Admissions

Admission Information Sessions
Interviews
Reapplication and Readmission Procedures
Tuition Deposit
Students from Other Countries
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION: MSW PROGRAM
Admission Deadline
The Application Form
Communication Cards
Personal Biographical Statement
Credentials Required
Instructions for Reapplication and Readmission
Foreign and ESL Students
Transfer Students
Transfer Credits
Advanced Standing
Nonmatriculating Students
Directions for Filing Application

Admission Requirements

Visit School of Social Work to apply online.

The School of Social Work’s admission process seeks to enroll students who are intellectually and emotionally capable of completing graduate education and practicing in the profession of social work. It is designed to help both the School and the candidate determine whether he or she has the essential intellectual and personal attributes necessary for admission. Assessment of this potential is made on the basis of academic performance and background, standardized test scores, social work and related work experience, personal qualifications, references, and indications of the applicant’s understanding of the School’s urban mission and her/his commitment to the profession.

Policies governing admission requirements are determined by a process that includes input from faculty, administrators, alumni, and students. Recommendations for policy changes are considered by the Admissions and Financial Aid Committee and the faculty. Applications for admission are reviewed according to faculty-approved criteria, as outlined above.

Prior to enrollment, applicants must have or expect to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants should have a broad liberal arts background which includes study in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences. Coursework relating to diverse cultures, social conditions, and social problems is also expected. Believing that a strong liberal arts perspective promotes understanding of our mission—and in particular of the person-in-the-environment context—the School’s faculty looks for indications of this perspective when reviewing applications. An applicant whose undergraduate record does not reflect a liberal arts perspective may be encouraged to take coursework in the liberal arts to strengthen his or her application.

An academic average of 3.0 (B) or higher for undergraduate study is required. (Each year the School may accept a limited number of incoming students on a provisional basis. Students admitted provisionally are those who have demonstrated a potential for graduate education in spite of not meeting the 3.0 GPA requirement.) Advanced standing program applicants must have a minimum 3.0 average.

Academic credit is not given for life experiences and previous work experience in lieu of field education or course requirements.

Applicants whose cumulative undergraduate grade point average is below 3.0 are required to take the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). (Only applicants who have a doctorate or other master’s degree are exempt from this requirement.) Please be aware that the Schools of Education, Public Health, and Theology require a standardized test—preferably the GRE—of all applicants. For those interested in one of the BUSSW dual degree programs, it is strongly recommended that applicants take the GRE when applying to the School of Social Work. Applicants taking a standardized test as explained above should do so as early as possible to ensure the School’s receipt of the test results before the March 1 application deadline. Please be sure to enter the correct GRE school code—3088—to ensure timely processing.

For information regarding the GRE (School Code #3088), please write Educational Testing Services, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541, call 800-GRE-CALL or 609-921-9000, or visit their GRS website at ETS. For more information about the MAT (School Code #1196), please write Harcourt Assessment, 19500 Bulverde Road, San Antonio, TX 78259, call 800-622-3231, or visit their website at www.milleranalogies.com. For more information on the TOEFL (School Code #3232), please see the section below on “Students from Other Countries” or visit their website at www.toefl.org. Present the Boston University School of Social Work code number (given above) for your respective test and your score will be sent directly to the School. Standardized test scores are valid for five years.

Careful consideration should also be given to the autobiographical statement for evidence of such qualities as the ability to respect and work with differences in people and concern and commitment to work toward solving social problems. (Please see “Personal Biographical Statement” section in application instructions for details.)

Social work and related work experi-ence, though not required, strengthen an application.

Please be aware that many field placement agencies require a Criminal Offense Record Investigation (CORI) for students placed at these sites. The individual agencies are responsible for conducting these checks and will discuss the process with assigned interns. For students who have a record of felony conviction, placement options will be limited. Many employers and state social work licensing boards also have policies regarding criminal histories which may limit employment and licensure options.

Admission Information Sessions

Admission information sessions are scheduled in Boston, Tyngsboro, Fall River, and on Cape Cod during the fall and early winter so that prospective applicants may visit and ask questions of the Director of Admissions, Field Education staff, off-campus program directors, students, and alumni. Faculty panel presentations, miniworkshops, and meetings in states outside of Massachusetts (the BUSSW on Wheels Program) are also parts of the information session schedule. For complete information, please call the School at 617-353-3765 (Voice/TTY), or visit our website at www.bu.edu/ssw.

