ÌÇÐĶ¯Âþvlog

Applications are accessible in on August 1.  Applications are formally accepted beginning October 1st until February 1st.

All applicants must submit an application online through . Only completed applications will be reviewed and evaluated.

All applicants are notified early to mid-April.

Yes, the non-refundable $100 enrollment confirmation is due by May 1.

Two-year and three-year program pathways are available.

A regionally accredited bachelor's degree:

• With a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher for the last 60 semester/90 quarter units of college studies.
• Applicants with a GPA of 2.50 - 2.74 will be considered for admission under a "Conditional Acceptance," wherein they contractually agree to obtain a 3.0 or above during their first semester of the program, or they will be dismissed from the program. 

Writing:

• Strong writing skills are essential for graduate studies and professional social work positions.

Prerequisites:

• After careful consideration, the Department of Social Work will no longer require course prerequisites for admission to the Master of Social Work Program at California State University Monterey Bay, effective August 2023.

Experience:

• Social work-related experience is an important factor in the evaluation of applicants. An ideal applicant will have a minimum of two years or approximately 2,000 hours of social work related experience.

All applicants who are not selected for admission to the two-year pathway will automatically be considered for admission into the three-year pathway unless the applicant specifies they are applying solely to the two year program.

Yes, applicants with a GPA of 2.50 - 2.74 will be considered for admission under a "Conditional Acceptance" wherein they contractually agree to obtain a 3.0 or above during their first semester of the program, or they will be dismissed from the program. 

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is no longer accepted or required.

All applications are reviewed holistically. Application strength is based on:

• GPA
• Graduate level writing ability
• Essay responses
• Compatibility with social work professional values
• Volunteer and/or paid experiences
• Letters of reference

The Master of Social Work Program highlights include:

• Highly qualified, multicultural, multilingual, diverse and prepared students.
• Curriculum that is responsive to the realities of social work practice, reflective of the strengths of our region’s communities and informed through reciprocal learning relationships with community partners.
• Outstanding, experienced, committed faculty, engaged in the classroom and community.
• Graduates with 100% job placement rates.
• Alumni who are transformative leaders in agencies and communities and who will shape the culture of social work practice in the region.
• Special emphasis on serving the region’s many Latinx communities.

Yes, the Master of Social Work Program at ÌÇÐĶ¯Âþvlog is accredited by the (CSWE), the accreditation body for social work education.

Yes, Advanced Standing is available with the following criteria:

• Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program within five years of undergraduate graduation.
• 3.5 GPA and A- or higher for all the SW courses.
• A minimum of five years of work experience in a human service field.
• Three additional letters of recommendation from a BSW professor, a BSW field/internship supervisor, and a work-related supervisor.

Yes, upon graduation, the initial step to becoming an LCSW is to register through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as an associate clinical social worker (ASW) and accumulate 3,200 work hours prior to taking the LCSW exam. Typically, it takes at least two years to complete the required hours. For more detailed information, please reference .

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has comprehensive information about the social work profession and practice fields. For further information, please reference .

Social workers are employed in a broad array of jobs with government departments, non-profit agencies, private agencies, hospitals, correctional facilities, schools, home health agencies, child welfare departments, counseling agencies, behavioral and mental health departments, youth programs, substance abuse programs, probation departments, clinics, senior centers etc. They work as case managers, program coordinators, therapists, managers, directors, outreach workers, medical social workers, school social workers, forensic social workers, research analysts, advocates, educators, consultants etc.

Yes, ÌÇÐĶ¯Âþvlog offers graduate student housing. Please refer to Student Housing and Residential Life for further information.

Occasionally circumstances may necessitate a leave of absence during a student's education. Being that the MSW program is based on a cohort system, the required courses, including practicum courses, are typically offered once a year. If a student lapses in coursework, they will frequently need to wait until the next year to fulfill the required courses. This will ultimately cause a delay in graduation.

Tuition is based on CSU tuition. Please refer to the Graduate Tuition and Fees for further information.

Yes, student loans and scholarship information can be found on the Financial Aid webpage. In addition, please refer to the Campus Resources webpage under the Scholarship heading to review available grants, scholarships, & stipends.

All applicants are notified from early to mid-April.