Social Work

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Contact: Dr. Alan Kirk, Program Director
Office: (770) 423-6630
Fax: (770) 499-3176
email: akirk@kennesaw.edu
Web address: http://www.kennesaw.edu/humanservices/msw

The Master of Social Work program is designed to prepare students for entry level professional practice in social work. Upon graduation, students are eligible for the Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and they may also pursue further clinical supervision requirements to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). In addition, students interested in becoming a certified addiction counselor have the opportunity to take specialized courses in the area of addictions. The MSW program also offers a specialization in child welfare.

The MSW program is currently in candidacy for full accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). When the accreditation process is completed, all students entering the program while in candidacy will be considered graduates of a CSWE accredited social work program.

Students who satisfy the advanced standing admission requirements may qualify for the advanced standing MSW program.

General Requirements for Admission

MSW Program admission requires:

1. Have a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale over the last 60 hours of study, as indicated on official college or university transcript received directly from the degree-granting institution. Course work from all two and four year institutions should be submitted directly by the institutions.
2. A minimum combined score of 800 on Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within five years prior to application for admission. Please note: You can receive a waiver if you already have a graduate degree from an accredited US institution.
3. Hold a baccalaureate degree that reflects a broad liberal arts base in the social, behavioral or psychological sciences, human biology, the humanities or statistics. The baccalaureate degree should be from an institution accredited in a manner accepted by Kennesaw State University.
4. Three letters of recommendation
   • At least one from a faculty member familiar with the applicant’s academic work;
   • Two from a former employer, field supervisor or someone else with expertise in social work
5. An autobiographical statement, maximum 750 words, double-spaced, that includes the following:
   • Your experience in social work, including volunteer experience.
   • The life experiences impacted your interest in social work.
   • Your personal qualities that will be useful in serving others as a social work professional.
   • Your values that will be useful in serving others as a social worker
   • Your career goals and how social work education will help you realize these goals.
6. International applicants are subject to the MSW admissions requirements and the University’s requirements including the TOEFL examination, financial statements, and acceptance of baccalaureate degrees.

Advanced Standing Admission Requirements

MSW Advanced Standing admission requires:

1. Have been granted a BSW degree, within five years from the date of anticipated enrollment in the advanced MSW program, from a school of social work, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), as indicated by official college or university transcript received directly from the degree-granting institution.
2. Have a GPA of 3.2 or better on a 4.0 scale over the last 60 hours within five years from the date of anticipated enrollment in the advanced MSW program at Kennesaw State University, as indicated by official  college or university transcript received directly from the degree-granting institution.
3. Three letters of recommendation
   • At least one from a faculty member familiar with the applicant’s academic work;
   • Two from a former employer, field supervisor or someone else with expertise in social work
4. An autobiographical statement, maximum 750 words, double-spaced, that includes the following:
   • Your experience in social work, including volunteer experience.
   • The life experiences impacted your interest in social work?
   • Your personal qualities that will be useful in serving others as a social work professional?
   • Your values that will be useful in serving others as a social worker
   • Your career goals and how social work education will help you realize these goals?
5. A minimum of 800 combined score on the Graduate Record Examination GRE) taken within five years prior to application for admission. Please note: You can receive a waiver if you already have a graduate degree from an accredited US institution.
6. International applicants are subject to the MSW advanced status admission requirements, and the University’s requirements including the TOEFL examination, financial statements, and acceptance of  baccalaureate degrees.

Non-Degree Admission

Students classified as non-degree students are not permitted to enroll in the Master of Social Work program.

Transfer Credit

Students enrolled in the Master of Social Work program may be given credit for 30 semester hours taken at other CSWE-accredited programs. Each request for transfer credit will be handled on a case by case basis.

Grades

Expectations for satisfactory graduate level student performance are detailed in Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Petition to Graduate

MSW candidates must petition to graduate at least one semester prior to completion of their degree requirements. Petition to graduate forms are available in the program director’s office.

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