Application Requirements

All applicants must submit:

  • the online application
  • transcripts from all previously attended institutions
  • three recommendation forms
  • essays — one for Standard applicants, two for Advanced Standing
  • field evaluation – Advanced Standing applicants only
  • a $45 application fee

Transcripts

You are not required to upload a transcript to submit your application. However, you are required to provide unofficial or official transcripts to be reviewed for an admission decision.

We request that applicants send all official transcripts to:

Application Processing Services
MSW@Baylor University Online
7900 Harkins Road, Suite 501
Lanham, MD 20706

To submit official transcripts electronically, applicants may send them to swappsvcs@onlinegrad.baylor.edu.

Admitted applicants must submit official transcripts from all institutions they have attended before they can matriculate to MSW@Baylor.

Recommendation Forms

Applicants must provide three recommendations from people who can speak to some of the following areas: intellectual competence; potential for success; the ability to work with people on sensitive issues, including people from diverse backgrounds; critical thinking and communication skills; and a sense of values and ethics. Professional references related to social work (professors, employers, etc.) are encouraged.

Based on the applicant’s program track, recommendations should come from the following references:

Standard MSW

  • One recommendation form from an academic reference
  • Two recommendation forms from professional references

Advanced Standing MSW

  • Two recommendation forms from academic references (one of which must be from the Bachelor of Social Work program director, director of field education, or field instructor)
  • One recommendation form from a professional reference

Application Essay

As part of the MSW application, Standard and Advanced Standing applicants are required to submit a four- to five-page essay. Essays should cover the following topics:

  • The social work profession
  • Advocating for others
  • Diana R. Garland School of Social Work Mission Statement
  • Societal issues

All essay prompts related to these topics can be found in the online application.

This essay is an opportunity for applicants to highlight their strengths and communicate their motivation for pursuing social work. Responses for each topic should be no more than 500 words

Field Internship Experience Essay

Students applying to the Advanced Standing MSW program are also required to provide a one- to two-page essay that demonstrates an understanding of social work practice by providing an in-depth description of field tasks and/or roles at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Essays should exhibit a foundational knowledge and tasks associated with each.

Heading 1: Micro Field Experience

Heading 2: Mezzo Field Experience

Heading 3: Macro Field Experience

Field Evaluation

Advanced Standing applicants are required to submit a Field Evaluation. The Field Evaluation should document field placement experiences from your BSW program and include the following information:

  • Field supervisor name and signature
  • Field director name and signature
  • School name
  • Comments about overall performance during the field placement experience
  • Ratings for the nine social work competencies

You can reach out to the admissions team with any questions regarding the Field Evaluation at swadmissions@onlinegrad.baylor.edu or 1-855-605-7232.