All applicants who intend to begin the 40-credit social work major in Fall 2024 should apply by January 31, 2024. We accept one class or cohort each year. We expect that all students will begin in Fall 2024 and graduate in May 2026.
Applications received by January 31 will receive an answer by March 15 in order to register for junior classes in the following fall semester. If applications are received after January 31, your application will be reviewed in the order received and your response will likely be after March 15 and approximately six-eight weeks after receipt.
We encourage any student who expects to graduate in May 2026 to apply for the program whether you have completed 45 credits by January 2024. Often students who have earned between 35-45 credits and are willing to take courses in winter and summer sessions in addition to their usual 15 credit load can “catch up” to graduate on time in May 2026. We expect all students in the cohort to complete their university degree by May and not complete the BSW in summer or fall in order to assure graduation, prepare for graduate education and work, and maintain the cohesion of the cohort.
We encourage applicants who have not completed all the foundation requirements to apply in January so that we can adequately plan for the size of the incoming class. Official acceptance into the major requires completion of SWK 200 (Introduction to Social Work) and four of the five other foundation courses. Acceptance is contingent on satisfactory completion of all of the five foundation courses prior to or concurrent with the beginning of the major program.
If students are still completing SWK 200 or other foundation courses in the spring semester, your application will be deferred until May 2024 upon satisfactory completion of these prerequisites. Under some circumstances when two foundation courses remain and the candidate has an exceptional record, conditional acceptance will be awarded in March.
Generally students are admitted into the social work major and complete their last 60 university credits (40 of which are SWK courses) in the last four semesters at Eastern. If students wish to spread their studies over three years, we suggest that you take all remaining non-SWK courses in year 1, apply for the major during that year, and complete the remaining SWK 40 credits during the subsequent two years. Develop your academic plan with your social work advisor.
Review the information about the application and the pdf version of the application. You will need information about all of your foundation courses and grades, your application essay, professional reference, transcripts of all higher education work, and an optional résumé and affirmative action information form.
If you are currently an Eastern student, download and save your transcript from E-Web, then upload this to your application. If you have transcripts from any other University, scan and upload the transcript to your application.
If you are not currently an Eastern student, scan and upload all of your transcripts of higher education work. You must however mail the official transcript to the Social Work Program Coordinator. The program does not have access to official transcripts sent to our Admissions Office.
Send your transcripts to:
Eastern Connecticut State University
Social Work Program Coordinator
Webb Hall 421
83 Windham Street
Willimantic, CT 06226
Yes. You should give the reference form to your reference who must complete it, sign it or handwritten. If this reference signature is handwritten, scan the document to a pdf document (Eastern’s library and computer labs have this technology) and send it to your application. If your reference submitted the document to you as a pdf with an electronic signature, scan and send it as part of your application.
The social work major welcomes a diverse group of students who are prepared to take on the responsibilities of professional practice. Students should demonstrate competence and responsibility through achievement of a good academic record. We generally seek students whose GPAs are at least 2.3. We do prioritize strong academic records but do not exclude students who demonstrate increasing motivation and competence in their academic careers. We seek students who demonstrate commitment to the values of social work and ethical standards of honesty and integrity. Most applicants are accepted, generally about 80%-85%.
We ask that students reflect on their readiness to seek the BSW degree. On the Social Work Program website at: http://www.easternct.edu/social-work/ please review the Social Work Program Handbook and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics to be certain that this is the major for you.
Students must be highly motivated to promote the public welfare and individual well-being; hardworking; ethical; collegial; open to receiving and using feedback for continual professional growth; empathetic; and assertive.
Contact your social work advisor or the Social Work Program Coordinator with other questions or
concerns.
Dr. Eunice Matthews-Armstead
Social Work Program Coordinator
Webb Hall Room 430
matthewse@easternct.edu
860-465-0102
