Master of Science in Social Work Admissions
Thank you for your interest in applying to the Master of Science in Social Work program. The MSSW Program is accepting and reviewing applications and admitting new students year-round! No
GRE required! You must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution to apply to our MSSW program. Our admissions process and application requirements are customized to accommodate unique prospective student demographics. Each applicant must complete an online application including essays, submit official transcripts, and letter(s) of recommendation. Learn more about requirements at the application checklist below.
Admissions Requirements and Application Checklist:
- Advanced Standing 30 Hour Program (Must be a BSW student or graduate)
- Regular 60 Hour Program (Applicant with degree other than social work)
- Kent BSW to MSSW (Must be a Kent School BSW student)
- HBCU Cardinal Express to Success (Must be a HBCU student or graduate)
Important Application Deadlines
There are two important application deadlines to think about while applying, the MSSW Program application and Field Education application. Please note you must be admitted to the MSSW Program before you can apply for a practicum placement with Field Education. Give yourself time to apply to the MSSW Program and receive an attendance decision which takes approximately 10 working days from the time of receipt of your completed application to receive an admissions decision. You can still apply and start the MSSW Program even if you do not meet the Field Education deadline. You can do coursework and apply for a practicum placement for the following semester. Practicum placements begin during the Fall and Spring semesters. Download MSSW Deadline dates [PDF]
Military Applicants
The UofL Graduate School waives the application fee for currently serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans. Additionally, UofL and the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science are committed to supporting students currently serving in the military, veterans, and family members in their academic success. You can learn more about the application fee waiver, military tuition rates ,and student support services here.
Dual Degrees Applicants
If you wish to pursue any of the dual degree programs, you must also complete the other unit's application process. All dual degree options may not offer fully online opportunities, so students in the Online MSSW program may be ineligible for some dual degrees.
International Applicants & US Citizens Living Abroad & Outside of Kentucky
All MSSW candidates who completed their undergraduate degrees outside of the US are required to have their transcripts evaluated by the credential services World Education Services at wes.org or Educational Credential Evaluators at ece.org. Any candidate may be required to participate in a brief telephone interview as part of the admissions process. Candidates who are required to complete an I-20 form should note that they will be placed in a practicum program as part of their education. Admitted students to the on-campus program should contact UofL's International Center to determine if any other immigration documentation is necessary to begin practicum at louisville.edu/internationalcenter.
ALL candidates for whom English is not their primary language must:
- Show English proficiency by demonstration of a specified level of proficiency on the TOEFL exam, IELTS or Duolingo examination or by providing an official transcript from an acceptable English language institution
- Minimum TOEFL scores: 213 on the computer-based TOEFL or a score of 79-80 on Internet-based TOEFL is required. More information on TOEFL at www.ets.org/toefl.
- Minimum IELTS score: 6.5 for more information review www.ielts.org
- Duolingo score of 105 for more information review englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants.
Applicants who live outside of the US will need to consult with the Field Education Office in advance of applying to the MSSW program to ensure the feasibility of meeting the practicum placement requirements in accordance with CSWE policies at fieldedu@louisville.edu. A qualified practicum supervisor must be readily available (e.g., the supervisor has an MSSW/MSW degree from a CSWE accredited institution or similar CSWE type accreditation) and/or the applicant must participate in identifying a qualified practicum supervisor with the support of the Field Education Office. Both applicants outside of the US and outside of Kentucky must be willing to participate in the process of identifying a qualified practicum supervisor with the support of the Field Education Office. MSSW Online applicants in rural areas must consider that they may be required to travel to their practicum placements if no qualifying practicums are available in their local area.
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