Online MSW Program Admissions
The MSW@USC is a 42-credit program that can be completed on a full-time (four semesters) or part-time (six semesters) basis. Learn more about the curriculum for the program here.
The admissions standards for the online MSW are the same as those for our on-campus program, and we seek applicants who are motivated to succeed in a challenging master’s degree program.
We offer start dates throughout the year. Please refer to application deadlines below.
May 2023
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
Early Action Deadline | January 17, 2023 |
Priority Deadline | February 14, 2023 |
Final Deadline | March 7, 2023 |
Classes Begin | May 15, 2023 |
The campus-based MSW program has one application deadline per academic year. If you are applying for admission to the campus-based program, please refer to its individual schedule of application deadlines and start dates.
Application Requirements
You must complete the online application and submit all supporting documentation by the deadline in order to be considered for admission. You can see the application requirements here.
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements for the traditional MSW@USC program are:
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university, with a minimum of 18 units of interdisciplinary liberal arts coursework, spanning both social and biological sciences
- Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 grading scale) for the full-time, 4-semester program. Prospective students with a cumulative undergraduate GPA below 2.8 will not be considered
- Strong academic promise to perform successfully at the graduate level
- Experience in providing service to people preferred
- Potential for professional competence; strong interest and motivation; and commitment to social work values such as the appreciation for cultural and ethnic diversity, belief in the dignity and freedom of every individual, promotion of social justice and equal access to resources, and institutional responsiveness to human needs and social change
- Personal attributes such as sensitivity and responsiveness in relationships, capacity for self-awareness, concern for the needs of others as well as strong abilities in abstract reasoning, conceptual thinking and interpersonal communication
Please note that applicants currently residing in Puerto Rico are ineligible to apply for this program at this time.
International Applicants
Enrollment in the Virtual Academic Center does not meet the requirements of a student visa. Therefore, students enrolled in this program cannot apply for a visa to enter the United States based on their status as a student of USC. International Students are not eligible for federal or university need-based financial aid from the USC Financial Aid Office and will need to finance the program through other means.
International Transcripts
For any student applying to the program with international transcripts, regardless of current residence or citizenship, will need to have all application items completed by the following dates to ensure proper processing of your international transcripts.
Start Term | Final Deadline |
Spring 2023 | September 20, 2022 |
Summer 2023 | February 14, 2023 |