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Now is a great time to consider a Social Work career! | 12.16.2021
Are you considering a career in the diverse and in-demand field of social work? Now is a great time!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations, although employment growth will vary by specialization. That’s due, in part, to an increased focus on providing drug offenders with treatment services instead of sentencing them to prison.

Social workers are compassionate, caring people, who use their strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills to help individuals and families solve and cope with challenges in their everyday lives. Clinical social workers (CSW) or licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.

According the BLS, the median pay for social workers in 2020 was $51,760, or $24.88 an hour. Payscale lists the median pay for LCSWs at $58,437; medical social workers at $56,906; clinical supervisor at $59,333; social service director at $66,017; and executive directors at $81,250. However, salaries vary by employer, location, and other factors.

While all social work jobs require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, many—including CSWs, LCSWs, and supervisory and leadership positions—require a master’s degree to enter the occupation, and some require a state-issued license or certification. So having a master’s degree will put you in the best position to launch and advance your career.

Why choose the University of Illinois?

The University of Illinois’ School of Social Work offers the iMSW online program, the traditional MSW campus-based program, and a hybrid-online program.

Students can choose one of two concentrations:
- The Advanced Clinical Concentration focuses on learning advanced direct practice skills to work in a wide variety of clinical environments. Students can choose one of four focus areas to tailor their coursework: mental health; health care; schools; and children, youth and family services. Job titles include counselor, therapist, case manager, discharge planner, linkage and referral advocate, adoption specialist, and community liaison, among others.
- The Leadership & Social Change Concentration (LSC) focuses on learning the latest skills on engaging in macro practice, system and social impact, program evaluation, and advocacy. Students are natural large-scale thinkers and innovators. They complete work that matches their interests, talent, and skills within the broader scope of the profession. And their unique training sets them apart to be social work innovators in non-profits, for-profits, and government. Job titles include policy advocate, program director, executive director, political strategist, higher education administrator, public service leader, strategic planner, interventionist, and consultant, among others.
The School of Social Work is one of the longest-serving programs in the country. It’s currently ranked the #22 on the best schools for social work list by U.S. News & World Report.

Alumni work as licensed clinical social workers, case managers, program coordinators, licensed therapists, residential counselors, clinicians, direct support professionals, board certified behavior analysts, substance abuse counselors, mental health therapists, program coordinators, program directors, chaplains, in educational, government, medical, social service, and industry settings.

Furthermore, the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana is one of the top-ranked research universities in the world and a pioneer and leader in online education. The university is also ranked by Open Doors as first among public universities in number of international students.

Illinois boasts 29 Pulitzer Prize and 24 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni. And the University Library is one of the largest public university collections in the world with 14 million volumes in its 20-plus unit libraries.

Learn more about the Master of Social Work at Illinois.
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Prepare for your career change with the University of Illinois’ online programs | 11.24.2021

Thinking about a career change in 2022?
Professional translators and interpreters use languages to build bridges between cultures, worlds, and people. This is one of the reasons their knowledge and skills are in such great demand today.
Prepare to enter or lead in this diverse and in-demand field with an online Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. (The program is also available on campus.)
The preferred application deadline for scholarship consideration is December 1, 2021, and the standard application deadline is March 1, 2021.
Designed for working professionals, the online MA in Translation and Interpreting allows you to learn from anywhere in the world while continuing to work a full-time job. Online students learn from the same award-winning instructors as on-campus students.
The program supports work in most major world languages. In addition to foundational courses in translation theory, professional practice, and technical skills, you’ll be able to specialize in one of these three areas: Translation for the Professions, Literary Translation, or Conference and Community Interpreting.
Are you ready to apply? If so, please take a look at the application process.
Here are some other degree and certificate programs from the top-ranked University of Illinois for you to explore:
Master of Science in Library and Information Science: Final application deadline for Fall 2022 is December 1, 2021. Consistently ranked the #1 program of its kind in the nation, the program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to creatively and effectively manage, analyze, and preserve information. The program can be customized based on students’ career interests.
Master of Science in Recreation, Sport, & Tourism: Application deadline is December 9, 2021, for a January 2022 start. A degree in RST will prepare you to become a leader in this diverse, in-demand field. Join alumni who are working for national athletic clubs; local, state, and national parks and recreation services; private industry, higher education, and more.
Master of Veterinary Science—Livestock Health Systems: Application deadline is December 15, 2021, for a January 2022 start. Fall 2022 applications are open now as well. Whether you enroll in the affordable $9,700 master’s degree program, participate in the graduate certificate program, or take an individual course, you’ll learn from award-winning faculty who are also industry experts.
Visit Illinois Online for more information.

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Winter courses help Illinois students get ahead | 10.6.2021

It’s not always easy for students to fit all of their required courses into their busy schedule.

