The UNC School of Social Work received approval from the UNC System Board of Governors to establish its Bachelor of Social Work degree, following a unanimous vote. While the program is still in the process of applying for accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education, the school is on track to welcome its first cohort of 30 undergraduate students in fall 2027. The BSW program’s enrollment is expected to grow to 75 students per cohort by 2029.
The establishment of a BSW degree ties into the school’s mission of increasing enrollment to 1,000 students by the fall of 2029 while strengthening the pipeline to a Master of Social Work degree.
It also enables the school to serve more students than ever before and help address North Carolina’s social work and behavioral health workforce shortage.
“We are thrilled to have received unanimous approval of our BSW program proposal from the UNC System Board of Governors,” Dean Ramona Denby-Brinson said. “In many respects, the BOG’s endorsement of our proposal signals the UNC System’s commitment to social work education and, more importantly, its investment in supporting our efforts to address social work shortages.
“The BSW degree begins the career pathway for highly skilled and competent social work practitioners who will address complex social challenges and strengthen individual, family and community well-being across North Carolina. As a top-ranked national school of social work, we are well positioned to deliver this new degree through our highly capable faculty and staff. For 106 years, we have built a strong reputation for excellence through our MSW program, and we are excited to bring that same commitment, quality and impact to the BSW program in service of the people of North Carolina.”
The BSW degree approval is the culmination of a multi-year project 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 project, launched following six listening sessions at the school to discuss a BSW program, included a comprehensive analysis of the BSW program landscape, the development of a full curriculum and the establishment of two introductory social work courses open to undergraduate students.
“The approval of our BSW degree marks an exciting milestone after years of thoughtful planning and collaboration,” Levine said. “This program has been shaped by the dedication of so many faculty, staff, students and community partners, and we are deeply grateful for the collective effort that brought this vision to life. We can’t wait to welcome our first cohort of undergraduate students and partner with them as they prepare to address North Carolina’s most pressing social challenges.”