University of Louisville Online Programs | Student Resources & Feature Stories

Social Work Degree Guide Ranks UofL’s Online MSSW Program #3 in the Country

By admin | July 2, 2015

The Social Work Degree Guide recently compiled a list of the 25 best nationwide CSWE accredited online Masters of Social Work programs for 2015. Only programs accredited with CSWE, the Council on Social Work Education, were chosen for the listing. The online Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) program at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work ranked very highly, coming in at #3 in the country and achieving the Guide’s highest possible point score total.

Ranked as the #1 Social Work program in Kentucky, and touted as a top-ranked program by US News & World Report, the online MSSW program at UofL’s Kent School was awarded the #3 spot in the nation due to educational excellence in the areas of online education, enrollment flexibility, accessibility for students regardless of geographic location, and having an Advanced Standing option in place for those students already holding a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Students are able to complete the MSSW program at UofL’s Kent School entirely online, while following the same course curriculum as traditional classroom students. The program is open to all candidates currently holding a bachelor’s degree. A Standard Track is offered for those students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work, while an Advanced Standing Track is available to streamline the process for those holding a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Within the online MSSW program, multiple areas of specialization are available for students to choose from, including Psychosocial Oncology, Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Military Social Work, and Gerontology. The online curriculum is focused on facilitating practices that support and promote social justice. In addition to the online courses, the degree also has a real-world learning component, which involves hands-on instruction, performed in a student’s approved location of choice. This provides invaluable field experience to online students, enabling them to acquire hands-on opportunties in their own communities.

The #3 ranking in the country, as given by the Social Work Degree Guide, is an honor, and speaks to the dynamic quality of the MSSW offered at UofL’s Kent School. The Kent School has been educating social workers since 1936. While steeped in a tradition of educational excellence, the Kent School remains entirely focused on the future with 100% online programs such as the Master of Science in Social Work.

For further information and to view the Top 25 Online MSW Programs 2015, as published by the Social Work Degree Guide, please visit the following link: http://www.socialworkdegreeguide.com/online-msw-programs/. Visit the University of Louisville’s Kent School Master of Science in Social Work program page to learn more about this highly ranked, dynamic, 100% online Master’s Degree program.

Online Educator Honored Among UofL Faculty Favorites

By admin | July 2, 2015

There is no denying that the professional rapport formed between college educators and their students is of paramount importance both to learning and to the attainment of educational goals. The acclaimed and diverse online degree programs at the University of Louisville allow students to both learn and interact with their professors and classmates, regardless of geographic location. These online classrooms utilize cutting-edge software, allowing maximum levels of interaction and a strong sense of campus community to be built amongst online students. With current technology, online educators at UofL are able to inspire their students in much the same way as their traditional counterparts, leading to students nominating their online educators for the annual campus “Faculty Favorites” list.

Assistant professor Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, who teaches computer science courses at the Speed School of Engineering, and has had his research widely published, has now been recognized by his online students as both a Professor of the Year as well as a Faculty Favorite for several years running. Yampolskiy himself strives to bring the very best in tools and educational experiences to his online students. He recognizes the value in his online classroom and makes sure to treat his students as human beings, not just as names on a screen.

According to one of the students who nominated Yampolskiy for his Top Four placement among the Faulty Favorites, Yampolskiy was “very available to students with questions.” Other students commended his approachability, intelligence, passion for education, open-mindedness and his ability to inject humor into some of the more ‘dry’ subject matters. One thing is abundantly clear from all of the student nominations – Dr. Yampolskiy knows his students, and his students know and respect him, regardless of the fact that many have never met him face to face.

The quality of online instruction from the award-winning faculty at the University of Louisville truly speaks to the level of education being offered. When online students are able to feel as passionately about their professors as traditional students do, the online campus community is clearly not just existing, but thriving. With the diverse and nationally ranked online programs available to choose from, prospective students can rest easy in their decision to pursue degrees online. The quality of an online education from UofL shines through the dedicated faculty and staff, like Dr. Yampolskiy, who tirelessly work to build and solidify a sense of true community via the virtual classroom.

To read more on the talented Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, please click the following link – http://uoflonline.com/2014/09/roman-yampolskiy/. For further information on exploring the many benefits and flexibilities of an online education at the University of Louisville, please visit us online.