Winter Session can help with that.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign once again is offering online courses to current undergraduate students and non-degree students from around the globe over the winter break.

Winter Session begins on December 20, 2021 and ends on January 14, 2022. Priority registration begins in conjunction with Spring 2021 registration on November 1, 2021. (Registration for non-degree students opens on November 15, 2021 and closes on December 14, 2021.)

The courses are rigorous yet manageable in the condensed format and provide students with a great opportunity to complete a general education requirement, alleviate credit hours needed during the spring or fall semester, and increase their overall GPA while still enjoying their break. (NOTE: Undergraduate students are limited to taking one winter session course, and the session is not open to graduate students.)

The online courses also offer students the flexibility to learn from nationally-recognized faculty no matter where they are in the world.

One course could make all the difference!

For more information about winter courses at the University of Illinois, visit ONLINE.ILLINOIS.EDU/WINTER.

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Register now for the Information Accessibility Design & Policy (IADP) Online Professional Certificate Program | 9.30.2021
The registration deadline has been extended through November 1
When creating multimedia content, it’s important to make sure presentations, videos, images, documents, and other digital and print resources are accessible and usable by people of all ability levels.
It’s not only considerate; it’s the law.
The award-winning Information Accessibility Design and Policy (IADP) Online Professional Certificate Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was developed to provide website and web application developers and designers, content creators in education and industry, eLearning specialists, instructional designers, information technology specialists, and disability service providers with the principles of accessible information architecture and universal design used in education, healthcare, and employment settings.
Students also learn the federal and state legal mandates governing information accessibility and their relationship to the civil rights of people with disabilities; information technology accessibility standards, design practices that enable adherence to those standards; and tools that support validation and evidence of compliance to those standards.
“The IADP program has enabled me not only to gain vital skills in accessibility design, evaluation, and policy, but also to evidence my commitment to and expertise in this area, which was a key factor in my recent promotion to a director-level role,” according to one program alum.
Offered through the College of Applied Health Sciences, this professional certificate is available to undergraduate, graduate, degree, or nondegree-seeking s
tudents. It’s fully online, meaning you can take it from anywhere in the world; flexible, allowing you to continue your job and other responsibilities; and affordable.
The program consists of three, 2-credit 8-week online courses that can be completed in one academic year.
Courses must be taken in sequence. They include:
- AHS 494: Understanding Disability and Assistive Technology
- AHS 494: Creating and Procuring Accessible Electronic Materials
- AHS 494: Designing Universally Accessible Web Resources
The IADP Online Professional Certificate Program is approved by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) for CAEC Professional Development Credit. It is a past recipient of UPCEA’s Leadership in Diversity Award, recognizing an individual or program representing best practices in promoting the educational success of diverse students.
The first course of the IADP Online Professional Certificate Program started on October 18, but you can still register through Monday, November 1.
Register now and prepare to be a leader in information accessibility design and policy.
For more information about enrollment, course content, and learning outcomes, contact Dr. Marc Thompson, IADP program director and instructor. For information about registration, tuition, technology, and other logistics, contact Erika Albin.
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Events

Date	Event
3.12.2022	Spring Break (?)
3.21.2022	Instruction Resumes (?)
4.4.2022	Priority registration for Summer and Fall 2022 begins (?)
4.21.2022	Open registration begins for Summer and Fall 2022 (?)
5.4.2022	Last day of instruction (?)
5.6.2022	Final examination period begins (?)
5.13.2022	Final examination period ends (?)
5.16.2022	First day of instruction for POT S1 and POT SF classes (?)
5.30.2022	Memorial Day (All Campus Holiday) (?)

Online Illinois Calendar

Blogs

Crushing the remote learning environment | 1.14.2022

Welcome back to campus for the Spring 2022 semester, Illini!
It may be tempting to see this first week of classes, which are being held remotely, as an extension of the winter break. However, this first week will set the tone for the rest of Spring 2022, so it’s important to start off on the right foot.
Here are some remote learning tips from our Illinois Online students to help you crush your online learning experience whether it’s for one week or an entire semester:
Create a designated work and study place
Find a quiet place to attend your virtual classes and lectures so that you can fully engage with your instructor, classmates, and course materials. Make sure it’s well-lit and free from as many distractions as possible. And if you’re not using your smartphone for class, silence it or turn it off, so you’re not tempted to check your social media.
Check your tech
Make sure your computer and other technology are in good working order. Don’t wait until your first lecture to test the new webcam or headphones you got for Christmas. For technical assistance (for example, if your Zoom isn’t working), contact Technology services at consult@illinois.edu or 217-244-7000.
And if you need a computer program that you currently don’t have, check out UIUC Anyware. It provides students with secure access to many applications on a variety of devices and operating systems.
Engage
Be an active participant in your synchronous classes. You’ll get to know your instructor and classmates, and it will help you pay attention and retain information whether it’s the course content or important deadlines. Take notes as you would in a face-to-face course, and write down any questions you have, which you can either email to your professor or ask during virtual office hours.
Establish a school routine
Prepare for your virtual classes and lectures as you would for your face-to-face class, making sure you have your books and other materials and something to drink on hand. Carve out time to study each day. And while you may be tempted to stay up late playing videogames, binging on Netflix, or catching up with friends, remember that your body and mind need six to eight hours of sleep to function optimally the next day.
Stay healthy
Make sure to eat healthy, stay hydrated, exercise, and enjoy some downtime each day in order to maintain your physical, mental, and emotional health. After each online course or interaction, it’s good to step away from your screen to avoid “Zoom fatigue.” And if you find yourself feeling run-down, overwhelmed, or stressed, don’t hesitate to reach out to the University Counseling Center. For more mental health and wellness resources, visit https://wellness.illinois.edu/mental-health-resources/students/
For more remote learning resources, visit our student and graduate student remote resource guides.

