SSW Veteran Resources

The University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work has a long and proud history of serving our veterans and military family members. In 1967, Fernando Torgerson, our first dean, was a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel with extensive experience in military/veteran social work. Torgerson served as dean until 1977 and without his leadership and guidance, the School of Social Work would not be where it is today with a strong academic reputation and a well-known national leader in educating military social workers.

Today, we have social work alumni serving at all levels in our armed forces and veteran-supported government and non-profit agencies. We have faculty and staff members who are military veterans and are dedicated to helping our social work student veterans succeed.

According to College Factual, the UTA School of Social Work is ranked the #1 Social Work School in Texas for veteran friendliness. This means The University of Texas at Arlington is the best school for veterans studying social work in Texas.

We are guided by the knowledge that Veterans offer unique academic and service experiences to the School of Social Work, and we understand the importance of duty, honor, and service. We believe that, like military service, social work is a calling.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Much of that growth will be in health care, military/veteran care, aging and mental health, and substance use services.

We work closely with our veteran student population to connect them to university and campus resources. From being a prospective student to completing the application process to academic advising, to graduation, and later as alumni, we support and help you along the way.

The UTA Veteran Programs office, led by an Executive Director who reports to the University President, provides specialized programs and services to nearly 5,000 UTA veterans, active military service members, selected reserves, family members, and ROTC cadets. The UTA Military and Veteran Services Center is located on campus at 406 Summit Avenue, Arlington, Texas 76019.