Friday, October 10, 2025
Starting January 12, 2026, virtual courses offer accessibility and affordability for many types of students
The University of North Texas at Dallas is launching a new, 100% online Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree program that addresses the increasing need for mental health professionals in North Texas and provides crucial services to the community.
“Organizations are seeking trained professionals to help their people navigate complicated
issues,” said Dr. Alex Colvin, Associate Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Programs
within the School of Behavioral Health and Human Services. “97% of Texas counties
have a shortage of mental health professionals.”
Social workers often serve as mental health counselors in many different settings
There are multiple reasons for the growing need: changing demographics of the U.S. population (aging Baby Boomers),
expanding societal needs (post-COVID-19 pandemic), and emerging trends.
Accessible & Affordable
The fully online aspect of the BSW program means it will be accessible to a wide population – urban, suburban and rural, even
students in other states. The courses will feature innovative instructional methods.
Tuition is affordable when compared to other colleges and universities. “This program
fulfills a unique niche: accessibility without barriers,” said Dr. Constance Lacy,
Dean of the School of Behavioral Health and Human Services. “It meets students’ needs
in a different way.”
Read the Course Catalog Page for BSW Degree
The convenience and flexibility will appeal to adult learners and students of any
age and population who cannot easily travel to a physical campus for classes. Instead,
their campus will be virtual, with the same benefits and takeaways, just in a different
format.
Online UNT Dallas BSW students can do coursework remotely at their convenience and receive one-on-one guidance from professors virtually.
Many Potential Students
This new BSW degree is aimed at several groups of potential students:
- High school juniors and seniors and community college transfer students exploring social justice and advocacy careers, many of whom already have jobs
- Individuals in the workforce, possibly employed in a related role, who attended college but haven’t completed their degree and want to advance their careers in a competitive job market
- Justice system and other professionals who want to build on their experience with a career pivot into social work-related positions
“This is a great next step for paraprofessionals with a certificate and law enforcement
officers close to retirement. It could be a worthwhile shift for them,” Dr. Lacy said.
Social Workers Do A Lot
The demand for social workers is strong and the definition of what they do is broad. It includes many roles in
many kinds of institutions, from clinics and hospitals to businesses and corporations,
from charities and nonprofits to police departments, courts and jails.
UNT Health's clinic at UNT Dallas, where social workers engage with patients and other caregivers.
“This is one of the fastest-growing fields in Dallas-Fort Worth,” Dr. Colvin said. “It is more vast than people realize.”
Graduates with a Bachelor in Social Work degree may be employed as counselors, advisors and advocates in public and private organizations. They can be part of counseling and wellness programs at schools, companies and healthcare groups. They are trained to assess children in the family court system, assist people transition back into the community after rehabilitation or incarceration, and evaluate patients in hospitals and clinics.
From law firms with counselors on staff to law enforcement officers responding to
dangerous situations, the need is clear and constant. “Many arrests are mental health-related,”
said Dr. Lacy. Military and faith-based organizations also utilize social workers.
BSW students may have the opportunity to get hands-on experience with law enforcement
and public safety officers. A UNT Dallas student talking with a Dallas police officer
during a UNT Dallas Criminal Justice and Public Safety Expo.
Career and Life Skills
Professionals who have earned a social work degree learn skills and gain knowledge that is not only valuable on the job, but is also useful in their lives, such as:
- Case Management, Care Coordination
- Leadership, Communication
- Critical Thinking, Applying Theoretical Perspectives
- Treatment and Service Planning
- Ethical Decision-Making, Cultural Competence
- Advocacy, Crisis Intervention
- Program Evaluation and Community Assessment
- Social Welfare Policy
- Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Acquiring these skills by earning a BSW degree at UNT Dallas will enable graduates to connect with a variety of populations and equip them to engage, assess and intervene in an assortment of situations. “People see the value in what social workers offer. It’s changing the landscape of what we do as educators,” Dr. Colvin said.
The program is designed to meet Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) standards.
Graduates of the UNT Dallas School of Behavioral Health and Human Services are immersed
in communities in variety of roles. UNT Dallas's public health alumni Hunter Marion
is standing next to a mobile farmers market community refrigerated food truck.
Hands-On Experience
Internships, known as experiential education, are an important and integral part of all academic programs at UNT Dallas. For BSW students, that will mean a 400-hour practicum offering a hands-on learning experience. Practicum locations and settings include schools, clinics, domestic violence shelters, community groups and nonprofits. They may also include government agencies and entities of the justice system, such as CPS, CASA, family courts, and public safety and emergency services departments.
Being located in southern Dallas, UNT Dallas is well-positioned to serve and strengthen the surrounding community. For decades, the region has been known as a “food desert” lacking in grocery stores and nutritional offerings beyond fast food restaurants and corner stores.
The health and medical needs – physical, mental, emotional – of certain southern Dallas
zip codes have been well-documented. There will be many opportunities for BSW students to immerse themselves and become
caregivers and service providers. “Social work provides support for the most vulnerable,”
said Dr. Lacy. “It can address some of the most serious health disparities, especially
among children and the elderly.”
Social workers care for children and the elderly in schools, hospitals and other locations. UNT Dallas's graduate student Jessica Nelson working with a child in an elementary school classroom.
Students enrolled in the program who live outside the immediate southern Dallas area
can choose a practicum near where they live.
Apply Now for Spring 2026 Classes
Applications for the 100% online BSW degree program are now being accepted; the very first classes will be offered starting January 12, 2026, which is the start of the Spring semester. Whether a first-time-in-college student, a current student who wants to change your major, transferring from another college or university, or a former student returning to continue your higher education, all the admissions information is available on our website. Additional information, such as program requirements and recommended course sequences, is online, too.
In true UNT Dallas Trailblazer fashion, the inaugural cohort will make history as the pioneers of this brand-new, from-the-ground-up program. “We are looking for people with a passion for advocacy and social justice, stronger, healthier communities, and a pathway to invest in the future,” Dr. Colvin said.
From UNT Dallas – Featured News