Admission Requirements: Master of Social Work

| M.S.W. Application Deadlines |
| M.S.W. Admission Requirements |
| International Applicants |
| M.S.W. Special Admission Categories |
| M.S.W. Admissions Review and Decisions | 

Application Deadline

Due to the sequential nature of graduate professional education in social work, full program students may begin their stduies only in the fall semester. applicants holiding a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) degree can be considered in the Fall or Spring.

Spring admissions: For Advanced Standing only, materials must be postmarked no later than November 1st. 

 

Admission Information Sessions For Prospective Applicants

Recognizing that many prospective applicants have questions about the M.S.W. program, its requirements, and curriculum, as well as about the social work profession, the GCSW offers a series of admissions information sessions during the year. Interested persons should telephone at 713.743.8075 for information about dates and times, or check our GCSW website.

Admissions Mailing Address

All correspondence and admissions materials should be sent to this address.

A nonrefundable $40.00 application fee, payable by check, or money order, must accompany your application. Any application received after March 31st is a late application; a non-refundable additional late fee of $50.00 will be charged.

 

Admission Requirements and Documentation

To be considered for admission to the M.S.W. Program, applicants must:

1. Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

   The undergraduate education must reflect a sound liberal arts foundation, including courses in the humanities, as well as in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences. You must submit official academic transcripts showing the date the degree was awarded.

2. Have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of academic course work. We will calculate your GPA based on your transcripts.

3. Submit a Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. You must have official test scores sent directly to the school. Test scores should not be more than five years old. The University of Houston's institutional code for GRE is 6870, and the social work code is 5001. For information about the GRE, call 1.866.473.4373 or go to the GRE website.

4. Submit three letters of recommendation from persons who can address your ability and potential for graduate education and professional social work practice (i.e., former professors, employment supervisors, professional colleagues). Applicants must use the form provided by the Office of Admissions.

5. Submit a personal narrative statement that describes your academic and employment histories, your interest in the social work profession, and your commitment to social and economic justice. Guidelines for the narrative statement.

Note: Proficiency in English. Any student, prior to admission or during their course of study, may be required to demonstrate English proficiency through submission of a satisfactory score on a test designated by the dean of the college. Students whose written or spoken English skills appear to be marginal (i.e., they may impede academic success and/or reflect communication problems as a social work practitioner) may be required to seek instruction outside the college.

 

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

Persons who hold a nonimmigrant type visa (F1 or J1) are classified as international applicants/students by the University of Houston. Because the application process is more time consuming for persons from other countries or persons whose degrees were earned abroad, international applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

International applicants must submit additional materials to the University of Houston. To find out about current requirements: call UH Office of International Admissions at 713.743.1010 or see their Web site at http://www.uh.edu/admissions/international/.

 

Special Admission Categories

Conditional Admission

An applicant whose grade point average is below 3.0 for the last 60 hours of academic work may be admitted conditionally. In addition to the requirements described previously, applicants for conditional admission must:

1. have at least a 2.6 grade point average for the last 60 hours (or 90 quarter hours) of academic work. This is a university requirement.

2. submit a written request for conditional admission review. Your request must include documentation (i.e., an official transcript) showing that you have met one of the following conditions for conditional admission:

   1.  

      1. completed six hours of graduate course work (outside the GCSW) and earned grades of B (3.0) or above; or

      2. have 2 years continuous paid employment in the same social service agency, working in a social work capacity, documented by a letter from a direct supervisor, and have completed 3 SCHs of graduate coursework (ouside of GCSW) and earned a grade of B or above.

Coursework taken to meet the above criteria for conditional admission may not be applied to the M.S.W. degree.

Notes: 1) Students holding visas (F1 or J1) are not eligible for conditional admission at the graduate level at this university. 2) Conditional admission may negatively affect your eligibility for financial aid. 3) According to UH policy, students admitted conditionally must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 on their first 12 semester credit hours of graduate work. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA will result in termination from the M.S.W. program.

 

Advanced Standing for B.S.W. Graduates

Applicants holding a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited undergraduate program may request review for Advanced Standing admission.

The Advanced Standing program allows B.S.W. students to waive the foundation course work at the GCSW, which is the equivalent of 15 semester credit hours of the 63 semester credit hour M.S.W. program. Students can attend on a full-time or part-time basis. Forty-eight credit hours are required to complete the program. Full-time students complete the program in four semesters, or 16 months .

Applicants for Advanced Standing admission must meet all regular admissions requirements described previously, plus:

1. At least one of your three references for your application must be from your faculty advisor or the chairperson of the Social Work Department where you completed your B.S.W. degree.

2. You must have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of academic course work AND a 3.0 for your social work major. We will calculate your GPA based on your transcripts.

Not everyone who applies for Advanced Standing will be admitted with the advanced status; the admissions committee may deny Advanced Standing but still approve admission to the regular program.

 

Social Work Transfer Students

Students who transfer to the GCSW from another CSWE accredited M.S.W. program must meet all regular admissions requirements, AND submit:

1. a Statement of Good Standing from the dean or director of your program

2. written evaluation of any previous field performance

3. syllabi for courses completed

A maximum of 30 semester credit hours, earned within five years of the student's enrollment at the GCSW, with grades of B or above, can be transferred for credit toward the M.S.W. degree at UH.

 

Admission Review and Decisions

Each application is reviewed by at least two GCSW faculty. Reviewers take into account the "whole applicant" and no single criterion automatically determines whether an applicant is or is not admitted into the program. Reviews are done on a rolling basis - i.e., applications are reviewed as they are completed rather than waiting for the application deadline to occur. Therefore, early application is encouraged since all openings may be filled prior to the application deadline. Admissions decisions are communicated by letter only; no decisions are given over the telephone.

Catalog Publish Date: January 14, 2013
This Page Last Updated: December 19, 2012