The School of Social Work seeks to admit students who are committed to social justice and have the potential to make a difference in their communities. We look for well-qualified applicants whose career goals are consistent with the School’s mission and offerings and who will increase the diversity of our student body and the profession.
Each fall, approximately 150 students are admitted to the MSW Portland Campus Option, 30 students to each Distance Option cohort that is recruiting, and 40 students to the Online Option.
The MSW application has several components. Each is an important factor in our decision making process.
Academics
In reviewing an applicant’s academic performance, we utilize the applicant’s upper-division GPA . For most applicants, the upper-division coursework reflects a stronger academic performance than the overall GPA. Applicants must demonstrate attainment of a liberal arts perspective by having successfully completed course work from each of the following three curricular areas:
- Social and Behavioral Sciences,
- Natural Sciences, and
- Humanities and Fine Performing Arts.
Experience
Successful applicants will have experience related to social work. Usually applicants have paid, volunteer, or internship experience in human service settings such as schools, medical facilities, homeless shelters, inpatient and outpatient mental health and correctional settings, child welfare, and aging services. We hope that applicants have the equivalent of at least six months (1000 hours) of experience at the time of submitting an application.
Commitment
Applicants should show potential to be creative professionals who can blend social work values with knowledge and skills to solve complex and persistent social problems. In the statement of purpose, applicants will be asked to discuss their values, the population or service area of interest to them, and the strengths they bring to their future work as a social worker.