AU launching online options for its Bachelor of Science in Social Work program

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University is pleased to introduce new online options for its Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW) program. Starting with the upcoming fall semester, there will be select social work classes offered online and the full curriculum is expected to be available online in fall 2027, pending accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education.

Adding flexible online options to AU’s social work program will help address a national shortage of behavioral health and social service professionals, including social workers. According to the Bureau of Health Workforce, behavioral health needs are on the rise while the behavioral health workforce is anticipated to suffer from significant shortages in the future. As of December 2023, more than half of the U.S. population lives in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area.

“I am excited to bring an online BSW program to Ashland University, to make social work education and licensure more accessible for students, who for whatever reason, cannot enroll in an in-seat program. This will not only increase accessibility … (but) it also fills a critical gap in the behavioral health workforce,” said Jennifer Schulz, Ph.D., program director and associate professor of social work at AU. “Social workers make up the majority of professionals working in behavioral health, and there is a high demand for new social workers to meet the growing need for mental health services in Ohio.”

Increasing accessibility to a social work degree is expected to attract new students, whether they be working professionals, rural students, stay-at-home parents or those looking for a career change, to AU. Schulz noted that the online program “eliminates numerous barriers for potential students.”

Online students can expect the same rigorous academic standards as those who take classes on campus, and also the same rewarding outcomes.

AU’s BSW program successfully prepares students to obtain social work licensure. In 2025, AU students achieved an 83.3% first-time pass rate on the Association of Social Work Boards, exceeding the Ohio (71.4%) and national (67.2%) averages, and in the past five years, over 95% of graduates have been employed or accepted to a graduate school within six months after graduation.

Also, AU’s BSW program has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1987.

For more information, visit ashland.edu/socialwork.

Ashland University is a mid-size, private university conveniently located halfway between Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Offering undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, AU puts the “Accent on the Individual” by combining strong applied academic programs with a distinguished faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.