Admission to the Garland School of Social Work's Online MSW graduate program is conducted by formal application to the Online Campus. Students will be admitted regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, age, veteran status, or disability. Applicants are expected to complete the degree at the campus they were admitted to. Applicants should expect to complete their internship experience inside the 50 United States and Washington D.C. An application packet will be considered complete when the following materials have been received:

1. A completed online application and application fee
2. Official transcripts from all institutions attended¹
3. Recommendations: Three letters of recommendation. Standard applicants at least one of the three letters of recommendation must be from an academic professor who has direct knowledge of your academic work. Advanced standing applicants at least two of the three letters of recommendation must be from an academic professor who has direct knowledge of your academic work. Of these two academic references, one must be the undergraduate program director, the director of practicum education, or the social work supervisor.
4. Completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (Recommended, but not required)
5. Final practicum evaluation (for advanced standing applicants only)

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A file will be considered complete for review purposes with unofficial transcripts. If admitted, official transcripts will be required.

The letter of admission constitutes the University’s official notification of an admission decision. Admitted students will have a maximum of one year (three terms) from the date of admission within which to enroll. Attempts to enroll after this time period will require the completion of another application. For accurate dates and deposit amounts, students should contact MSW Admissions, indicating their status as a newly admitted online MSW student. The University reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant whose previous academic record and/or readiness for graduate study in social work is deemed unsatisfactory.  Applicants who are not admitted into the program may reapply for any subsequent term. If that applicant is denied a second time, they must wait a full calendar year from their second application decision date to apply.

General Requirements

1. The program requires that all applicants have either a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or proof of equivalent education at an international institution of higher learning.
2. Applicants are expected to have a record of undergraduate study and experience that is predictive of success in graduate study. A minimum admissible grade point average is not specified, as the Garland School conducts a holistic review process.
3. Baccalaureate coursework that demonstrates a strong liberal arts background is required.
4. Credit for elective courses transferred from another graduate (non-social work program) program. A maximum of three (3) semester hours toward the Standard MSW degree option and a maximum of three (3) semester hours toward the Advanced Standing option taken for graduate credit in other approved graduate programs may be considered for elective credit. A petition for transfer credit must fulfill the conditions listed below:
   1. The work must have been performed while the student was enrolled in good standing as a graduate student.
   2. The school from which they are transferred must be accredited by a regional accreditation agency.
   3. No earned grade for transfer is less than a “B-”.
   4. Petition for transfer of credit occurs after enrollment in the graduate program.
   5. Transfer credit will not be calculated into GPA unless it is taken at Baylor University.
   6. A petition of transfer from another University request must be completed and submitted in writing to the MSW Program Director.
5. While past professional experiences may strengthen an application, no academic credit will be given for life experiences.

Online Transfer Applicants

Online MSW transfer applicants are considered only when approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Students may contact the Online MSW admissions team to determine if Online MSW transfer applicants are being considered at this time. All transfer policies found in the MSW Waco Admissions section of the catalog apply to Online MSW transfer applicants. 

Online Advanced Standing Admissions

Students who are granted admission to the combined Garland School of Social Work BSW/MSW program are admitted into the MSW program upon successful completion of the BSW from Baylor University with at least a 3.0 overall GPA, a B in every social work course, and the recommendation of the Practicum Education office.

Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in social work from another program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education must apply for admission into the Advanced Standing program at the Garland School of Social Work. Applicants to the Garland School of Social Work Advanced Standing program with a degree from an international social work program must provide evidence through CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service that the program from which they have graduated or anticipate graduating is recognized/approved/certified by CSWE. If admitted, full-time students can complete their MSW in 3 terms or 30 credit hours of graduate work.

Advanced Standing applicants must have completed their baccalaureate degrees from a CSWE-accredited program no more than five years prior to submitting their application. Decisions about their admission to Advanced Standing will be based on the following, in addition to the standard graduate social work application:

• An overall grade point average of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale, a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in all social work coursework, to include a minimum grade of B in all practice and field courses
• A copy of a final Practicum Evaluation from baccalaureate social work field experience(s) documenting satisfactory generalist practice experience and skills in the internship (While prospective students may be admitted conditionally based on their performance in the field at the time of their application, full admission is contingent upon receipt of final field evaluation.