In Fall 2026, the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work continued its unprecedented 15-year enrollment growth, increasing by 5.9% to 2,376 students and posting the highest growth rate of any school or college at the university.
The growth reflects increased interest across the School’s academic programs, with gains in undergraduate first-time-in-college and transfer students, as well as master’s and doctoral students.
The School is consistently ranked as the third-largest public institution in the country by the number of enrolled social work students and the number it graduates each year. It ranks among the best for popularity, affordability, research output, online teaching and academic reputation.
“We are encouraged by the continued momentum at the UTA School of Social Work, as both our undergraduate and graduate programs saw strong enrollment gains this cycle,” said James Brown, the UTA School of Social Work’s strategic enrollment manager. “A 15% increase in undergraduate enrollment and an 8.6% increase in graduate enrollment contributed to nearly 6% overall growth for Fall 2026.”
The school is also a pioneer in online education, being the first in Texas and among the first in the country to offer a fully online Master of Social Work option in 2012. It added a fully online option for its Bachelor of Social Work program in 2017.
For Dr. Goutham Menon, interim dean of the UTA School of Social Work, the growth is particularly notable because it has come with a higher-quality applicant pool.
“We are seeing students who are very intentional about pursuing social work and who recognize the value of the education and opportunities we provide,” Menon said. “The quality of our applicants, the diversity of their experiences and the interest we are seeing across our programs are all encouraging signs for the future of the School.”
The School also welcomed its first cohort of Doctor of Social Work (DSW) students for its new online doctoral program. The School welcomed 17 students to the Fall 2026 class, providing a new pathway for experienced social workers and professionals seeking advanced preparation for leadership, teaching, and practice. Moving forward, the School plans to offer online cohorts for its DSW program starting every January and June.
The DSW online program complements the School’s reputation for producing doctoral scholars and leaders. The School has offered its in-person, research-intensive PhD in Social Work program since 1983 and will continue to do so, with cohorts starting each fall semester.
The School of Social Work’s growth spans a wide range of student groups. At the graduate level, the School met its MSW enrollment goals and continued to attract students interested in advanced study in focused areas such as aging, mental health, community and administrative practice, healthcare, substance misuse and treatment, and military social work.
In the Master of Social Work program, approximately 65% to 70% of students enter with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work, bringing diverse academic and professional backgrounds to the classroom. More than 15% of new MSW students in the Fall 2026 cohort have already earned a master’s degree in another field or hold a law, medical, or doctoral degree. This underscores the strong demand for graduate education in social work and UTA’s reputation.
Students entering social work from other disciplines can bring perspectives from fields such as education, health, criminal justice, psychology, business, law, and the humanities while developing the specialized knowledge and skills required for social work practice.
The School is also attracting students at different points in their educational journeys. First-time-in-college (freshman), community and junior college transfer, and students changing their major to social work increased in 2026, expanding the Bachelor of Social Work program.
The School of Social Work continues to attract students with significant professional and life experience. This year, approximately 10% of the School’s students are student-athletes or military veterans, adding further diversity of experience to the School’s student body.
This growth stems from a united effort across the school’s offices of Marketing, Communications, and Recruiting; Student and Academic Affairs; and the Academic Advising team.
"The Academic Advising Team served as a critical bridge between admission and enrollment, implementing innovative, student-centered strategies that expanded access and support while establishing practices that will continue to shape advising moving forward,” said Dr. Danielle Klein, assistant dean for student and academic affairs.
Patrice Green, director for academic advising, explained the impressive effort made during a time of staffing shortfalls.
“Despite reduced staffing, the team facilitated more than 3,100 student interactions throughout the year, including 1,367 advising appointments, 482 new student sessions and extensive peak-period support, helping the School of Social Work exceed its 3% enrollment growth goal and achieve nearly 6% growth,” she said.
The enrollment growth comes as the School continues to expand its academic and research profile. The school is ranked in the top 13% of graduate social work education by U.S. News & World Report and is consistently ranked among the best in various rankings.
A group photo of all UTA School of Social Work faculty and staff. (Photo by Doughlas Gutierrez)
The School maintains partnerships with more than 400 community agencies. Through these partnerships, students contribute more than 540,000 hours of community service each year, applying their education in real-world settings and supporting communities across the state and the country.
The School’s research enterprise is also growing. Faculty publish more than 240 articles annually in top academic and scientific journals, placing the School among the top 3% of social work programs nationwide for research productivity. Students have opportunities to engage with research through centers and labs focused on issues including addiction and recovery, child welfare, substance use, social networks, technology and health.
The School’s continued growth is part of a broader period of expansion at UTA. With more than 42,000 students, UTA is the second-largest institution in The University of Texas System and is designated as a Carnegie R-1 institution for very high research activity.
UTA is also expanding its regional footprint through UTA West, a new regional campus in Parker County scheduled to open in fall 2028. The university has additionally launched the RISE 100 initiative, which aims to recruit 100 new tenure-system faculty members to strengthen UTA’s research enterprise and leadership in key academic areas.
This growth has sparked the need for more professors, leading the School of Social Work to hire nine new full-time faculty members this semester.
The School is growing not only in size, but also in the range of students it serves and the experiences they bring. From first-time college students beginning their academic journeys to experienced professionals returning for advanced degrees, the School is attracting students who want to prepare for careers focused on improving individual and community well-being.
“I’m particularly proud of the hard work of staff and faculty, who help us continue to meet this unprecedented demand and growth in social work education each semester,” said Antwan C. Williams, assistant dean for communications, marketing, recruiting, and graduate admissions, who has been at the School, helping lead its growth, for more than 10 years.
“I believe our unique structure, which integrates recruiting, communications, marketing, and graduate admissions, helps us scale up when necessary and remain innovative in reaching the highest-quality prospective students and applicants, not only in Texas but also across the country and internationally,” Williams said.
Williams also noted that, along with student growth, the school has been able to increase its faculty and staff to provide the best teaching and student experiences. The number of full-time faculty has increased from 38 in 2016 to more than 65 now, with staff seeing similar growth.