Apply to the MSW Program

If you have any questions about our MSW Programs, please join us for informational meetings about our MSW Programs. Applications open on October 1, 2022 for the Fall 2023 semester. All Informational Meetings will be held from 5pm-6pm via zoom

• September 12, 2022 
• October 10, 2022
• November 7, 2022
• December 5, 2022

If you are joining by computer/device/phone:

•  Join Zoom Meeting(opens in new window)

  Meeting ID: 859 1503 2423

  Passcode: 207355

  Find your local number: https://csuchico.zoom.us/u/kdeBpG7TPh(opens in new window)

The entire Graduate School application must be completed and submitted online via  Cal State Apply  

-MSW 1-Year Program, 2023-2024 (Note: The One-Year Program is available to apply to if you have or will earn an undergraduate degree in Social Work (BSW) within the past five years)

- MSW DL 1-Year Program, 2023-2024 (Note: The One-Year Program is available to apply to if you have or will earn an undergraduate degree in Social Work (BSW) within the past five years. This is an online program with summer 2023 courses)

- MSW 2-Year Program, 2023-2025 (The Two-Year Program is available to applicants with any undergraduate background)

Our students must complete their Field Practicum within the School of Social Work Service Region - 18 Northern California counties - Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, or Yuba.

The MSW Program requires applicants to have completed three (3) prerequisites: statistics, human biology, and ethnic diversity/multicultural studies (see below). Each prerequisite must have been worth 3 units each and have received a C grade or higher.

• Statistics - Applicants must have completed Basic Statistics
• Human Biology - Applicants must have completed Human Biology or another similar course that includes a significant amount of human biological content (examples may include: Anatomy, Human Biology, Genetics, Sexuality, Physical Pathologies, Nutrition, or Health)
  • The title of the course will likely reflect a human biological focus
• Ethnic Diversity or Multicultural Studies - Applicants must have completed a Ethnic Diversity or Multicultural content course (examples may include: Multicultural and Gender Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Latin American Studies, Chicano Studies, American Indian Studies, Religious Studies, Geological & Environmental Sciences, Geography, History, Literature, Sociology, Social Work, or Political Science)
  • The title of the course will likely reflect a diversity or multicultural focus

Reporting Prerequisites in the Application:

Applicants will be asked to list their MSW Program Prerequisites in their applications. The following information is required:

• College/University where course was taken
• Name of course (including the number)
• Semester and Year course was taken (or will be taken)
• Units of course
• Grade for course (or “In Progress” if not yet completed)

What if I'm not sure that my course will fulfill a prerequisite?

If you need more clarification regarding a specific course, to see if it meets a prerequisite requirement, please email the following items to our MSW Directors (listed below) for review:

• A copy of your college or university unofficial transcript
• The college or university catalog course description, and/or
• The course syllabus

Chelsea Cornell – ccornell1@csuchico.edu & Meka Klungtvet-Morano – mklungtvet-morano@csuchico.edu

International Applicants:

International academic documents will all be assessed by International Admissions and/or the Office of Graduate Studies during the application review process. This includes the review of prerequisites and transcripts. For your application, please list the courses you think meet the prerequisites.

The Personal Statement is a critical component to the MSW Program application. The purpose of the Personal Statement is to allow us to learn more about you, and for you to demonstrate your writing abilities. The Personal Statement document will be uploaded into your MSW Program application through CalState Apply, so it must be completed electronically, be doubled-spaced, and use a 12-point font. Please use a subheading for each prompt listed below. Your written response to each of the prompts should be approximately one-page in length. Accepted files types -  .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .png. The size limit for each file upload is 15MB.

Prompts for all applicants:
1. Share your reason for pursuing a graduate degree in social work. How will an MSW help you to advance personally and professionally?

2. Share your understanding of your own power/privilege. How has this informed your interaction with people whose lives, worldviews, beliefs, and/or values are different from your own (e.g., culture, race/ethnicity, ability, class, religion, sexuality, gender identity, politics, education).

3. Share how your own experiences of hardship, marginalization, and/or oppression influenced the person you are today. How will you incorporate what you have learned into your practice as a social worker?

