Admission to MU
If you plan to attend MU and get a BSW, you should declare “Pre-Social Work” as your major when you fill out your Undergraduate Admissions Application to Mizzou. An advisor will be assigned to you from the School of Health Professions.
Pre-social work majors are not guaranteed acceptance into the professional BSW program. You must submit an application for admission to the Professional BSW Program when you are eligible.
Current MU students
Current MU students can email chsadvising@missouri.edu to learn how to transfer to the School of Social Work.
Transfer students from other institutions
If you are coming from another institution and wish to declare the social work major, complete the MU Undergraduate Admissions Application and note “Pre-Social Work” as your intended major.
If you transfer to MU with junior standing, please be aware that four semesters may be required to complete all BSW program requirements for graduation.
“Social work is significant in creating change and helping individuals, families, and communities cope and seek solutions to various problems. Mizzou’s respected professional social work program is a great option for students looking to advocate for social and economic justice in an essential and ever-growing field.” —Chloe Brewer
Apply for the professional BSW program
Once undergraduate social work students have completed their pre-professional requirements, they apply to the professional BSW program to complete core courses and field experience.
Applications are competitive, and declaring or transferring into the social work major does not guarantee admission to the professional BSW program.
To be considered for admission to the professional BSW program, students must complete a minimum number of credit hours and a range of liberal arts courses.
Academic eligibility requirements
- Have a 2.5 GPA or higher on all college work attempted
- Have second-semester sophomore status (42+ hours completed)
- Complete the following Liberal Arts Foundation prerequisite courses prior to beginning Professional BSW courses in the fall: (All courses require a grade in the “C” range or higher)
- English 1000
- Communication 1200
- College Algebra (1100)
- Philosophy (Any – 1000, 1100, or 1200 recommended)
- Biology 1010
- Economics (Macro or Micro)
- Anthropology (Any – 1300, 1350, or 2030 recommended)
- History or Political Science (US Constitution)
- Sociology 1000
- Psychology 1000
Deadlines
In-person students
Early deadline: Feb. 15 by 4 p.m.
Final deadline: May 15 by 4 p.m.
Online students
Aug. 2 by 4 p.m.
If the deadlines fall on a weekend or MU holiday, the deadline is the following business day.
How to apply
Apply to the Mizzou BSW programPlease email ssw@missouri.edu if you are unable to submit all of/portions of your application online and need to make other arrangements. Applications will not be reviewed until all application documents, including recommendation forms, are received.
We cannot review your file unless all items are received.
Required application materials
Choose three people who can speak to your academic abilities and your abilities to work with people. We require at least one college-level academic reference (professor, instructor) and at least one person who has supervised you working with people (work supervisor, volunteer supervisor, etc.). References may not come from relatives or friends.
Download BSW professional program letter of recommendation (fillable PDF form) for each reference and complete the top of the form. Send one form to each reference and instruct your reference to email it to ssw@missouri.edu when complete. Completed forms should be sent from your reference’s official work email address. You and/or your reference may contact ssw@missouri.edu with questions/concerns regarding reference forms.
Social Work is a profession concerned with individual growth and social change; it is important to the Admission Committee, in assessing your application, to have written comments on several issues. Since your personal statement will be used to assess your readiness for undergraduate social work education, care should be taken in its preparation. Your personal statement should fully inform us about your view of yourself as a quality candidate for professional education.
In view of the importance of this section, please answer the following questions. Please type and double space; your answers to each question should be at least one page in length or more.
- Please describe how your college (academic and social) and life experiences have influenced your decision to pursue social work as a career.
- Additionally, how do your own identities (eg. race gender, social class, etc.) affect those experiences and the decision to pursue social work?
- What social issues are of particular interest to you and how do they relate to socio- cultural background?
- In what ways have you attempted to act upon your concerns regarding these issues and how did others respond?
- How does this interest influence your career goals?
- Describe your personal as well as academic strengths that you believe will help you in working successfully with clients, groups or agencies.
- Describe areas of improvement that need to be addressed and resolved in order for you to be successful with clients
Current MU students should submit an unofficial transcript (available to print from myZou as the “Student Academic Profile”).
Non-MU students should upload an unofficial transcript from each college or university attended. Screenshots/PDFs of prior coursework will be accepted. Official transcripts do not need to be sent to the School of Social Work.
Contact us
For questions about the status of your application to the professional BSW program, please contact us at ssw@missouri.edu or 573-884-8795.