Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) - Advanced Standing

Total Credit Hours: 33          Degree Format: Hybrid

The Master of Social Work program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and is designed to prepare students for a career in professional social work practice. The advanced generalist curriculum provides students with the knowledge, values, ethics, and skills to engage in multi-level practice with individuals, families, organizations and communities.

Students who have received a Bachelor of Social Work degree within the last five years from a CSWE-accredited program and who meet the MSW admission requirements may apply for Advanced Standing status. Advanced Standing students must complete 33 semester hours and one field practicum over a one-year period for the MSW degree. Advanced Standing students may apply to the hybrid 1-year or 2 year cohorts, but space is limited.

Program Director: Dr. Debra Gresham, email: socialwork@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5776

Department of Human Services Website

Department of Human Services' Master of Social Work Page

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Fall Semester: January 14
• Spring Semester: No Admission 
• Summer Semester: No Admission

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

• Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
• Apply Online

Official transcript from bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• Must hold an undergraduate BSW degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• The undergraduate work must have been completed within the last five years.
• Minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the last two years of undergraduate major.
• A minimum overall grade-point average of 2.50 on all attempted undergraduate coursework in which a letter grade was awarded.
• If an applicant has earned a graduate degree and is using the graduate grade-point average for admission review, a minimum 3.00 grade point average is required in all attempted graduate coursework.
• Prerequisite undergraduate courses with a “C” or better (see Important Program Information for a list of courses.

No GRE or MAT required

• As of the 2020 admissions cycle, the MSW program no longer requires an entrance exam. 

Master of Social Work (MSW) Supplemental Application

• The MSW Supplemental Application is a comprehensive document including written goal statement instructions.
• This document may be uploaded in the online application checklist or may be emailed as a scanned copy to gradschool@valdosta.edu.
• The form AND written portions are required.

Three Recommendations

• To be considered for Advanced Standing, two of the three recommendations must be from undergraduate faculty members from the BSW program.
• The third recommendation should be completed by the student's BSW field instructor with a copy of the final field evaluation.
• Recommenders will be sent an automated email with a link to a recommendation form from the application portal using the information the applicant provides.
• MSW Recommendation Form - for use if the electronic/emailed version presents trouble. Only print/submit this .pdf if your recommenders do not find the emailed recommendation in their inbox or spam folder.

VSU Medical Form

• The VSU Medical Form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
• This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
• Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Verification of Lawful Presence 

• This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.
• This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
• Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.
• Complete list of accepted documents and information on residency.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to ensure receipt of documents. 

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• Admission to the Advanced Standing track of the MSW Program is highly competitive. Advanced Standing applications will be thoroughly reviewed. The Social Work faculty will examine the applicant’s BSW transcript, the accreditation status of the undergraduate institution, and if necessary, BSW course syllabi, in order to determine whether the foundation course is transferable to the VSU MSW Program.
• Applicants must have fulfilled the following prerequisite undergraduate courses with a grade of “C” or better, prior to entering the M.S.W. program:
  • Humanities – 6 semester hours
  • Mathematics – 3 semester hours
  • Social Sciences – 6 semester hours
  • Additionally, courses with content in Human Development, Behavioral Science, or Human Biology are highly recommended.
• Advanced Standing applicants will indicate their preferred schedule on the MSW Supplemental Application Form.  Advanced Standing applicants may select the hybrid program for either the 1 year or 2 year schedule.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines. To be eligible for the Advanced Standing program, applicants must have completed a BSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program within the last five years.

• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

• Regular Status Only
• The MSW program does not offer probationary admission status.
• Requests for Non-Degree Admission will not be considered.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Director: Dr. Debra Gresham, email: socialwork@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5776.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK (M.S.W.)

• Social Work

1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
2. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
3. Students (except advanced standing students) must complete 60 semester hours including 43 credit hours of required classroom instruction with a “B” average of 3.00 or higher, and 17 credit hours of field practicum with a grade of “Satisfactory.”
4. A portfolio is required as an exit examination.

Graduation Requirements Page - M.S. Social Work Program

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

• Social Work Advanced Standing

1. Students must maintain a grade point average of not less than 2.5 at all times.

2. No grade below “C” will be credited toward the M.S.W. degree.

3. Students will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate 4 or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C” equals one deficiency point (and will be credited toward the M.S.W. degree). A grade of “D” equals 2 deficiency points (and will not be credited toward the M.S.W. degree). A grade of “F” or “WF” equals 3 deficiency points (neither of these will be credited toward the M.S.W. degree). Because of the emphasis on practicum performance in the social work program, a grade of “Unsatisfactory” in practicum equals 4 deficiency points and will result in permanent dismissal from the program. Students who are admitted with Advanced Standing Status will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate 2 academic deficiency points or a grade of "Unsatisfactory" in practicum.

4. Students may be terminated from the Division of Social Work for non-academic reasons that are identified in the 2009-2010 Student Handbook. A student’s enrollment may be terminated for the following non-academic reasons:

   • Violation of the NASW Code of Ethics or the Code of Ethics of the State of Georgia Composite Board. Students are responsible for being familiar with the NASW Code of Ethics. Content from the code is infused throughout the curriculum.The Code of Ethics can be found on the Division of Social Work Website.Links to the Code are found in the 2009-2010 Field Handbook and in the 2009-2010 Student Handbook.

   • Presenting oneself in such a way as to be rejected by four different agencies for practicum placement.

   • A pattern of complaints that indicates the student is unable to engage clients in such a way as to form a professional and helpful relationship. (For example being unable or unwilling to demonstrate nonjudgmental attitude, unable or unwilling to allow client self-determination).

   • A pattern of complaints that indicates the student is unable to work within agency policies and procedures when such policies and procedures are not in violation of professional social work values and/or codes of ethics (For example, failure to meet generally accepted standards of professional conduct, personal integrity or emotional stability, inability to engage in a supervisory relationship with an assigned field instructor including an inability to follow supervisory guidance, directives, or instructions; inappropriate or disruptive behavior toward colleagues, faculty, or staff, whether at school or within field placement.)

   • A pattern of complaints that indicates the student’s behavior does not reflect a standard of objectivity suitable to the profession. (For example, failure to maintain professional boundaries with clients, over identification or other behaviors with clients for personal advantage.)

   • Engaging in behavior that renders the student ineligible for licensing in the State of Georgia, for membership in the National Association of Social Workers, or for certification by the National Association of Social Workers

   • Students dismissed for non-academic reasons will not be considered for readmission to the program.

   • Readmission is not guaranteed for students dismissed because of academic deficiencies. A student must wait a full academic year before reapplying for readmission. If a student who was dismissed for academic reasons is readmitted, the student must retake only courses with deficiencies until the number of deficiency points is fewer than or equal to 2 deficiency points. A student may not take a class more than twice or apply for readmission more than once. If a candidate wishes to withdraw from a class with a grade of “WP,” it is the candidate’s responsibility to initiate and complete the withdrawal process prior to the midterm deadline. “WP” grades do not affect academic deficiency points or grade point average.

5. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level -graduate program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.

6. Graduate coursework completed at other CSWE-accredited institutions will be evaluated for equivalence to the VSU M.S.W. curriculum after admission to the program.

 7. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements.

Retention, Dismissal, and Readmission Policies Page - MSW Advanced Standing Program