Program Eligibility

Overview

University Eligibility

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • A grade point average of 2.5 or better in the last 60 units is required
  • Good standing at the last college or university attended
  • Completed online University application for admission
  • Paid application fee
  • Official copies of transcripts for all previous college work
    • Stan State Alumni, who have not attended elsewhere since graduation, do not need to submit new transcripts

Send official transcripts to:
Stanislaus State
Mary Stuart Rogers Building, Room 380
One University Circle
Turlock, California 95382

MSW Application Requirements

  • Complete University Graduate School requirements and online Grad School Application
  • GPA of 2.5 required; 3.0 in the last 60 units preferred
  • Liberal arts background demonstrated by having met the CSU undergraduate general education requirements or a comparable course of study
  • Academic background including instruction in the behavioral and biological sciences related to the human condition
  • Autobiographical statement (see below for details)
  • Criminal Records Statement (required later in the admissions process if selected for admission or waitlist position)
  • Voluntary and/or paid experience in human services
  • Resume or vitae
  • Three academic and/or professional references from individuals who can address qualifications for study in social work, scholastic readiness, and academic proficiency. Collateral contacts (e.g., multi-disciplinary team members or credentialed community partners) and those who have evaluated your job performance (i.e., manager supervisor, executive director, etc.) constitute professional references.
  • It is recommended that applicants be computer literate and have reliable internet access

Autobiographical Statement

This autobiographical statement should reflect your experience in light of the MSW Program mission statement, should be typewritten (1200-1500 words), and should enable the Admissions Committee to know something of you as a person, your writing ability, your understanding of social work, and your own life experiences.

Please address each of the following in your autobiographical statement:

  1. Describe what you imagine yourself doing with an MSW degree
  2. Explain your development of interest in becoming a social worker. If this is a change in occupation, indicate the reasons for the change.
  3. Describe your background and life experiences that were of value in preparing you for entry into professional social work
  4. Describe any paid and/or volunteer social work experiences
  5. Explain how you have prepared yourself for the rigors of this graduate program
  6. Explain your ideas related to social justice
  7. Explain what you have learned in your experiences with diverse populations
  8. Having read the MSW Program’s Mission Statement (top of page), describe how your education and professional goals fit with the MSW Program’s Mission Statement
  9. Explain your interest in an accelerated Hybrid program
  10. Please describe any online or hybrid courses you have taken. Please include  information about the technology you have used in participating online or in submitting assignments. Also include a brief discussion of the strengths and areas of challenge you experienced in these online courses.
  11. If you have not taken an online course, please include a brief description of how you have prepared yourself for participating in an online program. Please include information about any special courses you have taken to familiarize yourself with online education and the technologies used in online education. Also include a brief discussion of the strengths and challenges you anticipate experiencing in an online/hybrid program format.

It is recommended that applicants complete a course in statistics and be computer literate.

It must be emphasized that meeting the above academic requirements alone does not guarantee admission to the MSW Hybrid program. Applicants are accepted or denied on the basis of their academic preparation, breadth of background and experience, and evidence of promise in the field of social work. In addition to being academically qualified, applicants should be emotionally mature, interested in working with people from diverse backgrounds, and capable of assuming the heavy responsibilities which are inherent in professional social work practice. 

*Applicants may only apply to either the Turlock campus based program OR the hybrid program in Stockton. You cannot apply to both*

The MSW Program Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant on the basis of all submitted materials and information.  Because admission into the MSW Hybrid Program is competitive and enrollment space is limited, qualified applicants may not be offered a letter of admission but can opt to be placed on a waiting list.