Interviews

Interviews are encouraged, but not required. They may be scheduled for those who apply for transfer and for others, as deemed appropriate by the Director of Admissions. Applicants are encouraged to attend the admission information sessions for general information. Classroom visits are also possible with prior arrangements.

Reapplication and Readmission Procedures

Please see the Instructions for Reapplication and Readmission.

Tuition Deposit

Applicants accepted for admission are required to make a $200 deposit, which is applied to the first semester’s tuition. Under no circumstances will this deposit be refunded if the student does not enroll.

Students from Other Countries

International students seeking admission to the Boston University School of Social Work should first take advantage of the social work training given in their own country and have some practical experience in a social work agency, if at all possible.

The application process for persons from other countries is necessarily more elaborate and time consuming. Consequently, if a person feels he or she is eligible for admission, the applicant should write to the School as early as possible in the year prior to the anticipated September entry.

Applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for proof of English proficiency. A minimum score of 550 is required on the written test and a minimum score of 213 is required on the computer-based test. In addition, applicants are required to take the GRE or the MAT. (Test scores for standardized tests are valid for five years.) An applicant currently living in the United States and whose first language is not English must also take the TOEFL in addition to the GRE or the MAT. For further information on the TOEFL, call 800-468-6335; the GRE, 800-GRE-CALL or 609-921-9000; and the MAT, 800-228-0752 or 210-299-1061. (See additional contact information above, under "Admission Requirements").

Applicants from other countries should also obtain full and accurate information about requirements for entry into the United States, such as a statement of good health and proof of adequate financial support. Please visit the Boston University Office of International Students and Scholars website at www.bu.edu/isso for further information. Costs for the 2006/2007 academic year are estimated to be $37,121, including tuition and fees and living expenses.

The School of Social Work has no scholarship funds or loan opportunities available to students from other countries.

For further information on admissions:

Admissions Office
Boston University
School of Social Work
264 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215-1403
617-353-3765 (voice/TTY)
Fax: 617-353-5612
E-mail: busswad@bu.edu
Website: www.bu.edu/ssw

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APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION: MSW PROGRAM

Visit School of Social Work to apply online. Please pay particular attention to the instructions for completing the application online.

Admission Deadline

The final application deadline for the 2008/2009 academic year is March 1, 2008. As the School has a rolling admissions process, applicants are encouraged to file their applications as early as possible. Only complete applications will be reviewed.

The Application Form

Please type or write legibly all information. Please indicate whether you are applying for the full-time or part-time program; for Advanced Standing; for the Charles River (Boston), southeastern Massachusetts (SEMA), or northeastern Massachusetts (NEMA) campus; interest in a dual degree program, or for Transfer, Readmission, or Reapplication. Please do not submit your résumé in lieu of requested information.

Communication Cards

Three cards are included with the application. They are for Admissions Office use in communicating with you about your application.

Please print your name and address on the front of each of these cards, and put a stamp on each. Detach and return them with your application.

Personal Biographical Statement

In order for the School to obtain a clearer picture of who you are, why you have chosen to enter the social work profession, your readiness for graduate education, and what motivates you to apply to the Boston University School of Social Work, we ask you to submit a personal statement with your application. This statement, which is a very important part of your overall application, should not include a detailed description of your entire life; it should briefly cover important experiences, interests, and abilities as they relate to your seeking professional training in the School of Social Work.

The statement should be divided into three subject areas: personal background, personal evaluation, and career objectives.

1. Personal Background
A description of your significant life experiences that have led to the development of your personality and your value and belief systems. Use each of the following topics as an outline:

Relationships
• individual
• group
• family

Activities
• community
• recreational
• political

Experiences
• educational
• work
• cultural

2. Personal Evaluation
A description of why you think you would make a good social work student as well as an effective social worker. In writing this description, please address the following:

—Your readiness for undertaking graduate social work education. Please address how you believe you will face the rigorous demands of coursework and field education (in the latter case, especially in terms of being able to handle the emotional and practical strain of dealing with client and community problems).