Faculty from UofL’s Kent School Contribute to Exciting New Oncology Social Work Publication

By admin | June 1, 2015

The reputation of the University of Louisville’s Kent School as a renowned center for oncology social work got an exciting boost in February of this year, when faculty members played a leading role in the development and publication of the Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer. Kent School faculty members Dr. Karen Kayser, Dr. Anna Faul, Shirley Otis-Green, Dr. Barbara Head, and Dr. Tara Schapmire served as significant contributors of scholarly knowledge to the book, which was published by Oxford University Press.

Addressing the psychosocial care of cancer patients and their families, the book takes a progressive and all-encompassing approach towards the psychosocial complexities faced by patients and their loved ones. With major innovations in the field and the evolution of the total care of the patient, the handbook aims to provide innovative tools caregivers can use to discover new ways to address multifaceted and often challenging issues. Some of the many areas covered include genetics, family and caregiver intervention, cancer across the lifespan, quality of life, professional development and education, ethical matters, loss and grief, and pediatrics.

The leadership and development demonstrated by the faculty contributors to the Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer has brought rapid growth to the national standing of the Kent School. The opportunities this book provides for new developments in modern psychosocial care for cancer patients, families, and caregivers solidifies the Kent School as a progressive center for the serious advancement in oncology social work.

For further information and to obtain a copy of the Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer, please visit the following link: http://www.bookdepository.com/Handbook-Oncology-Social-Work/9780199941926

Visit the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work program page to learn more about the exciting educational opportunities awaiting you at the Kent School.

Andy Frey Does It Again! Research Funding at UofL’s Kent School of Social Work Hits Record High

By admin | June 1, 2015

It certainly is an exciting time to be involved with the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work, which is fulfilling the mission of the university to provide excellent education through research. Dr. Andy Frey, Program Coordinator for the specialization in School Social Work, has again successfully brought a new grant to fruition. This award yields $3,499,896 for collaborative First Step Interventional educational research. With this award and with the addition of the $3,496,998 award (also from the Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences), brought in the previous week, the Kent School records an all-time high of $20 million dollars awarded for research funding.

Frey’s recent grants will enable four years of collaborative research with the Oregon Research Institute and the University of Cincinnati, from 2015-2019. The purpose of these projects are to determine the efficacy of the Preschool First Step (PFS) and Tertiary First Step interventions for students with or at risk of developing behavior disorders in preschool/Head Start and grades K-3, respectively. The focus of the studies will be on improving social skills and academic engaged time, and improving social competency skills related to school success.

“First Step” is a collaborative home and school intervention program delivered by a behavioral coach that is geared for regular classroom settings, and designed to help at-risk children get off to the best start possible in their school careers.

PFS includes a classroom management component, a school component, and parental engagement activities. Sixteen preschool centers (8 in Oregon and 8 in Kentucky will be recruited to participate in each of three years. One child from each classroom will be recruited to participate, and centers will be randomly assigned to the PFS or business as usual comparison group. Children from the PSF intervention group will also receive a booster in kindergarten.

TFS intervention is similar, but is designed for children with more severe behavior, and has a more robust home component. For this project, Dr. Frey and his team will recruit 100 teachers/children/families in 16 elementary schools (grades k-3) across participating districts (JCPS, Oldham, and Greater Clark) per year. After four years, 400 teachers/students/families in 64 elementary schools will have participated. After consent is obtained from teachers and parents, participants will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (a) home and school components, (b) school component only, (c) home component only, or (d) business as usual/comparison. Outcomes will include teacher and parent reported measures of social skills and problem behavior and direct observation of student behavior in the classroom setting.

These collaborative research projects will give Kent School students enrolled in the School Social Work specialization unparalleled educational opportunities for participation in unique hands-on research at participating locations.

These dynamic educational research opportunities for students at the Kent School truly are second to none. Very few similarly sized schools of social work around the country have been so prolific with awards for educational research. It is truly an honor for both faculty and students alike at the Kent School of Social Work to be making such a dramatic impact on the lives of future generations in communities across the country.

In a note sent to the staff and faculty, Terri Singer, dean of Kent School said: “It is a great time to be a Kent School grad student and a member of the Kent School team. But let me add, it is good to be Andy Frey! Great job.”

Although the specialization in School Social Work is offered only on campus, students who live within driving distance from UofL and are enrolled in the online Master of Science in Social Work often attend courses in this specialization.

Visit the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work program page to learn more about the many educational opportunities, both traditional and online, that the prestigious Kent School has to offer for you. To see the online social work offerings, visit: http://louisville.edu/online/programs/masters/master-of-science-in-social-work?utm_source=frey-article.

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