Improving Where You Live

The Early Days

Created as the result of the efforts of many social workers throughout the state, the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina was established in 1969. Although a graduate program in social work had been offered by the University of South Carolina in the early 1940's, it was discontinued after only a brief period of operation because of the war effort. For years, South Carolina citizens who desired master's degrees in social work found it necessary to go out-of state. Consequently, the establishment of a new graduate school of social work in 1969 represented a major milestone in the state.Dr. Joseph Hungate was hired as the College's first dean and he, along with Associate Dean Maxwell Cook, began hiring an initial faculty of eight and developing plans for the opening of the School. The first class of 22 students began their studies in 1969 and received their MSW degrees in May 1971. The faculty and student body expanded rapidly in order to address the growing need for social work personnel in the state.From the beginning, it was recognized that the rural nature of South Carolina and the needs of its citizens required a flexible program which would make education available throughout the state. Hence, in 1971 the College began offering part-time course work in Charleston, and later expanded the program to Greenville and Spartanburg.

Change in the 80's

As the College's enrollment increased, so did its space needs. In 1978, when the DeSaussure building was renovated all faculty and administrative offices claimed it as the College's new home; classrooms were moved to the Harper building.In the early 1980's, the College of Social Work embarked on some rather bold ventures. Because of changes in the structure and funding of social programs, enrollment in social work programs at colleges was declining throughout the United States. At USC, however, enrollment held steady. This was the result, in part, of creative developments in the College which strengthened its academic standards, ensured its relevancy to the needs of the state, and made education more accessible to students. The College revised its GPA admissions requirements from 2.75 to 3.0. The curriculum was modified and new courses were added to address the needs of social agencies in South Carolina.The College also initiated an Advanced Standing program, making it possible for students with BSW degrees to complete their MSW study in an abbreviated period of time. The College phased out its off-campus courses in Charleston, Greenville, and Spartanburg, and began offering first-year courses throughout the entire state via closed-circuit, interactive television. The College was the pioneer in this effort, and other schools of social work are just beginning to utilize this modality.During these years the faculty expanded to 18 and in 1980, Frank Raymond was appointed dean and John Gandy and Lois Abramczyk were named associate deans.

Reaching New Heights

From the mid to late 1980s, enrollment continued to grow, and the College began to employ adjunct faculty in order to serve the larger number of students. The College also expanded its continuing education offerings, sponsoring not only state-wide, but national conferences such as the National Conference on Social Work in Rural Areas hosted by the College in 1986. In that same year, the College initiated the Ph.D. program in 1987, the first doctoral program in social work in Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina. This program maintains a unique focus, given its mission to prepare social work educators. Its first graduates have received academic appointments throughout the country.In the early 1990s, applications to the College's MSW program increased five-fold. The College "capped" enrollment at approximately 400 MSW students (full-time and part-time), and currently graduates approximately 175 students per year. With the increases in applications, the College raised its admissions standards even higher. In 1993, the procedure of admitting fully qualified students throughout the year was changed to a once-a-year admission in the spring of the best qualified applicants. A large percentage of the students continue to maltriculate on a part-time basis, including those in the interactive television program.Faculty and staff continued to increase during the 1990's. Currently there are 23 full-time and 16 part-time faculty, as well as a staff of nine. Twenty six additional staff are hired through grants and contracts.Throughout the College's history, diversity has been a top priority. Faculty has always included significant members of minorities, particularly African Americans. The percentage of African Americans in the student body has consistently been among the highest of all graduate programs at the University. The emphasis on diversity has been reflected in the MSW and Ph.D. curriculums. In 1994, the College manifested its commitment to diversity by developing the I. DeQuincey Newman Chair, the first fully endowed chair at the University named after an African American.

An International Scope

In the 1990s, the College expanded its activities in the international arena. For several years College has offered international study tours for students and practicing social workers to such countries as Mexico, Israel, and Greece. In 1993, the College began offering its MSW program in Seoul, Korea to a group of 28 students. This was in response to an invitation from Korean social workers who were aware of the College's reputation for part-time social work education. The Korean program is unique in that it is the first time a school of social work has offered a MSW program in its entirety on foreign soil.

Commitment to Quality

From its inception, the College of Social Work has operated as a program of highest quality. This is evidenced by the award of unconditional accreditation by the Commission of Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education in 1969, and in every subsequent review. As the College continues to grow and develop in order to meet new needs and emerging challenges, it will maintain this historic commitment to quality in every endeavor.