Master of Social Work (MSW) - Social Work

Application Process

Applicants must submit their application online through the Chicago State University - Graduate Application Portal.

Application Fee

The application fee is $30 and is non-refundable.

Application Deadline

Term	Deadline
Fall	July 15th
Spring	Not Offered
Summer	Not Offered

Note: We strongly encourage our applicants to apply early to guarantee timely processing of their admission for the applied term. Applying early also helps ensure you can register as soon as registration opens.

Admission Requirements

Graduate School Minimum Requirements:

To be eligible for admission to master’s programs, individuals must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

GPA Requirements:

Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale from the bachelor’s degree granting institution/university (OR) If the overall GPA is below 2.75, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) for the final 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate and/or graduate courses.
There is no GPA requirement for applicants with a master’s or a doctoral degree who are applying for another master’s program.

Note: Individual programs may have a higher GPA and several other requirements and prerequisites that must be satisfied for full admission.

Additional Program Requirements:

Regular Admission
- A graduate application, the MSW supplement, official transcripts, and the nonrefundable application fee must be received by the Graduate School by July 15th (fall admission only). Early submission of application is recommended. Applications received past May 15th may be considered for part-time enrollment only. All applicants for admission to the MSW program must:
  - Have a BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university.
  - Have a broad liberal arts background (represented by course work in arts and humanities, history, science, mathematics, political science, economics, etc.) with a minimum of 12 hours of behavioral science.
  - Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (calculated using the last two years of undergraduate study). A limited number of applicants may be conditionally admitted with a GPA of 2.75. This exception may be granted to students who have been out of school for five or more years and have outstanding work experience in human services.
  - Submit three letters of recommendation from educators and/or professionals who can describe potential for success in the field of social work.
  - Submit a personal essay and participate in a departmental interview as requested.
  - In addition to the above, the following may apply:
  - A course to enhance writing skills may be required as a condition of admission.
  - Due to limited class size, we are unable to accept all qualified applicants.
Admission to Advance Standing
- Graduates who have completed a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program within the four-year period preceding their intended enrollment may apply for the advanced standing program.
- Only social work courses with grades of B or better may be used for waivers or credit.
- Advanced standing students who have not more than one social work course with the grade of “C” must retake that particular course or an equivalent course.
- Advanced standing students may complete the MSW program in one calendar year on a full-time basis or two calendar years on a part-time basis.
- Advanced standing applicants will be invited for a personal interview to evaluate their plan of study.
- To qualify for advanced standing students must:
- *have earned a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.
- *have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in social work courses

Required Documents

Domestic Applicants	International Applicants
Resume	Resume
Upload Personal Essay (in the online application portal). [2-3 Page Typed Essay].	Upload Personal Essay (in the online application portal).[2-3 Page Typed Essay].
Provide three letters of recommendations from educators and/or professionals who can describe potential for success in the field of social work. Note: Applicants are required to request recommendation letters by entering your recommender’s First Name, Last Name, and Email Address in the online application portal. An email will be sent to your recommender with a link to complete the recommendation. Please reach out to your recommender to ensure they submit the letter through the link they receive. Applicants cannot upload recommendation letters directly.	Provide two letters of recommendations from educators and/or professionals who can describe potential for success in the field of social work. Note: Applicants are required to request recommendation letters by entering your recommender’s First Name, Last Name, and Email Address in the online application portal. An email will be sent to your recommender with a link to complete the recommendation. Please reach out to your recommender to ensure they submit the letter through the link they receive. Applicants cannot upload recommendation letters directly.
Official Transcripts from all higher education institutions/colleges/universities attended. [Undergraduate & Graduate] The official transcript must be either sent directly from each university (through Parchment or Student Clearing House or must be placed in a sealed envelope and signed by the university registrar and be sent to(Office of Graduate & Professional Studies 9501 S. King Dr., ADM 129,Chicago, IL 60628). An official transcript is not required for Chicago State University earned credits Domestic applicants who have attended/earned credits from outside the USA. A course-by-course evaluation of all foreign educational credentials (transcripts) is required and must be reported directly to the university(Office of Graduate & Professional Studies 9501 S. King Dr., ADM 129,Chicago, IL 60628) by any of the following and/or professional evaluation service agencies. Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE). World Educational Service (WES). Educational Perspective (EP). Scholaro.	Foreign Credentials Scholaro GPA and Degree Report Applicants are required to submit a Scholaro's GPA and Degree report through the dedicated custom link for Chicago State University here.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Proof of English Proficiency (Submit one of the following) TOEFL Official score Report, Minimum total score of 69 is required. IELTS Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 6.0 is required. TOEFL Essential Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 8 is required. Duolingo Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 95 is required. Pearson Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 51 is required. English Proficiency Waiver Application: Request for waiver of English language. Download: Waiver Form.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Bank Statement Account summary (or) Letter from the 'Bank' showing the availability of funds is sufficient. We do not need detailed transactions.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Important Note: For International Applicants Within 45 days of first semester enrollment to the classes, applicants must submit a General Credential Evaluation of all foreign educational credentials (transcripts) directly to Chicago State University by any one of the following professional evaluation service agencies: Scholaro. Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE). World Educational Service (WES). Educational Perspective (EP). Note: Not adhering to this requirement may lead to a registration hold for subsequent terms and could potentially result in the cancellation of your university admission.

Contact Information & Hours of Operation

Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (773) 995-2404 or by email: grad-admissions@csu.edu if you have any questions
Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM CST.
Office Address:

Office of Graduate & Professional Studies,

9501 S. King Dr., ADM 129

Chicago, IL 60628