Social work How to apply

How to apply

Fulfill the admission requirements

If you have less than 24 hours of applicable college-level course work, you may apply to the online bachelor of educational studies program as a freshman. If you have 24 or more credit hours of applicable college-level course work, you may apply as a transfer student.

For freshmen:

• Earned the minimum test score on the ACT or SAT.
• Freshman applicants also have the option of being reviewed with or without test scores, please see the Freshman Admission Requirements link below for more information.
• Completed 17 specific high school courses with good grades.
• For a list of test scores and high school courses, review the Freshman Admission Requirements.
• Students join the university as “pre-social work students” and apply to the professional social work program upon completing prerequisites. Learn more about this process.

For transfer students:

• Have a minimum 2.5 GPA on all college work attempted.
• Have completed at least 24 credit hours of college course work.
• Students join the university as “pre-social work students” and apply to the professional social work program upon completing prerequisites. Learn more about this process.
• Completed the following liberal arts foundation prerequisite courses with a C grade or higher.
  • English 1000
  • Communication 1200
  • College Algebra (1100)
  • Philosophy (Any – 1000, 1100, or 1200 recommended)
  • Biology 1010
  • Economics (Macro or Micro)
  • Anthropology (Any – 1300, 1350, or 2030 recommended)
  • History or Political Science (US Constitution)
  • Sociology 1000
  • Psychology 1000
• This program is accredited for Missouri and contiguous state residents (i.e., AR, KS, OK, TN, KY, IA, IL, NB.)
• For additional information, please visit Transfer Admission Requirements.

Gather your papers

• Unofficial transcripts from each college or university attended.
• Personal statement. Your personal statement should fully inform us about your view of yourself as a quality candidate for professional education. In view of the importance of this section, please answer the following questions. Please type and double space; your answers to each question should be at least one page in length or more.
  • Please describe how your college (academic and social) and life experiences have influenced your decision to pursue social work as a career.
    • Additionally, how do your own identities (eg. race gender, social class, etc.) affect those experiences and the decision to pursue social work?
  • What social issues are of particular interest to you and how do they relate to socio-cultural background?
    • In what ways have you attempted to act upon your concerns regarding these issues and how did others respond?
    • How does this interest influence your career goals?
  • Describe your personal as well as academic strengths that you believe will help you in working successfully with clients, groups or agencies.
  • Describe areas of improvement that need to be addressed and resolved in order for you to be successful with clients.
• Three reference forms. Choose three people who can speak to your academic abilities and your abilities to work with people. We require at least one college-level academic reference (professor, instructor) and at least one person who has supervised you working with people (work supervisor, volunteer supervisor, etc.). References may not come from relatives or friends.