Mrs. Cargojon's question - Brescia University online BSW?

Mrs. Cargojon here - hijacking Cargojon's username (with permission of course!)

I've been attending Columbia College (MO) for the last 1+ years and truly love it and am excelling at it. I'm not in the military, but I'd highly recommend this institution.

Having said that, while studying there, I've developed a real interest in social work. CC offers a Human Services degree, which I changed my major to from psych. I have approx 2 years left until I finish my BA. But looking to possible grad school, I see a lot of opportunity for advanced standing if I earn a BSW. CC's Human Services program is social work oriented (it's a throwback to when they DID have a SW degree) but it's still not entirely a social work degree and would not provide me advanced standing for an MSW.

The only fully online program I could find for a BSW that did not have any campus or geographic requirements was Brescia University, but the trouble is, I can't find ANYTHING about it here, or elsewhere. Does anyone attend Brescia online? Is it a decent school, etc? The fact is, I truly do love Columbia College and would hate to transfer away. But grad school is expensive. Advanced standing would allow me to finish grad school in far less time and for FAR less money. Thanks for your input. I did search the forums and came up with 4 posts...I have also done some google searching but didn't come up with a lot of reliable information.

 

Accreditation :: Brescia University

SACS accredited

The Bachelor of Social Work courses articulate the competency expectations of the Council on Social Work Education. Additionally, nontraditional students taking the courses for general education requirement (GER) credit will gain a basic understanding of social work as a profession.

Bachelor of Social Work | Brescia University | Online

 

Looks like a very good program but also very expensive for undergraduate.

 

A list of DL BSW programs from the CSWE website"

"Baccalaureate Level

This list is sorted by program name and was last updated on May 12, 2011.

Brescia University (KY)
•BSW degree completion program
•Online (weekly chats, discussion forums, and Wimba interactive classrooms)
•Students do not receive all of their credits from Brescia University since it is a degree completion program. The majority of students have attended other colleges or universities for most of their general education courses. They may already have an associate’s degree from their local community college or have a bachelors degree. Then at Brescia, they are able to take any prerequisite they may not have had and all of their social work courses.
•More information: Divisions And Schools :: Brescia University social_and_behavioral_sciences/programs.php

Metropolitan State College of Denver (CO)
•Video casting hybrid format
•More information: Distance Education | About | Department of Social Work | Metro State

Salisbury University (MD)
•Classes are simulcast and broadcast using interactive TV (ITV), online, and hybrid technology
•Open to students in non-urban sections of the state
•More information: http://www.salisbury.edu/socialwork"

 

So, unless you live in Colorado or Maryland this leaves Brescia as the only choice.

 

An update

Mrs Cargojon here again...

Thanks for the information I've seen. I did know about accreditation, and I made my initial application to Brescia about a month ago.

So far:

The initial phone call was very 'salesy'. The folks I spoke to were not affiliated exactly with the college. I know this is common for this to be 'farmed out'. The first woman I spoke to claimed to know nothing about the online BSW degree completion program and emailed me information about an associate's degree in general studies. After another phone call, I did get what I thought was correct information and was instructed to send along unofficial transcripts from my current college to get at least a preliminary idea of where my credits would fall in their program. She did confirm that the BSW could be earned entirely online.

To address one of the other comments: Brescia is more expensive than my current college, but given the high cost of many other online schools, I don't believe the $260 per CH I pay is all that out of line. I think Brescia is just above $300 but since I am completing my degree and not needing all of the credits, it won't be quite as bad.

I was next farmed out to another advisor who informed me that he would not be able to evaluate my transcript without official copies. When I balked, he did not budge, claiming I received "incorrect information" from the previous person. Not a great start.

I sent off my information about a month ago and am finding the communication level so far to be very lacking. I emailed 2 days ago asking about the status of my application and have not received a response. Admittedly, it is summer now. So, we shall see if this really goes anywhere.

Thanks for the information!

 

If it doesn’t work out for you with Brescia, here are some further options:

Union Institute & University: BSW
Social Work Degree | Bachelor of Science in Social Work - Adult Online Degree - Adult Distance Learning

University of Texas-Arlington: distance learning BSW
BSW Distance Learning Program - BSW - Academics - School of Social Work - The University of Texas at Arlington

Anderson University: Bachelor of Human Services
Human Services | Anderson University Online

 

Thank you for those ideas! I had a tough time finding online BSW options.

