Lori Messinger, Dean
J. Douglas Coatsworth, Associate Dean of Research
Mary Gitau, Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion
Javonda Williams Moss, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Allison Buzard, Assistant Dean (Nashville Campus)
Kate Chaffin, Assistant Dean for Faculty Development
Sharon Bowland, Director, DSW Program
Gretchen Ely, Director, PhD Program
Ragan Schriver, Director, MSSW Program (Knoxville Campus)
Robert Lucio, Director, MSSW Program (Online Program)
Robert Mindrup, Director, BSSW Program
Kim Crane Mallory, Director of Field
Daryl Chansuthus, Director of SWORPS
College of Social Work website
Professors
Bowie, S., PhD – Pennsylvania
Coatsworth, J.D., PhD – Minnesota
Cronley, C., PhD – Tennessee
Ely, G., PhD – Tennessee
Freisthler, B., PhD – California (Berkley)
Mason, M., PhD – Oregon
Messinger, L., PhD – North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Parra-Cardona, R., PhD – Texas Tech
Nugent, W., PhD – Florida State
Williams Moss, J., PhD – Florida State
Associate Professors
Bowland, S. PhD – Washington (St. Louis)
Conway, A., PhD – Michigan (Ann Arbor)
Forrest-Bank, S., PhD – Denver
Held, M., PhD – Texas (Austin)
Lucio, R., DSW – Southern Florida
Martin-West, S., PhD – Kansas
Washington, T., PhD – North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Assistant Professors
Abrams, T., PhD – Illinois
Bamwine, P., PhD – Pennsylvania
Chen, Z., PhD – Washington State
First, J., PhD – Missouri
Fussell-Ware, D., PhD – Pennsylvania
Joseph, A., PhD – Pennsylvania
McGarity, S., PhD – Georgia
Ravi, K., PhD – Texas (Arlington)
Wang, F., PhD – Case Western Reserve
Clinical Associate Professors
Mindrup, R., PhD – Missouri
Strand, E., PhD – Tennessee
Thompson, P., PhD – Utah
Zotarelli, L., PhD – North Texas
Research Faculty
Green, P., PhD – Tennessee
Linden, P., PhD – Stony Brooke
Zaharakis, N., PhD – Virginia Commonwealth
Professor of Practice
Chaffin, K., DSW – University of St. Thomas
Crane Mallory, K., MSSW – Tennessee
Schriver, R. PsyD – Washington (St. Louis)
Associate Professors of Practice
Buzard, A., DSW – Tennessee
Denton, K., MSW – Virginia
Gitau, M., PhD – Wyoming
Veit, K., MSSW – Tennessee
Winters, A., DSW – Tennessee
Assistant Professors of Practice
Adams, B., MSSW – Tennessee
Benus, H., MSW – Maryland
Cermak, S., MSW – Pennsylvania
Diehl, A., MSSW – Tennessee
Hickman, C., MSSW – Tennessee
Hirt, A., MSW – Michigan
Keller, A., MSW – Missouri (Columbia)
Montgomery, K., PhD – Texas (Austin)
Pennell, A., MSSW – Tennessee
Rodriguez, E., MSSW – Minnesota State
Ross, R., MSSW – Tennessee
Shipp, A., MSSW – Texas (Austin)
Smith, J., MSSW – Tennessee
Stevenson, L., MSSW – Tennessee
Walker, T., MSSW – Tennessee
Ward, M., MSSW – Tennessee
Weatherstone, S., MSSW – Tennessee
NOTE: Graduate students majoring in fields other than social work are admitted to certain social work courses with the approval of the College of Social Work and the student’s major professor.
The College of Social Work began as the Nashville School of Social Work, founded in 1942 under the auspices of Vanderbilt University, Scarritt College, and George Peabody College. It joined the University of Tennessee in 1951. By 1974 the three branches, located in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville, offered the two-year master’s program. The doctoral program was inaugurated in 1983. In 1985 the Bachelor of Science in Social Work program was added, and the School achieved college status. In 2012, the college began offering the Doctor of Social Work degree, with an emphasis in Clinical Practice and Leadership.
The University of Tennessee College of Social Work offers the full continuum of social work education degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels.
Social work is a helping profession that focuses on providing skilled intervention in the prevention and amelioration of individual and societal problems. It is the purpose of the college to provide an education that fosters growth in both individual and career development.
Graduate Programs
The two-year program (thesis or capstone option) leading to the Master of Science in Social Work degree is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and is offered on the Knoxville and Nashville campuses and through the Online MSSW program. The foundation curriculum of the PhD program is available only in Knoxville. The post-MSW/MSSW Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) is an online program that requires an annual week of on-campus residency each summer devoted to intensive study and skills practice.
Graduate Certificate Programs
The College of Social Work offers four graduate certificate programs and one licensure program in addition to the MSSW degree. The majority of courses for a certificate program may be used to count toward both the MSSW and the certificate if they fulfill requirements of both programs. However, all certificates do require additional coursework over and above that which is required for the MSSW program. With proper planning, full-time students can complete their MSSW and certificate in a two-year period and advanced standing students can complete both in a one-year period. The completion of a certificate is formally noted on the student’s transcript and indicates to prospective employers that, in addition to training within a particular discipline and degree program, additional formal training has been obtained.
The Gerontology Graduate Certificate prepares graduate students to work with and on behalf of the rapidly growing older population. The gerontology certificate gives students the opportunity to combine courses focusing on critical aging issues with direct aging-related experiences. The Veterinary Social Work Graduate Certificate Program offers a comprehensive foundation in veterinary social work topics focusing on the knowledge and skills needed to integrate animals into social work practice in ethically sound ways and in keeping with the values of the social work profession. The Trauma Treatment Graduate Certificate provides students with the coursework and practical experience needed to provide trauma-specific interventions and trauma-informed programming and policy development. The Forensic Social Work certificate provides students broadly exposes students to the criminal justice system through a focused look at forensic social work through courses in the MSSW program and courses taken in the College of Law. The Tennessee State School Social Work Licensure Program is available to currently enrolled bachelor’s level and master’s level social work students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as well as persons who already hold a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in social work from an accredited social work program. This licensure program in school social work equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice in school settings throughout the State of Tennessee.
Information is available from the College of Social Work, Henson Hall, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-3333.
Financial Aid
Students may apply directly to the university’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for assistance such as the National Direct Student Loan or the Work-Study Program.
Information regarding scholarships administered by the college is made available after admission. Financial aid is available to qualified students in the form of fellowships, scholarships, and teaching and research assistantships. Graduate assistantships and other forms of assistance are awarded on the basis of merit and interest to applicants who are accepted into the PhD program.
