Master of Social Work Program Application Instructions for Fall 2024

Master of Social Work Program

Application Instructions for Fall 2024

I. Admission

Admission to the Master of Social Work (MSW) program is limited to the Fall semester

only. Application materials may be submitted beginning on October 1, 2023.

The full-time (2 year) MSW program is administered by the Department of Social Work

and all classes are conducted on Fullerton’s main campus on weekdays. The MSW Flex

program (3 year) is administered through Extension and International Programs (EIP),

and all classes are conducted on Fullerton’s main campus in the evening.

Currently, the CSUF MSW program offers students three direct practice area of focus

options: Child Welfare, Community Mental Health, and Aging. Child Welfare focuses on

services in the public child welfare system, such as child protective services, foster care,

and adoption assistance. The Community Mental Health area of focus prepares students

to work with various client populations across the mental health care system, with

opportunities to specialize in adults, children and families, health, or older adults. The

Aging focus area prepares students to practice professional social work with aging

populations and their families. Currently Aging is only offered in the full-time Program.

II. Application Procedure

There are TWO separate application processes that must be completed for admission

to the MSW program. The two applications can be completed in any order.

1. Application to the University as a Graduate Student (Cal State Apply)

The applicant must apply to the University as a graduate student. This application is

available online at http://www.calstate.edu/apply. For the two-year program on the

Fullerton campus, applicants must select Social Work (Fullerton Graduate) as their

academic objective; for the MSW Flex program, applicants must select Social Work

(Fullerton Extension).

After application completion, within 5-7 business days, the applicant will receive, by

email, a Campus Wide ID number (CWID) and instructions on how to create a CSUF

email address. Both the CWID and the CSUF email address should be entered into the

MSW program application. If you are a current student or alumni of CSUF, the CWID

and CSUF email address will be the same. Please note that there is a $70 application

fee.

2. Application to the Social Work Department

The second application for admission to the MSW program must be submitted directly

through the Department of Social Work. This can be done online at

http://hhd.fullerton.edu/msw/prospective/index.php. This link is also available in the

quadrant of the Cal State Apply application. To complete the MSW program

application process, applicants will need to submit all information related to previous

academic work, including GPA for their last 60 semester or 90 quarter units, English

language proficiency scores (if applicable), and transcripts from all post-secondary

educational institutions. Applicants not graduating from a California State University or

University of California must complete the Educational Foundation in Liberal Arts/Social

Sciences section of the MSW program application. Applicants will also need to provide

information concerning past social service related experiences and upload a resume.

Unofficial transcripts will need to be uploaded into the online MSW program application

by the applicant. Transcripts will need to be from all post-secondary institution(s) the

applicant has attended. Applicants may begin the online application process, stop and

save their work, and return to the application later. All application materials should be

submitted electronically.

III. Criteria for Admission

Admission to the MSW program is highly competitive. The selection process includes an

evaluation of each applicant’s demonstrated and potential abilities as a student,

practitioner, and leader in the field of social work. Admission decisions are based

primarily on an evaluation of an applicant’s previous academic work, experience in

social work related fields, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. The

most qualified applicants will be invited for a personal interview prior to a final

admission decision. Invitation to a personal interview does not guarantee admission to

the MSW program.

Applicants for admission to the MSW program are expected to meet the following

criteria:

1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution no later than

Spring 2024.

2. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the most recent 60 semester or 90

quarter units completed. Transcripts are required by both the University and the

Department of Social Work. See separate instructions concerning transcript

submission for Cal State Apply site and MSW program applications.

GRE: The GRE general test is recommended for those applicants who do not meet the GPA

requirement. It is optional for all other MSW applicants. Please send in copies of your GRE

scores if applicable, as well as uploading them into the MSW Application.

3. An educational foundation in liberal arts/social sciences. Any graduates of a

California State University or University of California automatically meet this

requirement. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees from other institutions are

required to demonstrate an educational foundation in liberal arts/social sciences.

4. Paid, volunteer, or internship experience relevant to the field of social work or an

activity closely related to the social services. Experience working with and helping

the types of populations a social worker would serve. This may include direct

services, or activities such as teaching, mentoring, tutoring, counseling, program

administration, advocacy, social activism, community organizing, research, and

program evaluation. Paid employment in public agencies providing formal social

services (e.g., case management) is highly valued.

5. Personal and academic qualifications considered essential to the successful practice

of social work, such as a genuine concern for the needs of others, emotional

maturity, professional demeanor, adaptability, creativity, integrity, sound judgment,

interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and the ability to think

critically. A commitment to working with disadvantaged, vulnerable, and

marginalized populations is also strongly desired.

IV. Educational Foundation in Liberal Arts/Social Sciences

Applicants applying for admission to the MSW program must have an educational

foundation in liberal arts/social sciences. The purpose of the liberal arts/social sciences

perspective is to prepare students for the intellectual and practical challenges they will

encounter in a social work education, as well as, throughout their social work careers.

To help assess your academic preparation in the liberal arts/social sciences, you are

required to identify coursework related to a number of educational domains. These

domains, broadly defined, are human diversity, human behavior, human development,

communication, social policy, and research methods:

Note: If you have a baccalaureate degree from a California State University or

University of California, you meet the liberal arts/social sciences requirement and do

not have to complete the Educational Foundation section.

