UTEP Social Work Programs
UTEP’s social work programs give you an exceptional educational experience right at the US-Mexico border. You’ll be part of the world’s largest international metroplex that’s home to over 2 million residents. The Department of Social Work runs two fully accredited degrees: the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and the Master of Social Work (MSW).
Want a social work degree in Texas that leads to great career opportunities? UTEP’s BSW graduates earn a median salary of $37,865, and this is a big deal as it means that they earn more than the national average of $37,334. The MSW program is a social-first approach to work in the border region, and it helps address critical problems faced by migrant families and communities. The program offers affordable in-state undergraduate tuition at $9,544. With a diverse student community where 97% of BSW and 94% of MSW graduates identify as Hispanic or Latino, you’ll learn everything in real-life social work practice.
Social Work Degrees Offered at UTEP
UTEP’s Department of Social Work runs two complete degree programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). These programs give you the skills needed to succeed in social work environments of all types.
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program readies you for generalist practice and teaches you to work at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Your coursework follows a structured approach. The first two years build your liberal arts foundation. The third year introduces core professional content, and your final year completes your professional education. The BSW program typically has 70-75 active students at any time.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program advances your education with a focus on Social Work in the Border Region. You’ll learn to work with families and communities in bi-cultural, bi-national, and bilingual settings. About 70-80 students enroll in this program regularly.
The MSW program lets you choose from three degree plans:
- Full-Time Track: Complete 60 credits over two years
- Part-Time Track: Complete 60 credits over three to four years
- Advanced Standing: BSW graduates can complete 30 credits in about one year
Field education is a vital part of both programs. MSW students spend 960 hours in site-based field education throughout El Paso. Each practicum semester needs 16 weekly hours.
BSW students can take advantage of an Accelerated Pathway with Fast-Track options to the MSW degree. Students admitted to this pathway can take three graduate courses.
The MSW program works well for busy professionals. Most classes begin in late afternoon (3:00 pm) or evening (6:00 pm). Summer marks the start of all MSW classes. Students attend once weekly during fall/spring terms and twice weekly in summer.
Specializations
The Border Region concentration distinguishes UTEP’s social work programs at the master’s level. The MSW program offers a unique “Social Work in the Border Region” concentration, making it the only program of its kind in the nation. Students learn to handle complex social and health challenges unique to the U.S.-Mexico border region and beyond.
You’ll gain advanced theoretical knowledge and practice skills for multicultural, bi-national contexts through concentrated coursework. The program teaches you to handle critical issues like child welfare, family violence, drug and alcohol abuse, medical social work, immigration, and criminal justice. Your foundation curriculum expands to address border communities’ unique challenges through this concentration.
The program lets you customize your expertise through electives. While specific electives come recommended, you can take graduate-level courses from across the university with your advisor’s guidance. These courses span Chicano Studies, Women’s Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Counseling, Public Health, and Rehabilitation Counseling.
Spanish-language classes and culturally responsive training shape your border-focused education. Dr. Eva Moya, associate professor of social work, brings over 35 years of border health and social justice experience to the classroom. Students participate in her research on pressing issues like HPV/HIV, homelessness, intimate partner violence, and migrant health.
This concentration develops your cultural competence to serve diverse populations effectively. Your skills become valuable not just in border regions but in any community facing immigration, cultural diversity, or health disparities. Graduates qualify for roles in policy implementation, community advocacy, nonprofit administration, clinical mental health practice, correctional settings, family services, military support, and healthcare.
Online and Hybrid Options
UTEP’s fully online MSW program helps busy professionals advance their careers while combining quality education with convenience. The program’s evening and weekend classes let you keep your day job as you work toward your degree.
Students pay a flat rate of $510 per credit hour for the 60-credit program, whatever state they live in. This makes UTEP’s program more affordable than many other social work degrees in Texas.
UTEP’s online social work program stands out because it never compromises on quality. Students get the same detailed education as they would on campus. The program’s real-time evening and weekend classes create an interactive learning space even though students are far apart.
The online program comes with these key advantages:
- Flexibility for working professionals – You can balance your career and education
- Affordable flat rate tuition – The cost stays the same no matter where you live
- Full program availability – You can complete your entire MSW online
- Synchronous learning – You participate with professors and peers in real time
UTEP’s online MSW program lets you complete everything remotely, unlike other programs that need campus visits. This removes location barriers that might stop qualified candidates from getting advanced degrees. Students with family or work commitments can now earn their degree without moving.
Several Texas universities now offer virtual learning options for working professionals. UTEP sets itself apart with its border region focus and a schedule that works perfectly for people already in the field.
The program’s high academic standards prepare you for advanced social work practice in settings of all types. This convenient format lets you learn specialized skills and use them right away in your current job.
