Admissions Information

Advanced Standing Admission

Students who have graduated within the past eight years from a CSWE-accredited Baccalaureate in Social Work Program (BSW) are eligible to apply for admission to the MSW Advanced Standing Program. Completion of a BSW is not a guarantee of Advanced-Standing status. Applications are carefully reviewed to determine that they are prepared for rigorous graduate study and advanced professional practice.

• A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 overall, and a 3.0 in social work courses.

Criteria for Admission for both 39 Credit Advanced Standing and 60 Credit Programs

• Completion of a baccalaureate or BSW degree at an accredited institution with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. Those with a lower cumulative GPA may apply but GPA factors heavily in admission decisions.

• An academic record that reflects a strong liberal arts perspective. Applicants must have a minimum 60 credits in the Liberal Arts.  Please note that certain courses are required.  Prerequisite course work will be considered with a grade of “C-” or higher. You must provide all the requested information which will be verified in your transcripts.

24 credits of the 60 required Liberal Arts credits must include the courses and distribution below:  

• One 3 credit Statistics course
• One 3 credit Human Biology, Anatomy or Physiology course (NO lab required)
• One 3 credit Intro to Psychology course (CLEP Exam Excepted with score of 50 or higher)
• One 3 credit Intro to Sociology course (CLEP Exam Excepted with score of 50 or higher)
• One 3 credit Humanities course
• A distribution of 9 additional credits from the social/behavioral sciences, mathematical and physical sciences, and humanities as described below:

Please note: The above pre-requisites do not have to be completed to apply to the GRC MSW Program. If accepted, pre-requisites will need to be completed upon matriculation or in conjunction with MSW courses

The social/behavioral sciences include anthropology, economics, political science, geography, women’s studies, ethnographic studies, archeology, or interdisciplinary social science (but not additional sociology or psychology courses).

The humanities include philosophy, religion, English or foreign literature, history (in any subject area), fine arts (non-skills course), and interdisciplinary humanities courses.

The mathematical and physical sciences include biology (not the same course work submitted for the human biology prerequisite),  physics, geology, earth science, chemistry, mathematics (algebra or higher, not the same course work submitted for Statistics), or computer science (not word processing or graphic design).  

The GRCMSW Program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.