Required hours for graduating umt

Graduates can pursue roles in a variety of growing industries and you will learn the sought-after, transferable skills employers value.

Yes. We offer deferred payment plan options. Third-party billing options are also available. Call (406) 206-6699 to discuss payment plans.

No. You’ll need to budget for textbooks and other supplies. Find out more about cost and aid.

This varies, but all faculty are dedicated to student success. They build relationships, address academic needs and provide ongoing support during field education and beyond.

Additional fees include:

• Application fee: $60
• Student support fee: $10 per credit hour
• Technology fee: $7 per credit hour
• Online learning fee: $48 per credit hour
• Practicum fee: $343 per course (4 courses)

Yes. We are a proud Yellow Ribbon School.

Can I do a placement at a private practice (i.e. with a therapist/counselor who operates out of a private practice)?

Private practice placements will only be considered for MSW students going into their specialization year practicum. These placements are not available to BSW or first year MSW students since their field education focuses on generalist and not clinical practice.

Students can bring any questions or concerns to the field education team by emailing um.sw.fieldoffice@umontana.edu.

The majority of practicum agencies do NOT offer placements that allow for evening and weekend hours – such placements are rare if not nonexistent! Services to and engagement with clients is often times limited during evening and weekend hours thus it is hard to ensure for a rich learning experience. Students need to plan to do their practicum hours during regular business hours when other agency staff are available to provide support .

Employment based practicums (EBP) can be an option as long as your place of employment is supportive of you being both in an employee AND a student role and the agency agrees to the UMSSW practicum requirements (e.g. providing weekly supervision, attending site visits, providing quality learning experiences etc.). In short – a practicum at your place of employment needs to ensure that your practicum role and tasks provide you with new and distinct learning opportunities and that the role addresses the CSWE core competencies.

Generally speaking, no, as students are encouraged to get diverse learning and practice experiences over the two practicum placements. However, sometimes students have the opportunity to stay with the same agency but take on a completely different role that allows for diverse and new learning. In that case, staying at the same agency might be an option, although students have to submit a proposal to the FEP.

In general, the FEP encourages students to consider if a specialization year placement at the same agency, employment based or not, can really offer them advanced learning opportunities and how it would challenge their professional development. The second year of practicum should offer diverse learning and practice experiences and needs to ensure that you are learning the specialization competencies as set by the UMSSW. That said, students that do have the opportunity to stay with the same agency should make sure that a second year with the organization can a) offer new and diverse learning, and b) address the 10 specialization year competencies (as detailed in the specialization year learning agreement). In that case, staying at the same agency can be an option and students must submit a “Continuation of Practicum” application via Sonia in the spring before their second-year placement. The FEP will carefully review the request and will inform the student of its decision.

No. We currently bill by term. Find out more about cost and aid.

Credits for social work practicum will only be approved if the student has completed a minimum of 450 hours of supervised practicum, practicum credits from prior institution align with UMSSW practicum credits (i.e. 4 foundation practicum credits and 2 foundation seminar credits for a total of 6 credits), and the student has documentation of a completed learning agreement and end of practicum evaluation indicating passing grade and overall hours. Partial practicum hours or credits will not be accepted, and students will be required to complete all UMSSW field education requirements without receiving transfer credit for practicum or seminar

Can I use the American Indian Tuition Waiver, University of Montana Faculty/Staff Tuition Waiver, Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or similar waiver/award to pay for my education?

Because the UM MSW Online program is self-supported, we cannot accept waivers/awards towards the cost of tuition.

Yes. Our beautiful campus is located in the heart of Missoula, which is Montana’s second-largest city. Surrounded by stunning landscape, it’s an incredible place to both visit and study.

Students need to plan to do their practicum hours during regular business hours when other agency staff are available to provide support. Being present during normal business hours will allow students to be fully involved in the day to day processes of agency life, including attending staff or clinical meetings, supporting walk-in clients, shadowing other social workers, or jumping into other activities and opportunities available to them.

Students working full-time in addition to completing 15-hours of practicum each week, are strongly encouraged to proactively discuss need for flexibility with their place of employment as field placement hours tend to primarily occur Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm.

Many students find a part-time job that offers evening and weekend hours. This arrangement allows them to focus on their practicum, managing school workload, and ensuring ongoing income.

Although the majority of practicums remain unpaid, more and more agencies do offer paid practicums (either hourly or via an educational stipend), and more students are able to apply for a practicum with their existing employment agency. That said, there are pros and cons to consider about paid and employment based placements, highlighted in this article. Practicum is intended for students to be learners, make mistakes and wear different hats, and at times, paid and employment placements limit the freedom of being a learner. These placements also affect how students can set boundaries. It is a lot easier to say “no, I cannot work this shift because I have met my practicum hour limit etc.” in the student role versus being a paid staff member who is an employee first and student second. It is also important to keep in mind that should anything happen to your employment, e.g. your position is grant funded and funding runs out and the agency has to lay you off, then this simultaneously impacts your practicum.

Yes. Many of our online students hold jobs. The flexibility of our programs allows working students to meet their commitments. Learn more about working professionals with families.

This might be a requirement for your placement and is dependent upon individual agency policies.

Please be advised that certain types of criminal convictions may lead to an agency’s inability to bring on a practicum student. It is critical that this information is proactively communicated to the FEP and any potential agency to discuss placement options and additional support needs.

