Admission Requirements
- Application Procedures
- Selection Criteria
- Admission and Retention Criteria
- Eligibility for Social Work Registration
Requirements for Admission
Students applying for admission must provide evidence of:
- 2.25 GPA
- completion of (or current enrollment in) SW 215 or equivalent
- satisfactory completion of 40 hours of volunteer work in a human service organization (normally part of the course requirements for SW 215)
- completion of 40 credits by the end of the semester in which application is made
In addition, applicants must:
- submit an application to the major (available from social work office)
- submit two letters of reference from faculty, employers, community members or others according to the approved departmental form
- submit a 1-2 page typed personal statement addressing the program’s admission criteria (available in the social work student handbook). This statement will be evaluated by the admissions committee on grammar / writing style as well as content.
- complete a formal interview with social work faculty advisor
Students schedule the formal interview with their social work faculty advisor by contacting the department office or the faculty advisor directly. Students are encouraged to bring academic records to the interview, including Cardinal Direct log-in information (to access SVSU student transcripts), and any transcripts or course records not submitted to the SVSU Registrar. The application interview will consist of an advising session as well as a
Selection Criteria - [ Top ]
Admission decisions are made by a committee consisting of the full-time social work faculty and a representative from the Registrar’s office. This committee reviews the applications, processes all of the information at their disposal, and takes action on the applications. Completion of required courses, overall GPA, and scores on the writing sample and admissions interview are the main criteria used in determining admission to the major.
Following the admissions committee's deliberations, each applicant is sent a letter which indicates the outcome of the committee's decisions. Student admission to the social work major is a competitive process. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the admission process early to ensure adequate time for compiling required information and completing the formal interview.
Admission and Retention Criteria - [ Top ]
- Stability and autonomy: Students will demonstrate (the capacity to deal effectively with emotional stress, both in themselves and in relation to others, as demonstrated through a satisfactory evaluation of the volunteer component, a grade of "C" or better in "Introduction to Social Welfare/Social Work," and performance as a social work major in a variety of courses throughout the student's career.
- Verbal and writing ability: Students will be able and willing to communicate thoughts and feelings effectively, both orally and in writing, as demonstrated in part by passing the English Basic Skills examination or receiving a grade of "C" or better in English composition courses, through satisfactory performance on the writing sample required for admission to the major, and continuous satisfactory achievement of written and oral communication skills throughout the Junior and Senior year.
- Identifying and handling conflicting values: Students will be able to function within the context of value conflict, respecting the values of others even when different from their own, as demonstrated by acceptance of others with different backgrounds in their volunteer placement and field placement
- Academic achievement: Student will maintain a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in all courses, a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in the interdisciplinary courses, including SW 215 and SW 300, and a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in the professional foundation requirements. Students must have a grade of "C" or better in the interdisciplinary courses, including SW 215 and SW 300 and the professional foundation requirements.
- Capacity for continued growth in professional education and commitment to the code of ethics of the social work profession: Students will assume increasing responsibility for their own learning and make use of educational experience oriented toward peer learning. Violations of the canons of ethical responsibility o( the social work profession are unacceptable.
- Professional choice: Students will show a growing understanding of their chosen field of social work and what is demanded of the professional, and will demonstrate a maturing interest in and commitment to their profession. Should the faculty become concerned about the student's physical, mental or behavioral ability to perform in the program, the field placement, or in later professional practice, the student may be asked to sign a release of information form in order to assess his/her current functioning.
- Letters of reference: Social Work students will submit two letters of reference during the process of admission to the major. These letters may be from faculty members outside of the Department of Social Work, employers, or supervisors. Letters must utilize the Volunteer Placement Evaluation format.
The faculty reserve the right to remove the status of social work major from any student who does not satisfactorily fulfill the requirements of any of these criteria; however, this procedure will require a hearing for the student and provide all the protection inherent in the rights of due process. The interests of both the student and the profession will be considered in reaching a final decision.
Eligibility for Social Work Registration - [ Top ]
Upon completion of the B.S.W. degree, students are eligible for the Social Work Technician Registration Credential as defined in the State of Michigan Occupational Code, and conferred by the Social Work Board of Examiners, Bureau of Licensing and Regulation.