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NetMath adds two courses to its online offerings | 12.20.2021
Are you interested in a career as a machine learning engineer or data scientist? How about a software developer or computational linguist?
If so, you will need an educational background in machine learning.
NetMath is now offering Math 490: Mathematics of Machine Learning online—one of two new college courses that’s being offered online along with other NetMath courses.
Math 490 (3 credit hours) covers foundational models and mathematics of machine learning, including statistical learning theory and neural networks with a project component. Students will use Python as part of their assignments and exams. View the Math 490 syllabus.
Machine learning is a growing field at the intersection of probability, statistics, optimization, and computer science that aims to develop algorithms for making predictions based on data. Real-world applications for machine learning can be found in Google Maps, facial recognition, medical diagnosis, traffic predictions, and product recommendations.
NetMath’s other new course is Stat 100: Statistics.
Stat 100 is an introductory statistics course with particular emphasis on understanding statistical concepts and which tools are appropriate for which problems. It covers experimental design including basics of casual inference from observations, basic probability, descriptive statistics, linear regression, sampling and statistical inference, and hypothesis testing. View the Stat 100 syllabus.
Stat 100 will help students develop a better understanding of volumes of data. Students that have finished the course have said they:
- Read the newspaper in a new way without their eyes glazing over when they see quantitative information.
- Know what questions to ask when evaluating studies and surveys
- Understand what questions can and cannot be answered by statistical arguments.
PLEASE NOTE: While NetMath is the online self-paced distance learning program of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, offering courses to high school and college students around the world, Stat 100 is a 16-week-long course with no extensions. It is not self-paced, and there are fixed due dates for homework submissions and taking exams.
Upcoming cohorts begin on February 20, 2022, and April 17, 2022.
Register for one of these NetMath courses today! College students can register here, while high school students can register here.
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'I had a wonderful experience' | 12.13.2021

Hear what University of Illinois students are saying about Winter Session
Are you an undergraduate or a non-degree student who would like to get ahead in general education requirements? Are you looking to improve your GPA? Or, do you need to take that you can’t fit into your fall or spring semester?
If so, then you should consider taking an online course during Winter Session!
Offering a wide variety of of courses, the winter term begins on December 20, 2021 and runs through January 14, 2022.
It’s a great opportunity for you to take a rigorous yet manageable course from Illinois’ nationally-recognized faculty from anywhere in the world.
Don’t just take our word for it. Read what other Illinois students had to say about a previous Winter Session experience: (All comments were provided via student surveys.)
“I had a wonderful experience with this winter course,” one student wrote about SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology, which he took to have an easier course load in the spring. “It was the perfect amount of material where I felt like I learned a lot but could also balance my life on top of it. I would definitely take a winter course again.”
“I am really glad this option was available over winter break,” another student taking Intro to Psych wrote. “It allowed me to focus on one class and gave me ample time to complete my assignments, quizzes, and readings. Overall, I’m really satisfied with my experience.”
“ASTR 100: (Introduction to Astronomy) was one of the best courses I have ever taken,” one undergraduate shared. “The teachers were wonderful, and the material was engaging.”
“I needed to fulfill a general education requirement, and I really enjoy the subject matter, so I decided it would be best to finish it when I had the most time,” wrote another student who took ASTR 100. “Both instructors were really good at lecturing. I enjoyed the sense of humor they brought to the lectures, and their passion for the subject.”
“I plan to graduate a full year early so if this course helps me get extra credit hours so I can accomplish my goal,” wrote a student who took ATMS 120: Severe and Hazardous Weather. “I felt this course was wonderful and a perfect wintertime course. The weekly Q&As were very helpful in working through the challenge problems, and (the professor) got back to us in a rather timely manner. I enjoyed this course and the material thoroughly, and I felt it was just the right amount of material for the four weeks while still giving us enough information to learn.”
“I really enjoyed the course,” a student wrote about GWS 356B: Sex & Gender in Popular Media. “I was scared that I would be swamped with work this break since the course is so condensed, but this wasn’t the case. The clear calendar for when assignments were due, access to all the modules and lack of exams made the course manageable.”
“This is the most useful and most well-designed course I have taken in my four years at the U of I,” another student wrote about ACE 240 Personal Financial Planning. “I will highly recommend this course and professor to my peers.”
“This course made me want to take another Winter Session course,” wrote a student who took Psych 100: Introduction to Psychology to beef up her credits. “Overall I really enjoyed this experience and wouldn’t change a thing.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed ECON 203 online,” another student wrote of her
course. “Having assessments so frequently didn’t leave me any time o forget material. I think I learned more taking this course over four weeks than I would have if I’d done it over a full semester.
What are you waiting for? Register now at ONLINE.ILLINOIS.EDU/WINTER. (NOTE: Undergraduate students are limited to taking one winter session course, and the session is not open to graduate students.)
One course could make all the difference!

