UT Tyler Social Work Degree Program Earns Initial CSWE Accreditation

March 26, 2024 | Hannah Buchanan

The University of Texas at Tyler has earned initial accreditation for its Bachelor of Social Work degree program through February 2032 by the Council on Social Work Education.

CSWE accreditation is a gold-star standard of accreditation for colleges and universities with social work programs. The council’s mission is to advance excellence and innovation in social work education and research by providing leadership and ensuring quality in teaching and learning.

“I am thrilled to congratulate our Bachelor of Social Work program on its full accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education,” said Dr. Neil Gray, dean of the UT Tyler College of Arts and Sciences. “This marks a significant recognition of our program’s quality and our commitment to preparing students for professional success and meaningful service in our communities. This achievement also reflects the hard work and dedication of our faculty and students, and it reinforces our role as a key contributor to the field of social work in the East Texas region.”

Achieving CSWE accreditation is a rigorous, multi-year process which requires programs to meet specific benchmarks throughout the candidacy period and includes program self-studies, site visits and additional assessments.

“Accreditation is important because it ensures that graduates of the UT Tyler BSW program are competent practitioners who will serve and empower individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities in East Texas and beyond,” said Richard Kenney, UT Tyler professor of practice and program director. “Students are now able to apply for CSWE-accredited master’s degree programs and are eligible for licensure in the state of Texas.”

For more information, contact Kenney at richardkenney@uttyler.edu, or visit uttyler.edu/academics/programs/social-work-bsw.

Founded in 1952, CSWE is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include more than 750 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. For additional information, visit cswe.org/.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.