4. Share your understanding/definition of social justice. What do you believe is the role of social work in addressing social justice? As a graduate-level Social Worker, what role do you anticipate (or see yourself playing) in promoting social justice, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

5. Please use this space to share what you would like us to know, that may not have been shared in your responses to the prior prompts/questions.

Prompt for applicants with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 ONLY:
If your GPA is below 3.0, please share why you feel it is not reflective of your ability to succeed in graduate school.

Prompt for Distributed Learning (DL) applicants:
If you are applying to the Distributed Learning (DL) program, please share how the DL option is a good fit for your educational goals and emphasize your commitment to the north state after graduation.

Sample Recommendation Form (PDF)

Three (and only three) references are required. References should be from the following categories:

1. Academic Reference – We strongly recommend applicants include at least one reference from their academic advisor and/or major professor. Applicants who have been out of college for several years could request letters of reference from the current department chair of their previous university, or submit an additional reference from the Work Experience category below.

2. Work Experience Reference – We strongly recommend applicants include one reference from an employment supervisor who is acquainted firsthand with their work experience, whether that work experience is paid, volunteer or practicum in nature. Please note that preference may be given to applicants who have a minimum of one year of paid or volunteer experience in human services.

3. Field Liaison Reference (REQUIRED FOR ALL BSW APPLICANTS) – We require that applicants with a Bachelor in Social Work (BSW),or who will soon have a BSW, use their Field Liaison as one of their three references.

- The Field Liaison is the university faculty who taught the field practicum/seminar course that aligned with the internship experience.
- The Field Liaison is NOT the agency task supervisor (TS) or agency field instructor (AFI/FI) that worked within the internship agency.
- To meet this reference requirement, students should ensure that they are using  the Field Liaison (as defined here) as one of their references.

Reference Process - 

• Waiver of Recommendation - I waive my right of access to this Recommendation.
• Permission to Contact Recommender - I hereby give permission to contact this recommender via email to request the completion of the recommendation form and letter of recommendation. If my recommender does not submit an online recommendation form in response to the email request, it is my sole responsibility to contact the recommender directly to ensure all recommendations required by my designated schools are received by the deadline.
• Permission for Schools to Contact Recommender - I understand that the schools to which I am applying may contact the recommender either to verify the information provided and/or for further clarification of the information provided, and I hereby give permission for the schools to do so.

All notifications will be sent to applicants via email (to the email you use to create your application in Cal State Apply), sometime between the end of March, and the beginning of April. You MUST check your email - we will not be sending your notification to any other addresses. (Subject to change, any updates will be posted prior to this timeframe.)

Applicants may check the status of their application anytime by signing into the Cal State Apply Application System.

The School of Social Work receives roughly 150 applications per year. We accept 20 applicants into our One-Year Program, and 24 applicants into our Two-Year Program. When a Three-Year application is offered, we accept 40 applicants into that program. On average the acceptance rate is about 50% for all three of our MSW program options.

We also create wait lists for each program, and the offer of acceptance for those on the wait list is dependent on the status of "accepted" applicants.

I have questions about whether social work is right for me, and what the program is like. Who can I talk to?

Please contact the MSW Program Co-Directors:

  Chelsea Cornell, MSW & Meka Klungtvet-Morano, MSW 

Which MSW Program can I apply to?

The One-Year Program is available to apply to if you have or will earn an undergraduate degree in Social Work (BSW) within the past five years. The Two-Year and Three-Year Programs are available to applicants with any undergraduate background.

Do I have a better chance of being accepted into the One-Year or Two-Year Program?

Applicants have roughly the same chance of being accepted into the One-Year Program or Two-Year Program. Some years we have more applications to one program and some years we have more applications to the other. You should apply to the program that you think best fits your educational needs.

Is there only one filing period per year?

Yes. You can only apply to the MSW program between October 1st and January 15th.

Is there someone in the School of Social Work who will look over my application before I submit? Can you look at my application and make sure it looks good?

No, there is no one at the School of Social Work who will review your application.

Who can help me fill out my prerequisite information?