1. Human diversity: Knowledge of diverse social conditions, social problems, and

cultures including one’s own cultural and historical heritage – anthropology,

sociology, ethnic studies, economics, foreign languages, geography, and history;

2. Human behavior: Knowledge of the social and psychological determinants of

human behavior – psychology, child development, human development,

sociology, criminal justice and human biology;

3. Human development: Knowledge of family and group processes and dynamics,

and organizational and community functioning – child development, human

development, family studies, psychology, sociology, and social work;

4. Communication: Ability to communicate knowledge, attitudes, and ways of

thinking that are characteristic of a broadly educated person – literature,

philosophy, communications, journalism, creative writing, public speaking,

debate, and linguistics;

5. Social Policy: Ability to think critically about social policy and its effects on

people, and knowledge of the policy making process –political science, history,

economics, public administration, urban studies, public policy, and social work;

6. Research methods: Knowledge of research methods and scientific inquiry –

research methods, data analysis, program evaluation, logic, and statistics.

V. Transcripts

The University graduate student application (Cal State Apply) requires that official

transcripts be sent to the Admissions Office. Please send official transcripts from

your bachelor’s institution. Please also be aware that the Admissions Office may

require official transcripts from any other school(s) attended. These requests will

show on your Student Portal To-Do List, and can come at any point during the

admissions process. Electronic submission of transcripts is preferred, where

possible. See the Transcripts section of the Admissions Office website for further

information:

http://admissions.fullerton.edu/ProspectiveStudent/college_transcripts.php.

If the applicant is a current student or alumni of CSUF, official transcripts are already

on file with the university as part of the applicant’s records, and do not need to be

resubmitted.

For the MSW program application, applicants are required to upload copies of

transcripts directly into the online application. Scans or PDF copies of both official and

unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Submit transcripts of coursework completed at all

post-secondary educational institutions.

VI. Social Service Experience

Applicants are required to list chronologically (starting with the most recent) all social

service or related experience since graduating high school. Experience working with and

helping the types of populations a social worker would serve. This experience can be

paid, volunteer, or in the context of an internship or field practicum. This may include

direct services, or activities such as teaching, mentoring, tutoring, counseling, program

administration, advocacy, social activism, community organizing, research, and program

evaluation. For each job or volunteer experience, please include your title, the number

of months and/or years you held the position, and the number of hours worked each

week. A minimum of one year of social service experience is recommended for

admission to the MSW program. Applicants are also required to upload a resume that

highlights pertinent educational and work/internship/volunteer experiences.

VII. Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required for admission to the MSW program.

One letter must be from an academic source (e.g., professor, instructor); one letter

must be from a professional source (e.g., supervisor, program or agency director); and

the final letter can be from either an academic or professional reference. Personal

references will not be considered by the admissions committee. We suggest that you

submit evaluations from persons who have been directly responsible for assessing your

social work-related work/volunteer/internship experience and academic performance.

If you have been out of school for more than five (5) years, the academic letter

requirement can be waived in favor of a third professional letter. Enter your

recommenders’ names and email addresses on the MSW Online Application.

Instructions will be sent to them by the online system.

VIII. Personal Statement

A personal statement outlining your qualifications for a graduate education in social

work is required. The quality of the writing in the personal statement will be evaluated,

as will the applicant’s ability to thoroughly address the questions outlined below.

Responses for each question below should be inserted into the corresponding text box

in the application (max 2000 characters for each question):

1. Describe how your personal background and life experiences have influenced your

decision to pursue a graduate education in social work. Please include any

challenges or hardships you may have overcome on your journey.

2. What are your expectations of graduate education at Cal State Fullerton in terms of

your own development? Indicate any problems or limitations that should be taken

into account in planning your graduate program.

3. Specify your career objectives as a professional social worker as you now conceive

them. Indicate the fields of practice in which you are interested.

4. Describe your experiences with diverse populations and groups, and how those

experiences have contributed to your interest in social work. Which population

(defined by culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status,

psychological and/or physical functioning) would you like to serve and why?

IX. International Applicants

Regardless of citizenship, all applicants whose education was not at a majority English-

language country, must submit proof of English proficiency before an admissions

decision can be made. Test scores should be sent to the university as well as uploaded

into the MSW Application. Unofficial transcripts submitted with the MSW program

application must be translated copies. In addition, the University will require the

following: financial affidavit of support, proof of funding, and a copy of your current

passport. An I-20 can only be issued once these forms have been approved. Please

consult the International Admissions website for more complete information regarding

admission as an international student.

https://international.fullerton.edu/admissions/masters-graduate-students/

X. Reapplication

Previous MSW program applicants who were denied admission, were accepted but

declined admission, or were admitted but failed to enroll in any courses, must follow

regular application procedures to reapply for a future academic year. If the previous

MSW program application is still on file, the applicant is not required to resubmit copies

of transcripts or letters of recommendation, provided no additional academic work has

been completed since his or her last application and the letters of recommendation are

not more than two years old. All other application materials must be resubmitted.

Applicants will be held to the admission criteria in the academic year for which they are

reapplying.

XI. Application Dates

The deadline for submitting MSW program online application is by 5:00 pm on

Monday, January 15, 2024. Late or incomplete MSW program applications will not

be considered. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their online

applications as early as possible. The University graduate student application (Cal

State Apply) also needs to be submitted by January 15, 2024.

XII. Submission of Application Materials

All application materials should be uploaded to the MSW program online

application, and the completed application submitted by 5:00 pm on January 15,

2024. The completed application cannot be fully submitted until all application

material is uploaded (including letters of recommendations).

XIII. Next Steps

After the application has been received by the department, the admissions team

will review each application. The applicant should check their email account around

March for an interview offer by the department. The latest the applicant would

hear back for any updates is late May.

Any questions regarding the MSW program application process can be addressed by

emailing applymsw@fullerton.edu or by calling 657-278-8452.