Military Social Work Texas

Military spouses are unsung heroes, making enormous compromises in their day-to-day lives so that their partners can serve in the armed forces. However, military spouses who have moved to bases or have found themselves relocating repeatedly should not feel that their own lives are on hold.

There are excellent career paths out there that can fit into a military spouse lifestyle, including the vital and rewarding work of being a social worker.

This can be a great choice due to its convenience – thanks to newfound opportunities in online learning, it’s easier than ever for military spouses to pursue a quality education and build long-lasting careers as social workers. But beyond that, it can also be a great way to establish a career devoted to helping others, including other military families whose needs and concerns you will be uniquely suited to understand.

This guide provides an index of online social work degree programs in Texas, designed to help military spouses stationed all over the state find the educational pathway that will work for them. It also describes some of the civilian social worker jobs in the military that may be available to you upon graduating, showing how you can put your education toward supporting service members in the long term.

The Unique Needs of Military Spouses

It’s no secret that maintaining a stable career can be hard as a military spouse. Indeed, a recent report by the Department of Labor revealed that military spouses face a 21% unemployment rate, a startlingly high number that reflects some of the inherent difficulties that come from being a military spouse. Chief among these is the burden that can come from a permanent change of station (PCS), a necessary part of military life for service members but a tremendous difficulty for military spouses who must also move.

Fortunately, the arrival of online degree programs now make it possible for military spouses to pursue higher education at a maximum of convenience, providing a failsafe option for even those who expect to move from place to place.

This is game-changing news for military spouses who have previously had their own priorities sidelined by their partners’ military obligations, opening up a world of professional possibilities that may have once felt impossible.

Drawing From Experience: The Unique Wisdom Military Spouses Can Bring to the Social Work Profession

As you will see from the variety of social work specializations available at Master of Social Work programs across the state of Texas, the social work profession is broad, allowing practitioners to involve themselves in the causes closest to them. There are many different reasons why social workers take up a particular area of expertise, but many in the field choose to work in areas in which they have personal experience. This can be a meaningful, even spiritual, way of putting one’s own hardships toward helping others.

Many military spouses choose to work in social work fields related to veterans’ causes, making use of their hard-won insights to provide compassionate aid to others.

Indeed, those who have loved ones who have served in the military – especially military spouses, who are as close to the front lines as one can be without being in the armed forces – are able to offer unique empathy and understanding to veterans, active duty service members, and military families that others can only imagine. This can be a great reason to become a social worker for military members and families. For clients, this can make a world of difference, instantly creating a shared rapport that can build deep and trusting relationships.

Civilian social worker jobs in the military can be a deeply fulfilling path for military spouses who become social workers. That said, as a social worker you can of course take up whatever concentration area you wish to pursue, and there’s no shortage of jobs for military spouses with social work degrees in any concentration area.

Although there aren’t many schools in Texas offering MSW concentrations in military social work specifically, those who are interested in learning how to become a military social worker can find the tools and resources to do so in subfields including Advanced Generalist, Clinical Social Work, Mental Health, and Trauma Education, among others.

Using Military Benefits as a Military Spouse

As a military spouse, you may be eligible for federal or state military benefits that can help lower – or even cover – the cost of your social work education. This is a fantastic resource that can put stellar educational opportunities in reach for military spouses.

Pursuing a higher education can be costly, so finding ways to engage military benefits can be a crucial step in making your career goals possible.

While military benefits are a terrific option for military spouses, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out which ones will actually apply to you. For this reason, military spouses are encouraged to work with the Spouse Education Career Opportunities (SECO) program, offered by the Department of Defense. This program is designed specifically to help spouses maximize the resources available to them to bring down the cost of their education as much as possible.

For those who prefer to look into military benefits on their own, below is a short list of federal programs that can potentially support spouses. These include:

Texas-based military spouses can also potentially take advantage of the Hazlewood Act, a benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption at Texas-based public institutions. This can go a long way in supporting students’ educational goals.

These are just a few options; there are numerous additional resources available to Texas-based military spouses who wish to pursue the next steps in their careers after service.

It’s also always a good idea to look into the military benefits provided by each individual school on your list. In some cases, you may find additional support systems, from financial aid options to academic counseling and more.

Program Index (in alphabetical order)

Below is a list of online social work degree programs in Texas that can be a great option for military spouses located all over the state. For the most part, these programs offer 100% online options, making them a fantastic choice for military spouses who may need to move around throughout the course of their education. In a few cases, they are hybrid programs located close to military bases. (Military bases listed as “nearby” are located within one hour’s driving distance of school.)

Be sure to take a close look at degrees offered at each of these programs, as well as concentration pathways for MSW students. Not all schools offer online Bachelor of Social Work degrees in Texas, and not all MSW programs offer all concentration pathways, so give thought to your career goals as you survey different schools.

Abilene Christian University
Angelo State University
Baylor University
Our Lady of the Lake University
Prairie View A&M University
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M University – Commerce
Texas Christian University

Texas Tech University
Texas State University
University of Houston
The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Permian Basin
The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley

FAQs

As a military spouse, am I eligible for military benefits?

In many cases, you will be. Military benefits can be a great resource for military spouses pursuing advanced degrees, and you’re highly encouraged to do your research on them during the application process. Take a look at the section “making use of military benefits” above for more information about determining your eligibility.

Are there many civilian social worker jobs in the military?

Yes. Social workers who support military members, veterans, and their families can provide immense support to those who are grappling with some of the challenges of military service or life after. Jobs for military spouses with social work degrees can include counselors and therapists, employment and resource allocation specialists, and more.

If my social work degree program is online, why does it need to be from a Texas-based institution?

Social work students – particularly those studying at the graduate (master’s) level – are highly encouraged to obtain their social work degrees from Texas-based institutions, as these will prepare you for the exact social work licensure requirements in the state. This is critical to career-building, so it is worth taking seriously.

Do I need to live near campus if I’m attending a fully online program?

No – this is one of the most useful aspects of 100% online social work programs. That said, social work degree programs universally include field internships, which you will be expected to complete in-person at the location of your choosing. If you live far from campus, you will be able to find an opportunity near you, but it means you shouldn’t expect your educational experience to take place exclusively from your home.