Admissions Criteria

At Barry, both your achievement and potential are assessed in determining your ability to succeed in the program and your suitability for the profession. To make an objective evaluation, Social Work Admissions staff analyze your application materials, looking at academic achievement, work experience (especially in social/human services), maturity, and other factors that would indicate your potential for success. From this, we form a composite assessment, resulting in an admission decision.

As Director of the School of Social Work Admissions and Enrollment, know that we are invested in your future and hope you will find that Barry is where you belong.

Specific requirements for admission to the MSW program include the following:

• Receipt of a bachelor's degree
• For the part-time or full-time 60-credit program, you must have received bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• For the Advanced Standing program, you must hold a Bachelor of Social Work degree from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. You must have received this degree no more than five years prior to enrollment.
• An academic record demonstrating capacity for successful work at the graduate level:
• Preferably a minimum of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for your last 60 earned credits.
• A few exceptions may be made on the basis of extenuating circumstances, and admission may be granted.
• A broad liberal arts background, including study in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences with a minimum of 30 liberal arts credits, resulting in (1) an understanding of your cultural heritage and that of others, (2) a knowledge of methods of inquiry and problem solving, and (3) written and verbal communication skills.
• The School may initiate admission interviews. If you would like to discuss any special circumstances surrounding your application or if you have questions about the program, you may request an admission interview.
• If you wish to support your application with the results from either the Miller Analogies Test or the General Aptitude Section of the Graduate Record Examination, you may do so. Since the School does not require these tests, you will in no way be jeopardized should you decide not to include them.

To further explore admission to the MSW program, please e-mail the Social Work Office of Admissions at msw@mail.barry.edu or phone 305-899-3672 or 1-800-756-6000, ext. 3672.