The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT) has added a new Associate of Arts degree in Social Work.  The program is designed as a 2+2 partnership program with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) in Texarkana.  Students who complete the 60 credit hour UAHT Associate degree in Social Work will be able to transition seamlessly into the UALR-Texarkana Bachelor of Social Work degree program.  Once students earn a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the UALR-Texarkana campus, they have the option of earning a Master of Social Work degree from UALR online in as little as one year.

“This degree will allow students a seamless transfer into the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree at Texarkana through UALR.  This collaborative effort will enable students in our service area the opportunity to earn a high-quality, high-demand degree in the most efficient manner possible.  As the population in Texarkana continues to grow, so does the need for healthcare and social services jobs,” said Laura Clark, Vice Chancellor for Academics at UAHT.

Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. Clinical social workers may also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the 2015 median annual salary for social workers was $45,900.  Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow twelve percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations.

Chris Bachers, the UALR-Texarkana Program Coordinator, said, “The local job market in the field of social work is strong.  This new associate’s degree will make it possible for graduating students to move directly into the workforce or continue their education through the Bachelor of Social Work degree available in Texarkana in partnership with UA-Little Rock.  In fact, students graduating with a bachelor’s degree will have the option of earning a master's degree with only one additional year of online coursework.”

UALR-Texarkana offers several bachelor’s degrees on the UofA Texarkana Campus including:

  • Bachelor of Applied Science
  • Bachelor of Business Administration in General Business
  • Bachelor of Science in Construction Management
  • Bachelor of Social Work

For more information about the new AA Social Work degree option or UALR-Texarkana, call 866-963-5060 or visit www.uacch.edu.

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