Welcome to the Department of Social Work and Human Services
Our faculty are leaders in research, community engagement, and professional service,
offering programs that prepare students to make a meaningful impact.
We offer undergraduate degrees in Human Services and graduate degrees in Social Work (MSW—traditional and Advanced Standing), along with options such as a dual MSW/MBA, Nonprofit Management, Social Innovation, and Child Advocacy Studies.
Accredited and dedicated to excellence, we empower graduates to transform lives and strengthen communities.
Our undergraduate Human Services program provides flexible concentrations to match
your career goals. Our graduate social work program prepares students for licensure
(LMSW) and management roles (Dual Degree MSW/MBA).
Bachelor of Science in Human Services (Undergraduate)
The Human Services (HS) degree prepares you for a rewarding career supporting individuals and communities in need. You’ll develop self-awareness and reflection skills to better understand your values and biases, enabling you to serve vulnerable populations with compassion and effectiveness. The KSU's HS is fully accredited by the Council For Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).
The Master of Social Work (MSW) prepares students for professional practice in social work. Graduates are eligible for the LMSW exam and may pursue supervision toward LCSW licensure. The KSU MSW is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Business Administration/Social Work Dual Master's Degree (MBA/MSW)
KSU offers Georgia’s first dual MSW/MBA, preparing leaders to innovate at the intersection of social work and business. Learn to secure funding, collaborate across sectors, and drive socially responsible, sustainable solutions that benefit people, the planet, and profit.
Our undergraduate minors complement students’ fields of study. Students can explore nonprofit leadership, social innovation, and child advocacy.
Child Advocacy Studies Minor
The Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) minor provides interdisciplinary, ethical, and culturally sensitive training for working with children and responding to child maltreatment. Students develop an understanding of the factors that contribute to abuse and learn practical, system-based responses to support children and families.
Nonprofits are one of the fastest-growing employment sectors, creating strong demand
for skilled professionals. This minor prepares you for careers, leadership roles,
or volunteer opportunities in the nonprofit world.
Students can focus on an undergraduate certificate in nonprofit management and social
innovation or a stand-alone graduate certificate (post-BS/BA degree) in social entrepreneurship.
Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Social Innovation (Undergraduate)
Through our partnership with the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, the Department of Social Work and Human Services offers an experience-based program that prepares students for leadership in the nonprofit sector. Students who complete the certificate requirements may also earn the Certified Nonprofit Practitioner (CNP) credential.
The Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship prepares you to apply innovation and entrepreneurial strategies to address social, health, and environmental challenges. This interdisciplinary program emphasizes the triple bottom line and equips you with the skills to design and launch ventures that bridge business, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Our Double Owl Pathways allow students to earn both undergraduate and graduate credentials.
This pathway streamlines academic progress, reduces costs, and prepares students for
advanced roles in healthcare and human services.
Human Services BS / Business Administration (MBA)
This path is ideal for Human Services majors pursuing roles in for-profit or private
organizations such as nursing homes or hospices. Graduates often find careers in human
resources, management, corporate philanthropy, and marketing.
Combined Human Services and Criminal Justice degrees prepare students for careers as investigators, correctional officials, consultants, court advocates, and administrators in federal, state, and nonprofit agencies.
This pathway prepares students for careers in public service, nonprofit management, and public policy. With a focus on critical thinking and people management, the MPA equips you to navigate complex organizations and lead effectively across government, nonprofit, and private sectors.
The Human Services major provides strong academic and field experience, preparing students for advanced study in the Master of Social Work. Through the Double Owl Pathway, students gain the skills and values needed for a career focused on enhancing well-being and serving vulnerable and underserved populations.
The Department of Social Work and Human Services gives back annually to the community
through student internships and volunteer efforts (in over 100,000 hours)
Impact Stories
Ƶstudent leverages Double Owl Pathways program to accelerate career
path
An undercurrent of restlessness and curiosity fuels Jess Maillet.
The nontraditional, first-generation Ƶ student has embraced
change at every turn, from leaving her longtime restaurant job to enroll in college,
to juggling several research projects across multiple disciplines as a mother of four.
Miyanna Clements-Williamson’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience and the importance of finding community.
When she first stepped on Ƶ’s campus, she was classified as a McKinney-Vento student, a designation given to high school students who have experienced homelessness.
Partnership gives Ƶstudents paths to public service careers
Ƶis beginning a three-year partnership with the HHS’ Pathways to Public Service program, which will help students obtain paid internships and entry-level positions with federal government agencies. Resources such as career fairs, workshops, coaching, and mentorships will boost students’ professional development and educate them on the federal hiring process and the Department of Health and Human Services’ mission.
New scholarship the culmination of Ƶalumni family success
Tanasia Kenney has plenty of childhood memories at Ƶ.
Her mother, former KSU employee Jacqueline Hand, frequently brought her to campus, where she was known as “Jackie’s daughter,” and became familiar with staff and faculty. Some of those faculty members were still teaching when it was time to decide if she’d attend KSU or look a little farther from home.
Ƶtargets in-school mental health gaps using $4.4 million federal grant
Bringing needed school-based mental health resources into five rural northwest Georgia
counties is the aim of a five-year, federally funded project led by Kennesaw State
University.
An interdisciplinary team headed by Monica Nandan, director of strategic partnerships and social impact in Kennesaw State’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, has been awarded a $4.45 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education.