Accelerated Student Information

Welcome to the Silberman School of Social Work! Below you will find information about resources specific to the Accelerated MSW degree pathway. This information is designed to support you in your path to graduation. Please make sure to read thoroughly. If you have further questions about your Accelerated pathway requirements, please reach out to one of the staff listed below.

 

Academic Advisement

Academic Advisement at Silberman supports your course registration and degree completion process. Please meet with your designated Academic Advisor regarding any questions and planning around course requirements, academic concerns, or any other questions you may have. An Academic Advisor may refer you to a variety of resources to support your academic progress. Click here to find more info and to email or call to schedule an appointment.

 

Accelerated Course Requirements

As an Accelerated Program student, your curriculum will start in the Spring semester. This program is the most rigorous program at Silberman, as it comprises five consecutive semesters of study (as laid out in the curriculum grid below) allowing you to complete the 60-credit MSW requirement in an accelerated time frame. All Accelerated Program students are either: Accelerated Full-Time students, who complete the field internship over Year One and Year Two; or Accelerated One Year Residency Program (OYR) students, which requires an agreement between the student and their employer to complete an internship at the agency where they already work, during Year Two of their program. For more information around these requirements, which program might fit you best, and how each program will affect your trajectory, please meet individually with your designated Academic Advisor.

 

 

Registration Options

Registration can be challenging for the Accelerated student cohorts, given the program’s start in the middle of the school year and its unique course requirements. Please meet with your academic advisor prior to your registration time, to confirm correct registration and troubleshoot any possible difficulties.  Likewise, if you find you are having difficulties completing registration in subsequent semesters, please reach out to your Academic Advisor for assistance and next steps.

Once the registration period begins, you may find that a course you are interested in is closed. If this is your experience, you may use two options to assist you in resolving the situation:

  1. Remember that certain courses or sections may fill up faster than others. If you have been unable to register for a specific course or section, it is advisable to continue checking CUNYFirst to see if an open seat becomes available. During the registration period, students drop and switch courses on a regular basis (up until the first day of classes). These changes provide an opportunity to register for a course prior to the start of the semester.
  2. Another option is to request to be placed on the waitlist. In the first step of the waitlist process, you will receive an email from Marit Sadaka of the Registrar’s Office via your @MyHunter email (a notice regarding waitlist procedure will be sent to all students once the preliminary registration period is completed). This email will inform you about the waitlist process and will contain a link to a waitlist form for you to complete and submit. For further information regarding the waitlist, please contact Marit Sadaka at msadaka@hunter.cuny.edu.

**Please note: All requests for seats in a class must go through the registrar (Marit Sadaka). Please do not contact professors directly requesting access to registration for their course.

Finally, if you have not been able to successfully register for the required courses, please check in with your academic advisor for assistance.

 

 

Curriculum Grids

Click here to see the curriculum grid(s)

 

 

Financial Planning

Graduate students will only be packaged for unsubsidized loans covering the academic year, fall and spring semesters. Students requesting a summer loan will need to complete an additional application for the summer semester.

This additional form is also available in the Hunter College Office of Financial Aid at the main (68th Street) campus.

Students who request a summer loan will have a portion of their loan amount reduced from the rate that was initially packaged on CUNYfirst. For example, if your loan was packaged for $20,500 for the Fall and Spring semesters, your loan will be divided into three equal disbursements which will include a disbursement for your summer session, Fall semester and Spring semester.

***Please Note: The Summer loan is traditionally not disbursed until approximately mid to late July. Your summer registration will not be dropped; however, we strongly recommend that you have a financial contingency plan in place to cover the anticipated cost of living expenses until receipt of your loan.

