MSW Advising
Welcome to the GVSU Master of Social Work program! We are thrilled to have you. This page was created for you -- to introduce you to our expectations, your responsibilities, and the resources available to you to support your individual success.
The CECI Undergraduate Advising Center provides academic advising support to students in the Master of Social Work program. Your academic advisor can support you in degree planning, goal setting, policy and procedural understanding, and campus connecting. You can use this website to find resources relevant to your program.
Academic Advisors
Can help with...
Transitioning you from BSW program to introducing you to the MSW program. A Graduate MSW Orientation will allow a general overview of the program, the requirements, the expectations, and the resources available at GVSU to help you.
Signing up for classes in a timely manner and meeting the deadlines for registration and changes.
Offering referrals to experts, checking your curriculum pathway, registration status, and class schedule so that you stay on track to graduate when you intend.
Can help with...
Meeting you and introducing you to the program. Orientation will allow a general overview of the program, the requirements, the expectations, and the resources available at GVSU to help you.
Signing up for classes in a timely manner and meeting the deadlines for registration and changes.
Offering referrals to experts, checking your curriculum pathway, registration status, and class schedule so that you stay on track to graduate when you intend.
Laura Flagler, M.Ed. (she/her)
Contact: [email protected]
Advises: Advanced Standing MSW
Supports: SSW Certification Orientation
Education: Master of Education in College and Student Affairs Leadership
Strengths: Empathy, Communication, Activator, Positivity, Harmony
Melanie Rabine-Johnson, M.Ed. (she/her)
Contact: [email protected]
Advises: Regular Standing MSW
Education: Master of Education in Adult Literacy, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Strengths: Intellection, Context, Ideation, Empathy, Individualization
School of Social Work
Program Administrators
Faculty Advisors
Based on the first letter of your last name...
- A-B, Dr. Joshua Bishop
- C-D, Dr. Dianne Green-Smith (current students) Ronke Olawale starting Fall 2025
- E-G, Dr. Lihua Huang
- H-J, Dr. Jerry Johnson
- K-M, Dr. Joe Kuilema
- N-P, Dr. Jamie Langlois
- Q-R, Dr. Salvador Lopez-Arias
- S-T, Mohammad Hossain
- U-V , Dr. Cray Mulder*
- W-Z, Dr. Robin Smith Colton
*Cray is mentor for current students S-V, Mohammad is starting in Fall 2025
Can help with...
Faculty are experts in their fields. They are great resources for support for and explanation of course content.
Faculty can support you when considering research and scholarship in the field of Social Work.
In addition to the GVSU Career Center, faculty can discuss their experiences and knowledge of the professional lives of Social Workers.
The M.S.W. degree consists of a minimum of 60 credit hours. Those with a B.S.W. accepted into the regular standing program must still gain 60 credit hours but may have courses waived for which they received a B+ or better.
The M.S.W. advanced standing degree consists of a minimum of 38 credit hours.
Which pathway do I take?
- The Regular Standing program status is available to all majors who meet admission requirements.The M.S.W. degree consists of a minimum of 60 credit hours.
- The GVSU Advanced Standing program status is only available to graduates from an accredited B.S.W. program who meet Advanced Standing admission requirements. Advanced standing students are exempted from 22 hours of first-year core or foundation courses and the first semester of field education and may therefore accelerate their graduate study by completing only the remaining 38 hours of degree requirements in one calendar year. Specific courses exempted are: SW 600, SW 601, SW 603, SW 610, SW 620 and SW 650/651.
- Spring/Summer start applies only to Advanced Standing, full time students
- Fall start applies to both Advanced Standing and Regular Standing students, and you can choose full time or part time
- Winter start applies to Regular Standing and you must follow a part time schedule.
- Full time: 12 credits or more each semester. (4 classes or more)
- Part time: 11 credits or fewer each semester. (3 classes or fewer)
A School Social Work Certification or one-year waiver + Master in Social Work are required to practice school social work in a public or private school in the State of Michigan. GVSU School of Social Work offers pathways for current students and graduates to obtain a certification.
Current Students
- Meet with your Academic Advisor (Melanie Rabine-Johnson or Laura Flagler) to discuss the pros and cons of completing the requirements of the School Social Work Certification while obtaining your MSW.
- Full-time advanced standing students should apply upon admission to the MSW program and no later than when Field Applications are due.
- Full-time regular standing students should apply in your first semester and no later than by the time Field Applications are due.
- Part-time advanced standing and part-time regular standing students should apply by the time Field Applications are due.
- Students who are past the deadlines listed above may consider returning after obtaining their degree and securing a position as a school social worker. See “Returning/Waiver Students” below.
- If you determine that the certificate makes sense for you, your advisor will submit an official request to the MSW Program Director, Dr. Robin Smith-Colton [email protected], during your appointment.
- With your advisor, develop a plan for completing the required schools courses, practicum dates, and additional MSW program requirements.
- Within two weeks, you will receive an email with the decision of the MSW Program Director and the next steps.
Returning/Waiver Students
GVSU students who did not complete the courses and/or required post-graduate professional work history may obtain school social work certification after graduation but must complete the required courses (SW 661, SW 663, and SW 664) to do so along with a possible internship. Be advised that you must meet all requirements for school certification.
- If you have an MSW degree from GVSU or another institution, please complete the application form for MSW graduates and send it with your official transcript and resume to Dr. Robin Smith-Colton at [email protected].
- Within two weeks, you will receive an email with the decision and next steps.
What is an advising guide?
Advising guides are example schedules that lay out which classes you should take per semester. It helps you predict graduation; it keeps you on track to fulfill degree requirements; it helps you plan ahead for Registration Season.
Use the advising guides below to see your potential schedule.
Why do I need an advising guide?
- Classes are not offered every semester and must be planned accordingly.
- Some classes have prerequisites and must be taken in order.
- Some classes have co-requisites and must be taken at the same time.
- Internships start in specific semesters and must be planned accordingly.
Advising Guides
Regular Standing
How to Register for Classes
How to use MyPath, a Self-Advising tool
How to Request a Registration Override
How to Add Yourself to a Waitlist
Frequently Asked Questions
Congratulations! Next step is to communicate your formal acceptance with the School of Social Work Administrative Office. After that, you can make an advising appointment with your assigned Academic Advisor to discuss program requirements, course listings, and get support in registering for classes.
Once you have been accepted into the program, you can register for classes at any time. The GVSU catalog opens every spring in Mid-March. At that time, you can register for your Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter classes.
Note:
- If you are starting in a Fall Semester: you can register for Fall and Winter.
- If you are starting in a Winter Semester: you can register for Winter.
- In your Second Year, you can register for Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter all at once.
If you need to make changes to your schedule, keep this information in mind:
- Your academic advisor can help you make changes to your schedule.
- Check out this video tutorial to learn how to drop a class on your own.
- The School of Social Work has information about program requirements on this website.
- The Registrar's Office has information about withdrawing from classes or from the program entirely.
- The Registrar's Office posts deadlines for add/dropping courses. These deadlines determine any tuition refund based on when in the year the change is made.
- Students with financial aid are advised to speak with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before dropping a course.