1. What are the minimum requirements for admission to the MSW Program?
An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, strong academic
performance, work/volunteer experience in human services, commitment to advocacy,
interest, interest in connection to others and self-awareness.
2. Is a 3.0 G.P.A. required?
The recommended G.P.A. to our master's program is a 3.0. It is a 3.25 for our advanced
standing applicants. While applicants with a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged
to apply, a solid undergraduate performance between 3.0 and 4.0 is usually a good predictor
to do graduate work. We do look at each candidate as a composite of their academic
experiences, professional development, references, commitment to service and ability to
express themselves. We are most interested in applicants who indicate a strong commitment to the field, a history
of volunteer and/or relevant work experience and the ability to communicate and write on a
graduate level. If you are concerned about your G.P.A, you may submit an academic
explanation essay that addresses reasons for your concerns and your plans for performing at
a higher level in the future. This statement should be no more than 1-2 paragraphs long.
3. Will I be interviewed?
No, interviews are not standard. Students are welcomed, however, in order to set up an
individual meeting or attend a class visit, information session or open house please see
visit us for details.
4. Are there any courses I need to take befoe enrolling?
All students need to have completed a statistics course within four years with a grade of C or
better. This requirement is not a prerequisite for admission, but rather a requirement for beginning
the research sequence of classes, which typically begin the second semester of study's. Students
who've not met this requirement, will need to take a statistics course prior to beginning classes, or
during the first semester of studies. Note the School of Social Work offers an online statistics
course that meets this requirement.
5. May I apply if my undergraduate degree is not in social work, psychology, or human services?
Certainly, applicants from a host of academic and professional backgrounds are interested in
pursuing an M.S.W. This contributes to a diverse and stimulating mix in our student body.
6. How long will it take for a decision to be made on my application?
Once your information is complete it should take our faculty and our admissions staff 4-6 weeks
to make a decision.
7. What are some tips on writing the statement of purpose?
The statement of purpose is a very important part of the application. Critical thinking skills and
commitment to the field should be evident in your responses. Follow all instructions and answer all three questions included in the online application. Make sure you use spell check your
statement as we are looking at writing style and ability during our review process.
8. Do I have to take the GRE?
No, we do not accept the GRE as part of the M.S.W. If you see a place to indicate you have
taken the GRE on the online application form simply leave it blank for our department. If you are
interested in a dual degree program, however, you should check with that department to learn
about their test-taking requirements.
9. What should I know about submitting my transcripts?
Transcripts are required for any credit-bearing, post secondary course in which you've been
enrolled. As already stated, it is considered academic fraud to fail to include these in your
application packet. Transcripts can be mailed directly to the Graduate Enrollment Office at 820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611, or you can have them mailed to you, providing they are sealed, and send
them in all at once. You are also able to drop them off if that makes you more comfortable.
10. Are transcripts required for international applicants?
International applicants are required to send in transcripts to be considered applicants for
our graduate programs. It is okay if your transcripts are in another language. You are also
required to have a course-by-course evaluation of your courses completed at www,ece.org. This will verify if the degree earned is eqivalent of a U.S. Bachelor's degree.
Without the official verification, you may not be admitted into the program. This process will
both verify your degree and and translate your scores into U.S. GPA, which is a factor in the
admissions decision.
11. What kind of letters of recommendations are required?
It is recommended that you obtain one volunteer, one professional and one academic
reference. That being said, we invite diverse groups of applicants to apply and recognize that
older applicants, as well as others for various reasons, may not have access to all three of these. If that is the case, then you may choose to use another combination of the three suggested
reference types, but be sure to have those people speak to your strengths in the other areas
defined as well. Letters from ministers, priests, rabbis are accepted only if you have volunteered or
worked in some capacity for your place of worship. Letters from parents, spouses and therapists
are not accepted.
Just as with transcripts, letters of reference can be sent in separately or together, as long as they
are sealed upon arrival to the School. Letters of recommendation can be submitted via the online
application form, sent directly by recommenders to gradapp@luc.ed, or sent via snail mail.
Note: Sending additional letters of recommendation does not strength an application. 12. Do I have to send the application all at once?
No, in fact, many applicants, opt to send their materials "piece-meal" which is acceptable. Note,
however, that the application will not be reviewed until the graduate enrollment office has received
every piece of the enrollment material.
13. What is the application deadline?
Loyola's School of Social Work accepts MSW applications all year around. The Water Tower program
in Chicago admits students for Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters. Loyola's MSW at Carthage has
entry for the Summer Semester only. Though there are no application deadlines, early application is
encouraged.
14. How will I know if I need to take a statistics course?
After submitting your completed application, the faculty will review it and determine if you will
be required to complete a statistics course. Students will receive a letter from the admissions
office within the School of Social Work with regards to the statistic requirement. For information
on the online statistics course offered through Loyola's MSW Program at Carthage please
click here..
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