For over ninety years, social work education has been offered to students at Missouri’s premier public institution. The school is proud of its grass roots history: an early pioneer of social work education in 1906, a founding member of the original accrediting body for social work education in 1919, an institution advancing research and scholarship throughout the 20th century, and finally, to its role as an innovator in doctoral education, with a nationally distinctive PhD program emphasizing state social policy.
The mission of the MU School of Social Work is to promote leadership for social and economic justice by preparing students for professional excellence and leadership in practice, research, and policy. Within the context of a land grant institution, the mission of the School of Social Work reflects the University of Missouri’s tightly interlocked missions of teaching, research, outreach, and economic development.
Degrees Offered
Doctoral
On Campus
Admission Criteria
Fall deadline: December 1
- An MSW or related master’s is required. Applicants without the MSW must take a minimum of 12 credit hours of MSW course work. This requirement may be waived for applicants with additional graduate work.
- Minimum of two years post-master’s practice experience encouraged
- TOEFL or IELTS required for applicants who’s second language is English
These criteria are used flexibly to assess the applicant’s potential for study and research in this program.
Minimum Language Requirements
Click here to view the minimum English language proficiency test scores
Required Application Materials
For the Graduate School
- Completed Graduate School online application
- Unofficial Transcripts- As part of the application submission process, all applicants are required to upload unofficial copies of all post-secondary transcripts to the online application. Official transcripts are only required if accepted by the academic program.
- Official Results of English Proficiency Exams (International applicants only)
For the Social Work Program (submitted via the Graduate School online application system)
- Three letters of recommendation: two letters from professors who have known the applicant in an academic capacity. Please do not include personal, pastoral and relative references.
- Current curriculum vita or resume. A minimum of two years’ postmasters practice experience is preferred.
- Writing proficiency sample (e.g., previous publication, book chapter, master’s thesis, unpublished research paper, etc.)
- Personal statement (see department instructions)
- A personal interview is required, and if possible, will be arranged at MU. A Skype interview may be utilized in some cases.
Note: This program offers a MSW/PhD joint degree. Information about the MSW/PhD Joint Program is available at https://healthprofessions.missouri.edu/social-work/masters-degree/msw-phd-joint-degree/.
Master's
100% Online On Campus
Admission Criteria
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or University with the applicant’s undergraduate transcript reflecting a sound liberal arts foundation, including courses in the humanities, as well as in the social and behavioral sciences.
Application Deadlines
| Degree Option | FT or PT | Degree Delivery | Semester Start | Application Deadline(s) |
| MSW Advanced Standing | Full-Time | On Campus | Fall Start | January 15 (early priority); March 15 (final deadline) |
| MSW Advanced Standing | Full-Time | On Campus | Spring Start | September 15 (early priority); November 15 (final deadline) |
| MSW Advanced Standing | Part-Time | Online | Fall Start | January 15 (early priority); March 15 (final deadline) |
| MSW Regular Standing | Full-Time | On Campus | Fall Start | January 15 (early priority); March 15 (final deadline) |
| MSW Regular Standing | Part-Time | Online | Summer Start | January 15 (early priority); March 15 (final deadline) |
Notes:
- Applicants qualify for advanced standing if they have completed their BSW degree within the past 7 years.
- Our online program is open to residents of Missouri and states that are contiguous to Missouri (Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee).
Please note that our online program is restricted to residents of Missouri and states that are contiguous to Missouri (Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee).
Minimum Language Requirements
Click here to view the minimum English language proficiency test scores
Prerequisites
All MSW applicants must complete an approved college level statistics course with a grade of C- or higher before they will be accepted to enroll in the MSW program. SW 4310 is the recommended course for University of Missouri students. The following University of Missouri courses are also approved and may be taken in lieu of SW4310 Statistics 1200, Statistics 1300 and ECP4170. Statistics courses completed at other academic institutions may substitute for University of Missouri statistic courses, pending submission of official transcript and approval by the MSW Program Director. Completion of the statistics course prior to application submission is preferred and strongly recommended. If an applicant is enrolled in a statistics course at the time of application and accepted into the MSW Program, the acceptance will be “pending successful completion of the approved statistics class.
Required Application Materials
For the Graduate School
- Completed Graduate School online application
- Unofficial Transcripts- As part of the application submission process, all applicants are required to upload unofficial copies of all post-secondary transcripts to the online application. Official transcripts are only required if accepted by the academic program.
- Official Results of English Proficiency Exams (International applicants only)
For the Social Work Program
- 4-page personal statement (click on this link for details on what to write about)
- Resume or CV
- Three letters of reference from persons who can address the applicant’s intellectual ability and interpersonal skills, potential for graduate education, and potential for professional social work practice through observation in an educational or work (paid or volunteer) setting. Letters of reference should not be submitted from friends or family.
- Field practicum information – ADVANCED STANDING STUDENTS ONLY: Upload the most recent copy of your field evaluation. If your program does not have field evaluations, please have the Director of Field or your supervisor/instructor complete one of your three professional references.
- TOEFL or IELTS Scores for international applicants: Click here to view the minimum English language proficiency test scores
Note: This program offers a MSW/PhD joint degree. Information about the MSW/PhD Joint Program is available at https://healthprofessions.missouri.edu/social-work/masters-degree/msw-phd-joint-degree/.
Graduate Certificate
100% Online On Campus
Officially approved as:
Stand Alone: Yes
Total Credit Hours: 12
Certificate description: Gerontological social work is one of the fastest growing fields within the profession, with a 25-34% job growth in the past decade. Therefore, the demand for social workers who have specialized training in working with older adults is very high. This certificate program is designed to help train the next generation of geriatric social work practitioners. Individuals enrolled in this certificate program will build knowledge and expertise in working with older adults and their families in a variety of settings that serve the aging population. This program offers an interdisciplinary emphasis, as social workers often work on large, interdisciplinary teams on behalf of their older clients. In addition, this program also focuses on building awareness of aging policies and services, as well as advocacy of older adults. As a result of earning this Graduate Certificate in Gerontological Social Work, students enrolled in an MSW program as well as practicing social workers who hold a BSW or MSW degree can expect enhanced employability in the field.
Certificate website:
https://healthprofessions.missouri.edu/social-work/graduate-certificate-in-gerontological-social-work/
Admission Criteria
Application Deadlines
- Summer semester: March 15
- Fall semester: March 15
- Spring semester: November 15
Required Application Materials
For the Graduate School
- Completed Graduate School online application
- Unofficial Transcripts- As part of the application submission process, all applicants are required to upload unofficial copies of all post-secondary transcripts to the online application. Official transcripts are only required if accepted by the academic program.
- Official Results of English Proficiency Exams (International applicants only)
For the Graduate Certificate Program
- Resume/CV
- Graduate Certificate Application (built into the Graduate School online application)