School of Social Work | Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

The School of Social Work grants admission on the basis of the applicant’s academic record and personal qualifications. This admission, however, does not constitute admission to candidacy for a degree. Please note that the School of Social Work only admits students in the fall semester of each year.

The following are requirements that must be completed prior to admission to the MSW program in the LSU School of Social Work:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university;
Demonstration of a liberal arts undergraduate preparation through completion of at least 12 credit hours in the social and behavioral sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, human geography, economics, political science, curriculum & instruction, etc.), and at least 9 hours in the humanities (literature, languages, history, women’s studies, art or music history, philosophy, cultural and comparative studies, communication studies, etc.);
An undergraduate human biology course that covers humans as well as other animals;
“C” or better in an introductory statistics course in any undergraduate department;
A 3.0 cumulative grade point average on undergraduate course work and acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE);
Evidence that the applicant possesses the personal qualities and aptitudes essential for the social work profession.

A genuine interest in people and emotional stability are also important qualifications for admission to the school. Information concerning these qualities will be obtained from the student’s application materials and from present or former employers, teachers, and other persons acquainted with the applicant, and from pre-admission interviews on campus.

ADMISSION PROCEDURES

The School of Social Work welcomes applications from qualified individuals seeking admission into the MSW program and encourages applications from minority candidates and individuals with disabilities. The deadline for receipt of completed admission materials is February 15. The GRE must be taken before this date and all application material must be received, not postmarked, by February 15. Only applicants whose materials are complete will be considered for admission.

Applicants must apply for admission to both the Graduate School and the School of Social Work no later than February 15. Students applying to the advanced standing program and the advanced year distance education program must apply to the Graduate School for the summer semester. All other students should apply for the fall semester. An applicant should submit credentials following the instructions on the official University “Application for Graduate Admission” form along with the School of Social Work application and other forms.

The following items are to be sent to the Graduate School, 114 David Boyd Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-3920:

The completed “Application for Graduate Admission” form;
The required application fee and any applicable late fee;
One official copy of all transcripts in sealed envelopes (all transcripts are required, whether or not credit was earned or is desired). Official transcripts of work taken at LSU are not required;
Financial statement (required only from international students without assistantships paying at least $7,700);
A satisfactory score on the aptitude portion of the GRE. The LSU code for GRE reporting is R6373-5. LSU is an approved testing center. The GRE is administered electronically on a daily basis at testing centers in this country and abroad. Test applications may be obtained from the Graduate School at LSU, GRE website at www.gre.org, graduate schools at most colleges and universities, or by writing to Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. The completed test application form and examination fee must reach Educational Testing Service approximately one month in advance of the test date. At least six weeks should be allowed for the examination results to reach LSU (less if the test is taken electronically);
For international applicants whose native language is not English, scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The following items are to be sent to the School of Social Work, Office of Student Services, 311 Long Fieldhouse, LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-3920:

The completed School of Social Work “Application for Admission”;
The School of Social Work’s “Letter of Intent”;
Three letters of reference on forms provided by the School of Social Work;
One official copy of all transcripts in sealed envelopes (all transcripts required, whether or not credit was earned or is desired).

The decision to admit is conditioned upon the applicant providing accurate and current information and updating this information as circumstances change. The act of application constitutes agreement that LSU may investigate the accuracy of the statements and data provided. Falsification, misrepresentation, or omission in application answers and supporting data may result in revocation or denial of admission. Please see the section, “Timing and Waiting Lists,” in this bulletin.

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TIMING AND WAITING LISTS

The School of Social Work will notify applicants once the School of Social Work application, letter of intent, official GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation have been received. During March and April, all completed applications are considered by the school’s Admissions Committee, and a personal interview will be scheduled. It should be noted that enrollment in the M.S.W. program is limited and meeting minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee admission. Unsuccessful applicants who meet admission criteria are rank-ordered and placed on a waiting list. Offers of admission to successful applicants are mailed the first or second week of May. Successful applicants must inform the school on the prescribed form (included with the offer of admission) that they are accepting the offer of admission within two weeks of receipt of the acceptance letter. All unacknowledged offers of admission are withdrawn and remaining seats are offered to applicants from the waiting list. Registration information, course schedules, and information regarding orientation are mailed in June to applicants who have been accepted for admission.

APPEALS

Applicants who are denied admission have the right to appeal to the MSW Admissions Committee Chair of the School of Social Work who will, if appropriate, make representation to the Dean of the Graduate School. All appeals must be submitted in writing. Representation may also be made on behalf of disadvantaged applicants such as members of underrepresented minority groups or those with physical disabilities who are able to demonstrate their ability to undertake graduate work.

APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITIES

Applications received after February 15 and those that are incomplete on February 15 will not be considered by the Admissions Committee. Applicants should begin the application process early and inquire about the status of their files prior to February 15. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application forms, official transcripts, official GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and other relevant applications materials have been received by the School of Social Work and the LSU Graduate School.

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TYPES OF ADMISSION

Students admitted to the program will enroll either as full-time students taking 15 hours per semester or as part-time students taking six hours per semester. For further information, see the section, “Program of Study,” in this bulletin. Regular admission is granted to students who have a cumulative 3.00 grade point average in undergraduate course work. Subject to the regulations of the Graduate School, probationary admission may be granted to students who do not meet this requirement. Admission on probation means that a student must obtain a 3.00 gpa in the first semester to remain in the program. The school does not admit students on a provisional basis if they have not completed the GRE.

