Department of Social Work
The Department of Social Work knows that human dignity and social justice are important for individuals, their communities, states, and for the entire country. Our students are committed to relieving suffering, affecting social change, and enabling people to overcome obstacles and lead productive and fulfilling lives.
Pardon our work
About the Department of Social Work
Human dignity and social justice are the watch-words for social workers. Wherever there are people, social workers are present. Career opportunities are found in a wide range of workplaces, such as hospitals, schools, businesses, public agencies, police departments and private practices.
Social workers are committed to relieving suffering, affecting social change, and enabling people to overcome obstacles and lead productive lives.
Meet the Department of Social Work's faculty and staff
Keith Anderson
- Chair and Professor of Social Work
Amy Fisher
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Yi Kim
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Jennifer Buford
- Clinical Instructor in Social Work
Desiree Watson
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Patricia Digby
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Social Work
Tess Lefmann
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Misa Kayama
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Saijun Zhang
- Associate Professor of Social Work
Drew Lefmann
- Instructor in Social Work
Kristy Durkin
- Visiting Instructional Assistant Professor of Social Work
Cheryl Fergerson
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Social Work
Aurelia Poe
- Operations Coordinator II
Claudia McDavis
- Academic Advisor
Claudia McDavis
- Academic Advisor
Carol Boyd
- Professor Emerita of Social Work
DEBRA MOORE
- Associate Professor Emerita, Social Work and Field Education Director
See What's Happening at the Department of Social Work
The History of The Department of Social Work
The Department of Social Work was established in the academic year 1969 -1970 as part of the Department of Sociology. In 1983 the Department of Social Work became an autonomous department within the College of Liberal Arts. Offering the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, the department has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1974.
In 2000, the Department of Social Work was transferred from the College of Liberal Arts to the newly created School of Applied Sciences where it currently resides with four other departments. In 2003, the Department of Social Work began offering courses on a part-time basis at the Desoto and Tupelo campuses. In the fall of 2006 we continued to grow across Mississippi by offering a full-time BSW program at the Tupelo Center and expanded the BSW program at the Desoto Center to a full-time program in August 2008.
In February 2007, the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) approved the University of Mississippi to offer the Master of Social Work (MSW) Degree. The faculty in the Department of Social Work began offering the MSW Program the following year in August 2008.
The Department of Social Work is always looking forward to the future and constantly rethinking the ways we can help our students and our surrounding communities.