Master of Social Work Program Admission
Students who want to enroll in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program must complete a two-step application process.
If you were previously enrolled in graduate courses at WSU, you may be able to use the re-enrollment process to continue your degree program.
Plan ahead for MSW program costs by viewing the official graduate tuition and fees breakdown. The Advanced Standing pathway costs approximately $32,000, whereas the Regular Standing pathway costs approximately $46,000.
Application Requirements
MSW applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree by the time they begin this program.
All applicants should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their undergraduate education. If you are applying for “Advanced Standing” status, you must:
- have a Bachelor’s degree with a Social Work major from a CSWE-accredited program in 2013 or later
- have at least a 3.4 GPA from social work courses
Applicants with a lower GPA or who earned their degree prior to 2013 may be admitted on a provisional basis.
Advanced standing admission is for students with an undergraduate social work degree from a CSWE accredited program.
Advanced standing students can complete the 42 credits and 600 hours of field practicum in as little as 1 year.
Regular standing admission is for students with a non-social work undergraduate degree. Regular standing students can complete the 60 credits and 1,000 hours of field practicum in as little as 2 years.
Regular and advanced standing students can also choose to complete the program at a more modest pace.
Required Courses for Regular Standing
Admission to the program with regular standing requires competed coursework in several liberal arts areas. The following courses are generally accepted, and you may petition for other courses to be accepted.
| Content Areas | Quantity | Accepted Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Sociocultural Determinants | 2 courses minimum |
|
| Psychological Determinants | 2 courses minimum |
|
| Biological Determinants | 1 course minimum |
|
| Human & Social Diversity | 1 course minimum |
|
Apply to the MSW Program
Applications for the MSW program opened on Oct. 1. It is a two-step process to apply to the program.
Students must complete an application to WSU’s School of Graduate Studies and an application to the Master of Social Work program. These applications can be completed simultaneously, but both applications must be completed to apply to the program.
The Advanced Standing Program begins in May and the Regular Standing Program begins in August.
Application Deadlines
Submit your application as soon as possible since cohort spaces fill quickly.
Any application completed by Jan. 15, 2025, will be considered for admission. After that, applications only will be accepted and reviewed if space remains available.
Admission Decision Process
Admission to the WSU School of Graduate Studies does not guarantee admission to the MSW program.
Department faculty will review your application and make an admission decision within 30 days of your application completion.
We will contact you via email with a decision of acceptance, pending, or rejection.
Contact the Department of Graduate Social Work
WSU-Rochester on Broadway
507.535.2584