Bachelor of Social Work

The social work program operates under a selective admissions policy. Students are considered “pre-majors” until they meet the minimum requirements to be accepted as a social work major. Admission to the social work program involves the completion of an application packet online at https://aps3.missouriwestern.edu/socialwork.

Minimum requirements for admission into the social work major include:

• Completion of the general studies math requirement
• Completion of ENG108 general studies requirement
• Completion of BIO101 (or equivalent)
• Completion of SOC230
• Completion of SWK250, SOC110, PSY101, and ENG108 with a minimum grade of C in each course
• Must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
• Must have earned a C or better in all completed SWK prefix classes
• Must agree to and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with accepted professional social work practices and the current NASW Code of Ethics (see Social Work Student Handbook)
• Cannot have exhibited behavior that will infringe on their present or future ability to adequately fulfill professional social work responsibilities. The social work program’s admissions committee reserves the right to require applicants to submit additional materials if the Committee questions the student’s ability to adequately fulfill professional responsibilities (see Social Work Student Handbook)
• Cannot have violated the University Code of Conduct/Student Disciplinary Code

Students must be accepted into the social work program prior to enrolling in SWK360 unless a student has spoken to the social faculty advisor and plans to submit their application concurrently with taking SWK360. The formal application packet (an Application Form, a Personal Statement, three letters of reference, a signed Social Work Handbook Form and Code of Ethics Form) must be submitted by the first Friday in October or March. The social work admissions committee will review application materials and interview all applicants. Admission decisions are based on a student’s:

• interview responses,
• academic performance,
• personal statements,
• complete and pass a criminal background check,
• references,
• application responses, and
• prior personal and academic conduct.

All members of the admissions committee, by a simple majority vote, will then make one of the following decisions:

• To unconditionally accept a student into the program
• To conditionally accept a student into the program
• To place a student on probationary status or
• To deny formal acceptance.

Students may appeal admission decisions based on criteria contained in the Social Work Student Handbook. The social work program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, creed, ethnic or national origin, disability, or political or sexual orientation.

Once admitted to the social work program, social work majors are expected to maintain professional and academic standards of conduct. The social work program at Missouri Western reserves the right to place a student on probationary status or remove a student from the major because of violations of these standards in the Social Work Student Handbook).