Master of Social Work Admissions

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Admission Process and Requirements

We accept applications and admit students to the program on a rolling basis.

The admission process involves a holistic review of each applicant’s background and experiences. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early. Our goal is to make admission decisions within two weeks to provide applicants sufficient time to plan their graduate studies. Files will not be reviewed until all required items are submitted. 

How to apply

Prospective students apply to the MSW program by using our online application, which includes four sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information and Program Materials.

Requirements for each of the Social Work application sections are outlined below:

Grade Point Average

Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and a 2.75 minimum GPA in the last 60 units of postsecondary education.

Transcripts

Official transcripts, from all institutions, attended since high school (including vocational/technical school transcripts), must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission.

Office of Graduate Admission
University of the Pacific
Knoles Hall Room 204
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton CA 95211

Three (3) References

Your recommenders will be required to submit their recommendations in the online application system. Three references are required, but you may submit up to four. The three required references should come from professors at the school granting your baccalaureate degree or individuals who have supervised your paid or volunteer work.

No personal references.

Personal Statement

Provide a personal statement that describes your interest in social work. Please use a 12-point font, double-spaced, and keep it limited to a maximum of five pages. You should include the following:

1. What factors influenced your decision to pursue an MSW degree compared to another helping profession? 
2. Describe your work and/or volunteer experience working with diverse and underrepresented populations and how that influenced your desire to become a social worker.
3. What are your career plans with an MSW degree? How do you plan to commit to social justice and social change?
4. After reviewing the NASW Code of Ethics, share two values or ethics that align most with your personal values.
5. What skills do you hope to develop while in the program and why?
6. Based on social work values and ethics, how do you anticipate growing as a social worker after completion of the program? 
7. How has your academic, professional, volunteer, and leadership experience contributed to your preparation for our accelerated Master of Social Work program? 
8. Explain how you have prepared yourself for the rigors of an accelerated, hybrid graduate program.
9. Include a brief discussion of the strengths and challenges you anticipate experiencing in an online/hybrid program format.
10. After reviewing our mission statement, how is University of the Pacific’s MSW program a good fit for your educational and career goals? 

Resume/CV

Your Resume/CV is a required admission document. You will upload your resume in the Supporting Information section of the application.

Note: Standardized Tests, including the GRE, are not required for admission to University of the Pacific's MSW program.

Admission Process and Requirements

The admission process involves a holistic review of each applicant's background and experiences. We accept applications and admit students to the program on a rolling basis.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early. Our goal is to make admission decisions within two weeks to provide applicants sufficient time to plan their graduate studies. Files will not be reviewed until all required items are submitted.

How to apply

Prospective students apply to the MSW program by using our online application, which includes four sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information and Program Materials.

Requirements for each of the Social Work application sections are outlined below:

Grade Point Average

Baccalaureate degree in Social Work earned within the past 5 years from a CSWE-accredited program with a 3.3 minimum GPA in the last 60 units. Degree must be from a regionally accredited institution, or the degree is recognized through the Council on Social Work Education's International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service, or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors.

Transcripts

Official transcripts, from all institutions, attended since high school (including vocational/technical school transcripts), must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission.

Office of Graduate Admission
University of the Pacific
Knoles Hall Room 204
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton CA 95211

Three (3) References

Your recommenders will be required to submit their recommendations in the online application system. Three references are required, but you may submit up to four. The three required references should come from professors at the school granting your baccalaureate degree or individuals who have supervised your paid or volunteer work.

No personal references.

Personal Statement

Provide a personal statement that describes your interest in social work. Please use a 12-point font, double-spaced, and keep it limited to a maximum of five pages. You should include the following:

1. What factors influenced your decision to pursue an MSW degree compared to another helping profession?
2. Describe your work and/or volunteer experience working with diverse and underrepresented populations and how that influenced your desire to become a social worker.
3. What are your career plans with an MSW degree? How do you plan to commit to social justice and social change?
4. After reviewing the NASW Code of Ethics, share two values or ethics that align most with your personal values.
5. What skills do you hope to develop while in the program and why?
6. Based on social work values and ethics, how do you anticipate growing as a social worker after completion of the program?
7. How has your academic, professional, volunteer, and leadership experience contributed to your preparation for our accelerated Master of Social Work program?
8. Explain how you have prepared yourself for the rigors of an accelerated, hybrid graduate program.
9. Include a brief discussion of the strengths and challenges you anticipate experiencing in an online/hybrid program format.
10. After reviewing our mission statement, how is University of the Pacific’s MSW program a good fit for your educational and career goals?

Field Education Statement

Provide a statement that describes your undergraduate social work field internship. Please use a 12-point font and limit your statement to a maximum of 800 words (approximately 3-4 pages). You should include the following:

1. Describe your field internship assignment in detail. Include the number of cases you had, the focus of the services that you provided, and the length of contact you had with clients & the modalities that were practiced.
2. Reflect on the 9 CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) Competencies that were the core structure of your BSW Learning Agreement. Select three competencies, describe them, and explain what you did in your field internship to increase your competency with each. Be as thorough as possible and include examples to illustrate your point.  
3. What would you hope to gain from an MSW field internship? Include in your answer which CSWE competencies you like to further develop and why? Provide 3 APA references of research articles that are on topics that are relevant to your BSW field internship. 

Resume/CV

Your Resume/CV is a required admission document. You will upload your resume in the Supporting Information section of the application.

Note: Standardized Tests, including the GRE, are not required for admission to University of the Pacific's MSW program.

The 16-month accelerated hybrid program is for students with bachelor’s degrees in sociology, psychology, health studies, or related fields with a strong grounding in liberal arts or who will have earned this degree by August 15th, 2024. Apply through May 31st, 2024. If admitted, you will begin study in August of 2024.

The 12-month advanced standing program is for students who have a bachelor’s degree in social work earned within the past five years from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or who will have earned this degree by December 31, 2024. Apply February 1st through August 31st. If admitted, you will begin study in January of 2025. Graduates of baccalaureate social work programs recognized through CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services (ISWDRES), or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors, are also eligible to apply.

Applicants to the Advanced Standing program must be graduates from baccalaureate social work programs accredited by CSWE, recognized through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services (ISWDRES), or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors. Learn about CSWE’s international degree review process here.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

In additional to the admission requirements outlined for the student’s program of choice (16-month accelerated or 12-month advanced standing), international students should also complete the following:

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required. Add your foreign language test scores to the Standardized Test section in the Academic History quadrant.

TOEFL results to be sent to institution code B886. IELTS are also accepted and official scores should be sent to:

University of the Pacific
Office of Graduate Admission
3601 Pacific Ave.
Stockton, CA 95211-0110

Students who have attended schools outside of the United States are not required to submit official transcripts for those institutions but must rather submit a course-by-course evaluation of their academic records. University of the Pacific currently accepts evaluations from the following agencies:

• World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
• Foundation for International Services, Inc. (FIS)
• International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IREF)
• Transcript Research
• Joseph Silny & Associates

Students applying to the advanced standing program with a baccalaureate social work degree from a program not accredited by CSWE are required to submit a letter showing degree recognition from CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services (ISWDRES). Learn about CSWE’s international degree review process here.
 

Since we are a full-time cohort-based program, it is highly recommended that students do not work full-time while in our MSW program. With a field practicum requirement of 24 hours a week and the accelerated pace, it is very difficult to meet the rigorous curriculum with full-time employment.