Admission Under the Advanced-Standing Program
Students who have received a baccalaureate degree in social work from an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) may be eligible for admission into the advanced instruction phase of the MSW program. The advanced standing program requires that a minimum of 33 hours be completed on the LSU campus. To be eligible for advanced standing admissions, course work for the undergraduate social work degree must have been taken within five years of proposed enrollment at LSU. Admission is also contingent upon the students having completed equivalent courses with a “B” or better as part of their undergraduate social work degree. Equivalent courses with a “C” or lower must be repeated, and a grade of “B” or better must be obtained before the student is admitted. Equivalent courses are:

Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II
Social Work Practice I & II (Micro, Mezzo, Macro)
Social Work Research
Social Work History
Social Work Policy
Human Diversity & Oppression
Field Internship

Applicants with a BSW degree, but who do not have A's and B's in these core social work courses, must apply to the full-time or two-year program. The Advanced Standing Program begins in the summer term, and the Graduate School application should reflect an entry semester as the summer term. . Advanced standing students and students transferring from other M.S.W. programs are required to complete SW 7010 Differential Diagnosis during the summer before beginning the MSW program. This course must be taken on the main campus of LSU; credit taken at the undergraduate level will not be counted toward M.S.W. degree credit. The remainder of the program of study follows the advanced year course sequence as described in the MSW Full Time Program of Study Section above.

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Admission of Students Not Majoring in Social Work
Students enrolled in other divisions of the University who have appropriate standing may register for social work courses numbered below 7000 for which they have the specific prerequisites. Students enrolled in the University who have graduate standing may register, with the permission of the Assistant Dean of Student Services, for social work graduate courses for which they have the prerequisites, except field internships and courses listed "majors only".

Admission of Former Students
Students re-entering the School of Social Work after an absence of three or more semesters must formally apply for readmission. Such students should contact the Assistant Dean of Student Services to develop a suitable course of study to complete requirements for the MSW degree. Former students seeking readmission will be required to conform to the current admission requirements. Previously completed course work can be applied toward the MSW degree only if it falls within the four-year time limit for the degree.

Non-Degree Admission
A student with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university who does not expect to work toward a degree at LSU may register as a nonmatriculating (NMATR) student. A student in this category must take at least one course numbered 4000 or above each semester, and may take an unlimited number of courses numbered below 7000. However, a nonmatriculating student is limited to a total of six hours of courses numbered at the 7000 level and above. Applicants for non-matriculated status should follow the normal application procedure. Non-matriculated students are permitted to register for graduate-level social work courses only if space is available.

Social work graduates who wish to enroll in courses for continuing education will also enroll as nonmatriculated students.

Admission of Auditors
Persons not enrolled in the University as full-time students may be admitted to classes as auditors provided they meet all previously mentioned requirements for admission; have the written permission of the instructors of the courses, the dean of the School of Social Work, and the dean of the Graduate School; and have made the necessary arrangements and paid the required fees.

Regularly enrolled graduate students may also audit courses with the consent of the individual instructors. Auditors will not receive degree credit, nor will they later be permitted to take a credit examination on work audited. However, courses previously audited may be later taken for credit.

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Admission of International Students
An applicant who has completed undergraduate degree requirements outside the U.S. must present the following:

A complete and accurate chronological outline of all previous college-level education;
Authorized school or university records—transcripts, mark sheets, certificates of degrees—showing all courses taken and all grades received with certified translations if the records are in a language other than English;
A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, with a grade-point average equivalent to a "B" or better (3.00 out of a possible 4.0) on all previous graduate and undergraduate work from an accredited college or university;
Certification of the availability of sufficient funds to meet all costs while studying at LSU (if an assistantship with a stipend of at least $7,700 is not awarded). This must be received before the letter of admission and Form I-20 are mailed;
GRE General (Aptitude) Test scores averaging 500 each on the verbal and quantitative portions;
Satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), except for applicants from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, certain Caribbean islands, or the United Kingdom. International students who have received a degree from an accredited institution in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, certain Caribbean islands, or the United Kingdom are also exempt from taking the TOEFL. A TOEFL score of at least 550 must be received before a student’s application is evaluated for admission. Application forms and information about the TOEFL may be obtained from American embassies and consulates, offices of the U.S. Information Service, or Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, 08540;
Application deadline for international students is February 15 for the fall semester. Because transcripts from foreign universities require special evaluation, prospective international students should begin the application process at least six months before the semester in which they plan to enroll.

Upon arrival on campus and before registration, international students whose native language is not English and who have been admitted to Graduate School must take the LSU Comprehensive English Language Test consisting of the Michigan Test and a writing sample. If the test indicates a deficiency in English, the student will be required to register for the appropriate English composition courses with a reduced load of graduate courses. In the case of a major deficiency in English, the Graduate School may require postponement of enrollment in graduate courses until proficiency is demonstrated.

The Graduate School will not consider for admission any person who has entered the U.S. on an I-20 issued by another institution until that person has been enrolled at the institution issuing the I-20.

An international applicant who has completed undergraduate requirements at an accredited U.S. institution should follow regular admission procedures. The TOEFL requirement may be waived if the applicant has completed an undergraduate degree in an English-speaking country.

2008 MSW Application