“We are both humbled and proud that the MSW program is being recognized,” said Amy Chanmugam, chairman of the department. “We strive for a relational and community approach, and our Latinx students are a central part of that community. excellence also acknowledges our ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve the program, and we look forward to continuing to pursue innovation to support Latinx student success.
The MSW program began in 2005 and has served more than 1,400 students since its inception, 45% of whom identify as Latino. In the 2020-21 academic year, 53% of degrees were awarded to Latino students.
The program provides exemplary preparation for future Latino social workers. It balances the strengths and cultural richness of the community with urgent unmet needs in the areas of health and social services, and trains students to address the many challenges that disproportionately affect Latino families, including the poverty and poor health.
Students in the MSW program learn to solve society’s toughest problems by working with individuals, groups, families, organizations, communities, and addressing policy. This holistic approach results in graduates who deeply understand social justice, cultural humility, and all levels of ecology influencing an issue.
In addition to the courses, each student completes two internships of 450 hours. The program’s field education office intentionally builds partnerships to develop the capabilities of its predominantly Latino student body. Students contribute more than 60,000 hours of service annually through community internships.
“Serving San Antonio – a city where the majority of the population is Hispanic – in an institution that serves cities and Hispanics makes this award all the more powerful,” said Lynne Cosman, dean of the College for Health, Community and Policy. “We are honored to have been recognized by excellence as having a superb program in social work, as we have always known and recognized each other.
According to the Association of Social Work Boards, the average licensing exam pass rate for UTSA MSW graduates is higher than the national average. In addition, US News and World Report ranks UTSA’s MSW among the top 100 graduate programs in the nation. Intelligent.com’s 2022 assessment of the top 51 Master of Social Work programs in the nation, UTSA was named the best for returning students. The program took 12th place overall.
“Congratulations to the hard-working UTSA faculty, staff, and students in the social work and environmental science graduate programs for their recent recognition by excellence in education,” said UTSA Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy. “As a founding member of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HRSU), UTSA is committed to becoming a thriving Hispanic university. The recognition by Excelenica in Education strengthens our momentum to support our Hispanic students and the wider community with high-quality programs in support of our dual mission of access and excellence.
UTSA is a Hispanic-serving institution where 57% of students identify as Hispanic. The university is taking bold steps to become a thriving Hispanic institution: an HSI model that advances social mobility and economic opportunity for Latino students and their communities.
In 2020, UTSA obtained the prestigious seal of excellence, a comprehensive certification recognizing the university’s commitment and ability to purposefully implement policies, practices, and systems to accelerate Latino student success. The university is currently ranked No. 2 among the 20 founding members of HRSU, based on the percentage of master’s degrees awarded to Latino students.
“excellence responds to the national call to identify and invest in evidence-based practices that improve college completion,” said Deborah Santiagoco-founder and CEO of excellence in education. “These 20 programs are evidence-based examples led by practitioners working directly with students and the community who go beyond enrollment to intentionally serve students on their journey to graduation. “
examples of excellence was established in 2005 and is the nation’s only national effort to recognize and promote evidence-based practices accelerating Latino student success in higher education.
