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Why USM?

Best reasons why students choose USM & USM's School of Social Work

1. Excellent academic programs. The Princeton Review included USM in its 2007 edition of "America's Best Value Colleges."" The Princeton Review reported that each of those 150 schools "offers an excellent experience in the classroom, but won't force you to mortgage your future to pay for it."
2. Committed faculty. The Princeton Review in its "Best in the Northeast" guide states, "USM's price tag would be much higher if dollars were equated with the faculty's dedication to the students."
3. Reasonably low cost. Tuition begins at below $15,000 a year for out of state students and below $6,000 a year for Maine residents. There are also a variety of financial aid opportunities.
4. Small class sizes with excellent access to professors. With a ratio of 14 students to one professor, the classes are small, so you are not just a number. The professors get to know the students and department professors serve as academic advisors to help guide you through your educational goals.
5. Small but cosmopolitan city. USM is located in Portland where there are a wide variety of cultural, historical, and artistic activities to choose from. One can expect a great night life and a plethora of outdoor recreation options nearby. The campus is only 1-½ hours from Boston and 4 hours from New York City. Moreover, "Maine was named the second-safest and fourth-healthiest state in the nation" (Morgan Quitno Press, 2006).
6. Commitment to diversity. USM is very committed to all types of diversity. The student body is made up of students from 32 states and 39 countries. USM also has been named among the 100 best campuses in the nation for supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, according to the "Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students."

Why current and future social workers should choose the USM's School of Social Work

1. Experienced and diverse faculty. The Social Work Faculty are extremely dedicated to the success of the students and committed to excellence in the field. The faculty members come from all over the United States and a variety of countries. They also have very diverse academic interests such as gerontology, child welfare, social welfare history and policy, homelessness, mental health, community and domestic violence, school social work, corrections, spirituality, research and program evaluation, human diversity, and working with refugee and immigrant populations.
2. Experienced and diverse students. The students collectively have a passion for social and economic justice, have a wide variety of experiences in social work fields, and are incredibly supportive of peers, friendly, and stimulating in the classroom.
3. Wide variety of field experience and opportunity. Students can choose from an extraordinary selection of field placements around the state. Urban or rural, non-for-profit or for-profit, grass-roots, clinical/medical, schools, and many more field practicum settings are provided for students to apply knowledge and skills into supervised practice. There are plentiful options for being placed at exciting practicum sites for meaningful field experiences.
4. Advanced Generalist Program. This means that students graduating from the USM's School of Social Work program will be well prepared to work in a variety of settings. The alumni body attests to this with many graduates working across the country as executive directors, community organizers, clinicians/therapists, case managers, direct service providers in public and private sectors, and as community leaders.