How to Apply

Fall 2024 online application period opens Oct. 1

Fall 2024 applications deadline February 1, 2024 and to be submitted online through calstate.edu/apply

Apply for Fall 2024 Today

Application Steps

To apply to the University and MSW Program please complete the online application at CalStateApply. 

NOTE FOR APPLICANTS:  When beginning your CalStateApply application, you will be asked about program format (campus/online) and term. Please choose which program you are interested in apply to, CAMPUS MSW or On-Line Hybrid option for FALL 2024. You will be asked later in your application to specify your program choice between the 2 Year and 3 Year Campus based or Hybrid Online Program. You will be required to answer supplemental questions.

Notification of Admission Decision

The MSW Program Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant on the basis of all submitted materials and information.  Because admission into the MSW Program is competitive and enrollment space is limited, qualified applicants may not be offered a letter of admission but can opt to be placed on a waiting list. Students will be notified of offers of admission from the department and university. Formal enrollment materials will come from the University and information about orientation and classes will come from the department.

Admission to the MSW program is based on meeting the general University requirements, plus an evaluation of the applicant's potential for advanced practice in the profession of social work.  

Questions?

Please contact the SW Department at socialwork@csustan.edu or call (209) 667-3091.

University Eligibility

MSW Admission Requirements

MSW Admissions Information (PDF)

1. Complete the all-in-one online application for University and MSW Program through calstate apply.
2. GPA of 2.5 required; 3.0 in the last 60 units preferred.
3. Liberal arts background demonstrated by having met the CSU undergraduate general education requirements or a comparable course of study.
4. Academic background including instruction in the behavioral and biological sciences related to the human condition.
5. Autobiographical statement (see below for details).
6. Criminal Records Statement (required later in the admissions process if selected for admission or waitlist position).
7. Voluntary and/or paid experience in human services.
8. Resume or vitae.
9. Three academic and/or professional references from individuals who can address your qualifications for graduate study in social work, scholastic readiness, and academic proficiency. Collateral contacts (e.g., multi-disciplinary team members or credentialed community partners) and those who have evaluated your job performance (i.e., manager, supervisor, executive director, etc.) also constitute professional references. 

It is recommended that applicants complete a course in statistics and be computer literate.

Autobiographical Statement

This autobiographical statement should reflect your experience in light of the MSW Program mission statement, should be typewritten (1200-1500 words), and should enable the Admissions Committee to know something of you as a person, your writing ability, your understanding of social work, and your own life experiences.

Please address each of the following in your autobiographical statement:

1. Describe what you imagine yourself doing with an MSW degree.
2. Explain your development of interest in becoming a social worker. If this is a change in occupation, indicate the reasons for the change.
3. Describe your background and life experiences that were of value in preparing you for entry into professional social work.
4. Describe any paid and/or volunteer social work experiences.
5. Explain how you have prepared yourself for the rigors of this graduate program.
6. Explain your ideas related to social justice.
7. Explain what you have learned in your experiences with diverse populations.
8. Having read the MSW Program’s Mission Statement (bottom of page), describe how your education and professional goals fit with the MSW Program’s Mission Statement.

It must be emphasized that meeting the above academic requirements alone does not guarantee admission to the MSW Program. Applicants are accepted or denied on the basis of their academic preparation, breadth of background and experience, and evidence of promise in the field of social work. In addition to being academically qualified, applicants should be emotionally mature, interested in working with people from diverse backgrounds, and capable of assuming the heavy responsibilities which are inherent in professional social work practice.

Mission Statement

The Master of Social Work Program at California State University, Stanislaus prepares social workers to advance social justice. This education is committed to social change based on an analysis of social, political and economic structures and their impact. This teaching and learning environment enables faculty, students and graduates to collaborate with others to transform the conditions which contribute to privilege and oppression. Graduates are prepared to use an advanced integrative practice approach to work with individuals, families and communities to promote personal and collective liberation.