Program Admission

Students may declare social work as a pre-major upon enrollment in the University. However, they must submit an application and be accepted into the Bachelor of Social Work program in order to continue as a major in the department.

Different rules and restrictions may apply to transfer students and students seeking readmission to the program.

Applicants to the undergraduate social work program must meet the following criteria:

• Students are required to review and update their student academic file in the Social Work department at the start of the application process. Included in the file should be a current copy of all college and university transcripts for each institution the student has attended.
• A cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale is required for admission to the social work program. The prerequisite courses must be completed by the beginning of the semester the student plans to enroll in courses identified for majors only.
• Completion of the following 9 hours of social work prerequisite courses with a grade no lower than C+ in each class (at least two of the courses must have an official grade at the time of application submission):
  • SOCW 221 - Introduction to Social Work 
  • SOCW 222 - Social Welfare: Emergence of the Social Services  
  • SOCW 241 - Social Work Intervention 
• Completion of 30 hours of Core 39 coursework, including the following courses with a minimum grade of C in each course:
  • Composition – 
    ENG 101 - Rhetoric and Composition I: Literacy and the Self
  • Mathematics – MATH 111, MATH 114, MATH 215, or MATH 230 
  • Natural Science with Lab - 
    BIOL 105 - Biology of Human Concern
    , or BIOL 121 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I or BIOL 122 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 
  • Social Inquiry and Embedded Experience-Diversity - SOC 121 - Principles of Sociology 
  • Social Science - PSY 201 - Introduction to Psychology  
• For program admission, students must have a 2.75 GPA or higher in the following pre-requisite courses:
  • SOCW 221 (C+ or better)
  • SOCW 222 (C+ or better)
  • SOCW 241 (C+ or better)
  • ENG 101 (C or better)
  • MATH 111, MATH 114, MATH 215, or MATH 230 (C or better)
  • BIOL 105, BIOL 121, or BIOL 122 (C or better)
  • PSY 201 (C or better)
  • SOC 121 (C or better)

A personal interview and/or additional evaluative data may be required of applicants.

Transfer students will be evaluated on an individual basis. They must meet the minimum course work requirement(s) or their equivalent(s) to be eligible for admission to the program.

Deadline for next admission cycle: January 31 (preferred date) and May 15.

Please submit your application at least two weeks prior to the deadline so that the program can contact your references and they can complete their forms before the deadline.

Application:  The application is online and can be accessed by the link at the bottom of the page.  

References:  Within the application, applicants will provide the email addresses for two university faculty that will serve as professional references. These faculty can come from other universities or departments; however, it is preferred that they can assess the applicants in terms of their potential as future social workers. 

Admission decisions for the BSW Program are based on evidence that the applicant:

1. Meets the GPA requirements
2. Has completed the required prerequisite classes
3. Has a commitment to social work values
4. Has a basic understanding of generalist social work practice
5. Demonstrates professional behaviors and attitudes
6. Demonstrates emotional maturity 
7. Demonstrates stable mental/emotional process
8. Demonstrates excellent writing skills (The personal statement submitted is evaluated on punctuation, spelling, grammar, syntax, organization and the ability to clearly express ideas).
9. Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills
10. Demonstrates good critical thinking and analytic ability, including evidence of good judgment
11. Has relevant work and/or volunteer experience
12. Submits appropriate references. Students are encouraged to review the reference form and request references from two university or college professors who will be able to answer the questions. Each category is scored. Submission of references with unable to judge statements will result in a lower score.

Students are given feedback on the progress of the application throughout the committee process, primarily through e-mail. Information will include a timeline with time-frames on when to expect a letter of notification, orientation & registration schedule. Students are notified of the committee’s decision in writing. An electronic copy may also be sent at the student’s request. Please notify the Social Work Department if you have a change of contact information. All communication is based on information provided on the application.

The committee will make every attempt to notify students of the status of their application by the time priority registration begins. In order to respond in a timely manner the Admission Packet must be complete at the time of submission in order to be eligible for review. Students will be admitted to the program on a conditional basis. Upon successful completion of all prerequisites, maintaining the required GPAs, completion of Orientation and completion of a national and local criminal history check students will be unconditionally admitted to the program. A student may also be denied admission.

All information submitted during the application process becomes the property of the Social Work Department and will be kept confidential. When a student is officially admitted into the Social Work program, his/her academic progress will be periodically reviewed based on the standards in the BSW Social Work Handbook.  

Indiana Public Law 11-1994 (Sexual Offender Law) and BSW Admission 

In order to fully comply with Indiana Public Law 11-1994, the University will conduct a criminal history check specific to convictions for sex offenses against children for students requesting admission to the Social Work Program. This check will be conducted at the point of admission and upon entering each field placement. A student who has been convicted of sex offenses against children as identified in P.L. 11-1994 will not be granted admission to or allowed to continue in the Social Work Program.

Individuals who were convicted of such crimes outside of the state of Indiana are required to report their intent to reside more than seven days in an area within Indiana to local law enforcement authorities having jurisdiction in the area of intended residence.

Readmission Requirements

Students who leave the BSW Program in good standing before completing requirements for the BSW degree may request re-admission by following the steps:

1. Contact the Director of the BSW Program to review your file and status with the program.
2. Develop a new Check Sheet to determine the feasibility and timetable for your degree completion.
3. Complete the BSW Re-Admission Application.
4. As part of the application, describe how you have dealt with the obstacle(s) or problem(s) that led to your not completing the program previously.
5. As part of the application, provide the contact information for two faculty references. 
6. If the student has been away from USI for one academic year or longer, the student must also apply for readmission to the university.

