M.A. in Social Work? Tata Institute for Social Sciences (TISS?)

Greetings! I am a university student in America who is currently looking to get her Masters of Social Work abroad. Tata Institute of Social Sciences is one school I am seriously considering. I have emailed them some, but have not had very timely responses to my questions. Does anyone here know any Americans who have attended this school? I know it's very reputable, but I wondered what people's experiences there were like. If anyone can tell me anything, it would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

head here:
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/other-...06-2008-a.html

123 pages...phew!

you might want to try XISS...Xavier institute of SS..I am not sure if it has been renamed to TISS..

TISS = Tata Institute for Social Sciences... I think it is in Solapur, but not sure.

Unfortunately I don't have any info about foreign students there.

Tata Inst. of social sciences is in Mumbai, they do offer M.A and M.Phil and Ph.D courses to International students, the school is very prestigious and is ranked amongst the best in the country and is also recognised by the UGC (university grants commission). The fee structure and admission procedure is different for foreign nationals and honestly it's not easy to get through as they have very limited seats. Since you mentioned you've been exchanging mails with them, what additional info are you looking for?

I guess I'm just confused about the entrance process, as it differs so much from American Graduate schools. I am beginning to understand HOW competative entrance is, and I want to have the best possibility of getting in as I can. I also was hoping to talk to a foreigner who had gone to the school and see what their experience was like. I think that if I went, I would have to find a place to live. I don't know where to begin with all of that. I have lived outside of the U.S. before (France) but India is a completely different story. I would like a little of an idea of what to expect if I were to go there.

I think it depends on what you really hope to get out of your class. I have tried to take courses there several times - even to do the Ph.D programme, but was told by the director that it would be too basic for me given my experience and education. (I have a MA in research Psychology and 10+ years of social work experience).

their course offerings always look so great, but i am not sure what the level of teaching is really like. the indian school system is quite different than in the US - much of the coursework is often memorization. But if you don't have much experience in social work and are looking to get some good hands on experience abroad it might be a good programme. however I think that there are probably better programmes in the US. Another option might be to find a good ngo here to intern with for a few months.. they always need people.

good luck.

My mother graduated from TISS in 1951 and was president of the alumni association so (1967) I have fond memories of the place. TISS would be good if you plan to work in India. (I am a prof at an American University).

i would like to work for an ngo in india longterm, so that is really why i am pursuing my Masters there. The curriculum does look really good. Since writing my first post, i have been on the phone with a professor and an american student from the school, so I'm finding out a little more how my images measure up to it. Thanks for your advice.

did you grow up in india? do you know how the education system compares to america's? i am assuming india's schooling is more strenuous, but i don't know much about it in general.

I graduated from University of Bombay (BS) and then IIT (MS) but I have lived in US for over two decades. TISS was the 1st specialized school for social services in India and was probably the best (1950s). It is probably still very good.

The Indian University system is very variable. Many Universities are somewhat mediocre but a few are very good and some outstanding! If you need more information you may PM me.

pontesmanny

Hey josiepie...

You sounding sceptical about the standard of Indian education.

Well Indian school education system is quite sternous and very unlike the american education system.. but if u compare it academically ... it would rate it quite highly... so well you can leave all your worries aside..

About TISS.. well its one the most reputed educational institutions and probably a very good choice if you plan to work for an NGO... and ya maybe i am a lil biased towards it because i am afterall a TATA employee...



Rahul

Well I've been a lurker on this forum for a while as I've been going through the process of applying to graduate school in India. I'm an American Social Work student who is trying to get her masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. I won't know if I got into the school until the end of April, but so far, things have been promising, so I am preparing to leave for India in June, assuming things continue to go well. I decided to start getting to know people on the forum now that it looks more and more likely that I will be moving to Mumbai. I've done my share of traveling internationally, but have never visted India, so this is all very new to me. I'm really excited at the prospect of studying and working in India, and would love to meet others like me!

Its one thing to get the degree, its another to get a job. Degrees like this contribute to the relatively low female labor income. My father got this. We crack up about it. One degree is as good as another to the govt. bureaucracy. Short of becoming a case worker not a whole lot to do. I saw a project to use computer kiosks to replace caseworkers. Doubt it would work on the stone cold clients. But, many have a good awareness of computers. Edwards didn't get a hint of a nomination so you can't expect much of an expansion of welfare and the job market.

Are you talking about getting jobs in the US? I know I would not have trouble getting one here, as I don't even have my bachelor's degree and have several offers lined up. As far as working in India, I know that might be more challenging, but I have some options with a few NGO's that could hire me. Granted, the salary would not be anything to write home about, but that is not really why one pursues social work.

Hi,

I explored TISS recently for either a MSW or their program on Social Entrepreneurship and am slowly coming to a conclusion it isn’t right for me. Perhaps my reasoning may be of help to you:

Their fees for international students seem steep: $17K for the two years (all inclusive). That’s cheaper than a private university in the States but a lot more expensive than in-state tuition for me at a good state university. And it’s a LOT more than other MSW programs for international students in India at, say, DU or UM. I’ve seen too many friends struggle to pay for expensive MSW or teaching degrees in the States and it’s hard to justify the costs. I mean, you’re in the business to help others, but how can you do that if you’re in a financial hole yourself?

I am interested in working at NGOs but not as a caseworker. I think a US MPA degree provided me with better tools than an MSW to attain that goal. Moreover, I’ve been volunteering in New Delhi and all my managers here have told me a US degree is valued in India while the reverse (Indian degrees in the US) often does not hold true. It’s not fair, but important to know.

I was not impressed by the professionalism of the international student office. They are not responsive and do not seem to know much (whether it was straightforward questions about tuition and deadlines or more subjective ones). I also tried to coordinate a visit while in Mumbai and it was hopeless. It made me wonder how professional their academic programs are.

I’ve heard mixed reports from Indian students who’ve attended there. Some loved it and learnt a lot and others were sorely disappointed, by the facilities, the teaching staff, etc. There was a fair bit of rote learning amid more challenging work. But perhaps that’s probably true everywhere.

That said, I still think there are good reasons for you to attend:

If you’re not of Indian origin, this is a wonderful transition opportunity, giving you understanding of the culture, the people, the work environment, build a local network, etc. It will also give you an opportunity to learn the language if you don’t already know it. You cannot effectively do direct service work with the indigent in India without knowing the local language.

Within India TISS has the most reputable MSW program. And I like I said, there are definitely those who think the reputation is deserved.

An MSW is pre-req in almost every Indian NGO to obtain a senior position whether you’re a caseworker, a manager, or something entirely unrelated. (And that’s becoming true in the States for caseworkers as well, at least at good NYC nonprofits.)

I also think Mumbai is one of the easiest Indian cities for a single female to live in even if it is one of the most overwhelming. I’ve only visited and liked it (then again I love New York). BTW TISS also takes care of housing so you won’t have to worry about that.

Oh, also on the plus side, while it costs more for int’l students, the entrance requirements are easier: fewer tests, interviews, etc. And yes, there are reservations for int’l students. It’s a lot more rigorous and competitive for Indians.

So lots of pros and cons for you to ponder though it looks like your mind is already made up. You can also go to Orkut and find lots of TISS groups that are pretty active if you want to meet current and former students.

Lots of luck to you.