To update about Brescia (for the good of the archives) they are STILL claiming that they are missing one of my transcripts. When I asked which one, they actually said Adams State, which is the only one I could order online! So I sent them a confirmation. They changed their mind and said it was one from an old community college I went to. I contacted said college and they confirmed they sent the information - but Brescia still says they don't have it. I implored them to please, please evaluate my current Columbia College credits because THOSE are the ones I am most worried about! Those are actual social work type classes and I worried how they would fit in to Brescia. My community college credits were mostly all gen ed, and should fit in anywhere.

Nope. Won't evaluate ANYTHING (even unofficially) until they have it all. Even when I said that time was running short and I was going to have to register at Columbia for the fall - they will not budge. I have not heard from them in a month. They tout a robust DL program, but I haven't been impressed. The only thing I get from them now are periodic salesy emails telling me that I should register right away! Too bad I can't.

So it seems like I am sticking with Columbia College and will likely get my degree in Human Services in 2013. This won't allow me to apply for advanced standing for an MSW, but I do really love my school. Just wish they had a BSW program!!

 

Just to update, for the benefit of the archives...

I cannot recommend this college. The advisor I dealt with is inept, to be blunt. I have been going back and forth with the program and the advisor since MAY. I sent (and then RESENT) my transcripts to them because they do not do unofficial evaluations and will not admit you without all of your transcripts sent and already evaluated. They have claimed, over and over again, that one of my transcripts was never received. I contacted the sending college TWICE and received confirmations that the transcripts were sent, but the advisor claims he's received nothing.

Very poor follow up communication, hardly proactive at all. I have been the one emailing (and emailing!) for updates and information about my status, expressing deep concern that the school year at Columbia (where I attend now) would be starting...and have you heard anything? Days would go by and I'd finally hear 'no - nothing yet - still waiting on transcripts'. Again, this has been going on since May.

Although they appear to have a robust online program, it still seems to be in its infancy stage and still seems geared toward local students who will attend online as well as in person. I finally asked to be removed from their promotional SPAM emails because that's all I was hearing from them! I expressed a lot of enthusiasm about an online BSW and this program and the advisor fell woefully short. Even as I begged to be able to enroll in classes while waiting on my transcripts (and was told no) I saw their online offerings filling up to the point where I didn't believe I'd have any classes left in enroll in IF I could go. I even asked this advisor if there was some way he could call the college that was sending the transcript or do ANYTHING to help me. No answer.

I can't speak to their academic qualifications, but I can say I'm glad I did not pay an application fee. It's bad enough I dropped probably 40 bucks on sending all of the transcripts I had to send....back in MAY.

Again for benefit of the archives....there are currently very few online BSW programs out there that do not have geographic requirements (such as needing to live a certain distance from campus or in a particular state) and that are accredited by the proper Social Work licensing body. Brescia is one, and to note, it is a DEGREE COMPLETION program. You are expected to have a majority of your classes completed before entering the BSW program. Unfortunately, Brescia's enrollment staff and "advisors" appear anemic.

Just as a shameless plug, I STRONGLY recommend Columbia College's Human Services degree! I'm taking a number of social work classes, especially since the school once had a BSW program. They retooled it to a HS degree. Wish they still had it, but I really love the pace, price, and format of my school. Okay, CC commercial over

 

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to revive it (I think that's called bumping) to see if anyone has had any dealings with Brescia's BSW program since this thread was originally begun. It seems the original poster had a horrible experience and opted not to go there but I was wondering if this type of experience is the norm there or if things have improved.

Anyone doing studies at Brescia in other fields besides the BSW? It seems they have a weekly chat with the professor for each class. Just wondering what your experience has been like there.

Thank you

 

Brescia is Great!!

I started Brescia SW online program in fall 2013. My experience so far has been good. The required weekly log on to the virtual class is very doable especially if you are working. The classes are not too long and you do leave each class having learned something. The teachers I have had so far is always available to answer my email and they encourage students to communicate with them. If you turn your assignments in on time, one will not have a problem to complete the course. The classes fill up fast so it is best not to wait too long to enroll. Debra my adviser is a big help. Brescia has a good reputation and I can see why. At first I was worried that I would not be able to start the program but was surprised that my previous credits were all accepted. It feels good to be part of Brescia. I watched on youtube last years graduation. I hope my name will be called in the future. I will definitely fly in for that!

 

I am so glad to see this, I am looking at Brescia right now for a Dl BSW. I am just upset because a lot of my credits will not transfer from there most likeley.