The Director of the BSW Program will work with students to review their status and request for readmission. If students are re-admitted, they will be required to follow the USI Bulletin in effect at the time of readmission. In order to count toward the BSW degree, course work must have been completed within seven years prior to a student’s enrollment in the first course(s) that count for degree credit in the program. For courses that exceed this time limit, students must either validate the previous credit or retake the course(s) in order to meet degree requirements. Validation requirements are determined by faculty who teach in each curriculum area.

Dismissed Students

Students who were dismissed from the BSW program and would like to reapply are required to use the full application procedure that all new applicants follow. They cannot use the re-admission application.

Apply here

Students already admitted to the program can apply for admission at any time.

Readmission to the BSW Program is evaluated individually by the BSW Program Director and Members of the BSW Admissions Committee.

Transfer students are expected to meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Bachelor of Social Work program. Students may receive information on Admission to the University of Southern Indiana via the University Admission website.

Transfer students should adhere to the application deadlines.

Students must be admitted to the University before the Social Work Department can consider an application for admission to the BSW program.

A general credit evaluation is completed for all entering transfer students by the Credentials Analyst, Transfer Evaluation Section of the USI Registrar's Office. Transfer students should submit official transcripts from each school attended when they apply to the University of Southern Indiana.

Once admitted to USI and provided a username and password, students may electronically retrieve information on how courses transferred by running a Degree Works Report located on the student's self-service records.

Students can verify how their credits will transfer by using the TESS tool to identify their USI course equivalent. If a student has questions about Core 39 courses prior to transferring, he or she should contact the BSW Program Director. 

Students enrolled in college-level work at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning while still in high school will receive college credit if the college courses meet standards for transfer and are submitted on an official college transcript.

All transfer students are required to complete a university orientation session and meet with an advisor to plan their academic program and complete registration. Orientation may be completed online if the student meets the credit hour requirement.

Transfer students are expected to meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Bachelor of Social Work program. Students may receive information on Admission to the University of Southern Indiana via the University Admission website.

Students must be admitted to the University before the Social Work Department can consider an application for admission to the BSW program.

A general credit evaluation is completed for all entering transfer students by the Credentials Analyst, Transfer Evaluation Section of the USI Registrar's Office. Transfer students should submit official transcripts from each school attended when they apply to the University of Southern Indiana.

Once admitted to USI and provided a username and password, students may electronically retrieve information on how courses transferred by running a Degree Works Report located on the student's self-service records.

If a student has questions about Core 39 courses prior to transferring, he or she should contact the Social Work Department at 812-464-1843. Questions can be answered by telephone, e-mail or in person by meeting with an advisor from the Social Work Department. A list of transfer equivalencies for Social Work is maintained by the University and the Social Work Department and can be provided to students at their request. If a student believes a social work course will transfer, he or she should obtain a course description from the college or university where the course was taken. This course description can then be reviewed by Social Work Department faculty and staff in order to determine transferability.

Students enrolled in college-level work at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning while still in high school will receive college credit if the college courses meet standards for transfer and are submitted on an official college transcript.

All transfer students are required to complete a university orientation session and meet with an advisor to plan their academic program and complete registration. Orientation may be completed online if the student meets the credit hour requirement.

Transfer students must be admitted to USI before they can apply to the BSW Program. BSW Program Application deadlines for a Fall start are January 31 and May 15 each year.

Admission decisions for the BSW Program are based on evidence that the applicant:

1. Meets the GPA requirements
2. Has completed the required prerequisite classes
3. Has a commitment to social work values
4. Has a basic understanding of generalist social work practice
5. Demonstrates professional behaviors and attitudes
6. Demonstrates emotional maturity 
7. Demonstrates stable mental/emotional process
8. Demonstrates excellent writing skills (The personal statement submitted is evaluated on punctuation, spelling, grammar, syntax, organization and the ability to clearly express ideas).
9. Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills
10. Demonstrates good critical thinking and analytic ability, including evidence of good judgment
11. Has relevant work and/or volunteer experience
12. Submits appropriate references. Students are encouraged to review the reference form and request references from two university or college professors who will be able to answer the questions. Each category is scored. Submission of references with unable to judge statements will result in a lower score.

Students are given feedback on the progress of the application throughout the committee process, primarily through e-mail. Information will include a timeline with time-frames on when to expect a letter of notification, orientation & registration schedule. Students are notified of the committee’s decision in writing. An electronic copy may also be sent at the student’s request. Please notify the Social Work Department if you have a change of contact information. All communication is based on information provided on the application.

The committee will make every attempt to notify students of the status of their application by the time priority registration begins. In order to respond in a timely manner the Admission Packet must be complete at the time of submission in order to be eligible for review. Students will be admitted to the program on a conditional basis. Upon successful completion of all prerequisites, maintaining the required GPAs, completion of Orientation and completion of a national and local criminal history check students will be unconditionally admitted to the program. A student may also be denied admission.

All information submitted during the application process becomes the property of the Social Work Department and will be kept confidential. When a student is officially admitted into the Social Work program, his/her academic progress will be periodically reviewed based on the standards in the BSW Social Work Handbook.  

Indiana Public Law 11-1994 (Sexual Offender Law) and BSW Admission 

In order to fully comply with Indiana Public Law 11-1994, the University will conduct a criminal history check specific to convictions for sex offenses against children for students requesting admission to the Social Work Program. This check will be conducted at the point of admission and upon entering each field placement. A student who has been convicted of sex offenses against children as identified in P.L. 11-1994 will not be granted admission to or allowed to continue in the Social Work Program.

Individuals who were convicted of such crimes outside of the state of Indiana are required to report their intent to reside more than seven days in an area within Indiana to local law enforcement authorities having jurisdiction in the area of intended residence.