Frequently Asked Questions

Students are only admitted Fall semester of their junior year. Prior to this they are provisional Social Work students.

To be considered for admission to the program as a junior, students must have:

• Submitted a completed application by the deadline specified by the school.
• Completed the seven prerequisite courses by fall of their junior year. These courses are:
  • SW 200 Introduction to Social Work or SW200H with a grade of 2.0 or higher
  • Related courses:
    • EC 201 micro economics or EC 202 macro economics
    • PLS 100 Introduction to American National Government or PLS140 Intro to Comparative Politics
    • PSY 101 Introductory to Psychology
    • PSY 2**-level course: PSY 200, 209, 236, 239, 244, 270, or 280
    • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
  • One body science from the following:
    • MMG 141 – Introductory Human Genetic
    • HNF 150 – Human Nutrition
    • PSL 250 Introductory Physiology
    • PSY 209 Brain and Behavior (however, if used for this requirement, it may not be used for the 200-level course)
    • ISB 204 Applied Biomedical Sciences*

* If ISB 204 is used to meet the University ISB requirement, we will waive the School's body science requirement.

If you expect to have a minimum of 46 credits at the end of spring semester of your sophomore year, you should meet with the School of Social Work's academic adviser to discuss your situation and determine when to apply for admission.

You must apply to the program for admission. Provisional Social Work majors who have earned 56 credits or more should understand that continued enrollment in the School of Social Work as a preference student does not constitute or imply acceptance into the program.

The faculty considers the relative qualifications of applicants (including academic record, volunteer or related employment, completion of prerequisite courses, and statement of purpose), their suitability for the program and profession, and the enrollment capacity of the program.

Applications are accepted and reviewed only during the Spring semester of each year. The application form and detailed information about admission requirements and procedures may be obtained online. The admissions process is different for Transfer Students and for Current MSU Students. Transfer students should contact BASW Program Director Monaca Eaton, eatonmon@msu.edu, prior to applying. MSU applicants are encouraged to schedule an advising appointment prior to application. Applications are usually available online the first week in January and are reviewed monthly until the final deadline. Late applications will be considered by contacting Monaca Eaton.