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MSW Admissions Information

Application Deadlines for Fall 2010 Admission

Fall Admissions: For priority consideration and Advanced Standing, all materials must be postmarked no later than February 1st. Applications will continue to be received through March 31st if space is available. Application packages that are incomplete on or after May 1st will not be reviewed.

Due to the sequential nature of graduate professional education in social work, students may begin their studies only in the Fall semester.

Information Sessions for Prospective Applicants
Recognizing that many prospective applicants have questions about the M.S.W. program, the GCSW offers a series of information sessions during the year. Interested persons should telephone the school at (713) 743-8130 for information about dates and times, or check our website.

Admissions Requirements and Necessary Documentation

To be considered for admission to the M.S.W. Program, applicants must:

• Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The undergraduate education must reflect a sound liberal arts foundation, including courses in the humanities, as well as in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences. You must submit two copies of official academic transcripts showing the date the degree was awarded.

• Have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of academic course work. We will calculate your GPA based on your transcripts.

• Submit a Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. You must have official test scores sent directly to the school. Test scores should not be more than five years old. The University of Houston's institutional code for the GRE is 6870, and the social work code is 5001. For information about the GRE, call 1-866-473-4373 or go to their website at www.ets.org. You may apply without scores, but must submit them prior to enrollment in the program.

• Submit three letters of recommendation from persons who can address your ability and potential for graduate education and professional social work practice (i.e., former professors, employment supervisors, professional colleagues). Applicants must use the form provided by the UH GCSW Office of Admissions, available on our Application Checklist webpage.

• Submit a personal narrative statement that describes your academic and employment histories, your interest in the social work profession, and your commitment to social and economic justice. Guidelines for the narrative statement are provided on the Application Checklist.

Persons who hold a nonimmigrant type visa have additional application requirements. Please see section of this website titled International Applicants.

A nonrefundable $40.00 application fee, payable by check or money order must accompany your application. Any application received after March 31st is a late application; a non-refundable additional late fee of $50.00 will be charged.

Note: Proficiency in English. Any student, prior to admission or during their course of study, may be required to demonstrate English proficiency through submission of a satisfactory score on a test designated by the associate dean of the college. Students whose written or spoken English skills appear to be marginal (i.e., they may impede academic success and/or reflect communication problems as a social work practitioner) may be required to seek instruction outside the college.

Admissions Mailing Address
All correspondence and admissions materials should be sent to this address.

Graduate College of Social Work
110HA Social Work Building
ATTN.: M.S.W. Admissions
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-4013
Telephone: (713) 743-8130
Fax: (713) 743-8149
Email: mswinfo@sw.uh.edu

Special Admissions Categories

Conditional Admission

An applicant whose grade point average is below 3.0 for the last 60 hours of academic work may be admitted conditionally. In addition to the requirements described previously, applicants for conditional admission must:

• Have at least a 2.6 grade point average for the last 60 hours (or 90 quarter hours) of academic work. This is a university requirement.

• Submit a written request for conditional admission review. Your request must include documentation (i.e., an official transcript) showing that you have met one of the following conditions for conditional admission:

a. Completed six hours of graduate course work (outside the GCSW) and earned grades of B (3.0) or above; OR

b. Have 2 years continuous paid employment in the same social service agency, working in a social work capacity, documented by a letter from a direct supervisor, and have completed 3 SCHs of graduate coursework (outside of GCSW) and earned a grade of B or above.

*Coursework taken to meet the above criteria for conditional admission may not be transferred in and applied to the M.S.W. degree.

Notes about Conditional Admission:

• Students holding visas (F1 or J1) are not eligible for conditional admission at the graduate level at this university.
• Conditional admission may negatively affect your eligibility for financial aid.
• According to UH policy, students admitted conditionally must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 on their first 12 semester credit hours of graduate work. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA will result in termination from the M.S.W. program.

Social Work Transfer Students

Students who transfer to the GCSW from another CSWE accredited M.S.W. program must meet all regular admissions requirements, AND submit:

• A Statement of Good Standing from the dean or director of your program
• Written evaluation of any previous field performance
• Syllabi for courses completed

A maximum of 30 semester hours credit, earned within five years of the student's enrollment at the GCSW, with grades of B or above, can be transferred for credit toward the M.S.W. degree at UH.

ADMISSIONS REVIEWS & DECISIONS

Each application is reviewed by at least two GCSW faculty. Reviewers take into account the "whole applicant" and no single criterion automatically determines whether an applicant is or is not admitted into the program. Reviews are done on a rolling basis - i.e., applications are reviewed as they are completed rather than waiting for the application deadline to occur. Therefore, early application is encouraged since all openings may be filled prior to the application deadline. Admissions decisions are communicated by letter only; no decisions are given over the telephone.