Walla Walla University

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Studying Social Work at Walla Walla

Walla Walla University appears in our ranking of the 35 Best Value Christian Colleges with CSWE-accredited Programs.

Initiated in 1974, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is housed in the Wilma Hepker School of Social Work & Sociology for Walla Walla University undergrads to gain awareness of diverse justice issues hindering people's privileges in civilization. Led by Dr. Susan Smith, the 2010 Academic Advisor of the Year, the 192-unit, eight-term program integrates Adventist principles into service preparation for integrity. Each quarter, College Place courses like Human Behavior, Oppression, Comparative Theories, and Advocacy are kept personal with a 15:1 student-faculty ratio. Seniors apply generalist skills at internship sites, such as the Christian Aid Center, Wainwright VA, Washington Penitentiary, Park Manor, and Children's Home Society, for 420 clock hours. Majors may also join Social Work Club, travel to Ghana, engage in Peacekeeping Week, volunteer with Discovery Preschool, and minor in Legal Studies.

Admitting Fall cohorts in College Place, Billings, or Missoula, the Master of Social Work has expanded since 1988 to help Walla Walla University post-grads better affirm human dignity with LASW licensure. Chaired by Dr. Heather Vonderfecht, a 2006 President's Excellence in Teaching Award winner, the 79-unit, six-quarter program emphasizes clinical mental health services. A shorter 49-unit Advanced Standing track also suits recent BSW graduates. Both have hybrid online formats for courses like Clinical Evaluation, Psychopathology, and Advanced Practice with Groups that only meet face-to-face on Mondays. For fieldwork, students complete 300 generalist and 600 clinical hours at agencies from Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital to Providence St. Mary. Other opportunities include joining the NASW-MT Chapter, attending Strengths Quest, taking Belize missions, and running the Horses Spirits Healing Clinic.

About Walla Walla University

Walla Walla University originated in 1890 when the Seventh-day Adventist Church's education secretary, William Warren Prescott, proposed its first Northwest school. Two years later, Walla Walla College opened for courses at a four-story building on Mayor Blalock's donated land. Saved from debt by Edward A. Sutherland, it began the first bachelor's program in 1909. By the 1950s, the History Department had added a Social Science minor as a BSW precursor. Given university status in 2007, Walla Walla expanded beyond its 55-acre Palouse Hills campus in southeastern Washington to Portland, Anacortes, Missoula, and Billings. Endowed for $22.5 million, Walla Walla University now teaches 1,825 Wolves, including Social Work majors, with a six-year graduation rate of 60 percent. Linked to 8,826 LinkedIn alumni, WWU has trained Michael Cruz, Jeri Ellsworth, Alden Thompson, and others.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Walla Walla the 47th best Western school and 44th top regional value. On Niche, WWU boasts America's 130th best Christian classes, 217th best college food, 223rd most diversity, and 236th safest environment. Times Higher Education placed Walla Walla University 484th nationwide. College Factual deemed WWU the fourth best Adventist institution and 141st best social work school with the 193rd highest-paid alumni. PayScale recorded a median mid-career salary of $88,700 for Walla Walla Wolves. The Social Mobility Index recognized WWU for the 319th best low-income opportunity. In Washington Monthly, Walla Walla University had the 210th most Peace Corps workers and 259th top master's education. Forbes crowned Walla Walla the country's 130th best city for careers. The Economist also picked WWU for the 362nd best buy.

Walla Walla University Accreditation Details

In October 2016, Walla Walla University satisfactorily passed its mid-cycle evaluation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) to continue Level III accreditation through 2020 under its 23rd president, Dr. Jon McVay. Headquartered 270 miles northwest in Redmond, this seven-state Cascadia Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to oversee academics at 156 institutions, including Walla Walla's 39 baccalaureate and five master's degrees. Walla Walla has denominational approval from the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA). The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) specifically accredited the Wilma Hepker School's curricula in February 2012 too.

Walla Walla University Application Requirements

Classified as "moderately difficult" by Peterson's, Walla Walla University accepted 1,218 of the 1,963 Fall 2016 applications for selective 62 percent admission. First-year Wolves hunting for Bachelor of Social Work spots must first complete 90 quarter units after high school diplomas or GED scores above 450. The Wilma Hepker School only considers juniors achieving a minimum 2.5 GPA, though the average is 3.5. Mean SAT marks of 1575 (old) and 1140 (new) are reported too. Completing prerequisite cognates like Contemporary Biology and Abnormal Psychology with "B" or better grades is expected. Continuing into one-day-a-week MSW courses relies on a minimum 2.75 GPA during a four-year baccalaureate. The Advanced Standing track needs CSWE-accredited bachelor's proof fewer than five years old.

Walla Walla University has preferred undergrad deadlines of September 1st for Fall, December 1st for Winter, March 1st for Spring, and June 1st for Summer quarters. The MSW has rolling admission on a limited space-available basis until August 1st yearly. Leave ample time to fully complete the WWU Online Application. PDF copies can be postmarked to 204 South College Avenue in College Place, WA 99324 too. Please contact (800) 541-8900 or [email protected] for further inquiries. The School of Social Work & Sociology requests the following:

  • $40 application fee payment ($50 for MSW)
  • Transcripts, except those on Walla Walla's file
  • Three references from instructors and advisors
  • Current résumé of employment and service
  • Official standardized test (SAT or ACT) reports
  • Personal essay of three to five pages in 12-point font

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, Walla Walla University is billing full-time Bachelor of Social Work majors $9,040 per quarter or $27,120 yearly. The General Fee, including ASWWU dues, costs $915. Studying part-time incurs $748 per quarter hour. Living at the College Place campus' dorms like Conard Hall adds $4,275 for rent and $3,180 for cafeteria dining. Walla Walla suggests budgeting $900 for textbooks and $1,500 for a miscellaneous cushion. Annual bachelor's attendance equals roughly $37,560 on-state or $30,405 at home. The MSW presently charges $603 per quarter hour for an Advanced Standing total of $29,547 or Regular price of $47,637.

According to the NCES College Navigator, 89 percent of full-time WWU Wolves scavenge for yearly financial aid packages averaging $11,806 each or $17.89 million combined. University funds include the Achievement Scholarship, Leadership Award, Honors Scholarship, Out-of-Area Grant, Master's in Social Work Merit Scholarship, Joanne Carlisle Scholarship, George Caviness Scholarship, and Miriam Chang Award. The Christian Service Volunteer Program discounts missionary tuition to $45 for 12 credits per quarter. Campus work-study positions listed on Job Scene pay at least $11/hour. Evergreen State natives can grow the Washington State Need Grant, College Bound Scholarship, and WAVE Award. Completing the FAFSA form with code 003799 by April 30th assures Federal Pell or FSEOG Grant processing. College Factual records median debt of $7,423 annually from Stafford, Perkins, and Plus loans as well.

Learn more about Walla Walla University at the Wilma Hepker School of Social Work & Sociology website.