When the first students enter The University of Texas at Arlington's new Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program this fall, they will be part of something groundbreaking. 

Not only will they join the newest doctoral program in UTA's School of Social Work, but they will also be enrolled in the University's first academic program designed from the ground up to use Open Educational Resources (OER), eliminating textbook costs and expanding access to high-quality learning materials. 

The achievement is the result of a yearlong partnership between UTA Libraries and the School of Social Work, reflecting a shared commitment to student success, affordability, and innovation in teaching. 

"This is the first program at UTA that has been intentionally planned to be fully OER," Jessica McClean, Director of Reference, Instruction, and Open Education at UTA Libraries, said. "To have a program director come to us with a vision for making an entire degree program zero textbook cost is unique and exciting. It demonstrates a real commitment to student access and success." 

The new DSW program recently received all required approvals and will welcome its inaugural cohort this fall. Unlike a Ph.D. in Social Work, which focuses primarily on research, the DSW is a professional practice doctorate designed for experienced social work practitioners seeking advanced expertise in leadership and teaching. 

For Karen Magruder, DSW Director and Associate Professor of Practice, affordability was a key consideration from the earliest stages of planning. 

"These students are investing in themselves and their careers," Magruder said. "We wanted to do everything we could to reduce barriers and make the program as accessible as possible. This allows students to know exactly what their costs will be without worrying about additional textbook expenses." 

Because the program was developed from scratch, faculty members had a rare opportunity to build courses around open resources from the beginning rather than replacing traditional textbooks after courses were already established. That flexibility allowed instructors to select, adapt, and create materials that align closely with course objectives while remaining current, evidence-based, and reflective of diverse voices within the profession. 

The partnership officially began in February 2025 through an initiative known as Open Impact DSW. Since then, UTA Libraries has worked alongside faculty members as they designed courses, providing grant funding, guidance on copyright and licensing, assistance in locating and evaluating open resources, and support for creating new materials through publishing platforms such as Pressbooks. 

"The Libraries’ role is really about supporting the process," McClean said. "We help faculty identify existing resources, create new ones when needed, and publish those materials so they can be shared with students and, in many cases, with other institutions as well." 

Some courses will adopt existing open resources, while others will feature materials created specifically for the program. In both cases, the goal is to ensure students have immediate, free access to the resources they need from the first day of class. 

For faculty, the benefits extend beyond affordability. 

Open Educational Resources allow instructors to tailor materials to their teaching style and course design, creating a more cohesive learning experience. Rather than relying on a commercial textbook written for a broad audience, faculty can curate resources that directly support course objectives and reflect the realities of contemporary social work practice. 

Magruder has seen those benefits firsthand through previous OER projects at both the bachelor's and master's levels. 

"We consistently see students respond positively to OER," she said. "They appreciate the affordability, the ease of access, and the fact that the materials are often more current and directly connected to what they're learning in class." 

The initiative also aligns with a growing national movement recognizing the value of open education. Earlier this month, the Association of American Colleges and Universities identified Open Educational Resources as a high-impact educational practice, citing research demonstrating positive effects on student success and engagement. 

For UTA Libraries, the DSW partnership represents an exciting model for the future. 

For nearly a decade, the Libraries have helped faculty adopt and create affordable course materials on a course-by-course basis. Working with an entire academic program opens new possibilities for collaboration and student impact. 

"This is a test case for what is possible," McClean said. "We would love to see more colleges and programs think about affordability at the program level. When students can complete an entire degree without purchasing textbooks, that's a powerful statement about access and opportunity." 

As the inaugural DSW cohort prepares to begin classes, the partnership stands as an example of what can happen when academic departments and libraries work together with a shared vision. 

"I think it shows that UTA is walking the walk when it comes to access and student success," Magruder said. "We're creating a high-quality program that responds to student needs while making advanced education more affordable and accessible." 

For students pursuing the next step in their professional journey, that commitment begins before the first class even starts. 

It begins with opening the course materials and finding that all the resources they need are already there.