Limestone's Online Social Work Program Ranked Among Best In The Nation

Limestone University has been recognized in a College Consensus survey as one of the “Best Online Bachelor’s in Social Work” programs in the nation for 2021.

Limestone’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) online program is ranked No.23 in the United States and is the only institution in South or North Carolina to make the list. The University of Washington-Seattle is the top-ranked program, according to the College Consensus survey.

By combining the results of all the most reputable college ranking publishers and thousands of real student reviews from around the web, College Consensus is known for providing accurate and comprehensive rankings of reputation and quality for higher education institutions.

As the rankings describe, Limestone offers a BSW that can be delivered in an entirely online format. It also states that Limestone prides itself on offering one of the most renowned and the biggest Social Work programs in the country.

Limestone’s online Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program recently got underway. Approval was granted in late 2019 from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for Limestone to begin offering the MSW. The first cohort was restricted to South Carolina residents who already held a BSW from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program.

The University currently offers a Social Work degree at the undergraduate level, both in the traditional classroom setting and online. In addition to the recent ranking from College Consensus, the online program has also been ranked by thebestschools.com as a Top 20 online BSW program.

Under the leadership of Associate Dean and Director of Social Work Development Jackie Puckett and the Social Work program’s Director Henry Hiott, the Bachelor of Social Work is the second largest degree program that Limestone currently offers.

The program’s mission is to prepare students for beginning generalist practice using knowledge of professional self, social work values, and interpersonal skills to improve quality of life and affect social change. Fully accredited by the CSWE, the major is appropriate for students planning careers in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, schools, child welfare and human service agencies, hospitals, settlement houses, community development corporations, and private practices.

Employment of social workers is projected to grow 11 percent over the next 10 years, which is much faster than the average for most other occupations. That will provide various employment opportunities for graduates of Limestone’s new MSW program. Employment growth will be driven by increased demand for healthcare and social services.