Skip Navigation

Social Work

A female social worker hugging an elderly woman with hands holding a stuffed heart

Social Work

Social Work is a Tennessee Transfer Pathway (TTP).
Earn an average of $51k per year with an advanced degree in social work.
Identify and facilitate access to community support, such as food, shelter, clothing, employment, and child care.


Social workers provide services to families in need and work with seniors. Social workers are also the largest providers of mental health and substance abuse counseling in the country. Social work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development, cohesion, and the empowerment of people and communities. Social work practice involves the understanding of human development, behavior, and the social, economic, and cultural institutions and interactions.

Social workers can also pursue advanced degrees to become licensed therapists. They can open their own practice and provide psychotherapy. Social workers can also serve as social justice advocates and engage in community planning.

At Motlow State Community College, students can earn an Associate of Science (A.S.) or an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree with a concentration in Social Work. Both are Tennessee Transfer Pathways (TTPs). TTPs enable you to complete your degree at Motlow and then seamlessly transfer to any Tennessee public, and many private, universities to complete your bachelor’s degree.

An associate degree in social work is a great way to get your foot in the door and gain valuable real-world experience. There are countless opportunities for entry-level positions in human services.

Explore More Pathways 

 

Earn an average of $51k per year with an advanced degree in social work.

A female social smiling with an elderly man and two female social workers organizing donated food

Career Opportunities

The annual average salary of social workers in Tennessee ranges between $36,810 for substance abuse social workers to $52,110 for specialty social workers.

With an associate degree, graduates can work as:

  • Residential Counselors ($40k/year)
  • Social Services Assistants ($30k/year)
  • Community Health Worker ($43k/year)

Practical Experience

  • History of sociology, critical thinking, and research methods in sociology
  • Identification of basic human relationships, including sociology, culture, inequality and social class, political, and economic orders
  • Understanding of and solutions for major current problems in American society such as poverty, social deviance, environment, energy, population, health, education, and medical care
  • Courtship customs and modern family problems with an emphasis on social change
  • Critical thinking
  • In-depth research and analysis
  • Interaction with students and instructors

Social Work Printable Information

Social Work Printable Information FrontSocial Work Printable Information Back

Download PDF

Find Your Future

Have you chosen a major? Is there a program of study that inspires you? Do you have your heart set on a particular degree? Motlow is here to help you find your future and craft a great career.

Start by choosing the credentials you want. Motlow offers:

  • Short-term certifications,
  • One-year diplomas,
  • 2-year associates degrees,
  • Associates degrees with embedded micro-credentials, and
  • Pathways to numerous bachelor degrees with majors in hundreds of programs. We have many additional articulation agreements with universities that allow you to easily transfer or even enroll simultaneously at Motlow and another institution
  • We have articulation agreements with universities that allow you to easily transfer or even enroll simultaneously at Motlow and another institution.

Use our program finder to explore all of the possibilities. Visit our transfer & articulations page to learn more about our partnerships with other universities. Explore your interests and aptitudes with our free YouScience tool.

Meet with one of our admissions counselors. Enroll and get assigned your very own completion coach.

The time is right. Call us today. It’s never been easier to find a scholarship and apply for aid to help pay for college. Our mission is your success, and we want to make exploring Motlow simple & free.

Academic Resources

Academic Departments

Scroll to top