Criteria for Admission to the Master of Social Work Program

  1. Evidence of a bachelor’s degree in any field from a U.S. or international regionally accredited post-secondary institution. For unconditional admission, an applicant's cumulative GPA over the last two years of undergraduate education should be no less than 3.00. We will, however, consider applicants with less than a 3.00 GPA for conditional admission. If your GPA is less than a 3.00, submit a brief letter explaining your undergraduate performance and how you will maintain a 3.00 in Carroll's MSW program.
  2. Evidence of completion of the Background Curriculum for Master of Social Work. See below for a description of this curriculum.
  3. Graduate application and official transcripts per Carroll College Graduate Admissions.
  4. A professional essay that adequately responds to prompts provided in the application system.
  5. References supporting the applicant’s potential to a complete a graduate-level academic program. 
  6. Proof of English for those whose first language is not English: TOEFL (85) or IELTS (7.0). This requirement can be waived on a case-by-case basis or if the student has obtained a bachelor’s degree from a US regionally accredited institution and is otherwise admissible to the program.
  7. Students may enroll either full-time or part-time in the Master of Social Work program.

Background Curriculum for Master of Social Work

Applicants to the Master of Social Work program need to have completed 18 semester credits in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. These courses can be taken in disciplines such as anthropology, biology, general studies, history, liberal studies, psychology, or sociology. Note – these courses do not need to be completed when you apply, but must be finished prior to starting the program.