The Valdosta State University MSW program is the result of the collective efforts of area social workers, concerned citizens, social work faculty and numerous others from the University and the region. It is in many ways a good example of locality development in action.

In the mid-70s, many of the social work positions in South Georgia became human service positions because of the scarcity of social workers in the South Georgia region. Thanks to the efforts of a group of dedicated social workers and other professionals in the region, the Board of Regents gave approval for a program in 1994. During the next year the first cohort of students was admitted in the fall of 1995. Three years later, the Division of Social Work achieved initial accreditation through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Commission of Accreditation of CSWE voted in 2002 to reaccredit the master's social work degree program for a full eight-year cycle ending June, 2010.

Today, Social Work is a program in the Department of Human Services and has continued to invest in South Georgia by providing qualified graduates to work in our communities. The program offers a unique web-hybrid curriculum of online and in-person classes to meet the needs of today's Social Worker. To date, countless students have graduated from the MSW Program, with many residing in South Georgia. The community, University administration, faculty, and alumni are proud of the accomplishments of the program and for what it has come to mean in the region.