Graduation rates
UTEP social work programs have an impressive track record of student success. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program shows remarkable graduation numbers with a 96.5% average completion rate between 2018-2021. Students who entered in Fall 2018 achieved 97.2% graduation, while Fall 2019 cohorts reached 97.3%. Fall 2020 groups hit a perfect 100% graduation rate.
Students in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program also excel at completing their degrees. MSW students graduate at an 87% rate across all degree plans. Advanced Standing students in the one-year program reached 90-100% graduation rates recently. Full-time students in the two-year program managed to keep their completion rates between 88-96%.
UTEP awarded 39 bachelor’s degrees in social work during 2021-2022, showing an 11% increase from the previous year. The university also granted 36 master’s degrees in social work that year.
BSW graduates show strong diversity metrics – 97% identify as Hispanic or Latino. Women make up 85% of graduates while men account for 15%. MSW graduate demographics follow a similar pattern with 92% Hispanic or Latino representation. Women comprise 94% of MSW graduates and men represent 6%.
UTEP social work graduates prove their readiness through licensing exam performance. Students taking the ASWB Master’s Exam in 2022 achieved a 72.7% pass rate. The Clinical Exam saw even better results with 75% passing, which shows strong professional preparation.
These numbers stand out even more against UTEP’s overall six-year graduation rate of 43%. Social work programs outshine university-wide averages by a lot, ranking them among the most effective academic departments on campus.
UTEP social work programs’ outstanding completion rates showcase both excellent program quality and determined students. These results put UTEP’s social work degrees in a strong position among Texas programs, particularly given their focus on serving Hispanic/Latino students and border communities.
Career outcomes
UTEP social work graduates step into the workforce with skills that create paths to many career opportunities. Your degree completion makes you eligible for professional licensure—MSW graduates can apply to the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to take the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) exam. This credential boosts your career prospects and earning potential by a lot.
BSW graduates typically work in generalist practice roles in settings of all types. MSW degree holders qualify for positions in:
- Clinical mental health practice and medical social work
- Policy legislation and application
- Community organization and advocacy
- Nonprofit administration and government
- Correctional settings and the justice system
- Children and family services
- Military and veterans services
- School-based social work
- Substance abuse counseling
UTEP social workers often take on specialized roles as hospital social workers, substance abuse counselors, child welfare workers, family protective services workers, and psychiatric social workers. This range of options showcases the detailed training the program provides. It also shows how UTEP graduates adapt well in different professional settings.
UTEP’s Career Center gives you lifelong support through individual-specific résumé reviews, interview coaching, professional development workshops, and job postings through Handshake. The university also hosts career fairs and workshops year-round to help students connect with potential employers.
The Social Work Alumni Network (SWAN) bridges the gap between the department, professional community, and the broader binational region. It recognizes alumni excellence, creates networking opportunities, and supports ongoing professional growth.
UTEP’s strategic location helps you prepare for the unique challenges of the U.S.-Mexico border region. Your degree qualifies you to practice anywhere in the country.
Unique Features about the Social Work Programs at UTEP
UTEP social work programs stand out from other Texas social work degrees with more than just their border region focus. These programs are built on a steadfast dedication to training culturally competent practitioners who serve a variety of communities effectively.
The BSW program uses a carefully structured building-block approach. Students start with liberal arts basics in their first two years. The third year introduces professional content, while the final year completes their professional preparation. Each course builds on previous knowledge, which means students need to plan their academic experience carefully.
Field education plays a vital role in student learning. BSW students spend 16 hours each week at field placements during their senior year, which adds up to 240 hours per semester. Students also attend field seminars that help them combine classroom knowledge with real-world practice smoothly.
Students must complete 59 credit hours to earn a BSW degree. Core coursework takes up 41 hours and covers practice, policy, research, culture, and human behavior. The other 16 credits come from electives in fields such as Sociology, Health Sciences, Chicano Studies, Women’s Studies, Anthropology, or Political Science.
The BSW Accelerated Pathway gives motivated students a direct path to advanced education. Students who earn a B or better in Fast-Track courses and pass a Standardized Patient interview can enter the Advanced Standing MSW program directly.
Social justice sits at the heart of the department’s mission. They openly state their position “for Social Justice” and support communities “in the face of oppression, systemic racism, violence, and brutality”. This value-driven approach spreads through academic teaching and community participation.
The program’s effect shows in graduates like Jessica Ayala, who makes real changes as a school counselor and project coordinator for public health initiatives. Faculty members help students research issues that shape practice and policy on important topics like homelessness, intimate partner violence, and migrant health.
UTEP social work programs deliver more than just academic credentials. Students get a unique educational philosophy focused on cultural responsiveness, social justice, and meaningful community change.