If you have specific questions about prerequisites, please email the MSW Director for assistance. Please complete as much of your prerequisite information as you can before bringing your questions to the MSW Director. Please see the previous section "Prerequisite Information" for more information.

Who should I ask to write a letter of reference for me?

If you have not/will not receive a BSW undergraduate degree within the past five years, we encourage you to get at least one academic reference and one reference from someone who knows you in a work environment. We prefer that it is someone who has been a supervisor at work. It is up to you whether your third reference is an academic or a work-related reference. Do not submit a reference from a friend, family member, therapist, etc.

If you have/will receive a BSW undergraduate degree within the past five years, one reference should be from your Faculty Field Instructor/Liaison, one should be an academic reference, and one should be a work-related reference. Do not submit a reference from a friend, family member, therapist, etc.

Who submits a Field Liaison Reference?

The Field Liaison is the university faculty who taught the field practicum/seminar course that aligned with the internship experience. The Field Liaison is NOT the agency task supervisor (TS) or agency field instructor (AFI/FI) that worked within the internship agency. To meet this reference requirement, students should ensure that they are using the Field Liaison (as defined here) as one of their references.

If I have a BSW, do I need to add three References and a Field Liaison Reference?

No, you need a reference from your Faculty Field Liaison and two additional references.

Does my Field Liaison need to be added to the Field Liaison Reference and to the regular Reference?

No, they only need to be added as the Field Liaison Reference.

Can my Reference email a reference directly to the School of Social Work?

No, all references must be submitted online through a specific link that they will receive by email. A reference receives their link after an applicant adds their information into the online Cal State Apply system.

What if I have been out of school for a few years, do I still need an academic reference?

We prefer it if you have an academic reference, but we know that is not always possible. If you do not have anyone who can write an academic reference for you, you can submit additional work-related references.

My reference forgot to submit a letter for me. Can they still use the reference link that was sent to them and submit a reference for me?

References can be submitted up until the application deadline. After the deadline, no additional information will be accepted.

My reference did not receive their link to submit an online letter of reference for me, what do I do?

Please ask your reference to check their Spam/Junk/Clutter email folders, since the reference emails are sent from an automated account. If your reference needs their link re-sent to them, please ask them to contact the Cal State Apply Applicant Help center 

How do I know if my references have been submitted?

Applicants may check the status of their references anytime by logging into Cal State Apply. 

Can I submit an Application after the deadline?

No, the deadline is firm. No matter what the reason, we do not accept applications after the January 15th deadline. If you miss the deadline you will have to wait and apply next year.

If something is missing from my application, will my application still be reviewed?

No, only complete application will be reviewed and considered.

Will I be contacted if something is missing from my application?

No. An application can only be submitted if all sections contain content. If you are missing a reference or any transcripts, you may review that information by logging into Cal State Apply to review your submitted application.

Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required?

The GRE is not required for admission into the MSW programs. However, a high GRE score will count favorably for applicants who may have a low undergraduate grade point average. GRE scores should be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies.

How will I be notified about my application status?

Applicants are notified by email. The email address listed in your Cal State Apply Application is the address your notification will be sent to.

How much does the program cost?

Please visit the Student Financial Services and Financial Aid & Scholarship Office websites for more information.

I was not accepted into the MSW Program, what do I do?

You can appeal the School of Social Work decision through the process with the Office of Graduate Studies. You can also apply next year. We do not discuss specific admission decisions with applicants. However, in general, if you have a low GPA, you might improve your chances of acceptance by taking additional courses to increase your GPA, or by doing well in a graduate course you can take through Open University. You might also improve your chances by getting additional social work-related work experience.

What do I do if I'm on the wait list?

We will notify you if you are accepted off of the wait list into the program. This can happen as late as a week before classes begin. There is nothing you can do other than wait to hear from us.

Please contact the School of Social Work with any questions regarding the  application process:

530-898-6204
swrk@csuchico.edu

Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies or Cal State Apply with any questions regarding the Cal State Apply application and process: 

Office of Graduate Studies(opens in new window)
530-898-6880
graduatestudies@csuchico.edu

Cal State Apply(opens in new window)
857-304-2087