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From dance to personal finance, there's a Winter Session course for you! | 11.11.2021

Are you interested in taking a music course, but you’re not a music major? Then MUS 130: Music Then and Now may be for you!
MUS 130 is one of many online courses that’s being offered during Winter Session 2021-22, which runs December 21 through January 15.
Winter Session gives undergraduate and non-degree students an opportunity to take a class from anywhere in the world and earn a general education requirement, take a class that’s hard to get into during the fall or spring, or increase their GPA. With a wide variety of courses, there’s something to interest everyone.
MUS 130 (credit hours) provides non-music majors with basic listening skills, the ability to discuss music intelligently, and an acquaintance with many types of music. You don’t need a music background; you just need to enjoy music.
If music isn’t your thing, then check out some of these other courses:
CHLH:330 and REHB 330: Disability in American Society (3 credit hours)
This introductory course to disabilities studies provides students with a broad overview of the history of challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and the Disabilities Rights Movement to secure equal rights and passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students will also delve into contemporary issues, challenges, programs that are available to individuals with a disability, and different ways to support them.
RST 100: Recreation, Sport and Tourism in Modern Society (3 hours)
This course examines central issues in defining leisure, recreation, sport, and tourism. Historical, philosophical, sociological, psychological, and economic approaches to understanding these areas, their behaviors and meanings, social contexts, and personal and social resources are examined. By the end of the semester, students should understand their history and evolution, as well as their impact on contemporary society.
REL 110 and PHIL110: World Religions (3 hours)
This course is a survey of the leading living religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students will examine basic texts and philosophic theological elaborations of each
SPAN 142: Spanish in the Professions (4 hours)
Students will get an introduction to Spanish in business, law, medical, education, and social service fields, with a focus on the importance of bilingualism in the U.S, strategies for lifelong learning, and culture considerations. The development of functional use of Spanish within the professional context is the major focus of the course.
MACS 356 and GWS 356: Sex & Gender in Popular Media (3 hours)
This course examines the notion that the mass media influence our development as gendered individuals, looking at those who argue for and against this notion. It also considers different forms of feminist theory applied to the study of mass media, the history and scholarly criticisms of the media and their portrayal of women, and feminist attempts to create alternatives to mainstream media images. Throughout, the course considers representation of minorities in the dominant media and examines newly created alternative representations.
ESE 360 and ENGL 360: Environmental Writing (3 hours)
Students will learn how to write about the environment for various audiences, with a focus on specific current efforts to promote sustainability on the Urbana-Champaign campus. We will practice effective techniques for each stage of the writing process-from defining topics, to gathering information, to crafting active, engaging prose. Readings will include models of effective environmental writing and "how to" pieces by experts. Research will include
BADM 380: International Business (3 hours)
This course introduces the field of international business and management; examines the economic, political, and legal environments of international business; and analyzes differences in financial management, marketing, and management practices for firms doing business abroad.
ACE 240: Personal Financial Planning (3 hours)
This course examines principles of financial planning applied to individuals and households, with attention to organizing and analyzing financial information, budgeting, acquiring financial assets, managing credit, planning for taxes, investments, risk management, retirement, and estate planning.
ATMS 120 and ESE 120: Severe and Hazardous Weather (3 hours)
Most extreme manifestations of weather and climate are analyzed in terms of their physical basis and their historical, economic and human consequences. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between technological advances, the evolution of meteorology as a science, and the impacts of extreme weather (winter storms, floods, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, El Nino). Technological advances include satellites, weather radars and profilers, and computer models used for weather prediction.
Check out the full list of courses and be sure to register for a course during Spring 2022 registration. Follow us on Facebook to see more course spotlights.

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Hear what University of Illinois students are saying about Winter Session