—Why you believe that Boston University School of Social Work is best suited to your needs. Please bear in mind that the School strongly identifies itself as an urban school of social work. The significance of social work in an urban environment is highlighted throughout the curriculum, in many of the field placements, and in the School’s various special projects.

—Both your developed areas and those which need further development in relation to the profession of social work.

—If applying to the part-time program, your rationale for doing so.

3. Career Objectives
A description of why you want to be a social worker and what you would like to do in the future. Please answer the following questions:

—What do you hope to gain from graduate education?

—What has led you to decide to enter the social work profession?

—What are your future professional goals?

—How would you define “an urban mission,” and how do your career goals fit with the School’s mission?

This outline should be used as a guide in writing your essay. For example, when writing about your personal background and how your personal experiences have led to your individual development, you need not write about all your educational, cultural, and work activities. It would be more helpful if you concentrate on one of the most significant experiences and how it relates to your development. The statement should be your own and no more than six (but not fewer than three) double-spaced, typed pages.

Credentials Required:

1. Official transcripts (with the university or college seal) from each college or university attended. The official transcript(s) should be submitted in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s signature across the flap. Mail any transcript(s) to the School of Social Work along with your other application materials.

2. Reference letters. Three references are required; forms are included with this application. It is to your advantage to use our reference forms.

A reference from a faculty member or advisor is required if you are currently in school; from your supervisor if you are working. Other references may include people familiar with your current or past work or volunteer experience. References from family members, personal friends, or employees are not acceptable. A reference is strongly encouraged from the instructor of any Boston University School of Social Work course in which you have been a nonmatriculating student. Please note: Applicants for Advanced Standing cannot use their field work evaluator, i.e., agency supervisor, for completion of a reference form.

Instructions: Accompanying this application are specially designed envelopes to enable you to maintain control over the process of procuring reference letters while ensuring confidentiality to evaluators. Please call the evaluator’s attention to the instructions on the envelope. The envelope is then returned to you. All reference forms must be submitted with your other application materials.

3. Scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) if cumulative undergraduate GPA is below 3.0 or if planning to apply to a dual degree program (GRE preferred). Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if first language is not English and/or the GRE or MAT. Test results should be sent directly to the School of Social Work. (Please note that test scores are valid for five years only.)

Applications will not be reviewed until all materials are received by the Admissions Office.

Instructions for Reapplication and Readmission

Previous application material is kept in our files for two years. Previously filed material and the following supplemental information will complete your application.

1. A new application form. Check reapplication and full- or part-time and indicate the year of your initial application.
2. Transcripts for courses completed since your previous application. List only those courses on the new application.
3. Paid and/or volunteer experience. List only experience you have had since your previous application.
4. One new reference. Please do not use the same reference that was used on your previous application. If applicable, reference should be from a current or recent employer.
5. Personal biographical update. Please write a brief statement about education, work, and/or volunteer experiences you have had since your previous application. In what way have these experiences affected your interest in and knowledge of social work? Please limit this statement to one double-spaced, typed page.
6. Application fee and cards.

Academic files for previously matriculating students are kept in our files for five years. Individuals who withdrew or took a leave of absence may contact the director of student services at 617-353-3761 to discuss readmission. Individuals who withdrew or took a leave of absence one to five years ago must submit the supplemental material described under “Reapplication” to the Admissions Office. In all cases of readmission, you must meet any special requirements prescribed at the time you left the School.

Any student who left the School for reasons related to grade point average, incompletes, problem resolution, or status review will be referred to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean will determine whether a status review should be convened to determine if the student should be allowed to re-enroll in the School.

Foreign and ESL Students

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all applicants whose native languages are other than English and who have received a major portion of their education at institutions where English is not the language of instruction. This requirement includes foreign students and students for whom English is a second language. (A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required on the written test, and a minimum score of 213 is required on the computer-based test. The test must have been taken within the last five years.) In addition, applicants are required to take the GRE or MAT. An international student whose first language is English should take either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). For more information on the TOEFL, write or call: TOEFL Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151; 800-468-4335, fax 609-771-7765. Information on the GRE may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08541, or call 609-921-9000. For information on the MAT, write The Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, TX 78204, or call 210-299-1061.

Please instruct the testing service to forward your score to the Admissions Office at the School of Social Work.

An English language translation of all official transcripts is required of applicants from countries where the native language is other than English.

