BSW Application Process
If you select social work as your major when you are admitted to WMU, you will be admitted into the pre-social work curriculum. This does not guarantee admission to the social work major.
Once you have completed SWRK 2100 Social Work Services and Professional Roles, or a transfer equivalent, and have a minimum of 30 credit hours, you can complete the department application to the undergraduate social work major.
The deadline for department applications is May 31 (for fall admission) and Sept 15 (for spring admission). Applications must include all components including transcripts by the deadline to receive a timely decision. A faculty admissions committee reviews all applications in a competitive admissions process. It typically takes approximately 8 weeks for the faculty admissions committee to render a decision.
Links
Admission requirements
- Completion, or current enrollment in, SWRK 2100 /transfer equivalent.
- Earned at least 30 undergraduate credit hours
- Minimum overall grade point average of 2.5
In conformance with the requirements of the Council on Social Work Education, the WMU School of Social Work cannot grant social work course credit or field hours for life experience or previous work experience.
Application components
- Supplementary statement essay questions:
The online application will ask you to answer a series of essay questions in addition to the typical demographic questions. Each answer will be evaluated on content and writing skills. We recommend you prepare answers to these questions in advance.
Sample essay questions:
Supplementary Statement
The supplementary statement is evaluated to determine an applicant’s qualifications for admission to the BSW Program. Statements are limited to two to three typed, single-spaced pages. Statements longer than three pages will not be reviewed, disqualifying the applicant. Specifically, respond separately to each item below in the order presented. The supplementary statement must address all the items below:
- Understanding of problems and concerns relative to social work. Describe your understanding of the social work profession and the problems social workers address by using one example to discuss a particular social problem and its relevance to the social work profession.
- Understanding of diversity. Describe your personal philosophy and understanding of working with people different from yourself (e.g., race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, mental abilities, and physical abilities). Using one example, discuss a personal experience with someone who is different from you. Briefly describe your understanding of issues that may affect this individual.
- Personal values. A key ethical principle in the NASW Code of Ethics (1999) states the following “Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients' socially responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients' capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession” (p.5). Briefly discuss how your personal values and beliefs coincide or conflict with this ethical principle. How will you resolve any conflicts between your personal values and the requirements of the profession.
- Personal background factors and experience. Describe your personal background and experiences such as culture, family, and community, as well as recent or past personal experiences that have influenced you to choose social work as your major
- Personal attributes. Provide a statement about your personal qualities and attributes which you consider as most pertinent to undergraduate studies and/or social work practice. What limitations do you recognize that you need to work on in order to be successful in your undergraduate studies and in the professional practice of social work? How do you plan to address these limitations?
- Work and life experience. Provide a statement detailing any community service AND employment engaged in after high school. Community service activities refer to voluntary social service or civic-political activities within the community, such as involvement in civil liberties and civil rights. For employment, please identify place of employment, job title, number of months employed, and full- or part-time status. If appropriate, please discuss how your employment is related to the field of social work.
- Academic preparation. Describe previous learning in your undergraduate studies and how this will assist you in the BSW program. Describe to what extent you believe your final undergraduate grade point average accurately reflects your ability to obtain a BSW degree at Western Michigan University.
- Unofficial transcripts:
Transcripts must be in PDF, DOC, or DOCX format that is less than 2 MB in size. Unofficial transcripts from WMU can be acquired via goWMU - My Unofficial Transcript
Transferring to WMU
To transfer, you must apply to the university and apply to the social work major.
The School of Social Work has approved some introductory social work courses from other colleges and universities to satisfy requirements in the WMU BSW program, including full associate-to-BSW transfer agreements with Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kellogg Community College. See all of the transfer agreements that WMU has with other institutions here. Or, review specific social work transfer guides below.