a new online MSW program from Fordham https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fordham-universitys-graduate-school-of-social-service-furthers-its-mission-to-train-agents-of-change-through-a-new-online-master-of-social-work-program-for-inspired-practitioners-across-the-us-300601071.html
Interesting but spendy... the MSW looks to be close to $100K all in... take an awful long time for most people to pay that back on a social worker's salary.
I think it's true that MSW programs are rather expensive compared to some other programs such as Counseling Psych.
here's a new BSW program https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/features/special_sections/education/ursuline-college-to-offer-online-bachelor-s-degree-in-social/article_8e16d44c-2210-11e8-9217-0b2427f7665c.html
Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada offers a 100% online MSW that does not require a BSW for entry (which all others in .ca do, afaik.) Link: https://online.wlu.ca/master-social-work
Iowa Social Work program https://now.uiowa.edu/2019/03/online-masters-program-minting-hawkeye-social-workers-across-state
Thanks to its online MSW program, USC became the largest Social Work school in the country. Then something went wrong. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-usc-social-work-20190606-story.html
Syracuse and 2U https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syracuse-university-2u-inc-partner-to-offer-online-masters-degree-in-social-work-300916978.html
This is just more proof the lines that used to separate traditional brick and mortal non-profits and the "so-called" shady for-profit private school are getting narrower each day.
Of all the borderline "shady" institutions or organizations, I'm not sure that I'd place 2U in that category. Although I would highly question the value proposition for an institution like Syracuse, to have a joint venture structured in this manner.
Sorry I guess the point that I should be making is modular education is everywhere and being offered by everyone in the online space. So if 2U is building the curriculum how is that any different than what's being offered by UOP or any other for profit? I'm not complaining because I do believe there is is a place for delivery that doesn't include live lectures and limited group work.
Wasn't really calling 2U shady as I was joking. There is this prevailing opinion throughout this forum that most or all for-profits universities are "evil" or "shady". Companies like 2U are for-profit providers that look to partner and deliver their learning platforms thru traditional institutions like USC. With this being a trend the lines dividing the two are narrowing and the focus will be about filing seats and maximizing profits...which in itself isn't always a bad thing.
I think you've made a good point and I'd like to see if I could push it to another level of granularity. To have an OPM, by definition a for-profit entity, come into contract with a university does move them a step closer to the evil for-profits. One question might be "How big a step is that?" I think the answer depends on specifically what the OPM has been contracted to do. Advertising? Recruiting? Hiring adjuncts? Providing curriculum? They might be providing coaching to the e-sports team for all I know. And then you've got the whole question of "is more less or is less more?" There's some reason to believe that bringing in an OPM keeps consumer prices higher. But how much? Somewhere in my mind I've got the idea that once your teaching staff loses control of curriculum then things go downhill. I think a canned curriculum might help a bad teacher to raise his game but it's just as likely to bring down a really good teacher. I have never taught a college class so I'm probably not the best person to comment but I think that the homogenization of degree programs is not necessarily a good thing. Clearly it depends on how it's done but I'm not eager to take a class where an AI hologram dictates a lesson plan. I think the technology is probably already in existence, even if it's not widely used. Which school will make the jump first. No humans required.
Teaming with a for-profit company hurt USC. I have an acquaintance who attended USC's MSW program because of its ranking. She could have gone to University of Texas for a lot less, and it has a similar ranking to what USC had. She spent all that money just for USC to drop about 10 spots in the rankings. UT has maintained its high ranking because its MSW hasn't sold out to a for-profit company, and they don't accept anyone who's breathing. I saw a comment that for-profit schools should be best at teaching business. That's laughable. They close down just as often as non-profit schools that have far less funding. A good business would have a long-term plan, but most for-profit colleges only look to make as much money as possible for the short-term. So, they spend as little as possible on instruction and as much as possible on marketing. When you offer an inferior product, your business is at risk of failing.
Georgia MSW https://www.wgauradio.com/news/local/uga-school-offers-online-degree/5IpmJEr45WUduc71jc4qzH/
This is a story about a new online MSW program out of Syracuse. It raises concerns about 2U. http://dailyorange.com/2020/02/faculty-express-concerns-online-degree-program-profit-company/
