Admissions Criteria

The Collaborative MSW Program is seeking applicants who are interested in developing and strengthening their social work skills by completing their MSW degree.  The Program is particularly interested in applicants who want to develop expertise in the areas of direct practice or in administration/management in human service settings.  The Program seeks applicants who have a commitment to serving those who are vulnerable, who face multiple challenges in their lives, and who may be seeking services in public agency settings.  Applicants should be comfortable with developing their expertise in working from a family focused perspective, with developing skills to work in both rural and metropolitan areas, and in working with clients from diverse cultures and circumstances.

To be admitted into the Collaborative MSW Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Had a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75, with 3.0 in the last two years of study;
2. Have an academic background in the liberal arts and have completed a minimum of 18 credits in social sciences among courses in at least three of the following disciplines: psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science (BSW students meet the criterion);
3. Demonstrate readiness for the MSW program and provide evidence of interest in and ability to work with social work clientele and in social work settings via:
1. Submission of a written statement (see MSW application materials for details);
2. Three completed electronic reference questionnaires (including one academic reference);
3. Demonstration of relevant professional work/volunteer experiences, which documents the breadth and depth of professional and/or volunteer experience (usually includes post-baccalaureate experience);
4. Preference for admissions may be given to students who indicate an interest in working in child welfare. 
4. Have completed course work in: human biology, statistics, research methods, and life span development or submit plans for completing this work prior to taking the Advanced Curriculum in the Program. Those with a BSW from an accredited program are considered to have met this criteria;
5. For Advanced standing, applicants are required to have graduated from an accredited baccalaureate social work program within the last eight  years or have successfully completed the Foundation Curriculum.
6. Applicants who completed their degrees at foreign universities may be required to complete the TOEFL.  For applicants who are Registered Aliens of the United States who have lived in the United States for more than one year or who have completed academic work in English, the TOEFL is not required.  Registered Aliens who do not meet these criteria will enter the program on probation and give evidence of their English proficiency through satisfactory performance in their first-semester course work.