants one?

 

You friend doesn't even have his bachelor's yet, so he has a lot of time to think about this. Some points to consider though:

1. In some fields it is not advisable to do the PhD at the same place as you do your masters.

2. A PhD often takes a lot longer than what was planned, for a variety of reasons. I don't think he will be saving 3 months at all.

My advice would be to finish the MSW and then get work experience. Last I heard, a MSW was still regarded as a 'terminal' degree, so I don't know how much utility a PhD will have in that field.

Don't do a PhD unless an employer is paying for it or he has an assitantship.