Students, faculty, technology, and commitment were factors in the reaffirmation of accreditation of the Social Work program at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation through October 2013.
“To receive the full eight-year reaffirmation, without interim reports, speaks to the quality of our program and the accomplishments of our graduates,” said Tommy Milford, director of the Social Work program and assistant professor of social work.
Accreditation is important to the University for several reasons.
It is required by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education for all universities that offer a degree in social work. It allows SAU graduates to sit for their licenser examination after graduation, and students pursuing further professional education can apply for advanced standing in graduate schools nationwide.
“More fundamentally, the accreditation is accepted as the standard of quality in social work education,” said Milford.
According to Milford, the commission noted many program strengths, including very knowledgeable and energetic students; a strong commitment from the University; faculty leadership; an innovative use of technology; and a strong commitment to work with and serve the community.
The mission of the Social Work program at SAU is “to graduate students from diverse backgrounds who will be well prepared to launch their careers as competent generalist practitioners, as well as to graduate students who continue their education at the graduate level.”
The bachelor of social work degree is the entry-level professional degree and enables undergraduate professionals to practice social work in a variety of settings. These settings include hospitals, schools, mental health centers, and other public and private human service agencies.
“The faculty and students of the Social Work program are very pleased with the findings,” said Milford.
For more information regarding the Social Work program at SAU, call 870-235-4208.
