MSW Frequently Asked Questions

We typically begin sending decision letters in late March or early April.  The notification process will take several weeks and some applicants may not hear back until later in the spring.  Applicants are notified via email when a decision is reached on their application.

The title "Social Worker" is protected under Oregon Rules and Statutes. In order to represent yourself as a "Social Worker," you must be licensed, certified or registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers. Visit the Board's Website for detailed information. If you are planning on gaining licensure in another state, please review that state's rules and statutes.  All graduates of the MSW program are eligible to apply, regardless of their advanced concentration.

We recognize that many students need to work part time while attending the program. If you will be working while attending the program it is important to have flexible work hours to accommodate class and practicum schedules.

Maybe.  While we do not have an international practicum program, we will explore options with any admitted student. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to identify a practicum outside of the United States that meets CSWE standards and can provide a student with the required practice and supervision opportunities.  

Applicants can only submit one application.  However, the application does ask if candidates would like to be considered for other options.

No, the MSW Program does not accept applications which were submitted after the due date.  However, the MSW program does reserve the right to re-open the application or extend the application due date.  Application packets must be completed before an applicant will be considered for admission. Applications without all recommendations will be considered incomplete.

You must have a baccalaureate degree with a liberal arts perspective from an accredited college or university, or its international equivalent to be considered for admission to the MSW program. Applicants must demonstrate attainment of a liberal arts perspective by having successfully completed course work from each of the following three curricular areas:

1) Social and Behavioral Sciences,
2) Natural Sciences, and
3) Humanities and Fine Performing Arts. 

GRE scores are not required for admission to the MSW Program. However, applicants applying to the combined MSW/MPH options will need to check with the School of Public Health to see if GRE scores are required for the MPH application.  

The program does not have a minimum GPA requirement.  Students are provisionally admitted to the School of Social Work pending the University's decision to admit an applicant. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 can be admitted to PSU as a regular degree student. Students are admitted conditionally if the undergraduate GPA is between 2.50 – 2.74. When admitted conditionally, a student has nine graded hours to achieve a GPA of 3.0.

On occasion, the School of Social Work can petition the University to admit an individual whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.50.  

Applicants who attended institutions using non-graded transcripts do not complete the GPA sheet. The full narrative transcript should be submitted with your application. We will evaluate your academic performance based on instructor reviews.

Background checks are now required by most agencies that serve as practicum sites for social work students. A student who wishes to be placed in an agency that requires a background check or other screenings or trainings will need to complete those as a condition of being placed. Some agencies prefer that students use the agency’s vendor and procedures while other agencies expect students to use the School’s procedure.

Additionally, students living in Oregon and interning in settings including, but not limited to, ambulatory care settings, clinics, hospitals, hospice, residential care facilities, long term or skilled nursing facilities are required by law (OAR 409-030-0100 to 409-030-0250) to comply with, and provide documentation of to the School, specific immunizations, screenings and trainings. This includes passing a 10-panel drug screen which screens for marijuana/cannabinoids; CBD products may contain cannabinoids which can impact a drug screen. Federal regulations do NOT recognize legalized or medical marijuana in any state. Failure to pass a drug screen due to a positive screen for marijuana/cannabinoids will result in disqualification for certain internships.

Please note that certain types and calendar dates of criminal convictions may result in some agencies declining to offer a practicum. In some instances it may not be possible for the practicum team to find a placement willing to interview or accept a student. These policies and procedures are detailed in the Practicum Handbook. Please note: It is essential that you notify your practicum coordinator of any charge, or conviction, as it may impact the practicum team’s ability to connect you to a practicum opportunity. See more info on criminal records disclosure.

As a PSU student, you have access to legal support from Student Legal Services. We recommend that you contact them with questions about things like charges vs. convictions, expungement, and other issues.

If you do not have an academic reference, ask one of your references to include information on those skills you often use in work settings such as organization, report writing, speaking, training, research, etc.

First-year Portland Option students attend classes on campus Mondays, Tuesday evenings and Wednesdays. Classes generally meet once weekly and most are scheduled in three-hour time periods. Multiple sections of most required courses are distributed in these time periods, and it is possible for the student to build a course schedule to accommodate part-time work and other responsibilities. We encourage students to plan to be on campus more than one day a week. We cannot guarantee that a student can schedule all classes in one day.

Online Option students will be expected to periodically participate in online face-to-face meetings with other students and faculty via video conferencing.  Students will be expected to participate in 2-day synchronous intensives, held virtually, at the beginning of each year (late September).  These intensives will allow for community building between students and faculty and allow for some instructional time and assessment of student learning.  

Please visit the Central Oregon and Eugene Option web pages to determine class times and dates for each of these sites.

In the past, we have had more qualified applicants than we were able to accept. Generally, we admit one out of every two (1:2) students who apply.

Qualifying graduate applicants may submit a request for a fee waiver.  To see if you qualify and for instructions on how to submit a request, please see the Application Fee Waiver page. 

Once an application is received it becomes property of the University and may not be returned to the applicant. Additionally, we do not provide copies of the application materials to the applicant. Applicants are encouraged to make copies of their application (with the exception of the confidential letters of reference) for record keeping prior to submission.

No, we do not give credit for prior life or work experience.