Master of Social Work

How the program works

Classes meet twice each month on Sundays and incorporate an online component for completing the coursework. Students may enter the program with or without a social-work background. Full-time and part-time enrollment is available.

• Advanced placement:  With a bachelor's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited institution within the past ten years, qualifying students can typically complete the master’s program in 12 months (three semesters) on a full-time basis.
• Foundation placement:  With a bachelor’s degree in another discipline (or from a non-accredited BSW program), full-time students typically can complete the program in six semesters.

Eligibility

• Bachelor's degree:  A bachelor’s degree from an accredited program, with coursework indicating a strong liberal-arts background. (Advanced placement requires a bachelor of social work degree obtained in the last ten years from a CSWE-accredited program.)
• GPA requirement: Possess a preferred GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in social work courses. (Advanced placement requires that undergraduate transcripts indicate no more than one grade of C (none below C) in a core social work class.)

Admission process

1. Graduate application:  Submit a graduate application (with non-refundable fee of $40). Apply now
2. Transcripts:  Submit official college and university transcripts. Many institutions subscribe to the convenient transcript-request service at National Student Clearinghouse, or you may also contact your institution directly. Have your transcripts sent to Melodie Lopez in the Graduate Studies office (malopez@southern.edu). If you earned your prerequisite degree at Southern, you do not need to complete this step.
3. Recommendations:  Submit two recommendation forms from a college professor, work supervisor, or social-work field instructor. This may be done as part of the online application process, or Download form
4. Personal statement:  Submit a personal statement describing your motivation for graduate school in social work. Email to grad@southern.edu. Download guidelines
5. Resumé:  Submit your current resumé to grad@southern.edu.

Application deadlines

Term	U.S. Residents	International
Fall	July 1	May 1
Winter	November 1	September 1

International students

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered international students and must meet additional requirements for admission.

• View international-student admission requirements »

  1. Applicants from non-English institutions must submit certified English translations and evaluations of official university records, including demonstration of the equivalency of a bachelor's degree.
     Transcript evaluations must be submitted directly to Southern from one of the following agencies:
  • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.: ece.org »
  • Foreign Credits: foreigncredits.com »
  • World Education Services: wes.org »
    
    
  2. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate English proficiency.
     Unless an applicant is a native English speaker or received the college/university degree from an English-medium institution, s/he must have a minimum TOEFL score of 100. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Learn more at ets.org/toefl »
     
     
  3. Submit Declaration of Finances.
     International students must have financial resources sufficient to support themselves for the calendar year, in addition to an international-student deposit of $3,000 (USD). Download Form

  • • To be issued an I-20 Form, students must also provide a letter from financial sponsors (including their name and address), as well as copies of bank statements for the last three months showing the balance history for the student's account or the financial sponsor's account.

International students who will be coming to Southern's campus need some additional information about travel documents and living on campus.

• View more information for international applicants

  • Form I-20:  After all qualifying documentation is received, Southern Adventist University issues a letter of acceptance and the Form I-20. The letter and form must be presented to the U.S. consular officer when applying for a student visa. Only students approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for attendance at Southern may enroll.
  • On campus:  International students are encouraged to arrive on campus two weeks prior to the beginning of classes. They should contact the international student adviser as soon as they arrive. Graduate Studies must be notified if there is any change in the arrival date after admission has been granted. Individuals with student visas are required to be enrolled in a full course study (a minimum of nine graduate credit hours) during the school year.
  • Employment:  International students with an F-1 Student Visa may work on campus, provided that employment is available and provided that the student is enrolled in a full course of study and is making progress to the completion of a degree. On-campus employment is limited to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and 40 hours per week during university vacation days.
  • When you are ready to travel: International students should not leave their homeland until they have in their possession:
    1. An admission letter of acceptance from Southern Adventist University
    2. Form I-20 issued by Southern Adventist University
    3. A valid passport
    4. A valid F-1 Student Visa to travel to the United States
    5. Sufficient funds for the first year at Southern Adventist University

 

Graduate assistantship

If you are interested in a graduate assistantship, please contact the graduate counselor for more information.

• Graduate Assistant  Download PDF

MSW Accreditation Assessment

The Master of Social Work program utilizes multiple measures to assess student competency in advanced generalist social work practice.

View the outcome data for the 2016 MSW graduates » 

Faculty