Master of Social Work

Welcome!

Our exciting program makes graduate social work education accessible for working professionals as well as recent college graduates throughout the western and southern regions of Kentucky. We also welcome many students from nearby areas such as northwestern Tennessee, southern Illinois, south east Missouri, and beyond. We have had international students from Taiwan, Jordan, and Oman…all in the few years since the first class was admitted in 2003.

Graduates are prepared as integrated social work practitioners with the values, theoretical knowledge and skills to function at many levels of intervention: individual, family, group, organizations, and community.

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Employment areas include:

• Advocacy
• Alcohol and substance abuse prevention and treatment
• Child welfare, protection, adoptions, foster care
• Churches and church related agencies
• Community organizing
• Correctional systems
• Employee assistance programs, and human resources
• Health and hospice
• Mental health
• Military
• Nursing homes and other senior services including chronic care
• Public defenders and prosecutors offices
• Schools

Our graduates have found careers in a wide range of roles and job titles—just about any place that people can use help from skilled professional social workers!

Some of our graduates are employed as clinicians and other as direct practitioners; some are supervisors and administrators. Most blur the lines with an integrated practice that brings about social change and empowers client systems of all sizes to reach their potential. Many of our grads do therapy or clinical work, but all of our graduates can do so much more!

Our graduates work in many geographical areas: very rural communities, small towns, and small cities as well as urban areas. Our primary focus, however, is non-urban areas, particularly rural areas, small towns and small cities that make up most of Kentucky and our nearby neighbors. An MSW from WKU is rigorous preparation for Social Work Practice!

We welcome your interest in our social work program and hope you will join us as we move boldly through the 21st century! Please consult our admissions link for dates, deadlines, and forms.