Social Work

Social Work is a profession that addresses the needs of vulnerable populations. We are bound by a professional Code of Ethics (see MSW bulletin) that mandates our professional behavior. Students admitted into our graduate program are expected to act in a manner that reflects these standards. We wish to evaluate as accurately as possible your qualifications for a professional education in social work and the appropriateness of the program for your educational needs and goals. Therefore, it is important that you respond to EACH of the following questions. Please type your replies, double-spaced, in three to six pages. This is one of the most important parts of your admission application. It is your opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee information about yourself that we will use to evaluate your appropriateness for the program and the profession. Before submission, make certain that you give the committee members a clear picture of your interests, experiences, and objectives. Remember, each of these questions is scored individually, along with your writing skills, so please answer to the best of your ability.

• Discuss the major reasons for your interest in the profession of social work.

• Describe any experience that you have had in working in a helping capacity to serve people in either paid or volunteer position. Share the length of time, population, the type of setting and discuss your personal strengths and limitations in these roles.

• What personal traits and/or abilities do you possess that facilitate your understanding of people with differences in gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status? Give a brief example of your experience with people who are different from you.

• Discuss a personal or professional situation where you were challenged to look at an issue from another person\xc2\x92s viewpoint. What was the outcome?

Resume:

• Personal Data: name, address, phone number

• Educational Background: degrees earned

• Work/Volunteer Experience: List your work and volunteer experience in chronological order. Provide a brief (2-3 lines) job description and give beginning and ending dates for each position. Clearly identify those positions that were paid, internships, or volunteer.

• Special skills or Attributes: List skills or attributes that enhance your ability to work with others. For example, do you speak a foreign language? Do you know sign language? Are you skilled in athletics, art, music, or speech? Do you know how to use computers or special equipment?

• Professional affiliations and honors: Are you a member of any professional organizations? Did you receive academic honors form your college or university? Have you received honors from a community service or social group?