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. 

Majors

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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).

  • 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).

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  • 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. 

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  • 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.

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Minors

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Our undergraduate minors complement students’ fields of study. Students can explore nonprofit leadership, social innovation, and child advocacy.   

  • 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. 

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  • 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.

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Certificates

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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.

  • 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. 

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  • 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. 

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Double Owl Pathways

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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.

  • 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.

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  • 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. 

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  • 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. 

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  • 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. 

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Impact Lives

Your contribution to the Department of Social Work and Human Services helps us to create opportunities for our students and our community.

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Value-Added

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

Jess Maillet story

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.

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Miyanna Clements story

Ƶalum’s inspiring, full-circle journey

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.

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campus green wide shot

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.

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Jacqueline Hand Story

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.

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Monica Nandan

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.

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