Social work students can get $30K to pursue master’s degree

Michigan students seeking a master’s degree in social work may be eligible for a $30,000 stipend from the state health department.

The Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported Tuesday, June 4, that it would provide 12 in-state universities with a total of $5 million in an effort to increase the state’s behavioral health workforce. Funding is available for up to 150 students.

To be eligible, students have to have a bachelor’s degree in social work and agree to seek a master’s degree in the same field, as well as commit to at least two years of behavioral health work in the public sector in Michigan upon graduation.

Stipends are a one-time offer for students who will enter a full-time advanced standing master’s degree program. Typically the advanced standing program is about three semesters or one year.

MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel called the stipend program an investment to increase access to behavioral health care for Michigan families.

Below is a list of the schools receiving funding through the “Bachelor of Social Work to Master of Social Work Program.” Award amounts were calculated based on the average number of students in the master’s degree program, the average student loan debt, and the school’s demographic diversity.

• Andrews University - $208,236
  
• Eastern Michigan University - $371,976
  
• Ferris State University - $167,169
  
• Grand Valley State University - $384,339
  
• Madonna University - $314,824
  
• Michigan State University - $498,358
  
• Northern Michigan University - $90,578
  
• Oakland University - $409,741
  
• Saginaw Valley State University - $188,063
  
• Spring Arbor University - $511,468
  
• University of Michigan - $853,394
  
• Wayne State University - $1 million

Michigan has more than 30,000 social workers and 6,500 students in social worker programs throughout the state, according to the National Association of Social Workers in Michigan. Workers are spread across a variety of areas, including schools, hospitals, clinics, senior centers, private practice offices and prisons.

For more information, contact Jilliann Betzer at BetzerJ@michigan.gov.

This article was originally posted on June 5, 2024 on MLive.