Admissions

Applying to Illinois State

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today!

Prepare to major in Social Work

Plan Your High School Courses

The Social Work major builds on foundation skills in math, writing, science, social sciences, history and reasoning. The more classes you can take in high school that will help you improve these skills, the better.

Being fluent in a foreign language is also beneficial. As social work becomes more multicultural, the field will need people who can speak and understand different languages.

Additional Requirements

Entry into the social work program and profession is also based on legal requirements. The Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act and the  National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics outline the laws around getting your license and practicing in the field.

Applying to Illinois State

Fall admission only.

Admission is on a rolling basis.

Applying by our priority deadline is encouraged for best consideration for your academic program and for scholarships. Start your application today!

Program Requirements

To be accepted into the Bachelor of Social Work program, you must meet the School’s requirements.

Grade and Course Requirements

• Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA
• At least 45 credit hours completed prior to enrollment
• Grade of C or better in Introduction to Social Work (SWK 170), grade of D or better in Introduction to Psychology (PSY 110 or 111) and grade of D or better in Introduction to Sociology (SOC 106)

Exemptions from the grade point requirement may be made for students who demonstrate potential for academic success in Social Work. Exceptions are granted upon the recommendations of the Social Work Admission Committee and the director or designee of the Social Work program.

Personal Essay

Length: 1-3 pages, double-spaced

The application will ask you to submit an essay. The admissions committee will use your essay to understand your interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work.

You can use examples from your life, employment, or volunteer experience to illustrate your views and statements. Your essay will be evaluated by the content as well as the quality of your responses.

Essay Topics and Questions:

• Describe how social work is a good fit for you.

• Discuss how your life experiences have shaped your beliefs about social justice. Share your experience working in service of others. Life experiences may be related to personal, interpersonal, volunteer, work, educational, familial, etc. experiences.

• As a social worker, you will likely have clients whose personal backgrounds and life experiences are different from yours. Describe how you will hold yourself accountable for serving people from different backgrounds and beliefs with sensitivity and compassion?

Additional Requirements

Entry into the social work program and profession is also based on legal requirements. The Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act and the  National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics outline the laws around getting your license and practicing in the field.

Minimum GPA

2.50

Middle 50% GPA

2.82 - 3.63

Required Courses

Earn a grade C or better in:

• Introduction to Social Work (SWK 170)

Earn a grade D or better in:

• Introduction to Psychology (PSY 110 or 111)
• Introduction to Sociology (SOC 106)

Recommended Courses

To find the course equivalencies at an Illinois community college, please review our  Course Articulation Guides .

Earn a grade D or better in the following courses.

• Statistics (ECO 138, PSY 138, or SOC 275)
• Abnormal Psychology (PSY 350 or another approved Abnormal Psychology course)

Completing recommended courses ensures you progress through the program in a timely manner.

If you are admitted but do not have these courses, your degree completion may be extended by a semester or more.

Additional Information

Fall admission only. Completing recommended courses ensures you progress through the program in a timely manner. If you are admitted but do not have these courses, your degree completion may be extended by a semester or more.

Academic Advising

Middle 50% GPA

2.82 - 3.63

Application Period

September 1 - November 15, Fall Admission Only

Application Information

Current students can use the Apply to Your Program tool on My.IllinoisState.edu.

Major Requirements

Grade and Course Requirements

To be accepted, students must have satisfied the following requirements:

At least 30 hours of credit with a minimum 2.50 overall GPA

• Grade of C or better in all required SWK courses
• 12 hours required in an introductory social work course and liberal arts courses: SWK 170; PSY 110, PSY 350; SOC 106.
• General Education courses must be completed prior to admission to the BSW program. Academic credit for life experience and/or previous work experience is not given, in whole or in part, in lieu of any Social Work course.

Exceptions are granted upon the recommendations of the Social Work Admission Committee and the Director or designee of the Social Work program

Personal Essay

Length: 1-3 pages, double-spaced

The application will ask you to submit an essay. The admissions committee will use your essay to understand your interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work.

You can use examples from your life, employment, or volunteer experience to illustrate your views and statements. Your essay will be evaluated by the content as well as the quality of your responses.

Essay Topics and Questions:

1. Describe how social work is a good fit for you. Share your experience working in service of others. Life experiences may be related to personal, interpersonal, volunteer, work, educational, familial, etc. experiences.

2. Discuss how your life experiences have shaped your beliefs about social justice. 

3. As a social worker, you will likely have clients whose personal backgrounds and life experiences are different from yours. Describe how you will hold yourself accountable for serving people from different backgrounds and beliefs with sensitivity and compassion.

Required Courses

• SWK 170 - Introduction to Social Work (must earn a grade C or better)

One sociology course:

• SOC 106 - Intro to Sociology

Two psychology courses:

• PSY 110 - Intro to Psychology
• PSY 350 - Psychopathology

The College of Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement may be met by:

• Three years of foreign language in high school, or
• Completion of the second semester (LAN 112) or higher of a college-level world language (including American Sign Language) with a grade of C or better

Recommended Courses

One statistics course from the following:

• ECO/POL/PSY 138 - Social Science Reasoning and Statistics
• MGT 100 - Statistical Reasoning
• MAT 150 - Fundamentals of Statistical Reasoning

One anthropology course:

• ANT 185 - Fulfills AMALI Requirement

Additional Requirements

Entry into the social work program and profession is also based on legal requirements. The Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics outline the laws around getting your license and practicing in the field.

Academic Advising