Anyone looking to work in a leadership role at a social work agency or hospital should consider an MSW track focused on Administrative Leadership. There are a number of specialties even within the Administrative Leadership MSW: most of which depend on what type of organization you are looking to work for after you graduate. There are opportunities at social work agencies (Micro), communities or cities (Mezzo), and at a governmental or national level (Macro).
The field of social work is currently broken down into different sectors, depending on the populations that are served. Macro, Micro, and Mezzo social work positions can either serve the individual, the group, or a combination of both. In terms of general social work positions, most prospective social work professionals can fit within any of these areas depending on their degree specialization and the type or work they would like to do after completing their program and obtaining licensure. In each of these sectors, the teams of social work professionals responsible for providing services may also be broken down into different levels.
Why Administrative Leadership within Social Work?
This degree specialization may have been formulated in an attempt to provide excellence in leadership in the field of social work. Some of the topics that may be included in the curriculum may include those focused on higher attention to social policy, the administration of services within communities, and communication tactics to be used with large quantities of employees. This program can be a great combination of both social services and leadership for those interested.
Are There Online Administrative Leadership Social Work Programs?
During your search up to this point, you may have noticed a large number of online degree programs available throughout the country. The demand for online programs may be part of the reason why so many are currently advertised on websites, through searches, and by word of mouth.
Online programs in Administrative Leadership may also be a popular option for masters level students, since social workers in the field may be searching for ways to advance themselves to higher tier positions in their current agency.
What to Expect in an Online Degree Program
Online programs in Administrative Leadership may consist of elements that can advance your understanding of what management looks like in the field of social work.
Through an online classroom, you can review course expectations, take part in class discussions about varying topics related to your course, and submit homework through a virtual dropbox tool. Communication in the online course room may take place through helpful discussion or email tools integrated into your class, or even through live lectures with instructors in real-time.
Who Should Study Online?
Some of the best candidates for online degree programs may be professionals that have already invested years of their life to a career and are simply seeking a way to become eligible for better positions. Most people in these positions may not be willing to quit their job or move to part-time to attend college, so online programs may be their only shot.
Prospective students that currently support families may also be great applicants for these programs. Regardless of what type of need you have for convenience, check out some of the online programs currently available to you below.
Several Online BSW and MSW Programs:
- Northwestern State University
Online Bachelors in Social Work - Online Full-Time and Part-Time Options Available
- California State University at San Bernadino
Online Masters in Social Work - Online Part-Time Option Available
Bachelor's in Administrative Leadership Degrees
People that bypass associate-level degree programs may be interested in going straight for degree programs that can lead to licensure. The Bachelors in Social Work can be a great foundation area to begin - regardless of which specialty field you plan to pursue. Students interested in leadership specializations can also benefit from engaging in a BSW program, since it can teach most of the introductory topics relevant to all fields of social work. The CSWE current accredits both in-person and online BSW programs, so this may be the top resource for locating online programs to enroll in.
Our team of educational experts has been reviewing college degree programs for over a decade. They have reviewed some of the online bachelors programs currently available throughout the United States, using the CSWE as a reference. Read through a couple of the programs below to see what can be available to you when you are prepared to begin your journey to a social work career.
- Indiana Wesleyan University
Online Bachelors in Social Work - Online Full-Time and Part-Time Options Available
- Millersville University
Online Bachelors in Social Work - Online Part-Time Program Available
Master's in Administrative Leadership Degrees
Masters degree programs may have been designed to help students better master their specializations before working in the field. Specializations for degree programs are often found at this level, since these programs follow-up to introductory degree programs in social work. Students that are transitioning from other disciplines can also engage in Masters in Administrative Leadership programs, since the general program teaches both general and advanced topics in the field of social work.
Masters in Administrative Leadership programs can help students learn more about the management techniques relevant to the social work field. Financial management, employee new hires and training, and service quality may be some topics that are discussed, as well as methods for researching social needs in your community. At the masters-level, students may also take part in supervised experiences that can help to solidify their understanding of actual social work practice in the field. Check out some of the CSWE-accredited MSW programs in Administrative Leadership below.
- Metropolitan State University of Denver
Online Masters in Social Work - Macro (Leadership) - Online Part-Time and Full-Time Options Available
- Fordham University
Online Masters in Social Work - Leadership - Online Full-Time, Part-Time, and Advanced Standing Options Available
CSWE Accredited Programs
Administrative Leadership degree programs can help you to become more knowledgeable about what is required to manage a team of social work professionals. If you are interested in becoming a management professional, there may be several different degree options for you to choose from. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) currently accredits social work degree programs with a few different focuses in management and leadership. Take a look below at some of the common programs below.
