Fact Book 2020-21
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.
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 2020-21 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
SMITH HATCHER Dean
schnavia.hatcher@ua.edu (205) 348-3924
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.
HEE YUN LEE
Associate Dean for Research hlee94@ua.edu (205) 348-6553
DAPHNE CAIN
Associate Dean for Administrative Services and Interim Associate Dean for Educational Programs and Student Services dscain@ua.edu (205) 348-9902
ACADEMIC & STUDENT SERVICES
& STUDENT SERVICES By the Numbers 2020-21
315
BSW STUDENTS
300 MSW STUDENTS
591 SOCIAL WORK STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
TOTAL COURSE SECTIONS OFFERED
12
58 DSW STUDENTS
$4,461,660
30 PHD STUDENTS
34%
SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFY FROM DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO
20:1
THE 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
52 DEGREES AWARDED 100
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM STUDENTS (3.20 AVERAGE GPA)
Child Welfare | Aging | Psychopathology | Human Trafficking | Juvenile Delinquency
SPECIALTY COURSE OFFERINGS
Equine Assisted Therapy | Death and Dying | Social Work in Sports | Military Social Work
» Individualized 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
MSW PROGRAM
STUDENTS ENROLLED (campus and online)
2
MSW COURSE SECTIONS OFFERED
DOCTORATE OF SOCIAL WORK
58 RETENTION RATE SINCE 2019 90%
2
STUDENTS ENROLLED PROGRAM CONCENTRATIONS Advanced Clinical Practice Organizational Leadership
AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS OF POST-MSW EXPERIENCE
10.3 FIRST GENERATION ADMISSION RATE
43.1%
STUDENTS WHO ARE ETHNIC/RACIAL MINORITIES
16 IN-STATE STUDENTS
32.8%
PHD IN SOCIAL WORK
PHD PROGRAM
By the Numbers 2020-21
100%
OF ADMITTED STUDENTS RECEIVED 3 YEARS FULL TUITION/ HEALTH INSURANCE/STIPEND
100% OF STUDENTS ADMITTED HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AS RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
1 4 1
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SCHOLAR UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS
87%
OF ALL OF THE SSW PHD STUDENTS HAVE PUBLISHED FOR A TOTAL OF 81 PUBLICATIONS ACROSS ALL THE STUDENTS OR AN AVERAGE OF OVER 3 PUBLICATIONS PER STUDENT
MCNAIR CAPSTONE FELLOWSHIP
92%
1
SOUTHERN REGIONAL EDUCATION BOARD FELLOWSHIP
OF ALL SSW PHD STUDENTS HAVE PRESENTED AT CONFERENCES FOR A TOTAL OF 153 PRESENTATIONS ACROSS ALL STUDENTS OR AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST 6 CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS PER STUDENT
FIELD EDUCATION PROGRAM
FIELD EDUCATION
500+ FIELD AGENCY OPPORTUNITIES FOR BSW AND MSW STUDENTS
By the Numbers 2020-21
#1 IN THE NATION
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 MSW WASHINGTON, D.C. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
42 YEARS HOURS OF ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE
147,455
3
INTERNATIONAL FIELD PLACEMENTS (Mexico, Ghana, South Korea, China, London, Namibia)
240+ STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FLY-IN SINCE 2017
RESEARCH
ALUMNI & GIVING
7,761
ALUMNI WORLDWIDE LEADING IN POLICY
5,134 $19,532 Raised
97 INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI (with Hong Kong having the largest representation) ALUMNI LIVING IN ALABAMA (next largest states are Georgia and Mississippi)
ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH THREE-YEAR PERCENTAGE OF: NON-ALUMNI DONORS ALUMNI DONORS 25% 75%
2 DONOR BOARDS IN SOCIAL WORK AND ACCRUED SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS $7.8 MILLION (SOCIAL WORK SOCIETY, BOARD OF FRIENDS)