Our Vision
To lead the country in communityengaged research in health, behavioral health, social and economic justice solutions for Alabama and the nation.
UASSW is where legends are made and innovation is taking place
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Established in 1965 by an act of the Alabama Legislature, The University of Alabama School of Social Work celebrated 50 years since its first MSW class arrived at UA with school-wide festivities in 2017. The school was founded to address the state’s critical shortage of and pressing need for professionally trained social workers, and we continue to evolve to produce innovators, change agents and social activists in our field. We are proud to lead the charge in training students for tomorrow’s workforce. Prior to 1965, there were fewer than 100 trained social workers in the state. Today, our program is the only one of its kind in the state that offers BSW, MSW, DSW and PhD degrees in social work.
Our strong commitment to academic excellence means we must be innovative in how we educate social work students to provide them with a high-quality educational experience. Our students and highly distinguished faculty use innovation in the classroom and interdisciplinary, research-based knowledge to address social problems, transform lives and develop solutions that change our world for the better.
You will find UASSW’s 2019-20 Fact Book highlights the areas we are experiencing growth, transforming for the better and pushing boundaries to shape communities, individuals and families in our state, nation and beyond.
OUR LEADERSHIP
For more information about the UA School of Social Work’s admissions process, scholarships and financial aid, contact a member of our administration. To apply for admission, visit us at socialwork.ua.edu/admissions.
LESLEY REID
Interim Dean lwreid@ua.edu (205) 348-3924
JAVONDA WILLIAMS
Associate Dean for Educational Programs and Student Services jwilliams11@sw.ua.edu (205) 348-3926
HEE YUN LEE
Associate Dean for Research hlee94@ua.edu (205) 348-6553
DAPHNE CAIN
Associate Dean for Administrative Services dscain@ua.edu (205) 348-9902
ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SERVICES
231 BSW STUDENTS
426 MSW STUDENTS
By the Numbers 2019-20
20 DSW STUDENTS
26 PHD STUDENTS
591
TOTAL COURSE OFFERINGS
$2,808,330
SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS
12 SOCIAL WORK STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
40%
OF OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFY FROM DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS
18:1
STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO
The University of Alabama School of Social Work Office of Student Services provides:
• Career Services
• Student Learning Assessments
• Advising Services
• Recruitment and Retention Services
• Scholarships/Stipends
• Orientations and Information Sessions
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK
BSW PROGRAM
BSW MAJORS
DEGREES AWARDED
By the Numbers 2019-20
119
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
STUDENTS (3.20 AVERAGE GPA)
Child Welfare Aging Psychopathology Human Trafficking
Specialty Course Offerings
Juvenile Delinquency Animal Assisted Therapy
Death and Dying Social Work in Sports Military Social Work
lndividualized academic and professional advising for every student
Opportunities to work with faculty on research projects
Stipends for students in need of tuition assistance
CAMPUS AND ONLINE PROGRAMS
Unique field placements locally and globally, including our premiere Washington, D.C. Internship Program
Preparation for licensure
MASTER
OF SOCIAL WORK
400
STUDENTS ENROLLED (CAMPUS AND ONLINE)
78% OF MSW STUDENTS ARE DISTANCE LEARNERS
553
MSW COURSE SECTIONS OFFERED
44th BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT RANKED
$113,000 IN STIPENDS
Offered in six locations throughout the state of Alabama for online students
Locations in Georgia and Mississippi
3 States represented 24
Countries represented (Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, China and Canada) 5
2 COORDINATED DEGREES
Virtual option featured in Georgia and Mississippi (MSW/MPH AND MSW/JD)
3.82 AVERAGE GPA UA GRADUATE FELLOWS (2 MCNAIR, 1 UA GRADUATE COUNCIL)
DOCTORATE OF SOCIAL WORK
20
STUDENTS IN FIRST DSW COHORT
7.95
AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS OF POST-MSW EXPERIENCE
2
PROGRAM CONCENTRATIONS: ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE, ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
30%
STUDENTS WHO ARE ETHNIC/RACIAL MINORITIES
8 IN-STATE STUDENTS
14.8%
ADMISSIONS RATE FOR FIRST COHORT
THE UASSW DSW PROGRAM IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF DOCTORAL EDUCATION (GADE) IN SOCIAL WORK.
PhD IN SOCIAL WORK
PhD PROGRAM
100%
STUDENTS RECEIVE AT LEAST THREE YEARS FULL TUITION, HEALTH INSURANCE AND A STIPEND
STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AS RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
BY YEAR TWO IN THE PROGRAM OVER
OF STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED TRAVEL FUNDING TO GIVE PRESENTATIONS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES
3
UA GRADUATE COUNCIL FELLOWS
UA Social Work Ph.D. Program Applications, Admissions & Enrollment, 2010-2019
UA SOCIAL WORK PH.D. PROGRAM APPLICATIONS, ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT, 2010-2019
Admissions to the PhD program have steadily increased over the past five years. The program admissions rate is now about 20%
2
UA COMMUNITYENGAGEMENT GRADUATE FELLOWS
THE UASSW PHD PROGRAM IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF DOCTORAL EDUCATION (GADE) IN SOCIAL WORK.
FIELD EDUCATION PROGRAM
FIELD EDUCATION
500+
FIELD AGENCY OPPORTUNITIES FOR BSW AND MSW STUDENTS
FOR BEING THE ONLY SCHOOL OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON, D.C. METRO AREA TO OFFER A SEMESTER-LONG INTERNSHIP IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
600+
MSW DC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ALUMNI
41 YEARS
MSW WASHINGTON, D.C. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
296,300 HOURS OF ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE
11
INTERNATIONAL FIELD PLACEMENTS (MEXICO, GHANA, SOUTH KOREA, CHINA, LONDON, NAMIBIA)
240+
STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FLY-IN SINCE 2017
RESEARCH
FACULTY SUBMISSIONS EXTERNAL FACULTY AWARDS
38 SUBMISSIONS FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING Ranked 5th IN NUMBER OF UNIVERSITY-WIDE EXTERNAL SUBMISSIONS
124% INCREASE IN EXTERNAL SUBMISSIONS (SINCE 2014)
$14.8
MILLION TOTAL EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING
2
RESEARCH JOURNALS (The Journal of Social Work in End-ofLife and Palliative Care and the Best Practices in Mental Health Journal)
$
RESEARCH INSTITUTES YOUTH SERVICES INSTITUTE OFFICE FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AND VETERANS
#3
FOR UNIVERSITY-WIDE EXTERNAL FUNDING AWARDS
2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration United States Department of Justice Health Resources and Services Administration National Institutes of Mental Health
TOP 4 FUNDING AGENCIES
103%
INCREASE IN EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING, 2014-2019
4
VISITING SCHOLARS (2 SOUTH KOREA, CHINA, BRAZIL)
ALUMNI AND GIVING
7,000+
88
INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI
(With Hong Kong having the largest representation)
By the Numbers 2019-20
4,569 $7,500
ALUMNI WORLDWIDE LEADING IN POLICY ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH THREE-YEAR PERCENTAGE OF: NON-ALUMNI DONORS ALUMNI DONORS 32% 68%
ALUMNI LIVING IN ALABAMA (next largest states are Georgia and Mississippi)
2 DONOR BOARDS $5.4 Million
IN SOCIAL WORK AND SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS (SOCIAL WORK SOCIETY, BOARD OF FRIENDS)