UNCW School of Social Work Partners with Carteret Community College to Provide Bachelor’s Degree Pipeline

Morehead City, N.C. (June 16, 2021) – UNC Wilmington has partnered with Carteret Community College to create the first transfer program within the University of North Carolina System for students wishing to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Students who have successfully completed an associate degree in the Human Services Technology program at Carteret Community College and meet admission requirements of UNC Wilmington’s Bachelor of Social Work program will be admitted to the program. This means that students have a straightforward pathway to completing a bachelor’s degree. Social work courses will be offered online and once admitted, students will receive individual advising on the program and required courses.

Dr. Stacey Kolomer, director of the School of Social Work says of the partnership, “Students in rural counties do not have a lot of options to earn an undergraduate degree, particularly if they are working professionals. At the heart of social work is social justice. We know there are not enough mental health and substance abuse counselors to serve in these rural areas, so the School of Social Work is excited to provide a pipeline to train professionals to meet the needs of their communities.”

The articulation agreement with UNC Wilmington will open doors previously unavailable to community college graduates, creating a direct pipeline to numerous job opportunities in government, social and private settings.

Kathy Foster, MA, HS-BCP, chair of the Human Services Technology and the Addiction and Recovery Studies certificate programs at Carteret Community College noted, “This is our first agreement with a state-supported university, and it has been a personal mission of mine for many years. I am delighted to see this come to fruition. The ability to complete a Bachelor of Social Work while remaining in Carteret County can help slow the loss of talent to other regions of the state. We all benefit when our graduates choose to live and work in Carteret County.”

Students who complete the A.A.S. Human Services Technology degree at Carteret Community College and the Bachelor of Social Work degree at UNC Wilmington can easily progress into the Master of Social Work program with advanced standing, thus shortening the length of their time in graduate school.

Dr. Tracy Mancini, president of Carteret Community College says of the partnership, “I applaud the collaboration between Carteret CC and UNC Wilmington faculty to create this exciting opportunity for our Human Services graduates. Articulations like this one affirm the value and quality of community college programs and allow students to envision long-term career pathways that are not only gratifying but can lead to greater economic mobility for them and their families.”

Those interested in the social work transfer pathway can learn more at www.carteret.edu/UNCWSocialWork or contact Kathy Foster at [email protected].