Admission Requirements

      Students interested in pursuing a social work major are encouraged to contact the School no later than their sophomore year to discuss their interest in the social work major and to obtain an admissions application packet. Entry into the major is through a formal admission process to the School of Social Work. The undergraduate social work curriculum is highly structured and requires no less than four semesters to complete all course requirements. No required courses are offered during the summer.




• change your major to pre-social work (College of Arts & Sciences)
• contact the school upon declaring pre-social work for advisement
• obtain the admissions packet
• complete all requested information and forms in the packet
• have all materials in before the February 29 deadline

      First priority for Fall 2008 admission will be given to applications submitted by February 29, 2008. Applications arriving after this date will be held for future consideration. The School Undergraduate Admissions Committee will review and rank each application, and will notify admitted applicants by April 13, 2008. Typically, 40 to 45 students are admitted each year into the program, depending upon available resources. This Committee will maintain a waiting list of applicants not admitted in the first ranking, and will contact the next ranked applicants if space in the program becomes available. Additional admissions may be made through August 1, 2008. None will be made after this date.


     Admission to the social work major is based on a competitive review process. All students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 in order to have their application considered for admission. Conditional admissions may be given to individuals falling under this minimum and who present compelling evidence as to their ability to raise their GPA to 2.5 or above by the time of graduation. Students are required to have completed, or be enrolled in, the supporting prerequisite courses before the first semester of the program sequence. Also, students should be in the process of completing the College of Arts & Sciences general education core courses. In addition, students must also complete:*

1. A signed "Application for Admission"
2. Three references
3. An "Admissions Statement"

*Instructions and forms are included in the admissions packet.

Acceptance into the Social Work Program is based upon an assessment of the student's capability in several areas: 1. academic success; 2. possessing a value base consistent with social work values and ethics; 3. interest in and commitment to social work; and, 4. personal characteristics which facilitate the ability to work with diverse clients. Once students are admitted into the program, Social Work majors must earn at least a 2.5 overall grade average; at least a 2.5 grade average in required social work courses; an S in SWK 4315 and 4325; and, at least a C in all required social work course

     The undergraduate social work program is built upon a strong liberal arts foundation. In order to achieve diversity in this foundation, students majoring in social work should complete the following course prerequisites (or course content equivalents*) by the end of their sophomore year. Some of the courses can be used to meet the general education requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are encouraged to carefully review the course prerequisites and to include them in their academic planning. Junior college transfer students must complete these no later than the first semester of the junior year.

	PSY 1113	Elements of Psychology
	BOT/MICRO/ZOO 1005 or ZOO 1114	Concepts in Biology or Introductory Zoology
	SOC 1113	Introduction to Sociology


*Students who feel they have completed equivalent course content must provide course syllabi and catalog descriptions and have their work approved by the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

• Ethics: In addition to the academic expectations, social work students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior that reflects a commitment to the ethics of the social work profession. Behavior contrary to these ethics will be cause for review of the student’s admission to the program or continued future in the social work major. Examples of behavior, which would warrant such a review, include derogatory oral and written statements towards other students, faculty, and/or persons from populations reflecting racial, ethnic, handicapped status, religious, socio-economic, gender, and sexual orientation differences.
• Behavior: Since the role of social worker involves helping people from a variety of backgrounds and with a range of problems, it is important that the social work student not permit personal issues to interfere with this role and that he/she have the emotional and psychological resources to render effective assistance to those in need. In instances where students demonstrate behaviors which suggest that their own difficulties are not sufficiently resolved to be able to help and support others at this time, students may be denied admission to the program or once admitted may be withdrawn from the program.

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For more information contact:	Steven P. Wells Ph.D., Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Mailing Address:	School of Social Work The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK 73019-1060
Phone numbers:	(405) 325-2821 (405) 325-8570 - Admissions