MSW Alumni Survey 2016
The MSU School of Social Work has developed a multi-faceted Outcome Study designed to provide feedback on
how well we are meeting our program objectives and fulfilling our educational mission to prepare social work
practitioners for the profession of social work. Feedback from graduates of our BSW and MSW programs is a very
important component of our study. You have been identified as a MSW graduate of the MSU School of Social Work.
We would very much appreciate your response to this brief survey. Survey results will be used to help us identify
ways in which we can better prepare social workers. Your responses to this survey will be combined with the
responses of other alumni. A digital template to save and print/email is available at http://www.missouristate.edu/swk/
- you can email this survey to Linda Steinshouer LSteinshouer@MissouriState.edu or you can fax to MSU School of
Social Work 836-7688. Your name or any identification will be removed from survey communication.
Personal Information
1. Degrees/majors completed at MSU:
 BSW
If yes within the last five years, please explore also our BSW survey
http://www.missouristate.edu/swk/
 MSW:
 Regular Standing
 Advanced Standing
 Full time
 Part time
2. Year of completion of degree(s) at MSU _______________________________________
3. Did you find social work employment when you graduated from MSU?
 Yes
 No:
 Have not been able to find social work employment
 In another educational program
 Health, family, or other personal reasons
 Have been unable to find any kind of employment
 Other ____________________________________
4. Please list your non-social work employment experiences since graduation, beginning with your
current or most recent position.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
5. Current Employment status
 Full time in SWK employment
 Part time in SWK employment
 Employed outside of social work
 Seeking work
 Not seeking work
6. From the time you actively sought employment for a social work position, how long did it take you to
secure your first job in social work?
 Less than one month
 1-3 months
 4-6 months
 7-12 months
 more than one year
7. Your FIRST Social Work Position after completing your MSW:
8. Please indicate the areas in which you worked in your first social work position after graduation.
Check all that apply.
 Public welfare
 Corrections
 Physical/mental disabilities
 Community/neighborhood services
 Child welfare
 Geriatrics
 Church-related social services
 Community organization
 Drug or alcohol dependency
 Medical social work
 Families
 Mental health
 Employment, vocational services
 Public policy
 Other: __________________________________________
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
9. Please indicate the following areas in which you currently work or most recently worked. Check all
that apply.
 Public welfare
 Corrections
 Physical/mental disabilities
 Community/neighborhood services
 Child welfare
 Geriatrics
 Church-related social services
 Community organization
 Drug or alcohol dependency
 Medical social work
 Families
 Mental health
 Employment, vocational services
 Public policy
 Other: __________________________________________
10. Have you had any promotions or upgrades in your position?
 Yes
 No
11. If you are with the same organization since before graduation have you had an increase in
responsibility in your position?
 Yes
 No
12. If it was difficult to find a satisfactory social work job, please indicate the reasons.
Check all that apply.
 Jobs were scarce for MSWs where I wanted to live.
 Although some jobs were available, they did not fit my goals and interests.
 Although some jobs were available, the pay and benefits were too low.
 Employers were looking for people with more experience than I had.
 Other: __________________________________________
13. Do you intend to seek social work employment in the future?
 Yes
 No
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
14. If you do not intend to seek social work in the future, which of the following most accurately
describes the reason?
 I have discovered that my interest and abilities lead me in different directions
 Jobs are scarce where I live
 Able to secure a job I prefer in another field
 Other: __________________________________________
Rating of MSU program competencies
15. Overall, how well did the MSU Social Work Program prepare you?
 Not Prepared
 Somewhat Prepared
 Prepared
 Well Prepared
16. After graduation, how well prepared were you on each competency:
Well
Prepared
Use critical thinking skills
Understand and use professional values in an
ethical manner
Appreciate forms of discrimination and
oppression and strategies of social change
Use knowledge/skills of generalist social work
practice in systems of various sizes
Understand and use models of human behavior
in the social environment and across the
lifespan
Understand, analyze, formulate, and influence
social policies
Use research knowledge and skills to gain a
better understanding of practice/ evaluate your
own practice interventions
Ability to communicate competently and
appropriately with the people with whom you
serve, as well as coworkers and other members
of the professional and general community
Use supervision and consultation in appropriate
ways and in appropriate settings
Function professionally in organizations
Prepared
Somewhat
Prepared
Not at all
Prepared
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
17. Please Evaluate the education you obtained by content area:
Extremely
Useful
Useful
Not very
Useful
Not at all
Useful
N/A
Generalist Practice
Diversity & Social Justice
Direct Human Service Practice
Community based practice
Human Behavior in Social Environment
Social welfare policy
Research
Generalist field placement
Advanced Practice Mezzo /Macro or
Group/Community
Advanced Practice Micro or Direct
Advanced field placement
18. Rate your impression of each of the following regarding the climate of the school social work:
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Disagree
My presence was valued
I felt cautious about expressing myself to other students
I felt welcomed
Faculty were helpful
Staff were helpful
I could obtain information when I needed it
Racial and ethnic diversity was valued
Different religious and spiritual perspectives were valued
All sexual orientations were valued
Ability differences were valued
Please provide specific comments/recommendations on the following components of
the MSU Social Work Program:
19. Curriculum:
Strongly
Disagree
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
20. Specific Courses:
21. Faculty:
22. Quality of Advising You Received:
23. Student Organization/Student Input into Program:
24. In general, how satisfied are you with your Social Work degree?
MSW Alumni Survey 2016
Professional Licensure and Credentials
25. Please select all of the following that describe your activities towards licensure.
 I have obtained a license as an MSW level social work LMSW
 I am pursing a license as a MSW level social work LMSW
 I have obtained a LCSW
 I am pursuing a LCSW
 I am not pursuing professional licensure
26. If you have sought and achieved professional licensure or credentialing, please specify the state,
date received, and level/title.
_____________________________________________________________________________
27. If you have not been licensed, what are your plans regarding licensure or credentialing?
 Plan to apply for level I am currently eligible for.
 Plan to apply when I am eligible for a higher level of licensure or credentialing.
 Do not plan to apply. Licensure or credentialing is not particularly relevant or useful to my
current work.
 Already licensed. Does not apply.
28. Student debt upon graduation from the MSW program:
Dollar Amount
Debt incurred while
in the MSW program
Debt incurred as an
undergraduate
Other student debt
<9,000
10,00019,000
20,00029,000
30,00039,000
40,00049,000
50,00059,000
60,00069,000
70,00080,000