Alabama A&M University

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Preparing for Social Work Service at AAMU

Alabama A&M University appears in our ranking of the 36 Most Affordable Accredited MSW Programs in the South East.

Since 1979, the College of Education, Humanities, and Behavioral Sciences has offered a Bachelor of Social Work in Bibb Graves Hall for Alabama A&M University undergrads to develop helping skills for solving strife in racially diverse settings. Coordinated by Dr. Ryan Smith, the 124-credit program involves traditional daytime courses like Gerontology, Black Experience, Rural Human Services, and Behavior Statistics at an 18:1 student-faculty ratio. For LGSW credentialing, the Master of Social Work led by Dr. Christopher Chacha progresses practitioner abilities to lead efforts aiding historically oppressed peoples. Both the 60-credit Regular and 39-credit Advanced Standing tracks specialize 500-level campus courses in Family/Child Welfare or Community Mental Health. Fieldwork placements, such as Unity Wellness Center, Sequel Youth Services, Baldwin County CAC, Wiregrass Hospice, and Huntsville City Schools, fulfill at least 400 hours. Other opportunities include joining the Social Work Association, engaging in the Catalyst Institute, studying abroad in Curacao, attending the ACSW Conference, and minoring in Nutrition.

About Alabama A&M University

Alabama A&M University was opened on May 1, 1875, by Reconstruction Era reformer William Hooper Councill as the Huntsville State Normal School for Negroes with an inaugural group of 61. After the 37th U.S. Congress enacted the Morrill Land-Grant Act in 1890, it became the State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes. Given "Class A" rating in 1946, it was formally accredited as the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College 17 years later. Alabama A&M adopted its current name in 1969 as master's study blossomed. Hosting a Nobel Laureate for 14 straight years, AAMU now functions as a public, space-grant TMCF service school atop a 2,300-acre Normal campus designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Generating $650 million, Alabama A&M University enrolls 5,814 Bulldogs, including Social Work majors, from 11 countries with 75 percent volunteerism. Linked to 16,469 LinkedIn alumni, AAMU has trained activists Whiquitta Tobar, Vivian Malone Jones, Joseph Lowery, and more.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Alabama A&M the 26th best historically Black college, 174th top social work school, and 84th best counseling university. On Niche, AAMU boasts America's 68th best Greek life, 304th most liberal academics, and 480th top athletics. Times Higher Education included Alabama A&M University within its top 800 overall. In 2012, Washington Monthly declared AAMU the #1 HBCU among master's institutions. College Factual placed Alabama A&M 338th for social work with the 225th top-paid graduates. PayScale calculated a median mid-career income of $79,300 for AAMU Bulldogs. Alabama A&M University's Huntsville Metro was ranked 44th for education by Forbes. According to Black Enterprise, AAMU also belongs to the top 50 colleges for African Americans.

Alabama A&M University Accreditation Details

In December 2014, Alabama A&M University was removed from probation after passing a decennial Level VI accreditation review from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) under its 11th president, Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr., who earned Essence magazine's Educator Advocate Award. Based 182 miles southeast in Decatur, this elite 11-state Gulf Coast accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to check the institutional wellness of AAMU's 41 baccalaureate, 23 master's, and four doctoral offerings. The College of Education, Humanities, and Behavioral Sciences is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for 78 percent retention. Specifically, the BSW and MSW majors were affirmed by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in June 2010.

Alabama A&M University Application Requirements

Getting into Alabama A&M University is classified "minimally difficult" on Peterson's though just 2,725 of the 5,363 Fall 2017 applicants were approved for 50 percent acceptance. Declaring the Bachelor of Social Work major isn't allowed until at least 31 liberal arts credits are finished. Sophomores should carry a minimum 2.5 GPA through prerequisites like Writing, World History, Economics, and Psychology. Completing the service learning training class and certified background check is mandated. Before SWK 201, undergrads must have also concluded 50 volunteer hours. On average, students hold a 2.97 GPA, 930 SAT score, and 18 ACT score. The Master of Social Work requires post-grads verify an accredited bachelor's education with 24+ humanities credits. Advanced Standing majors need CSWE-accredited baccalaureates and 3.0 GPAs, yet minimum grades drop to 2.5 for Regular Standing. If taken, Graduate Record Exam scores should breach 146 on Verbal and 140 on Quantitative sections.

Alabama A&M University enforces undergrad deadlines of June 15th for Fall, November 1st for Spring, and April 1st for Summer. Note that international BSW students must apply by May 15th, October 1st, or March 1st respectively. The School of Graduate Studies admits MSW cohorts until February 15th, March 1st, and November 30th. Accordingly, log into the Self-Service Banner portal powered by Ellucian for the $45 online application. Attach requested materials like the 500-word autobiographical essays, volunteer time sheets, three reference letters, insurance cards, and background checks. Have official transcripts mailed to P.O. Box 908 at 4900 Meridian Street North in Normal, AL 35762. Please contact (256) 372-5000 or [email protected] with further questions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, Alabama A&M University is billing in-state Bachelor of Social Work majors $271 per credit or $4,804 each semester full-time. Non-resident undergrads pay $543 per credit or $8,869 by term. Mandatory expenses include the $125 technology fee, $69 athletic fee, $102 activity fee, and $138 wellness center fee. Living at the Normal campus' dorms like Stephens Hall adds $1,750 for semester housing. Standard meal plans for West Dining Hall cost $1,765. Annual bachelor's attendance equals around $23,057 in-state and $31,436 out-of-state. The MSW program charges Alabamans $354 and non-residents $708 per credit. Thus, graduate studies can incur $13,806 to $42,480 total based on Regular/Advanced Standing status.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office in Patton Hall unleashes $41.59 million yearly for 87 percent of full-time AAMU Bulldogs to fetch a median $9,846 offer. Institutional funds include the John Stallworth Scholarship, Normalite Opportunity Scholarship, Multicultural Scholarship, Wayne Hendrick Award, Abigail Hobson Memorial Scholarship, Heritage Gold Scholarship, Transfer Merit Scholarship, and Presidential Scholarship. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund gifts $3,100 on average to member-school students with minimum 3.0 GPAs. FAFSA applications coded 001002 could open eligibility for Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant coverage. The priority date for Federal Work-Study jobs paying at least $7.25/hour is April 1st. Low-interest Federal Perkins, Stafford, and Graduate Plus loans can be consolidated. MSW students could obtain the AmeriCorps Award of $6,095 for full-time service. Alabama residents pursue the Student Assistance Program, the National Guard Education Assistance Program, and GI Dependents Benefits Program. Since 1990, the PACT Section 529 savings plan has paid out over $100 million too.

Learn more about Alabama A&M University at the Social Work, Psychology, and Counseling Department website.