Note: As a UM student you have access to legal support via ASUM legal services. You are encouraged to utilize this support service with legal questions.

Yes, if they are part of VA benefits.

We consider course equivalents, which could count for up to 30 credits of electives and other coursework. Request more information for details.

We offer application fee waivers to those living in Montana.

We use Moodle at the University of Montana. Our faculty is ready to help you with any questions you may have navigating your online classes. You’ll have access to 24/7 tech support as well.

No, we do not provide credits for work experience.

No. The program is asynchronous so you can complete your coursework when the time is right for you.

There’s no residency component in this program, but you will complete 900 clinical hours while in the MSW program to earn the online MSW degree. You’ll be fully supported by our field education team at all stages.

Currently, the online social work program is only offered part time.

No. We do not require an entrance exam. Find out about our admission requirements.

Those seeking advanced standing need two years of relevant experience.

We consider course equivalents, which could account for up to 30 credits of electives and other coursework.

Students complete a total of 900 hours over the course of two academic years (fall to spring). Students are in one placement for the whole 450 hours of their generalist year and a second placement for the whole 450 hours of their specialization year. Your practicum is approximately 15 hours a week between end of August and the beginning of May.

Our students pay for school in a variety of ways. Some use employer assistance; others qualify for scholarships. You can also apply for loans and grants. Learn more about cost and aid.

Apply for the FAFSA through the online FAFSA application. The FAFSA number for UM is 002536.

Apply online. You’ll need transcripts from all schools attended. We also require two essay questions related to our social justice mission. Applicants need two years of relevant experience and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

In short – there is never a 100% guarantee that your agency checks all the boxes BUT…you get out of your practicum experience what you put into it and are very much in the driver’s seat of your learning! One early way of figuring out if the agency is a good fit is to research potential sites. This includes reviewing the agency website, talking to other social service professionals about the agency and practicum opportunities, and if possible, reaching out to past practicum students who might be able to share insight into their experience with the agency. The interview at the agency also serves the purpose of identifying if the site and learning experiences offered meet your learning needs and hopes. Make sure to ask questions about day to day life of a practicum student at the agency, initial onboarding and training at the placement, and ongoing supervision and professional development opportunities.

We have leave of absence policies in place for military students who are being deployed.

You can earn the online MSW degree in 3 years.

Practicum is a credit/ no credit experience and the student’s AFI (Agency Field Instructor), in addition to ongoing feedback during regular supervision and a mid-year qualitative evaluation that both the student and the supervisor complete, assigns the final grade. We use a competency scale rating system (1-5 with 1 = no competency to 5 = demonstrating competency).

Spring and Fall classes are eight weeks in length. Summer classes are seven weeks in length.

We work hard to ensure that you’ll get an answer quickly. Please see the program page for specific details.

Students are encouraged to contact a minimum of 3-5 organizations they are interested in and interview with at least 2-3 of them. This allows for more than one option as practicum placements are never a guarantee and are becoming more competitive. You are encouraged to view the outreach and interview process as a professional development and practice opportunity – please treat it as a dry run for your future social work career and jobs you will apply to post-graduation.

You’ll complete 900 clinical hours while in the MSW program. You’ll be fully supported by our field education team at all stages. Before your practicum, you’ll attend a field orientation to familiarize yourself with the process. Additionally, you’ll be part of a 9 to 10 person group led by a dedicated field liaison who guides you through the field experience and leads seminar sessions. Other support elements include a virtual field fair, practicum panels (learn about practicum experiences from more senior students), lunch and learn sessions and more.

You’ll take a total of 30 eight-week courses. View our curriculum.

The program consists of 60 credits. Clinical and non-clinical skills and knowledge are taught from both micro and macro perspectives. We encourage you to take electives outside of social work to incorporate other disciplines into your practice.

Students receive 4 credits total for generalist year practicum (2cr. in the fall, 2cr. in the spring) and 6 credits total for specialization year practicum (3cr. in the fall, 3cr. in the spring).

Students complete a total of 900 hours over the course of two academic years (fall to spring). Students are in one placement for the whole 450 hours of their generalist year and a second placement for the whole 450 hours of their specialization year. Your practicum is approximately 15 hours a week between end of August and the beginning of May.

Our total undergraduate enrollment is over 7,000, and we have more than 2,000 graduate students.

You will receive a personal call and an email upon acceptance.

If an organization provides virtual services, would we be able to complete a practicum in a virtual environment, or does the practicum require in-person interaction?

Considering how service delivery and workplace culture has changed in the past two years during the COVID pandemic, this is an excellent question. Although it is still quite rare, we are seeing more students in fully remote and virtual practicum placements. As long as the agency/program meets all practicum requirements and the student can engage in and develop the various social work competencies, a placement can indeed be remote. Regular and supportive supervision is a critical component of a remote placement to ensure success and growth in a placement.

Here are potential cons to consider: Limited to no actual engagement in an agency setting and thus limited learning about agency workplace culture and dynamics. What students will miss with fully remote placements is the casual office chatter and the experience of getting to know colleagues in the hallway. And, keep in mind that you are already engaging in school fully remote, and that it might be a lot to add 15 hours of a remote practicum to that each week. Lastly, client interactions are different, of course, and especially if you want to build a clinical foundation, we do not recommend starting out with remote/ telework.

We offer third-party billing options. Call (406) 206-6699 to find out more about our billing options.