By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social work from Missouri Western State University will soon have an opportunity to also get their master's on the St. Joseph campus.
President Elizabeth Kennedy says they saw about 80 to 85% of students graduating with an undergraduate degree looking for a master’s program, signaling the need.
"So, we developed a master's program working with people in the behavioral health community to kind of refine that, and we've just recently got that pre accreditation when you first start your program, so we've opened that up to students in the fall," Kennedy tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "We're very excited about that as a way to increase the mental health professionals in our community which there's such a need for."
Kennedy says the social work field has really evolved from the days of a social worker just connecting people with social services.
"Social workers work everywhere, they work in schools, they work in hospitals, they have their own practices," Kennedy explains. "And so having more individuals who have that training who know how to address not only the social issues but the more mental health problems and help people to become mentally healthy, thriving, productive citizens."
Missouri Western also received re accreditation for the social work bachelor's program for a maximum of eight years.