Enrollment Information
1-800-422-4LLU (1-800-422-4558)
Loma Linda University Master of Social Work Admissions
Department of Social Work and Social Ecology
Admissions
Master of Social Work
- All applicants must have bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college (official transcripts are evidence of courses completed).
- All applicants must submit a completed online application including a personal statement, application fee, all college and/or university transcripts, and submission of three letters of recommendation (including one from an academic source and one from a work supervisor).
- All applicants must meet the minimum academic and professional compatibility criteria established by the program, which includes:
- MSW applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale) (special consideration can be given to applicants with grade point averages as low as 2.5 if the last part of their college work shows significant improvement). Applicants whose cumulative grade point average does not meet the minimum requirements stated above may receive further consideration for admission to the MSW program by providing a GRE or Miller's Analogies Test, or two years of social work related paid work experience. Evidence of work experience must be verified by current or past employers on official agency stationery.
- All applicants must show evidence of professional compatibility, personal qualifications and motivation to complete a graduate program by obtaining a passing score on the admissions interview with the department's admissions committee. Evaluation criteria for the interview includes:
- Verbal communication skills;
- Critical thinking ability;
- Values congruent with the social work profession;
- Appreciation of human diversity;
- Evidence of reflective learning; and
- Comportment.
- MSW applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale) (special consideration can be given to applicants with grade point averages as low as 2.5 if the last part of their college work shows significant improvement). Applicants whose cumulative grade point average does not meet the minimum requirements stated above may receive further consideration for admission to the MSW program by providing a GRE or Miller's Analogies Test, or two years of social work related paid work experience. Evidence of work experience must be verified by current or past employers on official agency stationery.
These admissions criteria areas are designed to capture the School of Science and Technology's and the program's determination of the initial attributes important in completion of the Master of Social Work program as well as professional and program compatibility.
No academic credit is given for life experience and/or previous work experience for any part for the master of social work program (i.e., field practicum or courses in the professional foundation or advanced curricula.)
Final decisions are based upon a composite score of all of the above items. Individuals for whom the MSW degree may not be an appropriate option may be admitted into the postbaccalaureate case management certificate program.
Academic prerequisites
Each prerequisite area represents the foundation knowledge necessary to assure that students from diverse academic backgrounds begin their program of study with a good background.
Table 1 lists these prerequisite areas and the specific courses in the MSW program that each relates to:
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Table 1
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Liberal arts prerequisites for
Master in Social Work |
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Prerequisite content
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time/place
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Human development
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Cross-cultural issues
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Concepts in human biology
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Introductory Statistics
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Prior to SOWK 549
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Interviewing & Counseling
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Prior to SOWK 578 &
SOWK 757 ABC
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Three (3) quarter units of coursework are required in each of the above listed areas.
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Note: Prerequisite content can be met through specific courses or a combination of courses. However, only courses completed with a grade of C or better can be applied in meeting the prerequisite requirements. Faculty reviewing this requirement work closely with applicants to assure that the uniqueness of each applicant’s undergraduate degree program is understood. Applicants are notified in the acceptance letter from the dean of the School of Science and Technology if any of the prerequisite content requirements have not been met.
Liberal arts requirement:
- Humanities (e.g., history, philosophy, literature, art, music, etc.) (20-24)
- English and communication skills (e.g., oral and written communication media, etc.) (8-12)
- Mathematics and natural sciences (e.g., mathematics, human biology, physiology, etc.) (12-16)
- Social sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, human development, ethnic studies, economics, political science or government, etc.) (12-16)
Potential applicants may receive general admissions information from the School of Science and Technology office of admissions. Requests for specific information about each program should be directed to the Department of Social Work and Social Ecology's admissions coordinator. Application packets are free and include a letter of introduction, Virtual Tour of LLU DVD, program fact sheet, course advisement guide, and general information. See information on the Graduate Record Examination. Loma Linda's GRE Institution Code is 4062.
School of Science and Technology Admissions
(909) 558-1900 or 1-800-422-4558
admissions.sst@llu.eduDepartment of Social Work and Social Ecology
Admissions Coordinator
Judy Rynearson
jrynearson@llu.edu
(909) 558-8548
All applicants must submit their applications online. Applicants can also monitor the status of their applications online. In addition, the School of Science and Technology office of admissions informs all applicants when their files are complete or if additional information is required. The department's admissions coordinator reviews all completed applicant files and contacts the candidates for an admissions interviews. (See application instructions.)
Social work education programs are accountable to the profession to prepare individuals for competent, compassionate, and ethical practice. This charge carries with it responsibility for what is known as "gatekeeping," or the process of selecting, admitting, continuing and graduating individuals who are suitable for participating in, and advancing professional social work practice. In support of this view, the courts consider graduate professional education as a privilege and not a constitutional or property right. Admission into the Master of Social Work program is based upon an evaluation of an applicant's suitability for professional practice. As such, this screening includes an evaluation of the applicants' academic potential as measured through School of Science and Technology and department admissions criteria.
The department’s admissions committee forwards a recommendation of regular, provisional, deferred, or denied status to the dean of the School of Science and Technology for confirmation. Reasons for designation are given to applicants who receive other than regular acceptance. All applicants are first notified by the dean's office of their admissions status. Accepted students must then acknowledge in writing their intentions to reserve their place in the program.
Students should refer to the Loma Linda University Catalog (page 77) for information regarding transfer to a different degree program.
Students may not be admitted to a School of Science and Technology program while admitted to another program at this University or elsewhere. Combined-degree programs are exempt from this policy. See Loma Linda University Catalog (pages 207 and 449)
Regular status is given to applicants when all of the following conditions are met:
- their scholarship (GPA) meets the stated admissions requirements of the School of Science and Technology
- they are deemed suitable for pursuit post baccalaureate education
- their admissions documentation is complete.
Provisional status is given to applicants:
- whose scholarship does not reach the level for regular standing but who shows strong promise for success
- is missing some of the prerequisite content
- whose admissions documentation has some missing items (e.g., some official transcripts may be missing) at the time of notification of acceptance
Deferred decision is given to applicants:
- whose scholarship does not reach the standards established for provisional acceptance but for whom post baccalaureate work may be possible with additional evidence of academic preparation, and/or scholastic consistency
- who will not complete their undergraduate degree by the requested admission date
- who are substantially lacking adequate undergraduate prerequisite preparation
- whose admissions documentation is incomplete at the time of notification of the application review.
In cases where admission is deferred, the department may choose to send the school a list of the additional requirements that must be met before the applicant can be admitted.
Denied status is given when an applicant receives an admissions score below the minimum required for acceptance into the program as provisional or deferred status and/or the delineation of scholastic improvement options is considered to be substantial and suggest unreasonable hardship for the applicant.