Fall 2013 MSW Program Application
The Division of Social Work offers a two-year and a three-year weekend intensive professional program leading to a Master of Social Work. Applications will be accepted after October 1, 2012 and the deadline is January 18, 2013.
Please keep in mind that the application process is highly competitive so you may wish to focus on more than just the minimum requirements. For example, an applicant with two years of work experience and a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) would be seen as a stronger applicant than one with one year volunteer experience and a 3.25 GPA.
Please note that ALL application materials must be received by the application deadline in order to be reviewed. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
To be considered for admission to the Master of Social Work program, applicants must have a 2.8 gpa in the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of coursework and:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree with a liberal arts foundation (equivalent to CSU general education) from an accredited college or university (University of California and Sacramento State University graduates meet this requirement), or expect to be awarded prior to beginning graduate study;
- Have passed an approved course with human biology content with a grade of "C" or better. Course content should include: Introduction to the major concepts of biology and their application to humans, reproduction and heredity, energy, and metabolism, ecology, evolution, and the levels of biological organization using the human as an example. Must be completed no later than August 23, 2013;
- Have passed an approved course in statistics with a grade of ''C'' or better. Course content should include: descriptive and inferential statistics, sampling, probability distribution, introduction to research methods, relationship of statistics to research methods. Must be completed no later than August 23, 2013;
APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AT SACRAMENTO STATE ENTAILS A TWO PART PROCESS:
(1) Complete the CSU Mentor Application. When you are completing the University application for any Graduate School program at CSUS, please fill out the CSUS GRADUATE SCHOOL application through www.CSUMentor.edu program. In the www.CSUMentor.edu program, you will encounter the Statement of Purpose section; please complete this section by stating that you will submit this Statement of Purpose on the MSW Program application. Sacramento State operates under a completion deadline process. Your file must be complete upon submission and by the closing date – all transcripts and documents must be received by both the Office of Graduate Studies and any supplemental documents to the Division of Social Work in Mariposa Hall, Room 4010 by the close of business on January 18, 2013 (5 pm).
(2) Complete the Fall 2013 Supplemental Division of Social Work MSW Program Application which is due on or before January 18, 2013. Title IV-E Weekend Intensive Program applicants need to contact Royce Gonzales at (916) 278-5057 to obtain this application. Please review the MSW Program Information for admissions criteria and eligibility requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I apply to begin the program spring semester 2013? A. The curriculum is structured to begin in the fall and end in the spring. We, therefore only admit graduate students once a year in the fall.
Q. How do I know if I’ve met the Human Biology and Statistics prerequisites? A. If you have taken (or plan to take) a course that you think might satisfy the requirement for biology and statistics please Email the Social Work Administrative Assistant for Admissions and catalog course description. You will be notified of a decision via email.
Q. Do I have to have a degree in Social Work in order to apply to the program? A. No. As long as you hold a Bachelor’s Degree that is grounded in Liberal Arts from an accredited college or university.
Q. Can I work full time and attend this program? A. The program requires a field placement of 16 hours a week in the first year and 24 hours a week in the second year in addition to coursework. It is almost impossible to meet the rigorous standards of this program if you work full time. The 3 year program provides some relief in the first year, but the same field requirements exist for the second and third years of the program. We encourage students to make realistic plans for financial support during their time in the program.
Q. What is the Weekend Intensive Program? A. Every three years we offer a three year weekend intensive program in which all courses are delivered on the weekends. Applicants are admitted as a cohort to this program and take all classes together throughout the three years. The next cohort will available in 2015.
Q. How is this different from the Three Year Program described above? A. We admit a limited number of students each year into our Three Year Program. These students complete the program in three years. Students can take any courses that work for their schedules, but we do not offer special sections on the weekends as we do with the Three-Year Weekend Intensive Program.
Q. Can I use my job as a field placement? A. Yes, if approved by the field director. We have a job conversion alternative that allows students to use their paid employment for field placement under certain conditions. Check the field education link more information about the field program requirements.
Q. How are courses scheduled? A. Our courses are offered for 2 hours 50 minutes and meet once per week. The exception is weekend courses that meet five 8 hour days—either Saturday or Sunday, throughout the semester. Students enrolling in weekend courses must be available for every class session. Weekend class dates are in the schedule an on our website. Graduate courses generally begin after 12 noon Monday through Wednesday and 9 am on Friday. We also offer at least one section of every required course in the evenings from 6:30-9:20 pm. You may view the current class schedule for more detailed information.
Q. What are considered cultural diversity courses? A. Click here for for a list of Cultural diversity courses.
Q. Can you provide a list of courses that are considered for the liberal arts foundation (General Education) elgibility requirement? A. Click here for a list of Sacramento State University liberal arts foundation (General Education) courses. You automatically meet this requirement if your degree is from a UC or CSU campus.
Q. How can I increase my GPA? A. The only way to increase your GPA for consideration into the MSW program is by taking courses in social work related areas (such as human behavior, health and human services, gerontology, anthropology, sociology, or psychology) at the community college or any four-year university. Seek advising from a counselor to determine how many courses you need to take.
Q. How much is tuition per semester? A. Current fees may be found by clicking here: Tuition fees. The full time MSW Program is four semesters. The three year and weekend intensive programs are six semesters.
Thank you for your interest in the CSUS Division of Social Work.