- Macro Social Work
- Community Leadership
- Social Service Management
Typical Administrative Leadership Master’s Coursework to Expect
Oftentimes, students may review what a degree program can provide for them after graduation without giving much thought to what is expected to them while enrolled. This can result becoming blindsided by responsibilities or misunderstandings about the degree field which can cause further disinterest in completing a degree program. Part of your initial degree review should include reviewing the curriculum to ensure that the topics included are related to the type of work you are interested in doing when employed at this level.
In Administrative Leadership degree programs, students can gain skills that can be helpful in leadership positions in the field. The curriculum for this program can allow students to take part in class projects that might include analyzing a situation and providing a helpful solution, identifying areas within a mock scenario that may compromise and ethical workplace, and even applying employee-specific mediation techniques in the event of conflict in the workplace. On top of these scenarios, students may also dive deeper into advanced social work techniques that can be helpful when working with clients of diverse backgrounds. Our team has review the curriculum of popular online MSW in Administrative Leadership degree programs and provided you with a closer look at the courses involved below.
Social Service History
Social work professionals should have a strong understanding of the types of services available for use, methods for enrolling clients in these services, and the oversight process involved in continuous commitment. Students that may take this course throughout their degree program may read about the historical foundations of social services, how and why they were developed, and the changes that have taken place since their initial implementation. This course may be an introductory course for advanced social work learners at the masters level.
Social Services Analysis
Part of the responsibility of the social worker may be to analyze the quality of services that are being received by the clients or those that are available for use in the community. Social work professionals may often utilize regular services of varying proportions, so a proper analysis can help to determine which services might be most useful under certain circumstances. This course may also apply to students that may be interested in pursuing policy-driven career focused on reviewing services agencies for quality.
Social Work Research Methods
Students of sociology and social work can benefit from learning more about conducting relevant and reliable research projects within their community. This course can outline the importance of research in the development of new and helpful services, identifying problem areas within society, or making problems within certain groups more apparent for targeting. Research topics, participants, ethics, and result reporting are some topics that may be discussed in this course.
An Overview of Administrative Leadership as a Career
Administrative Leadership can be a great degree field for people that were born with the desire to lead. Leaders in the field of social work may be in great demand, especially since there are so many areas of the United States in need of great social assistance. This degree program was designed to help better educate prospective management professionals on techniques that can be taught to social work professionals for better care, laws and ethics relevant to working with the public, and management techniques that are relevant to financial management and employee maintenance.
This program area may also focus greatly on the need for great quality social services for the public. Through research into new techniques, programs, and qualification standards, Administrative Leaders can be more of an asset to the agencies that they serve. If you would like to learn more about some of the common duties of professionals working in this field, browse through the list below.
- Employee Hiring and Training
- Conflict Management
- Financial Planning
- Case Quality Reviews
- Ethical and Policy-Driven Management
- Social Work Policy Improvement
What Types of Jobs or Careers?
A degree in Administrative Leadership can be a helpful tool in pursuing leadership positions in the field of social work. This statement has more depth than it may initially display, though. Social work agencies can be found in great numbers in the field of social services, healthcare, education, and even mental health. Organizations that provide case management services to the public may require educated leaders to help support a great quality of service to the people being served.
People that have some experience in the field of social work may be able to use this degree to their advantage when seeking out open positions in leadership. Social research organizations may also call upon degree holders to help fill their positions, as well as state or government agencies focused on developing new programs and services for the public to use. In the list below, you can read more about some of the common positions obtained by graduates in this field so that you can better plan for your career in the future.
- Social Service Manager: Agencies responsible for providing a service to the public may require extensive leadership from trained professionals. If you have a degree in Administrative Leadership and some experience in the social work field, you could be a great resource for social service agencies in need of management. In this position, you may be responsible for employee hiring and training, conflict management, case review, and service quality reviews within your organization.
- Healthcare Manager: In the healthcare field, social workers may be responsible for ensuring their patients are receiving relevant and good-quality care. Leadership within these healthcare organizations can partner with healthcare providers to provide great supporting environments for people receiving health-relates services. Professionals in this area may be responsible for employee management, file reviews, financial management, and human resources.
- Community Director of Social Services: Your local community may be in need of leadership professionals to help coordinate services that are currently available to the public. In this position, professionals may be responsible for developing service plans for their community, identifying the needs of people that reside within their area, and proposing new services that can be helpful in leading people down happy and healthy paths. People in this position may work with city government officials in service planning.