For additional information and questions about summer funding please visit (in person) the Hunter College Office of Financial Aid:

695 Park Avenue
North Building, Room 241
New York, NY 10065
Phone 212.772.4820

 

 

Information Regarding Transfer Credits and Waiver Requests

There are a number of different options available to you as a student if you have relevant classes you would like to transfer to Silberman. These courses can include courses taken at Hunter College while enrolled in another master’s-level program, or other master’s-level courses taken at an accredited institution. (***Please note: In general, only master’s-level courses not used toward another degree are considered for transfer.) Please read through all the information below thoroughly before deciding how you would like to proceed. You will see that there are different steps for various requests. Please make sure you are responding appropriately and supplying all required documentation. If you have any questions, please reach out to an Academic Advisor or a member of the Student Services Department.

 

Transfer, Waiver, and Prior Graduate Credits

For incoming students entering their first year, a maximum of 12 graduate social work credits may be transferred to the Silberman School of Social Work from another accredited graduate social work program. Transfer credits will be considered for courses only in which grades received are B or better and which were taken within the last 5 years. A maximum of nine non-matriculated credits taken at the SSSW may be counted toward the 12 credit transfer limit. Official transcripts are necessary for all courses except those taken at Hunter. Courses can be transferred only in the context of the School’s requirements. No academic credit is given for life experience or previous work experience.

 

Instructions for Application to Transfer Credits

Transfer of credit and credit waiver fall under the purview of the Director of Enrollment Management, in accordance with the following procedure:

  1. New and Continuing students seeking to transfer credits must submit the Transfer of Credit Form to the Office of Enrollment Management. The form must be submitted before the start of the semester in which the course they seek to waive or receive credit for commences. The Transfer of Credit Request Form is available here. Students may also obtain this form directly from the Office of Enrollment Management.
  2. The student must complete the Transfer of Credit Form, and attach:
    1. Copy of official transcript(s) reflecting the courses under consideration, except for courses taken at Hunter College;
    2. Syllabi for all courses under consideration, including courses taken at Hunter College;
    3. Any additional, relevant supporting documentation.
  3. The student must indicate whether the courses under consideration are intended to count toward elective or required Silberman School of Social Work credits. If being presented in lieu of required course credits, the student must write the titles of the SSSW equivalent courses.
  4. If students want to waive out of Research I, they will need to fulfill the same criteria as indicated above for non-Hunter BSW applicants—having a B or better in their research course completed within the past 5 years, presenting a copy of their graded research project, and a 2-page reflection statement of how the research problem addressed the needs of participants from a social work and social justice perspective.
  5. Students wanting to waive out of Research II need to have a B or better in Research I (or an approved equivalent class taken within the past 5 years, with transcript showing proof of grade); students need to have a B or better in Research II (or an approved equivalent taken within the past 5 years, with transcript showing proof of grade). ADDITIONALLY, they need to submit a copy of their graded Research II or equivalent project, and a 2-page reflection statement of how the research problem addressed the needs of participants from a social work and social justice perspective.
  6. The student submits their completed credit transfer request to the Office of Enrollment Management, which monitors the request’s processing and return.
  7. Once the Office of Enrollment Management verifies the initial validity of the student’s request, it sends all materials to the appropriate curriculum area Chair for their review and written decision.
  8. The curriculum area Chair reviews the request, and returns a signed decision – approval or denial – to the Office of Enrollment Management and the Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs; Final approval is made by the Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs.
  9. The Office of Enrollment Management informs the student of the final decision.
  10. If the student’s request has been approved:
    1. The Office of Enrollment Management sends all materials (originals) to the Registrar’s Office at Hunter College, where the student’s record is updated; the student will be given duplicates.
    2. The Office of Enrollment Management directs the student to the Director of Student Services for subsequent advisement.

Note: No more than six credits of graduate study in fields other than social work will be accepted. A maximum of six credits of non-social work graduate coursework may be transferred to the School if these credits were taken in related fields within the last five years.

