What We Look for in a Social Work Applicant

Interested in Getting Your Bachelor of Science in Social Work?

The undergraduate program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in social work (BSW). The program is designed to prepare students for the rapidly growing and changing job opportunities in the health and social welfare field. The curriculum provides the foundation for generalist social work practice in entry-level positions in a wide range of health and social welfare organizations.

The program includes field placements two days a week in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, youth services and a wide variety of social welfare organizations.

The basic program is a two-year upper-division full-time program that includes 12 credit hours in supervised fieldwork (internships) in health, mental health, social welfare and other agencies. This program requires the completion of 57 credits of preadmission prerequisite coursework. The first-year courses focus on social work practice, human behavior and the social environment, political economy and social and health policy. The second year includes courses in social work practice, research in social work, and a wide array of electives. Flexibility and responsiveness to student needs are hallmarks of the program and classes. Field instruction sites are available from the East End of Long Island to New York City.

The Goals of Our Program Are To:

1. Prepare generalist social work practitioners to use their knowledge, values, and skills in professional entry-level positions in human services across the various domains of social work practice;
2. Inspire graduates to apply a global human rights framework, and empowerment models in their practice across systems;
3. Educate students to utilize, at every systems level, cultural sensitivity and with an understanding of how racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism, and other forms of oppression and discrimination affect clients and the client –worker relationship; and
4. Prepare students to employ their understanding of how social, political, and economic factors influence social problems, social policies and programs, and organizational procedures and practices in client, organizational, community, and social change efforts;
5. Develop graduates’ ability to understand and utilize evidence based practice models in their work.

The program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The program meets the requirements necessary to apply for admission to Master of Social Work (MSW) programs and to apply for advanced standing in Master’s programs (1 year MSW program) in those schools of social work that offer that option.

Deadlines to submit your application, recommendations, and transcripts:

Entry Term	Priority Deadline	Final Deadline
Fall 2025	March 1, 2025	May 1, 2025

All the supporting materials (recommendation letters, transcripts, and your resume) will need to be submitted by the deadline in order to be reviewed.

Additional Application Requirements

Review Program Prerequisites

We offer two application options (apply using just one). There is a $50 application fee.

Option 1

THE COMMON APPLICATION

APPLY: COMMON APP

Option 2

THE SUNY APPLICATION*

APPLY: SUNY APP

Once your application is submitted and processed, you will receive an email with your login to the StartSBU portal.

Transcripts

• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended must be uploaded with your application 
• Transcript(s) must include completed or in-progress required prerequisites.
• All outstanding prerequisite coursework must be posted on the official transcript(s) and your transcript(s) must be submitted and evaluated prior to the first day of classes.

References

• All References must be submitted online with your application
• Recommendations should be from past or current professors and/or employers, supervisors or health care professionals for whom you have worked in a paid or volunteer position.
• Personal recommendations from family members/ friends are not recommended for review.
• Applicants will provide their recommender's contact information in their application portal. Recommenders will then be sent an email request to submit their letter of recommendation electronically with the applicant’s application. 
• Letters of recommendation should be submitted through the application portal or mailed to the School of Social Welfare. If your recommender did not receive the electronic emailed request, please have them check their spam folder.

 

• Complete a personal essay that displays your understanding of the profession, our School of Social Welfare Mission and readiness for undergraduate social work education through the manner with which you address the identified issues and your use of examples that illustrate your points. Although you may include any information that you believe is pertinent to your application, please be sure to clearly discuss the provided essay questions indicated on the application.

 

• Resume

 

• See Application Material Guidelines for more information about the previously mentioned required items and further admissions requirements we will reference below.

Additional Requirements

There are additional prerequisites required for the Social Work program and these must be completed prior to the application deadline.

Admission to the Bachelors of Social Work program is highly competitive. Meeting minimum criteria for admission does not guarantee acceptance. The School of Social Work program reserves the right to make final decisions based upon the applicant pool each year.

The Social Work program reserves the right to change admission and program criteria to meet prevailing accreditation and registration requirements.

Social Work applicants must submit all items listed below prior to the application deadline:
Application and personal statement Paid application fee or approved waiver Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended Three letters of recommendation submitted via the portal request form Resume Additional supplement essay if applicable Meet the Technical Standards For Admission and Retention

 

Social Work Application Requirements

Prerequisites

• Minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 is required (2.8 preferred)
• Completion of all prerequisite courses
• 57 credits with a grade C or higher in the following courses

Required Courses	Credits
Required Courses	Credits
Introduction to American Government	3
US History Since 1877 (Modern American History/Post-Reconstruction Era)	3
Introduction to Psychology	3
Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Anthropology	3
Introduction to Human Biology	3
English Composition	3
Math (above Algebra)	3
Humanities	3
Fine Arts	3
Foreign Language	3

These courses together with the School of Social Work curriculum satisfy Stony Brook curriculum requirements and  provide our students with a diverse educational foundation.

Prerequisite Courses Overview

Transfer Course Equivalences

Transfer Credit Policies

International Applicants

Transcript Evaluation

For International Applicants and those who attended institutions outside of the U.S.,
international transcripts must be evaluated for transfer equivalency by a NACES accredited evaluator, such as The World Education Service (www.wes.org).

English Language Proficiency

If your native or primary language is not English, you must take an English proficiency test. To be considered for admission, an applicant must present an acceptable score on the TOEFL test. The minimum internet scores are a total of 90 with a minimum score of 22 on each section.

The Stony Brook University institutional code for the TOEFL is 2548.

Admitted Students Requirements
Students who are offered admission must submit the following or risk being removed from the program. Updated official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended Evidence of health insurance All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the start of the program

State University of New York (SUNY) policy prohibits Stony Brook University admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history. After acceptance, the College shall inquire if the student previously has been convicted of a felony if such individual seeks campus housing or participation in clinical or field experiences, internships (where a criminal history background check is required) or study abroad programs. The information required to be disclosed under SUNY policy regarding such felony convictions shall be reviewed by a standing campus committee consistent with the legal standards articulated in New York State Corrections Law, and other applicable law.

Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. Students who have concerns about such matters are advised to contact the dean's office of their intended academic program.