BestMSWprograms.com, an online guide to Master’s in Social Work Degree Programs, has ranked the 100% online Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) at the University of Louisville as the #4 Best Online Program in the country.

The on-campus MSSW program was ranked #14 among public institutions and #33 overall. The MSSW program was one of the 230 programs evaluated for this ranking, though fewer than 30 offer 100% online coursework.

The ranking system combines two well-known publications, U.S. News and World Report, which has ranked graduate social work programs since 1993, and The Gourman Report on Graduate Schools. The Gourman Report bases its results on factors such as program history, facilities, and the content of the curriculum. The rankings from U.S. News and World Report, on the other hand, are based on survey responses from senior faculty and deans.

“I think this is big. I have never seen the combination of U.S. News and Gourman,” said Dr. Terry Singer, Dean of the Kent School of Social Work. “Of the two, slightly more weight has been given to the Gourman Report.”

“No matter what we think of these rankings, it is good to know that people ‘out there’ are taking notice of the good work being done,” Dr. Singer added.

The BestMSWprograms.com rankings note that “the diverse program of study at the Kent School of Social Work allows MSW students to specialize in Marriage and Family Therapy, Military Social Work, School Social Work, Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Gerontology, or Psychosocial Oncology.”

They also note that the Kent School “was founded in 1936, and has a strong and growing tradition of leadership in social work education,” with specific recognition of UofL’s well-funded and strong research initiatives. “Strengths of the Kent School include its focused research on health disparities and aging, child welfare, trauma, substance abuse and the fact that the school has the only endowed chair in oncology social work in the nation.”

Now, students across the U.S. can also enjoy the excellent quality and tradition of teaching and learning by earning this degree completely online. The online MSSW offered by the Kent School features the same instructional quality, faculty and curriculum options, while also offering the flexibility of the online learning environment.

In fact, BestMSWprograms.com makes note of both the flexibility and variety in their ranking of the online program: “The coursework can be completed either full or part-time, with program lengths ranging from 1-4 years. The Kent School offers a great variety of specializations for an online program, with focused study available in psychosocial oncology, gerontology, mental health, military social work, and alcohol & drug counseling.”

Dr. Pamela Yankeelov, Associate Dean for Student Services at Kent School has a bird’s eye view of this program. “Our faculty and administration staff at Kent School are committed to making our online programs as academically robust as our on campus program. We are known for being rigorous and we will continue to stay rigorous, regardless of the delivery method,” said Dr. Yankeelov. “We work closely with UofL’s Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning and continuously train on pedagogical best practices and we strive to be as responsive to online students as we are to our students in the classroom. Responsive and rigorous, that’s who we are here at the Kent School.”

The online program’s structure, quality and rigorous coursework mirror those in the on-campus program. The combination of online learning and real-world practicum (hands-on supervised field instruction, completed in the community of choice) helps students gain valuable field-related knowledge as well as critical thinking, self-discipline and time management skills.

Visit the MSSW online program site to learn more about the 60-hour program that starts every fall or the 30-hour advanced standing program with starts in both summer and fall. For campus options, please visit Kent School’s pages.