Majoring in Social Work at FAU
Florida Atlantic University appears in our ranking of the 36 Most Affordable Accredited MSW Programs in the South East.
Since 1982, the College for Design & Social Inquiry has awarded the Bachelor of Social Work for Florida Atlantic University undergrads in Boca Raton to practice strengths-based intervention methods from a generalist approach. Directed by Dr. Heather Thompson, the 60-credit major integrates courses like Society Analysis, Victimology, Counseling Women, and Family Violence with a 24:1 student-professor ratio. In 2000, the Phyllis & Harvey Sander School added the Master of Social Work for Fall cohorts to pursue LCSW licensure for clinical services leadership. The 60-credit Regular and 30-credit Advanced Standing tracks can be customized with a Child Welfare or Aging Certificate. Lastly, the three-year Doctor of Social Work overseen by Dr. Naelys Luna has lockstep, hybrid Canvas classes to develop scholarly clinicians. Field education placements, including Betty Griffin House, Gratitude America, Mayo Clinic, Quality Life Center, and St. Luke's Hospital, total 400 to 1,000 hours. Majors might also join SOS, pledge Phi Alpha, research in the Center for Urban Solutions, visit Madrid, and volunteer at Camp Boggy Creek.
About Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University was officially declared open on October 25, 1964, by the 36th U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson before a crowd of 15,000 onlookers. It originated at the 5,800-acre Boca Raton Army Air Field to serve upper-division education to the populous Southeast. Damaged by Hurricane Cleo, FAU started construction of its current 850-acre, Spanish Colonial-style Palm Beach headquarters in 1965. Nineteen years later, freshmen were first admitted and the public four-year, coed model was adopted. In 2017, a $7 million donation brought about the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School addition. Florida Atlantic University now trains 26,245 Owls, including 987 Social Work majors, at an average age of 25. Known for its 41 percent minority enrollment rate, FAU attracts $59 million in research funding for institutes like the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Atlantic the 128th best national social work school and 83rd top online graduate college. On Niche, FAU boasts America's 83rd most diversity, 114th biggest population, 287th best dining, and 331st top campus location. Forbes placed Florida Atlantic University 479th overall with the 192nd best research. WalletHub noticed FAU for the 422nd most safety and 720th best education outcomes. College Factual honored Florida Atlantic for the country's 286th best social work value and 228th top-paid grads. PayScale calculated the 322nd highest mid-career salary of $62,000 here. Sun Sentinel declared FAU the #2 best Florida choice by graduation rate. The CWUR named Florida Atlantic University 218th for the quality of faculty and 367th for top-quality academics. Livability also crowned Boca Raton the country's 45th best place to live.
Florida Atlantic University Accreditation Details
In December 2023, Florida Atlantic University will begin its next decennial self-study review process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to retain the maximum Level VI accreditation under its provost, Dr. Bret Danilowicz, who earned the 2012 Iron Eagle Award. Based 623 miles north via Interstate 75 in Decatur, this 11-state Gulf Region accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to ensure the institutional effectiveness of FAU's 170+ academic programs, including online. The Phyllis & Harvey Sander School of Social Work has received BSW and MSW accreditation extensions through October 2022 from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) too.
Florida Atlantic University Application Requirements
Admission to Florida Atlantic University is "selective" on the U.S. News & World Report because just 9,544 of the 15,907 Fall 2016 applicants were okayed for 60 percent acceptance. Prospective BSW Owls must transfer an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or all lower-division credits. Program prerequisites like Human Biology, General Psychology, Government, and Sociology must be graded at least "C." Bachelor's grads can add the BSW with just 39 extra credits. Juniors present a mean 3.46 GPA and 100 previous volunteer hours. The Master of Social Work only considers regionally accredited bachelor's study with 3.0 GPAs in the last 60 credits. Advanced Standing ups the ante to 3.5 averages and 400+ practicum hours. Plus, Florida's first DSW cohorts need CSWE-accredited master's training, GRE scores, two years of experience, and LCSW licensing.
Florida Atlantic University considers junior-level Bachelor of Social Work undergrads until April 1st for Fall, October 1st for Spring, and March 1st for Summer. Interested MSW post-grads apply from October 1st to May 1st. The Doctor of Social Work has February 1st (international) and April 1st (domestic) cutoff dates yearly. Online applications to the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School take just five steps for $30. Official documents like transcripts are mailed to PO Box 3091 in Boca Raton, FL 33431. Other add-ons are testing scores, three recommendations, 1,000-word personal statements, certifications, and résumés of community service. Please contact [email protected] or (561) 297-3234 for additional guidance.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, Florida Atlantic University is charging the Sunshine State's BSW majors $2,716 per term or $5,432 yearly. Non-resident undergrads pay $9,716 by semester or $19,432 every nine months. Part-time study incurs $201 to $719 per credit. Residing at the Palm Beach County campus' dorms like Heritage Park Towers costs $11,906 for room and board. Budgets leave $1,208 for texts and $5,414 for other. Annual bachelor's attendance equals $23,359 in-state and $35,804 out-of-state. The Master of Social Work has a $369 price per credit. Non-Florida residents fulfill a $623 fee. Ergo, graduate tuition ranges from $11,070 to $59,520 total. DSW candidates expect paying $6,657 in Florida and $18,446 out-of-state by year.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid in Student Union helps 82 percent of new full-time FAU Owls collect median offers of $8,635 each for $18.6 million combined. Social work funds include the Aging Services Scholarship, Child Welfare Scholarship, Sandler Family Scholarship, Dr. Michele Hawkins Foster Care Scholarship, Albert Allister Scholarship, Diversity Enhancement Scholarship, Edgewater Pointe Estates Scholarship, Julian Warren Weiss Scholarship, and Senator Ken Pruitt Scholarship. Three Financial Need Scholarships of $1,500 are reserved specifically for BSW/MSW majors yearly. FAFSA applications coded 001481 determine Federal Pell and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant eligibility. The MyFAU Portal helps find Work-Study jobs for expected family contributions below $10,000. The Graduate College offers assistantships for 10-20 hours per week. State-based programs like the Access to Better Learning Grant, Rosewood Family Scholarship, Jose Marti Scholarship, and Talented Twenty Program offer money. Students won't likely hit aggregate limits for Federal Perkins, Ford Direct, and Graduate Plus loans.
Learn more about Florida Atlantic University at the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work website.