Lawsuit alleges Kentucky State misled students about social work accreditation.
A Kentucky State University (KSU) student has filed a lawsuit accusing the school of misleading students about an online Master of Social Work program and its ability to prepare graduates for professional social work licenses. The lawsuit, filed August 11, claims the university promoted the program as a route toward state social work credentials even though the program did not have accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. The lawsuit was filed by Emmanuel Smith, a student in the program, and seeks class action status on behalf of other students who enrolled during the 2025-26 school year. According to court documents, about 50 students entered the online program after it began in fall 2025.
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) plays an important role in social work education because its accreditation is tied to professional education standards and can affect whether graduates qualify for certain licensing paths. According to the lawsuit, KSU had neither accreditation nor candidacy for accreditation when the program was being promoted to students. Lawyers for Smith say the school described the program as a pathway for students seeking professional credentials, yet school officials knew, or should have known, that the program could not provide that pathway without first obtaining the needed accreditation.
Concerns about the program became public after Kentucky State University sent letters to students in May. A May 13 letter reportedly said the university was seeking accreditation for the program. A second letter, sent May 19, warned students that the program might not meet licensing requirements. The university also suspended summer 2026 courses and encouraged students to consider transferring to another school. The change left students facing questions about the time and money already invested in their education.
James Morris, an attorney with Morris & Morris, said students were led to believe they were entering a professional program that could provide a route toward social work careers. The legal team representing Smith argues that students should not have been left to discover later that the program lacked the accreditation needed for that pathway. The lawsuit is asking for financial relief for affected students. Requested damages include tuition and fee relief, losses connected to transferring to other schools, and recovery of educational benefits that may no longer be usable. The lawsuit also seeks other forms of relief for students affected by the program.
The case comes as Kentucky State University faces several other legal challenges and major changes to its academic structure. A state law passed in April declared a five-year period of financial exigency for the university and called for KSU to transition toward becoming a polytechnic school. The law also calls for much of the university’s liberal arts programming to move online and limits the number of in-person academic areas beginning with the 2026-27 school year.
Students and alumni filed separate lawsuits in May challenging those changes. One lawsuit claims the restructuring violates civil rights protections and unfairly targets Kentucky State University. Another lawsuit argues that the new state law is unconstitutional. The new case involving the social work program adds another legal dispute involving the university and its students and will determine whether the university improperly represented the program’s accreditation status and whether students suffered losses as a result.
Sources:
Lawsuit claims KSU falsely advertised unaccredited social work program
Complaint alleges KSU misrepresented social work licensure pathway in program