The MSW Program Offers:

• Preparation for the advanced practice of social work 
• Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education 
• Part-time study 
• Evening and weekend courses 
• Concurrent and block field placements 
• Regional field placements 
• Work Study 
• Advanced standing program for students with a BSW 
• Course Waivers 

The admission policy for the Master of Social Work degree program shall apply to every applicant, full-time, part-time, and advanced standing, regardless of the location at which the applicant plans to attend classes.

The College of Social Work is committed to diversity in the student body. An applicant for admission as a degree candidate in social work (either full-time, part-time, or advanced standing) must fulfill the general admission requirements of both the Graduate School of the University and the College of Social Work prior to registration. It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure that all required application materials have been received. Admissions for Advanced Standing will be closed on February 1, while full-time and part-time admissions will close on March 31. All application materials must be received by these dates. Full-time and part-time admissions are available only for the fall semester.

The applicant must submit the following to the Graduate School, via the online application:

• graduate application form;
• two letters of reference from professors or employers (the same reference letters may be used for both applications); and
• one copy of official transcripts from each college or university previously attended and
• an autobiographical statement

It is also expected that the applicant will have a sound educational foundation with a liberal arts perspective. Requirements for Attaining a Liberal Arts Perspective. The Colleges admission policies state that applicants to the program must have completed courses in social and behavioral sciences which provide them knowledge about social, psychological, and biological determinants of behavior and of diverse cultures, social conditions, and social problems as part of a sound educational foundation with a liberal arts perspective.

Intellectual maturity, emotional stability, and motivation and capacity to work with people are essential qualifications. An interview with a member of the faculty may also be required.

An applicant who has not attained the required undergraduate grade point average must submit a combined score of at least 800 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination as additional evidence of capacity to pursue graduate study.

Openings for admission are limited, and competition is considerable. Individuals are selected for admission from the pool of applicants. Persons will be selected who have the strongest qualifications in terms of the college's admission criteria: grade point ratio, GRE score, autobiography (content and written quality), references, work and volunteer experience, and commitment to social work values.

Requirements for the Master of Social Work degree include the completion of 60 hours of course work with an average grade of "B" or better on all classroom courses and satisfactory grades in all field courses.

All work for the Master of Social Work degree must be completed within a four-year period. University regulations and the Council on Social Work Education require that two consecutive semesters be in full-time status (nine hours per semester). Other general requirements for the Master of Social Work degree are the same as those established by the Graduate School of the University and are in accordance with accreditation standards established by the Council on Social Work Education.

The College of Social Work requires a score of 570 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for the admission of any student whose native tongue is not English. For more information, international students should contact : 

Admissions Information:
College of Social Work
DeSaussure College 
Columbia, SC 29208
(803) 777-3599

Visa and Financial Certification Information:
International Student Services
University of South Carolina
Byrnes Building
Columbia, SC 29208
Telephone: (803)777-7461
Web page: http://www.sa.sc.edu/ips/ips.htm

An applicant who wishes to transfer from another M.S.W. program must complete the same admissions process and meet the same admission requirements as other degree candidates. A formal written request for transfer must be made at the time of application for admission. A maximum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions accredited by the Council of Social Work Education. Acceptance of graduate transfer credit is determined by the college's Admissions Committee, which assesses potential transfer courses in this graduate program and the adequacy of the applicant's performance in these courses. A grade of less than "B" in any course will disqualify that course from consideration for transfer. Credit will not be given for work or life experience.