A Welcome From the Dean
Welcome to the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama! I am honored to serve as Interim Dean of a school whose mission has never felt more essential.
Behind every important cause, there is a social worker. That’s not a slogan; it’s a description of what our students, faculty, and alumni do every day, in courtrooms and health clinics, schools and statehouses, in every corner of Alabama and well beyond it. When people need someone to show up, ours is the profession that answers. Last year alone, our students provided over 122,000 hours of service to communities across 25 Alabama counties and 27 states, generating a statewide economic impact exceeding $3.12 million.
As the challenges communities face grow more complex, our School is engaged in educational and research initiatives that help advance UA’s mission to become a Future Ready Flagship Institution. Our work spans rural health, child and family wellbeing, Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving, and the needs of veterans, among many other causes.
Our reputation for excellence and innovation shows in how we do this work. For example, we’re teaching students to ethically incorporate artificial intelligence into community-based solutions, conducting research that advances our understanding of technology and neuroscience, and partnering with communities to translate research and education into real-world solutions.
This year, we are excited to share more of these stories with you, the stories of the difference our students and faculty make across this state and beyond. I invite you to follow our journey, celebrate our impact, and consider joining us, as a student, partner, or supporter.
Thank you for your interest in the School of Social Work. Together, we are building a future-ready Alabama, one act of service at a time.
Nicole Ruggiano
Interim Dean, School of Social Work
The University of Alabama
Our Vision
Leading the country in community-engaged research in health, behavioral health, and social and economic justice solutions for Alabama and the nation.
Our Mission
The University of Alabama School of Social Work prepares scholar-practitioners and researchers committed to ending adverse social conditions and promoting societal well-being through teaching, research and service.
Teaching
We provide students with a high-quality educational experience to prepare them to become tomorrow’s global leaders in the social work field. Our innovative degree programs are designed to produce social workers for today’s workforce.
Research
Our students and highly distinguished faculty researchers use innovation in the classroom and interdisciplinary, research-based knowledge to address social problems, transform lives and develop solutions that change our world for the better.
Service
We provide resources and leadership by partnering with individuals, families, groups, community agencies and organizations at all levels. Our goal is to improve the delivery of social services, with an emphasis on public social services.
School of Social Work Strategic Plan
The School of Social Work is pleased to share our Strategic Plan for 2022-2027. This plan outlines our goals and objectives, which parallel those of the University strategic plan, and reflect the mission and vision of our school.
About the School
The School of Social Work was established in 1965 by an act of the Alabama Legislature to address the state’s critical shortage of and pressing need for professionally trained social workers.
Since our founding, we have been proud to lead the charge in training students for tomorrow’s workforce.
Prior to 1965 there were fewer than 100 trained social workers in the state, accounting for about 19 percent of the persons employed in the state’s social welfare positions. Forty-eight of the state’s 67 counties had no professional social workers. Today, our program is the only one of its kind in the state that offers BSW, MSW, DSW and PhD degrees in social work. To learn more about the evolution of the social work profession in Alabama, watch the video “Ready to Help: A History of Social Work in Alabama,” featuring UA social work faculty and alumni.
How We Rank
The University of Alabama School of Social Work is dedicated to the success of our students and to pursuing excellence in social work education.
Accreditation
Our BSW and MSW programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Upon graduation students can pursue their license, and BSW students can receive advanced standing when they attend graduate school. Our PhD Program is affiliated with the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) in Social Work.
Little Hall
We continue to invest in our future as part of our commitment to academic excellence.
For more than 50 years, Little Hall has served as home of the School of Social Work. In 2017, the University of Alabama School of Social Work completed a $9.6 million renovation to Little Hall, which transformed our 102-year-old building into a modern, state-of-the-art facility.
The renovation touched every corner of the building and yielded new classroom space and faculty offices, as well as new student collaboration rooms outfitted with modern audio-visual equipment.
The result is the perfect hub for student life, teaching and research, as well as a gathering spot for social work alumni. Learn more about Little Hall.