Motlow and UTK Collaborate to Meet Job Demands

September 20, 2024

Motlow State Community College recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (UTK) that paves the way for Social Work majors to achieve their bachelor’s degree. Students who achieve the required number of credit hours, area of study grades, and a GPA of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale while achieving an Associate Degree in Social Work are guaranteed admission to UTK’s Social Work program.

Motlow creates agreements with four-year institutions to make achieving a four-year degree a smoother process. Students can graduate on time and easily work with universities to create a plan of success. The TN Promise and Reconnect scholarships can make attending Motlow tuition-free for qualifying applicants, allowing them to save money that they can later put toward attending a university. Social Work students who apply to UTK can also apply for UTK scholarships to assist them in completing the program.

“As the land grant university in Tennessee, we (UTK) have a unique mission to educate and train the citizens of our state,” Dr. Robert Mindrup, Bachelor of Science in Social Work Program Director at UTK, stated. “This partnership honors this mission by establishing guaranteed and priority admission pathways for Motlow State students wishing to pursue their degree in Social Work. This partnership incentivizes Motlow State students to perform well academically and to complete their associate degree.”

UTK hopes that this partnership will encourage students to pursue a career in Social Work and meet the demand in the field. Mindrup added, “There is a sizeable demand for Social Workers who are uniquely trained to address some of the grand challenges of our time, including mental health and wellbeing, addiction, sustainability, and more. Social Workers are the largest providers of mental health services across the country and in Tennessee, and we are nowhere close to meeting the demand. Through this partnership, we hope to move the proverbial needle by increasing the number of Social Workers who are indeed making a difference in our communities.”

Students who achieve the following obtain guaranteed admission:

• An Associate of Science (A.S.) or Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in Social Work with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher; AND
• A grade of “C” or higher in SWRK 2010: Introduction to Social Work AND SOCI 1040: Social Problems OR any Social Work elective (e.g., SWRK 2030: Introduction to Social Welfare and Policy), as reflected on the Tennessee Transfer Pathway for Social Work; AND
• A minimum of 60 transferable credit hours; AND
• Complete admission application by Feb 1st of the same year for fall entry

Students who achieve the following will achieve priority admission:

• An Associate of Science (A.S.) or Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in Social Work with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; AND
• A grade of “C” or higher in SWRK 2010: Introduction to Social Work AND SOCI 1040: Social Problems OR any Social Work elective (e.g., SWRK 2030: Introduction to Social Welfare and Policy), as reflected on the Tennessee Transfer Pathway for Social Work; AND
• A minimum of 60 transferable credit hours; AND
• Complete admission application by May 1st of the same year for fall entry

Social Work degrees can equip students for fields such as counseling, therapy, child welfare, substance abuse, community outreach, and more. If interested in continuing your education at UTK, contact Dr. Mindrup at rmindrup@utk.edu or Macy Pevy at macyetter@utk.edu. You can also visit admissions.utk.edu to learn more.

To learn about Motlow’s degree programs, visit Motlow.edu/academics/programs.