Admission Standards
Any student interested in applying to the BSW program must first apply for admission to Illinois State University. In addition to acceptance to the University, students apply for admission to the School of Social Work's Baccalaureate Program.
The School of Social Work offers a series of information and orientation sessions on the Illinois State campus to address questions about program and admissions requirements, the admissions process and field education.
School of Social Work Requirements
Admission to the BSW Program is selective and based on academic background, potential, motivation for the social work profession, and social/human service experience. Academic credit toward the baccalaureate social work degree is not given for previous employment or life experience.
The Undergraduate Catalog lists the most current criteria for admission to the Social Work Major.
To be admitted to the Baccalaureate Social Work Program a student must have:
- Completed 30 semester hours of undergraduate coursework.
- Completed General Education Requirements
- Earned a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4-point scale.
- Transfer students from two-year colleges must have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
- Earned a grade of "C" or better in all required social work courses.
- Successfully completed a minimum of 25 pre-approved clock hours of volunteer or paid work experience (post high school graduation) in a social agency within the last two years. This requirement can be met through a broad range of experiences with populations or individuals experiencing a social problem. The School of Social Work provides a selected list of student volunteer opportunities.
- Demonstrated through the personal statement and references that they are suitable for the profession. Assessment of suitability is also based on professional standards of practice as specified in the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (PDF).
- Demonstrated adequate writing skills through the Professional Writing Skills Review Assessment.
If you have any questions after reviewing the information included on the Web, contact the Director of Recruitment and Admissions.
For more information
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