MSW Programs in Tennessee

Home of country music and horses, the state of Tennessee, is the 36th largest state in area and the 17th most populous state in the nation (1). Tennessee’s largest city is Memphis, with a population of 653,450, followed by the state’s capital, Nashville, is the second largest city in the state with a population of 634,464 (2).

The eastern part of the state borders North Carolina and contains the Appalachian Mountains while the western part of the state borders Arkansas and Missouri and contains the Mississippi River. The birthplace of country music is the city of Bristol and the birthplace of blues is Memphis (3) (4). However, ever since the 1930s, Nashville has been the primary center of the country music recording industry (5). The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as well as the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum are both located in Nashville (6).

Key Social Work Issues

Poverty and income-disparity is an issue in the state of Tennessee. The United States Census Bureau reports that Tennessee has a median household income of $44,140, which is lower than the national average median household income of $53,046. While Tennessee has its share of wealthy singers and horserace owners, it also has more than its share of people living on very low incomes. Over 17 percent of the state’s population is below poverty level, which is almost three percent more than the national average (14.9 percent) (7).

Substance abuse is a problem in Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Department of health, the number of drug-related deaths in the state has more than doubled between the year 2000 and 2010 (8). The number of people in the state being treated for substance abuse on an in-patient basis has also risen, going from 9,816 in 2001 to 13,422 in 2011 (9).

According to the SAMSHA, the state also has a higher-than-average percentage of the population diagnosed with mental illness (20.25 percent, compared to the national average of 18.19 percent) (10). If you would like to work as a mental health or substance abuse social worker in Tennessee, you will find that these types of social workers are in high demand.

Where to Study Social Work

Do you want to study social work in Tennessee? Thinking you want to get a master’s degree, but aren’t sure where the best social work graduate programs are located? According to the 2014 US News & World Report school rankings, you’ve got a great school in state. The University of Tennessee’s School of Social Work (in Knoxville) ranks number 37 in the nation. Three other colleges in the state also offer master’s in social work degrees: East Tennessee State University, Union University and Southern Adventist University all offers MSW degrees (11).

The University of Tennessee (Knoxville) offers an online master’s in social work program in addition to their traditional program (12). They are the only research flagship campus in the state, and are known for their extensive field practicum. In particular, they are known for their Veterinary Social Work program, which is perfect for anyone interested in learning about animal-assisted therapy (13).

The state of Tennessee does not have a state-specific loan forgiveness program, but you might qualify for the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). Through this program you may be eligible for loan forgiveness if you find work in a “Health Professional Shortage Area” (HPSA). You might even qualify for loan forgiveness of up to $20,000 per year (a maximum of $40,000 total).

Plenty of Job Growth

If you are interested in working as a social worker in Tennessee, you’ll find that certain types of social work positions are in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that three types of social work positions will experience job growth at a rate of 30 percent per year from now until the year 2020: mental health, substance abuse and healthcare social worker positions. Mental health and substance abuse social workers make a median salary of $34,800 per year, and healthcare social workers can expect to make a median salary of $45,200 if working in Tennessee (14) (15).

Over half of the social workers employed in Tennessee work as child, family or school social workers. They are paid a median salary of $38,600. Child, family and school social workers will also continue to be in demand, albeit at a rate of 12 percent job growth (16).

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• Social Work License Requirements in Tennessee
• National Association of Social Workers, Tennessee Chapter
• Tennessee Board of Social Work
• Tennessee Association of School Social Workers

Universities in Tennessee Offering Master’s in Social Work Programs

• Austin Peay State University (MSW)
• East Tennessee State University (MSW)
• Middle Tennessee State University (MSW)
• Southern Adventist University (MSW)
• Tennessee State University (MSW)
• The University of Tennessee (MSW)
• Union University (MSW)
• Vanderbilt University(MSW)

Sources Cited

1. State and County QuickFacts, 2014. United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47000.html
2. USA: Tennessee, 2014. City Population. http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Tennessee.html
3. Tennessee Facts and Trivia. Fifty States.com. http://www.50states.com/facts/tenn.htm#.U63ISo1dXgI
4. Beale Street, 2014. The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=67
5. Music, 2014. The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=956
6. Top Museums in Nashville, 2014. About.com. http://nashville.about.com/od/entertainment/tp/topnashmuseums.htm
7. State and County QuickFacts, 2014. United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47000.html
8. Prescription Drug Abuse in Tenneessee, 2012. Safety Subcabinet Working Group. http://tn.gov/mental/policy/persc_drug_docs/Prescription%20Drug%20Use%20in%20TN_2%203%202012_R2.pdf
9. State Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services, 2001 – 2011. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/DASIS/TEDS2011St_Web
10. State Estimates of Adult Mental Illness, 2012. National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k14/NSDUH170/sr170-mental-illness-state-estimates-2014.htm
11. Graduate School Search – Social Work Programs, 2014. US News and World Report.  http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/search?spp=10&program=top-social-work-schools&name=&zip=tennessee&program_rank=Any&sort=&sortdir=
12. About the College of Social Work, 2014. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. http://www.csw.utk.edu/about/college_video.htm
13. Field Education, College of Social Work, 2014. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  http://www.csw.utk.edu/field/index.htm
14. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211023&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=47&search=Go
15. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211022&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=47&search=Go
16. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211021&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=47&search=Go