MSW Surveys 2009-2010

Exit Survey (2009 MSW Graduates)

Students who graduated from the MSW program in 2009 were surveyed by mail and were asked to respond to questions pertaining to the general knowledge and practice skills gained from the program.  Questionnaires were distributed to 360 MSW graduates.  Sixty seven were returned for a response rate of 18.6%.  

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The highest rated practice behaviors in the first year foundation curriculum were:
  • Use empathy and other interpersonal skills (mean = 4.35).
  • Recognize the importance of diversity in shaping clients? life experiences (mean = 4.35).
  • Attend to professional roles and boundaries (mean = 4.32).
  • Assess client strengths and limitations (mean = 4.30).
  • View yourself as a learner and engage those with whom you work as experts (mean = 4.28).

The highest rated practice behaviors for the clinical social work curriculum were:
  • Explore self-awareness of personal biases, both positive and negative, in working with diverse groups (mean = 4.27).
  • Use clinical supervision and consultation to insure that practice is congruent with social work ethics and values (mean = 4.25).
  • Use clinical supervision and consultation to engage in ongoing self-correction (mean = 4.25).
  • Use clinical supervision to address personal biases (mean = 4.23).
  • Intervene effectively with individuals, families and groups, knowing when to modify approaches when needed (mean = 4.21).
  • Understand how members from different ethnic, gender, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds and differently-abled individuals require different methods of engagement (mean = 4.21).
  • Apply ethical decision-making skills to issues specific to clinical practice (mean = 4.21).

Alumni Employment Survey (2007 MSW Graduates)

Each year since 1978, the Rutgers University School of Social Work has conducted a survey of its alumni within two years of their graduation to collect information regarding the initial professional and job market experiences of MSW recipients.  The following report describes the employment experiences of the 2007 graduates of the MSW program.

Questionnaires were mailed in to individuals who had completed the MSW program in 2007 about two years after their graduation. Responses were obtained from 127 graduates from a list of 254 current addresses for a response rate of 50%.

Most respondents are female, with an average age of 35 years. Seventy four percent identified their ethnic background as white.

Areas of Study
Eighty five percent of the respondents had a concentration in direct practice, and about two-thirds had attended school full time.  Sixty percent attended the New Brunswick campus, and a high 84 percent worked at a paid job in addition to their field placement while in the MSW program. Those who were employed worked an average of 26 hours per week.

Current Employment
Almost all of the respondents (94%) were employed, and most of those (92%) were employed in social work.  Average work hours at their primary place of employment were 37.6.

The median yearly salary of the respondents who worked 30 hours or more per week was $47,500. By gender, the median salary of men was higher than those for women ($51,000 and $47,000, respectively). The median salary was not significantly different by concentration.

Job Search
On average, the respondents found jobs 1.8 months after graduation, and they averaged two job offers. Their methods for finding the job included: online employment website (23%), field placement (21%), previously holding a job with the agency (20%), referral from a friend or acquaintance (14%), and newspaper advertisement (14%).

Employment Auspice
Most respondents were employed in the private, non-profit sector (53%), followed by public sector (31%), and for-profit sector (15%).

Job Duty
Respondents were asked to indicate from a list all job duties performed in their employed.  Most frequently reported were individual counseling (71%), casework (70%), and group work (47%). By concentration, a majority of Direct Practice majors were engaged in individual counseling (75%), casework (75%), group work (50%), and family therapy (41%). APP majors were engaged in Planning (56%) and program evaluation (50%).  

Employment Setting
Respondents were asked to indicate the one primary setting for their employment.  The most common primary settings were mental health (24%), school social work (15%), child welfare (12%), and health (11%)

Social Work Licensure
About seventy percent of the respondents reported that they had obtained a social work license.

Student Field Placement Evaluations (2009 MSW Students)

2009 MSW Student Evaluation of Field: First Year Generalist

Students from the MSW program in 2009 were asked to respond to questions pertaining to the general knowledge and practice skills that they gained from their first field placement. Questionnaires were distributed to 306 MSW students.  Two hundred twenty were returned for a response rate of 71.7%.  

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The highest rated practice behaviors for the first year field placement were:
  • Use empathy and other interpersonal skills (mean = 4.35).
  • Assess client strengths and limitations (mean = 4.20).
  • Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication (mean = 4.09).
  • Develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives (mean = 4.09).

2009 MSW Student Evaluation of Field: Second Year Clinical Social Work

Students from the MSW program in 2009 were asked to respond to questions pertaining to the practice skills gained from their second year field placement.  Questionnaires were distributed to 324 MSW students.  Sixty four were returned for a response rate of 19.8%.  

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The highest rated practice behaviors in the second year field placement were:
  • Use clinical supervision and consultation to engage in ongoing self-correction (mean = 4.35).
  • Use clinical supervision and consultation to continuously examine professional roles and boundaries (mean = 4.34).
  • Use clinical supervision to address personal biases (mean = 4.33).
  • Explore self-awareness of personal biases, both positive and negative, in working with diverse groups (mean = 4.29).
  • Use clinical supervision and consultation to insure that practice is congruent with social work ethics and values (mean = 4.27).

2009 MSW Student Evaluation of Field: Second Year Non-Profit Management

Students from the MSW program in 2009 were asked to respond to questions pertaining to the practice skills gained from their second year field placement.  Questionnaires were distributed to thirty-six MSW students in May 2009.  Four were returned for a response rate of 11.1%.

The highest rated practice behaviors in the second year field placement were:
  • Conduct yourself professionally in behavior, appearance and communication as role models and leaders, engaging in lifelong learning and effectively and appropriately use supervision, consultation, personal reflection and self-correction (mean = 4.00)
  • Role model ethical behavior for members of the community and organizations in which they practice (mean = 3.75).

2009 MSW Program Outcomes

At the end of their last semester, graduating students are asked to rate how well the program prepared them to engage in practice behaviors and skills deemed important for first year and advanced year MSW students.

Highest mean scores (out of 5.00 total) in the foundation practice behaviors included:
  • Use empathy and other interpersonal skills (4.38)
  • Recognize the importance of diversity in shaping clients? life experiences (4.35)
  • Attend to professional roles and boundaries (4.32)
  • Assess client strengths and limitations (4.30)
  • View yourself as a learner and engage those with whom you work as experts (4.28).

The top six courses listed as most useful were:  
  • Social Work Practice I
  • Social Work Practice II
  • Clinical Social Work I
  • Clinical Social Work II
  • Psychopathology
  • Diversity and Oppression

Survey of Field Students

Summary of Findings
Students in their first year generalist field placement are asked how well their placement prepared them to engage in the foundation year practice behaviors.  Highest mean scores (out of 5.00 total) included: use empathy and other interpersonal skills (mean = 4.35), assess client strengths and limitations (mean = 4.20), demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication (mean = 4.09), develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives (mean = 4.09).

Licensing Exam Results

Summary of Findings
Passing the licensing exam reflects mastery of aspects of course content.  It also demonstrates commitment to professional development. Of the 803 Rutgers University School of Social Work graduates who took the LSW Exam administered by the American Association of State Social Work Boards between 2007 and 2008, 63.01% passed.  National pass rates for 2007 and 2008 were 57% and 58%, respectively.