Featured Image: Sociology Building on Sep. 13, 2025. (Pacer Photo/ Miranda Conrad)

For nearly two decades, the University of Tennessee at Martin’s social work department has had a goal of developing a master’s program in social work on campus. After years of surveys, research, accreditation and approvals, the program is now accepting applications and has almost reached the checkered flag.

Cindy West, former dean of the College of Education, Health and Behavioral Sciences at UT Martin, initiated the process of beginning the program in the early 2000s. Since then, the department has done three need assessments that showed an overwhelming desire for a master’s program.

However, the positive feedback from surveys is not enough to start a program. It takes an extensive amount of time and resources to get the program approved and official.

Alicia Donaldson, Social Work Program Director at UT Martin, has been full-time with the program since January 2009. Donaldson explains that a large reason why it takes as long as it does is due to the additional accreditations that social work programs require.

“In our profession, if people in social work don’t graduate from an accredited program, then their degree is not really usable in almost all areas,” Donaldson said. “Maintaining that external accreditation through CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) is an absolute must.”

The requirements for CSWE can be challenging for universities, as it is very expensive. Money was a roadblock in previous years, until a change in the requirements happened in 2022.

Universities were originally required to hire six full-time faculty dedicated to the master’s program prior to having students in the course, Donaldson explained. The standards have since changed from six to four full-time faculty, which was more doable for UT Martin.

In the summer of 2024, Lisa Clifton was hired to be the director of the master’s program. She got the program approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and all the state approvals necessary before the CSWE accreditation. Unfortunately, due to family circumstances, Clifton had to move back home.

After Clifton’s departure, Katrinna Matthews was named the program director of the master’s program in the summer of 2025. She has gotten the program through the next set of approvals with CSWE.

“We now have what is called pre-candidacy status,” said Matthews. “This spring, we’ll have a site visit from CSWE to hopefully greenlight us and say, ‘okay, you’re good to go.’”

Once they receive this “greenlight,” they can accept their first cohort of students for fall 2026. They have already opened the application process and are reviewing the many applications that have been submitted.

Chancellor Yancy Freeman and the institution have been very supportive of the creation of this program.

“He identified that one of the most frequent questions that he was getting when he was out in the community listening to other schools was ‘when are you going to get a master’s program in social work?’” Donaldson said.

The program is open to students of any undergraduate major and will take two years to complete. For social work undergraduates, they will receive advanced standing and can complete the master’s program in only a year due to already having the foundation of social work knowledge needed for the master’s degree.

“It [social work] is a wonderful profession, but to have the greatest impact, both personally as well as professionally, you do need a master’s degree,” Matthews said.

What makes UT Martin’s master’s program stand out from others is its specialization in rural communities. The department wants to meet the needs of the immediate community by focusing on the diverse, yet specialized issues that arise in rural areas.

“We won’t just be creating another program to have a program. We’ll be creating a program that is going to directly impact this community,” Matthews said. “I’m excited that we’re about to create practitioners who are going to be able to go out and serve in some of these places that have been underserved for so long.”

Bella Allen, a current UT Martin senior in the undergraduate social work program, has applied for the master’s program.

“I am really excited, and I am hoping this will help me figure out how to help those in rural communities,” Allen said.

The accepted students will be a part of the first cohort starting in August 2026.