Tyler Ratliff had been working as a third-party Medicaid case manager for eight years when he realized he wanted to give back more to his clients and the community. That’s when he left his job to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at Virginia Commonwealth University, choosing the online option for its convenience. While he entered the program with a focus on building his skills in community-based social work, his experiences have led him to consider a pivot to clinical practice.
As a case worker, Ratliff encountered many clients who needed help he could not provide. “I spoke with a lot of people across the state with a serious mental illness diagnosis who dealt with a lot of challenges,” he recounts, but he kept hitting walls in his efforts to provide effective assistance.
He saw the M.S.W. program as an opportunity to enhance his skills and make a positive impact. As he explains, “What I hope to gain from my M.S.W. degree is to be able to obtain my LCSW license and really give back to my local community. My aspiration is to connect with those who need help and try to do the best I can to give them the help they need.” When it came time to pick a program, VCU was always Ratliff’s first choice. “I’ve always heard that VCU was known for its social work program,” he shares.
Ratliff is more than satisfied with his decision to attend VCU online. The online format, he explains, made it easier to adjust to life changes that included relocation and the birth of a first child. “I’ve never had a problem staying in communication with everyone. It’s just been a phenomenal experience,” he notes. “I’m already considering returning for the doctorate program in social work.
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Building Skills in the M.S.W. Program
The VCU M.S.W. online format offers concentrations in macro practice and clinical practice, teaching skills in assessment, intervention, evaluation, advocacy, policy analysis and development, counseling, social work theory and research. Ratliff singled out the motivational interviewing skills he developed in the program. “It’s not just working with clients or individuals. It can be used in your day-to-day life,” he explains. He also appreciates how the program taught him to “interact with people through an empathetic lens, homing in on giving people their autonomy and empowering them to do things they thought they couldn’t do.”
Ratliff enjoyed stretching his capabilities in research and data analysis. “I’m especially proud of the research assignment lab I had to complete,” he reports. “I was anxious about the project because I had not had a lot of experience in that area or with using SPSS [an advanced statistical software suite from IBM].” When he hit an obstacle, he “had the full support of the professor, who helped me through the little things that confused me… This assignment really got me interested in research and really lifted my anxiety about it.”
Gaining Real-World Experience: Field Placements
Students in VCU’s M.S.W. online format complete two field placements: a general placement during the first year and a specialization placement in the second year. Ratliff’s general placement was at Piedmont Community Services Board. ”I worked with facilitating groups for intensive outpatient programs for substance use,” he recalls. The experience exposed him to group therapy, where he experienced how groups engage and support one another. Ratliff reflects: “It taught me a lot about people, the deeper roots of addiction and the stigma that’s placed on it.” He also had the chance to practice one-on-one therapy. “I found that very enriching. I learned to take myself out of my thoughts and biases to hear what they were saying,” he explains.
Ratliff’s second field placement was with the Community Service Board’s Assertive Community Treatment Team. Ratliff describes the experience this way: “I work with clients who have a serious mental illness diagnosis and don’t spend a lot of time out in the community. It’s an interesting change from my first placement at a counseling center. In this position, I go into people’s homes. I see what their living environment looks like and what they deal with on a daily basis. It’s a more effective approach to determining what interventions may be more helpful to them, as opposed to just seeing them one hour a week.”
Earning an M.S.W. Online at VCU
Pursuing an M.S.W. degree online offers multiple benefits, Ratliff observes. “The process has been very easy, from start to finish,” he explains, adding, “You really do not feel detached like you think you would as an online student. A steady stream of information, instructions and reminders sent by email and the learning platform” keeps students engaged. “It’s been really interesting working with peers with varied backgrounds from different parts of the country,” he observes. ”That has provided a lot of valuable insights. The professors have also been great.”
The program is designed for busy working professionals; Ratliff notes that “If you have a problem, such as a family emergency or a technical issue, they are really great in working with you and maintaining good communication.” Everyone “from support coaches to advisors will make things happen for you.”
His advice to prospective students? “The main important thing that I would share is not to feel overwhelmed or, you know, scared that this isn’t for you. I think that choosing social work is a very commendable thing, and you’re going to be given back to your community, other people, and it’s very fulfilling and rewarding.” The school works hard to help students succeed: in his experience, “VCU will make it happen, whether it has to do with finances, support, counseling, or interacting with peers.”
Ratliff has no doubts he made the right choice in selecting the VCU M.S.W. online program; “This has been a life-changing experience for me,” he asserts. “Before beginning this program, I didn’t really know the direction I wanted to take my life, my next step. I worked in health care for insurance companies, but I didn’t really feel fulfilled. This program gave me a new, fresh start on my life and gave me the ability to find the purpose that I want.”
The Master of Social Work degree at Virginia Commonwealth University could change your life as well. To learn more about the program, contact an enrollment advisor to schedule a one-on-one conversation. If you’re ready to apply, you can start your online application today.