WELCOME

 Department of Social Work

The faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Social Work at Arkansas State University (ASU) welcome you to our community. We want you to know that we value you and will do everything we can to assist you in having the most fulfilling educational experience possible at ASU.

The Department of Social Work offers two degree programs. The first is the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree and the second is the Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. The BSW is the minimum requirement to qualify a person for a job as a social worker in the state of Arkansas. Currently ASU has the largest BSW Program in the state of Arkansas. If you decide to pursue a BSW degree you must be at the sophomore level, select social work as your major, and apply for admissions into the BSW Program. Acceptance into the BSW Program is contingent upon your overall grade point average (2.5 minimum); completing SW 2203, ENG 1003, and ENG 1013 with a grade of “C” or better; and passing a writing exam.

Although a bachelor’s degree is required for entry into the social work field, an advanced degree in social work has become the standard for many positions. The MSW Program prepares students to provide direct service, manage human service agencies, and promote social justice to the individuals, families, groups, and communities throughout the Arkansas Delta region. To apply for admissions into the MSW Program you must first apply and be accepted into ASU’s Graduate College. Your application to the MSW Program can be sent with your ASU Graduate College application. As there are two MSW options, please refer to the MSW link for additional information.

Barbara F. Turnage, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Chair
Department of Social Work