Traditional Distance Education Programs
Advanced Standing Distance Education Program

Currently, the School operates four distance education programs across the state. Our host in western North Carolina is UNC Asheville. The Triangle distance education program is located at North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. In the Triad, the Forsyth County Department of Social Services hosts our Winston-Salem Distance Education Advanced Standing Program for BSW students and the traditional 3-year Distance Education Program. Classes are held on Fridays at all sites. The distance education programs recruit students who are employed in human services, are second career students, are parents returning to the work force, or are unable to engage in full-time study.

Asheville Distance Education program - classes are held on the UNC-Asheville campus. Download brochure (pdf)

Triangle Distance Education program - classes are held on the N.C. Central Univ. campus in Durham, N.C. Download brochure (pdf)

Winston-Salem Distance Education program - classes are held at the Forsyth County Department of Social Services. Download brochure (pdf).

Winston-Salem Distance Education Advanced Standing program - classes are held at the Forsyth County Department of Social Services. Download brochure (pdf).

2008 Winston-Salem Information Sessions will be held on Wednesday, August 27 and Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Traditional Distance Education Programs

Traditional distance education programs are offered in Asheville, Winston-Salem and in the Triangle for students who wish to complete the MSW over the course of three to four years. During the first year of study, students take two classes each semester. This is the only requirement for students working in human services. Students who are not currently employed in human services during the first year are expected to be involved in a significant volunteer experience to provide opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills gained in the Foundation Curriculum.

During the second year, students take two classes each semester. They also complete the Foundation field education requirements, SoWo 520 (Practicum I) and SoWo 521 (Practicum II), SoWo 523 (Seminar I) and SoWo 524 (Seminar II). in the second year. Field work is usually undertaken concurrently with class work. In addition to Foundation requirements, students in the second year also take two courses from the Advanced Curriculum.

Students are expected to complete all Foundation requirements and the two Advanced Curriculum courses in their distance education program unless they apply for and receive a Foundation Course Exemption. Students who exempt a foundation course should confer with their faculty advisor to revise their distance education curriculum. Students may also transfer courses to meet selected requirements.

At the beginning of the final semester of distance education study, students from distance education programs are formally admitted to the full-time campus program. Each student must complete a Permanent Transfer to On-Campus Program form and submit it to the school Registrar by February 1. On the form, students indicate that they wish to be admitted for the fall semester. Once the form is approved, students receive Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) which permit them to register for classes via Student Central - the web-based registration system - or the school registrar.

Students are required to attend classes in Chapel Hill as full-time students once they complete the 32 hours of distance education study. They join students from the full-time two-year program and those with advanced standing in the second year of MSW study.

Foundation Course Schedule for Distance Education Students

In the distance education program, students complete all Foundation requirements as well as two courses from the Advanced Curriculum over a two-year period. The following chart depicts a typical schedule of courses and credit hours for distance education study in the Foundation: (Please note that this schedule may vary across sites.)

Advanced Standing Distance Education Program

The Advanced Standing Distance Education program in Winston-Salem is tailored to working adults who already have their BSW from an accredited institution. Advanced Standing Distance Education students currently enroll in the fall semester. Over the course of two years, students complete 40 credit hours by enrolling in two classes and a field placement each semester. During the first summer, students complete SoWo 709: Preparation for Advanced Practice and Study (6 credit hours) and SoWo 522: Pre-concentration Practicum (4 credit hours). Course and field work in the remaining three semesters are completed in the Management and Community Practice Concentration Curriculum.

Course Schedule for Advanced Standing Distance Education Students

In the Advanced Standing Distance Education program, students complete all curriculum requirements in Winston-Salem over a two-year period. The following chart depicts a typical schedule of courses and credit hours for Advanced Standing distance education study.


In the distance education program, students complete all Foundation requirements as well as two courses from the Advanced Curriculum over a two-year period. The following chart depicts a typical schedule of courses and credit hours for distance education study in the Foundation: (Please note that this schedule may vary across sites.)

Graduate School: http://gradschool.unc.edu

School of Social Work: http://ssw.unc.edu