Social work education has always been about more than what you learn in a classroom. The relationships you build with peers, faculty and supervisors are part of what prepares you for the work. Residencies are one of the ways that MSW programs — especially online programs — help make those connections happen.
These experiences bring students and faculty together for dedicated time outside of regular coursework. It’s dedicated space for the kind of relationship-building that strengthens both the student experience and professional development.
At Adelphi’s School of Social Work, the residency is a full-day virtual experience held twice a year on Sundays. Students connect with their cohort, engage with faculty who teach from active practice experience and take part in professional development sessions relevant to mental health, direct practice and the broader social work field.
The Benefits of a Residency Experience
“The purpose of a residency is to foster connection,” said Patricia Joyce, associate professor and director of the Online MSW program at Adelphi University. “We also want students to start out on their very best foot.”
From gaining a proper introduction to the program to hearing presentations by keynote speakers, residencies can be beneficial for students in a multitude of ways. MSW residencies may include:
- Speakers and discussions
- Peer mentoring
- Group projects
- Q&A sessions
- Networking opportunities
Residencies nurture the relationships—student-to-professor and student-to-student alike—that are formed in MSW programs, which can last far beyond the duration of the program. The practical and social components of these events can also help prepare social work students for aspects of their current or future careers.
Virtual vs. In-Person Residencies
Although an in-person residency gives students a chance to experience a different setting, a virtual residency allows students to attend with minimal disruption to their lives.
“From my experience, students bond during these residencies, whether they’re physically together or not,” said Kesselman about Adelphi’s Online MSW program residencies.
Read on to find out more about different types of experiences at a residency, including specifics about the Adelphi MSW residency.
Meeting and Networking With Professors and Students
Depending on the timing of your residency, it might be your first steps in your MSW program. A residency gives you the chance to get acquainted with your professors and peers. This can enhance the educational experience and foster a sense of community among online students.
“You should get a good feel about the culture of the school, and that’s specifically what we do in the residency,” said Kesselman. “We methodically create an entryway that allows students to become a part of our community.”
Networking is also important. While the term can sound transactional or overly business-like, in social work, it means something warmer. The people you meet at your residency will become colleagues you call when a case is stuck, peers you process hard weeks with and contacts who let you know about openings at their agencies. Residencies create space for those connections to form naturally.
“We have an event called a peer hangout, which is facilitated by students for students only,” said Joyce. “Students in the virtual residency will meet in their own Zoom room. The chats are facilitated by peer mentors. The students have a chance to meet, get to know each other,and exchange contact information. The peer hangouts are highly rated in our program. The students really enjoy them.”
Group Projects and Discussions
Some residencies incorporate short-term group work, which may include:
- Group projects
- Case studies
- Discussions
Group work and discussions benefit students by allowing them to problem-solve and work on different types of projects than they might focus on in their classes. It also allows students to discuss and think through broader issues in social work or about challenges those new to the profession might encounter.
Q&A and Peer Mentorship
During a residency, students have the opportunity to ask general questions about their program, which may include advice on time management or questions about their field practicum (a requirement for Adelphi’s MSW program).
“Field practicum in an MSW program is commonly known as the signature pedagogy of social work education, and students have a lot of questions about it,” said Kesselman. “The residency gives them a resource for those answers, which is reassuring to them.”
Residencies also provide the opportunity for collaborative programs, like peer mentorship, outside of the (virtual) classroom.
“At the residencies, we introduce new students to our peer mentoring program,” said Joyce. “Current students match up with new students to give them the informal peer support and guidance they need to manage the challenges of balancing classwork and other life expectations.”
Guest Lecturers and Keynote Speakers
Many residencies include unique guest speakers or lecturers. MSW students have the opportunity to get advice about field practicums, job applications and interviews, and how to successfully navigate an MSW program alongside other life commitments.
The Online MSW program at Adelphi features current or former students in the program as keynote speakers. These students discuss aspects of their early careers, including the licensing exam, and make themselves available in a networking capacity.
Adelphi’s MSW Residency
Adelphi’s Online MSW and Advanced Standing Online MSW residencies take place twice a year, entirely online. They take place on a weekend day, and once you’re admitted you’ll receive your upcoming residency date from the School of Social Work so you can plan ahead.
The residencies include practicum forums, alumni panels, writing workshops and peer hangouts, all aimed at giving students the kind of community and connections that carry them through the program and into their careers.
Attendees have the chance to learn from faculty who teach from active practice experience, hear from graduates about how they got to where they are and spend time with peers who understand exactly what they’re working toward.
About Adelphi’s Online MSW
The highly respected School of Social Work at Adelphi has a long history of producing leaders in social work and helping to shape social policies. Since 1951, we have continually been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and Adelphi’s social work graduate program now ranks in the top 25% of the country, according to US News & World Report. Our faculty are expert practitioners and researchers, having published across the full range of topics within the field—including disparities in healthcare, child advocacy, the role of social workers in shaping policies and more.
The Online Master of Social Work program brings the combined decades of expertise and legacy of Adelphi’s leading social work school to a flexible curriculum designed for working professionals.
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