Upon receipt of your application, the School of Social Work will send you an International Student Data form, which must be submitted by every student who does not hold a permanent resident (immigrant) visa in the United States. If you are a U.S. citizen living overseas, you are not considered an international student. Since there are no scholarships for international students, this form is needed to confirm that you have the necessary financial support to meet all expenses for the duration of study for the MSW. A visa will not be issued without this information. Your acceptance to the School of Social Work is contingent on approval by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO). For more information, contact the ISSO at 617-353-3565 or isso@bu.edu or visit their website at www.bu.edu/isso.

Transfer Students

The School accepts a limited number of transfer students each year.  A student who has matriculated (or is matriculating) in another graduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may apply for transfer-student status equal to a maximum of one half of the total credits needed for graduation from the Boston University School of Social Work.

Transfer students must meet the School’s admission requirements. Your application must include all of the following before it can be considered:

1. A completed application (please see “Credentials Required” in the “Application for Admission” section for details). You must have a grade of B or better in each graduate social work course for transfer credit to be considered. All courses must have been completed within five years of your anticipated enrollment in the School.  Academic credit is not given for life experiences and previous work experience in lieu of field education or course requirements.
2. A syllabus and bibliography for each course being submitted for transfer credit.
3. A personal biographical statement which also includes a discussion of why you are requesting consideration for transfer-student status.
4. An evaluation of your first-year fieldwork (or portion thereof), if applicable.
5. A letter of recommendation from the dean (or his/her designee) of the school of social work from which you wish to transfer. This letter is to be submitted in addition to the other three references.
6. An application fee of $70.

Applicants transferring from another CSWE-accredited graduate social work program should contact the Admissions Office as soon as possible to request a Transfer Student Evaluation Form.

Transfer Credits

Petitions for transfer credits for individual graduate social work or other graduate courses are to be submitted upon acceptance to the School. Up to 9 credits may be received for courses taken at another accredited graduate school of social work. Up to 6 credits may be received for courses taken in another accredited graduate program other than social work. Credits which have been applied to a prior degree cannot be transferred. In all cases, a course grade of B or higher must have been received and the course must have been taken within the past five years to be eligible for consideration for transfer credit.

Please contact the Admissions Office at 617-353-3765 (voice/TTY) for the appropriate forms for transfer-student status and for information on receiving credit for individual graduate-level courses.

Advanced Standing

The School offers an Advanced Standing Program for applicants who have completed a degree from an accredited undergraduate social work program within the past six years. A minimum undergraduate academic average of 3.0 (B) is required. Please refer to Advanced Standing in "Programs of Study," for important detailed information about the Advanced Standing Program. If you are applying for Advanced Standing, you must submit a copy of the first semester fieldwork evaluation from your agency placement. Your final field evaluation also must be sent to the Admissions Office. (Your fieldwork evaluator, i.e., agency supervisor, cannot also write one of the three general references.) One of your three references must be from your faculty advisor or another faculty member.

Nonmatriculating Students

The School of Social Work offers select courses for academic credit on a nonmatriculating, space-available basis for people who want to learn more about social work as a profession. These courses are open to those holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Those interested should request information from the Admissions Office.

The courses open on this basis are some of the foundation courses required of first-year students in the MSW degree program: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I and II, Social Welfare Policy I and II, and Research in Social Work I. (The Human Behavior and Social Welfare Policy courses are yearlong and both semesters must be taken to receive credit.)

Credits taken on a nonmatriculating basis may be subsequently applied toward the Master of Social Work degree. (Check with the Admissions Office for details.)

Directions for Filing Application

The Admissions Office will accept only completed applications. The following materials must be submitted at the same time. (Please use the envelope provided.)

1. Application form.
2. Check or money order payable to Boston University for the nonrefundable application fee of $70.
3. Personal biographical statement.
4. Three sealed reference forms.
5. Communication cards.
6. Transfer or Advanced Standing materials, if applicable.
7. Official transcript(s) in sealed envelope(s) with the registrar’s signature across the flap.

Please note: Students should arrange to have GRE/MAT/TOEFL tests scores sent directly to the School by the authorized testing organization.

Please send complete application materials to:

Admissions Office
Boston University
School of Social Work
264 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215-1403

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Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Sherborn Street
Boston, MA 02215

18 September 2007
Boston University
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