 

Courses Subject to Waiver or Transfer

Courses that may be considered either for waiver or credit transfer are the first Social Welfare Policy and Services course, (SSW 701), the two required courses in Human Behavior and the Social Environment (SSW 711 and 712), and the Social Work Research courses (SSW 751and SSW 752). Practice method courses generally cannot be waived.

***Waiver of courses releases the student from the requirement for that specific course, but do not release a student from the necessity of completing the total number of credits required for the degree (60). Transfer credits, when approved by the Office of the Dean, can be used toward the degree.

 

Hunter College Offices and Resources:

As a Silberman student, you will have access to resources and offices not only in the Silberman Building on 119th Street, but also at the main campus of Hunter College at 68th Street and Lexington Avenue. Please see below for important offices that will support your access to and experience in the Hunter College community.

 

OneCard ID:

Hunter College requires you to have a OneCard to enter any College building except in the case of a special vent. The OneCard is a Hunter College photo ID card that is also used to pay for printing and copying, dining, and paying library fees. You can add money onto your card and check your account balance through the OneCard website or at any of the Account Management Centers (OneCard Kiosks) around campus. Students can also borrow books at the Hunter College Libraries using their OneCards.

Your OneCard must be obtained at the 68th Street office below. Replacement cards are $10..

OneCard Office
695 Park Ave, 203 West Building
New York, NY 10065
212-650-3191
Email: OneCard@hunter.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/it/it-services/onecard

 

Office of Financial Aid

695 Park Avenue, North Building Room 241
New York, NY 10065
Phone: 212-772-4820
Fax: 212-650-3666
Email: finaid@hunter.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/onestop/finances/financial-aid

 

Office of the Bursar

695 Park Avenue, Room 238 North
New York, NY 10065
Phone: (212) 772-4401
Phone: (212) 772-5017
Fax: (212) 772-4411
Email: bursar@hunter.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/onestop/finances/bursar

 

Health Services

Immunization Services

695 Park Avenue, 307 North Building
New York, NY, 10065
Phone: (212) 772-4800
Fax: (212) 650-3254 / (212) 396-6703
Email: healthandwellness@hunter.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/cws/healthservices/immunization

 

Immunization Requirements:

Before you register for your classes, New York State law dictates that you must show proof of immunization against measles, mumps and rubella and indicate receipt of meningitis information. You will not be permitted to register until you submit this proof. Here are your options to fill this out:

Please submit this proof in person to the Hunter College Health Services Office, Room 307 (3rd floor) in the North building OR fax a completed form to the Health Services Office (212) 650-3254 or (212) 396-6703.

If you do not have proof of the required immunizations, or need to get these immunizations, please note that Immunization clinics are offered free of charge prior to the start of each semester. Please call the Health Services Office (212) 772-4800 for dates and details.

Click here to download the required immunization form.

 

Claim your CUNY First Account (and obtain your EMPL ID):

Your EMPL ID is your personalized identification code that you will use during your time at SSSW. Please click on the link below for information on how to obtain your EMPL ID as well as to update your personal information and password on CUNYFirst: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/cunyfirst/account-claiming-and-personal-info-guides

 

SPARC Training:

New York State Education Law requires that all NYS colleges provide students with ongoing education and training about sexual misconduct, including domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and sexual violence. CUNY has implemented an online Sexual Misconduct Training Requirement called SPARC (Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course) which Advanced Standing students must complete in the start of their Fall semester. Once you complete the program, you will receive a certificate of completion. Please Note: Failure to complete the online training in a timely manner will result in a block on subsequent registration, which could adversely affect your registration options.

Your SPARC training can be found under a link in your “To Do” list under CUNY First (some students may need to search for this), or on a link in your Blackboard page. Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions that includes a number of steps for trouble shooting:

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/diversityandcompliance/sparc-faq

Students are encouraged to call the IT helpdesk if they have repeated technical difficulties in completing this program: (212) 650-3624

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Assistant Director of Student Services (alicia.greene@hunter.cuny.edu)

 

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Accelerated Student Information Webpage