About the MSW program
1. Why should I pursue a master’s degree in social work?
2. How long will it take to earn my MSW degree?
3. What practice areas are offered?
4. What dual degree options are available?
5. Do you offer a part-time program?
6. Do you offer the MSW program at locations other than Los Angeles?
7. What orientation activities does the school provide for new students?
8. Is student housing available?
About applying for admission
9. What are the admission requirements?
10. What type of undergraduate degree do I need?
11. Do I need to take the GRE?
12. What are the requirements for international applicants?
13. When is the application deadline?
14. How many students are accepted?
15. Can I find out my admission decision onine?
16. Can I transfer credits from other graduate programs?
About paying for your graduate education
17. What is the cost of attending graduate school at USC?
18. Does USC provide financial aid?
19. Do you offer graduate assistantships or fellowships?
20. Are there any additional financial aid resources?
21. What financial aid opportunities are there for international students?
1. Why should I pursue a master’s degree in social work?
If you care about changing the world for the better, a degree in social work will give you the skills and experience to make a real difference in the lives of individuals and society as a whole. It prepares you for a wide variety of career paths — in the public, private and nonprofit sectors — and the flexibility to move from one setting to another with ease.
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2. How long will it take to earn my MSW degree?
We offer three curriculum plans, allowing you to complete the MSW program according to your own schedule:
• Two-year (full time)
• Three-year (part-time/full-time combination)
• Four-year (part time)
Saturday classes and summer course options make it even easier to stay on track toward graduation, no matter what your work schedule. At this time, we do not offer “advanced standing” for students with a BSW.
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3. What practice areas are offered?
You may choose
from concentrations in
Community Organization,
Planning and
Administration
(COPA), Families
and Children,
Health, Mental
Health and Work & life.
You also may
select one of
the following sub-concentrations:
Older Adults,
Systems of Mental Illness Recovery,
Public Child
Welfare or School
Settings.
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4. What dual degree options are available?
We partner with four other prestigious professional schools at USC, in addition to Hebrew Union College, to offer six options for a concurrent degree. While obtaining your MSW, you can earn a law degree, MBA or master’s in gerontology, planning, public administration or Jewish communal service. A dual degree option requires separate admission to each program.
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5. Do you offer a part-time program?
Yes, we offer a three-year curriculum plan that is a part-time/full-time combination, as well as a four-year plan that is part-time throughout. Alternative class formats, including weekend courses and distance-learning opportunities, offer even more flexibility. However, field education placement hours are only available during the weekday for the semesters you participate in field education.
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6. Do you offer the MSW program at locations other than Los Angeles?
Yes. The MSW program is also available in Irvine at the Orange County Center, in West Los Angeles at the Skirball Cultural Center, and in downtown Los Angeles at the University City Center. These satellite centers offer the same MSW program and same faculty as the main University Park campus. Not all concentration courses (the second half of the program) are available at the satellite centers.
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7. What orientation activities does the school provide for new students?
We require all
new students
to attend orientation
sessions that
introduce you
to campus resources,
support services,
curriculum, financial
aid, field instruction
and technology.
New students
also participate
in a community
immersion experience
in which faculty-led
teams explore
Southern California’s urban neighborhoods to help students begin thinking about the influence communities and social networks have on people’s
lives. An international student adviser also
is available
to help foreign
students become
oriented to the
school.
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8. Is student housing available?
Yes. Around the University Park campus, USC Housing Services offers a wide variety of housing options for graduate students, from residence halls to apartments. Most MSW students do not live in university housing since the Los Angeles area has numerous interesting communities in which to live, many within a reasonable commuting distance from USC. If you decide to apply for housing, we recommend that you meet the February 1 application deadline for the MSW program so that you can receive your admission decision as early as possible--housing applications may only be submitted once you have been admitted to USC.
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About applying for admission
9. What are the admission requirements?
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. We strongly prefer at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA. The USC School of Social Work does not require the GRE and does not have any course pre-requisites. For more about what we look for in an applicant, please read the admission criteria.
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10. What type of undergraduate degree do I need?
An interdisciplinary liberal arts background, spanning both social and biological sciences, is the ideal preparation for the MSW program, but you are encouraged to apply even if your bachelor’s degree was not in the liberal arts. We accept all majors.
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11. Do I need to take the GRE?
No, it is not required for admission to the MSW program.
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12. What are the requirements for international applicants?
In addition to meeting the criteria for admission, international applicants must submit official academic records for all university-level studies completed abroad and at U.S. institutions, evidence of English language proficiency and documentation certifying the student’s ability to meet the cost of attendance each year the student is in the United States.
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13. What is the application deadline?
We have two application deadlines so that you can choose the timeline that works best for you: February 1 and April 1. International and transfer applicants must apply by the February 1 deadline to allow time for processing additional paperwork.
February 1 deadline: Applicants who submit completed applications (electronically or postmarked) by February 1 will be mailed an admission decision no later than March 31. Some applicants find this earlier timeline helpful if they are applying to other programs or if they simply want to plan for next year as soon as possible.
April 1 deadline: Applicants who submit completed applications (electronically or postmarked) by April 1 will be mailed an admission decision no later than May 31. Applications received after April 1 will be considered late and may not be reviewed for admission.
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14. How many students are accepted?
We enroll approximately 300 new students in the MSW program each fall across all four of our locations.
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15. When will I hear whether I’m accepted?
No. Decision letters are mailed via standard U.S. postal mail (or an express courier service for international addresses) according to the application timelines explained above.
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16. Can I transfer credits from other graduate programs?
Yes, with certain restrictions. Transfer applicants must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at your original institution. Class credit will be evaluated and allowed on a case-by-case basis. A maximum of 12 credit hours may be transferred.
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About paying for your graduate education
17. What is the cost of attending graduate school at USC?
Please refer to our estimated tuition and fees for MSW students students and visit the USC Financial Aid Office website for more information about the cost of attendance.
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18. Does USC provide financial aid?
Yes. The USC Financial Aid Office administers federal aid programs and provides information on private financing programs. Please read our overview of financial aid for MSW students and visit the USC Financial Aid Office website for detailed information about the financial aid application process, deadlines and downloadable forms. To ensure maximum financial aid eligibility, complete all financial aid documents by the deadlines, regardless of your application status.
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19. Do you offer graduate assistantships or fellowships?
We do not typically offer assistantships (teaching/laboratory assistantship, research assistantship, assistant lectureship) at the master's level. On occasion, opportunities for research assistantships become available to an MSW student, as determined by individual faculty members leading research projects. We do not offer graduate fellowships.
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20. Are there any additional financial aid resources?
We offer departmental scholarships to MSW students taking 8 or more units per semester. Awards vary and are based on individual merit and financial need. Refer to our scholarships page for more information. In addition, several field agencies provide stipends.
Another option is participation in the CalSWEC/IUC stipend programs. Full-time students receive educational stipends of $18,500 and specialized training in public child welfare in exchange for committing to work in a California public child welfare agency or at the Department of Children and Family Services upon graduation. A similar program is available for students interested in mental health, who receive specialized training and a stipend of $18,500 in exchange for committing to work with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health after graduation.
University scholarships are available, such as the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund, which provides 50 percent of tuition for the academic year, and Town and Gown scholarships. Also, private loans are available. Please refer to the USC Financial Aid Office website for more information.
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21. What financial aid opportunities are available for international students?
U.S. government guidelines preclude international students from receiving federal financial assistance through the USC Financial Aid Office. Citibank offers loans to international students who have a credit-worthy United States citizen or permanent resident willing to sign as a co-applicant. For more information, see International Education Finance Corp.
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