by Chris Hilburn-Trenkle
The UNC School of Social Work recently received unanimous approval from the UNC System Board of Governors to establish its Bachelor of Social Work program.
That ruling marked the culmination of a yearslong effort led by Amy Levine, associate dean of undergraduate education; Robert Hawkins, vice dean; Theresa Palmer, associate director of undergraduate education; and the BSW Taskforce.
The program is still in the midst of applying for accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), but will welcome its first cohort of 30 students in fall 2027. The program’s enrollment is expected to expand to 75 students per cohort by 2029.
We spoke with Levine and Palmer to learn more about the latest updates with the program.
How have you seen the interest in a BSW program offered at UNC, from prospective students, and reflected in statewide workforce needs?
Levine: We continue to see strong interest in the BSW from prospective students. This spring and summer, we’ve hosted five informational sessions and connected with more than 250 students through these sessions and our BSW website. Students are eager to learn more about social work, enroll in our introductory courses, and find ways to get involved in the field.
Palmer: Our monthly information sessions have attracted a wide range of prospective applicants, including high school students exploring college majors, community college students planning to transfer, current UNC students considering the major, and parents seeking information on behalf of their students. This broad interest reflects the growing awareness of social work as a profession and the demand for a BSW pathway at UNC.
Levine: At the same time, we see a strong need for a well-prepared social work workforce, particularly for frontline BSW-level professionals who work directly with individuals, families, and communities. Workforce shortages are a significant challenge across North Carolina, with 97 of the state’s 100 counties currently designated as mental health professional shortage areas. The enthusiasm we’re seeing from students, coupled with the workforce needs across our state, reinforces the importance of creating this new pathway into the profession at UNC.
What led you to expand the BSW intro courses capacity from 25 students to 50 students?
Levine: Student demand! We piloted the courses last spring with 25 students per section, and both were at or near capacity. Student feedback was also incredibly positive. Students told us they valued both the course content and the sense of community they experienced in the classroom.
Palmer: Based on that strong response, we doubled enrollment to 50 students per course this fall. Both courses have filled and a waitlist is now in place. We’ve also spent the past several months building relationships with campus partners in admissions, advising and career services who can now help connect students with these courses and introduce them to social work as a field of study and potential career path.
Levine: It has been an incredibly thoughtful and rigorous process. Our school spent two years conducting a comprehensive feasibility study before deciding in November 2024 to move forward with developing the degree. That work included a careful examination of student and workforce demand, faculty and staffing needs, enrollment projections, financial sustainability, and the infrastructure needed to support a high-quality BSW program. We wanted our decisions to be grounded in data and to make sure we were building a program that could be successful and sustainable over time.
Palmer: We then spent the next year designing the curriculum from the ground up, including the development of 14 new undergraduate courses. After receiving the necessary approvals at the university level, the degree moved through the UNC System review process, culminating in approval by the Board of Governors in July 2026. With that approval in hand, we now move into the accreditation process with CSWE.
This is a rigorous, three-year process in which our curriculum, policies and practices will be carefully reviewed to ensure that the program meets national standards for social work education and prepares students to demonstrate the competencies expected of professional social workers.
Now that the program has received approval to accept its students in fall 2027, what are the next steps?
Levine: Our focus for the coming year is threefold. First, we’ll be doing significant work to prepare for the CSWE accreditation process, ensuring that our curriculum, policies and overall program are aligned with national standards for social work education.
Second, we’ll continue expanding our outreach to prospective students and partners both on campus and in the community. We want students to understand what social work is, the many career paths available to social workers, and how the BSW might fit with their academic and professional goals.
And third, we’ll be moving from planning to full implementation. We’ll launch the application for our first BSW cohort in fall 2026, make admissions decisions in spring 2027, continue building our faculty and staff infrastructure, and complete the implementation of our new courses. There is still a lot of work ahead, but it’s exciting to be at the point where we’re preparing to welcome our first cohort of BSW majors in fall 2027.
Is there anything else you would like to share about the development and implementation of the BSW program?
Palmer: What excites us most is the opportunity we have to create a new pathway for students to discover social work and see themselves in this profession. We’re building something that will not only expand opportunities for UNC students but also help prepare the next generation of social workers to serve communities across North Carolina and beyond.
Levine: So many people across our school, university and state have contributed to getting us to this point, and it’s incredibly exciting to see years of planning and collaboration becoming a reality. We can’t wait to welcome our first BSW students in fall 2027!