Admission Requirements
Qualified applicants must have:
- Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university or an appropriately certified foreign institution
- liberal arts coursework in the social sciences and humanities
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Applicants with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree or those that intend to complete a BSW prior to starting the MSW program are considered ADVANCED STANDING students and begin the MSW program at Augsburg in May.
Applicants who plan to enter the Augsburg MSW program with a bachelor’s degree in something other than social work (BSW) are considered GENERALIST students and begin the MSW in September.
Admission with Advanced Standing
Advanced standing is an application category open to those who have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), CASWE, or an internationally-earned ISWDRES-evaluated degree comparable to a baccalaureate social work degree. Applicants who completed their BSW over 15 years from the program start may be required to complete additional generalist coursework. Candidates will also be asked to share a brief statement about how they have stayed connected to emerging social work practices and standards since graduates when submitting their application.
Transfer Admissions
Augsburg University welcomes transfer students from other CSWE accredited programs. In addition to providing the required application documents, transfer candidates must provide a letter of good academic and professional standing from the program director of the program they are transferring from. Additional reference letters from faculty are welcome but not required. Please contact us at mswinfo@augsburg.edu if you would like an unofficial transcript evaluation to determine what credits may transfer from your current/former institution.
Deadlines
The application opens September 1st. Students may apply to the program after January if space is available. Students looking to enroll full-time are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline to ensure field placement for the upcoming start.
Priority Deadline: December 1st. Students will receive a decision by December 31st
Second Deadline: Mid-Late January.
Application Requirements
Online Application
Complete the online application form.
(2) Recommendations
Candidates are asked to provide (2) references that can speak to their preparedness for graduate education and/or ability to engage in ethical social work practice. Only professional, community or academic references will be considered. Personal references are not accepted.
Letter 1: At least one academic reference from a faculty member is highly preferred. If you are unable to provide an academic reference, you will be asked to include a brief statement explaining why you are unable to submit a faculty reference. In this event, we also ask that your first reference is from someone who has had direct supervisory oversight of your work in a professional or volunteer capacity.
Letter 2: This reference should ideally be from a supervisor, but could include a mentor, colleague, or volunteer partner. Select an individual who can speak to your abilities, professional competence, and commitment to social justice.
Personal Statement
Address the following in a cohesive essay.
- The mission statement of the Augsburg social work department is: “We strive to prepare exceptional social work professionals for anti-racist and anti-oppressive advanced social work practice that promotes intersectional racial and social justice in a diverse and global society.” In relation to our mission statement, why have you chosen the Augsburg MSW program?
- What principles and values would guide your social work practice?
- Identify a current event related to a social injustice. What are possible social work responses to it?
- Think about your education, employment, and/or volunteer experience. Describe one skill or interest you have developed from these experiences. Explain how this skill or interest is relevant to the study of social work.
Tips: Your Personal Statement should be well-written. It should be comprehensive yet concise. Editing suggestions and feedback from another person can be helpful, but the ideas and writing should be your own.
Explanation of GPA (for GPA below a 3.0)
Students with a GPA below a 3.0 can still be considered for admission. If your GPA is below 3.0, please include a brief explanation by responding to one or both of these questions:
- Were there extenuating circumstances contributing to the GPA? If so, have those circumstances been resolved?
- Were there limitations that affected your GPA that still remain today? If so, what is your plan to address these limitations?
Transcripts
Applicants must submit an official transcript(s) from the regionally-accredited institution granting the Bachelor’s degree and from the most recently attended institution, if not the same. Military veterans are required to submit all official transcripts from previously attended institutions to qualify for military benefits.
In the case where prerequisite requirements exist or transfer credits or waivers are sought, official transcripts are required from institutions at which the prerequisites or equivalents were completed. The Program Director may ask for additional transcripts if determined to be necessary.
Submit transcripts directly to the Graduate Admissions Office by electronic transfer or by mail.
By electronic transfer: admissiondocs@augsburg.edu (if prompted by your institution for an email address)
By mail:
Graduate Admissions Office, CB 65
Augsburg University
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
*PLEASE NOTE: Students must request official transcripts through a verified transcript service. Most commonly used are National Clearinghouse or Parchment. Check the degree-granting institutions website for the appropriate service to request. Any copies (including marked official) uploaded to the application are considered UNOFFICIAL and will not be accepted.*
Pending Bachelor’s Degree
We accept applications for prospective students with a pending Bachelor’s degree, provided your degree has been received and conferred at the time you matriculate into the MSW program at Augsburg. Submit an official transcript at the time of application and a second official transcript once your final grades are posted and the degree has been awarded. Admission decisions will be made based on the initial transcript submitted with a condition to successfully complete your undergraduate degree of study prior to starting classes at Augsburg University.
Prerequisite Coursework
We value applicants’ undergraduate coursework in the areas of social sciences and humanities and appreciate having at least 3-4 courses in each area.
Social science courses can be drawn from the following disciplines: anthropology, sociology, psychology, social welfare, social work, economics, political science, geography, or history.
Humanities courses can be drawn from the following disciplines: philosophy, ethics, jurisprudence, modern or classic languages, linguistics, comparative religion, literature, folklore, archaeology, cultural histories, ethnic studies, poetry, art, music, theatre.