M.S.W. in Social Work Requirements

Requirements

• Completed application form. See Application Instructions to learn how.
• A non-refundable application fee of $75.
• A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a four-point scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate study. (Occasionally, applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted conditionally upon the recommendation of the department.)
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate study, including evidence of having received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. (Those applying during their final undergraduate year will be required to submit a final transcript after completion of their bachelor’s degree and before enrolling in their first semester of graduate study.) See Application Guidelines and FAQ for more information.
• Official transcripts of all graduate study (if applicable)
• Goals statement. See Application Guidelines for more information.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• All international applicants from non-English speaking countries must demonstrate English language competence via the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) examination. TOEFL results may be substituted instead of taking the DRP. (Use 5240 for the ETS institutional code)

Additional Program Requirements

The following must be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office by February 15:

• A resume
• Evidence of satisfactory American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency.
  • ASLPI Scoring report or ASL Video Essay.
    • ASL Video Essay Questions: Submit a 5 mins-video personal statement of interest in the program. Why are you applying for this MSW program at Gallaudet? What do you hope to learn from the MSW program? What are your professional interests after you graduate from the MSW program?
• Social Work Essay: Write a 3-5 page essay on a topic related to Deaf and Hard of Hearing populations, including at least two references (APA, 7th edition). The following is a list of examples for topics:
  • Social work practice with D/HOH individuals
  • Employment among D/HOH workers
  • Behaviorial Health, Healthcare, Legal, Victims Services, or Law enforcement (or other service-related topics) service accessibility of D/HOH individuals
  • D/HOH adolescents
  • D/HOH students in the educational system
  • Aging in the D/HOH community
  • Sexuality and gender issues affecting D/HOH individuals
  • Assistive technology for D/HOH individuals
  • D/HOH survivors of domestic violence, trauma, or child maltreatment (or other social work-related topics)

Applicants seeking advanced standing admission must hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). In addition, they must submit:

• Proof of obtaining a score of 2 or higher on the ASLPI prior to admission to the MSW Program
• A letter of recommendation from their BSW Program Director, Coordinator of Field Education, or BSW Field Internship Supervisor
• Overall GPA 3.2 or above.
• A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree: 

           – Students graduating from a baccalaureate program in social work accredited by the CSWE and who meet other eligibility requirements may qualify for Advanced Standing status if applying within 5 years of BSW graduation from a CSWE-accredited institution.