I enrolled in the free, self-paced introductory course to help me decide if I wanted to commit to the full MasterTrack, which takes about 6-8 months to complete. Three weeks later, I flew through nearly the entire intro course in two sittings — and felt ready to apply to part-time graduate programs in social work. Coursera I'd been entertaining the idea of grad school — and MSW programs specifically — since I graduated from U-M in 2019, and this course was the push I needed to finally submit applications to MSW programs. It was a small preview into the history and importance of social work, an opportunity for self-reflection and understanding my role in promoting social justice, and a test in balancing a full-time job with part-time learning.