- Completed and signed Graduate Admissions Application accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee.
- An official transcript from each undergraduate and graduate college attended. (Offers of admission to those currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs are made pending receipt of final transcript showing conferral of the bachelor's degree).
- Résumé including educational history, work, and volunteer experience.
The application must be completed and submitted online following the instructions available at http://admissions.cua.edu/. Any mailed documents should be sent to:
The Catholic University of America, Office of Graduate Admissions/McMahon Hall, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington DC 20064 or via email (parchment) by their institution at cua-gradadmissions@cua.edu.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling admissions basis, once all materials have been received. Applications completed after published deadlines will be reviewed only if space is available. All applicants are advised in writing of the Admissions Committee's decision.
Records of applicants who do not respond to the invitation to enroll are not retained unless a written request to defer enrollment is received. Enrollment may be deferred for up to one year.
Application Deadlines
Fall Semester
| April 15 |
Advanced standing and MSW transfer students |
| July 15 |
Full and part-time MSW program applicants |
Spring Semester
| Dec. 1 |
Part-time MSW applicants |
Advanced Standing Applicants
Graduates of social work baccalaureate programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may apply for consideration for "advanced standing" status. Individualized education contracts are developed between the applicant and the director of admissions, indicating the number of semester hours to be waived (not to exceed 30 semester hours). Additional courses beyond 30 semester hours may be required. Advanced Standing students in the on campus MSW program are admitted in the summer and must participate in SSS 680, an online course during the summer. Students admitted in the online MSW program complete the SSS 680D course during the first session in the first semester of their enrollment. The criteria for advanced standing status include:
- A bachelor's degree in social work from a CSWE accredited program (received within five years of enrollment in the MSW Program)
- A cumulative average of at least 3.5 in all the social work courses of the undergraduate program
- A cumulative average of at least 3.2 in all courses applied toward the bachelor's degree
- A minimum of B in each social work course to be considered for waiving of credit
- A recommendation from the chair of the undergraduate program, explicitly supporting admission directly into the advanced year of the MSW program
- Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate generalist practicum experience that meets the requirements of CSWE and includes 400 hours of field education, as evidenced in the final field evaluation submitted as part of the admissions packet.
- Successful completion of the online transition course over the summer prior to enrollment in the Fall semester
Applicants must include with their application a copy of their senior field evaluation for both first and second semesters. Offers of admission are made pending receipt of the final evaluation showing successful completion of the second semester field placement, and receipt of final transcript indicating conferral of bachelor's degree from an undergraduate social work program, and having met our GPA requirements.
All students accepted with advanced standing status are required to take an online course the summer prior to their enrollment. This course was developed to help Advanced Standing students transition from undergraduate to graduate social work education. It is designed to strengthen the student's generalist social work practice competency to enhance their advanced year concentration. In addition, it will help students solidify their understanding of essential concepts from Foundation year courses on Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Human Development and Psychopathology, Diversity in a Multicultural Society, and Research. The course places an emphasis on human behavior theory, human development, psychopathology, cultural competence and being an informed consumer of social work research. Strength and resilience, all forms of diversity and oppression, and the impact of social and economic forces are emphasized as salient influences on social functioning.
Transfer Applicants
NCSSS accepts a limited number of transfer students each year. To be eligible for transfer, courses must have been taken within five years of entrance into the program and grades of B or better must have been earned. Transfer of semester hours may not be applied toward satisfaction of the minimum residency requirements. No academic credit is granted for life experience or previous work experience. There are two categories of transfer students:
Students requesting transfer from another accredited MSW degree program to NCSSS must follow the usual application procedure described above. A letter of recommendation must be from the MSW program chair indicating the applicant has left the program in good standing and is eligible to return. In addition, the applicant must submit course descriptions of MSW courses taken and, when applicable, field work description and evaluation. A maximum of 30 semester hours may be transferred from another MSW program.
Students may request transfer of up to six semester hours of elective credits from other accredited graduate programs at the time the advanced year concentration is declared. At that time, the student writes to the MSW program chair, submitting a rationale showing that the course is appropriate to the concentration and submitting a copy of the course description and transcript for approval. Courses that duplicate subject matter of foundation year courses are not transferable.
International Students
An applicant from a foreign country must have obtained a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. It is, therefore, essential that the official transcripts (with an attached English translation) be received for evaluation of course content and credit at the earliest possible date. The Office of Admissions requires an independent evaluation of foreign educational credentials. Complete applications from other countries should be received as early as possible to allow time for processing and overseas communication when necessary.
Students from other countries should have previous experience in the social welfare field before applying for admission to the social work program of this school.
Applicants for whom English is a second language must demonstrate their proficiency by taking the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and have the scores for all three components (listening, writing, vocabulary/comprehension) sent to NCSSS as part of the application process. A minimum score of 80 is expected (with at least 20 out of 30 points in each category). Applicants taking the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) should have a minimum score of 6.5.
Conditional Admission
Applicants who do not meet all the requirements for admission to the MSW degree program, but whose applications reflect significant potential for graduate study and competent professional practice, may be admitted to the program on a "conditional" basis. Conditional students may earn no more than one grade of C or below, for a period encompassing the first 18 credit hours of the foundation year curriculum, taken consecutively over a maximum of two semesters and two summer sessions. At the end of this period, the student's performance is reviewed and the conditional status negated, or the student is required to withdraw from the program.
Non-Degree Admission
With the permission of the program chair, non-degree seeking students may take a maximum of nine credits in NCSSS courses, taking no more than one course per semester. Applicants must submit a completed university non-degree application form; an official transcript, and a nonrefundable application fee.
Enrollment in courses as a nondegree student does not guarantee admission to the MSW program. Course offerings for non-degree students are limited and are offered on a space-available basis after registration for enrolled, degree-seeking students is completed.
Qualifying Examinations
Qualifying examinations are offered to allow degree-seeking students to waive up to nine semester hours in the following areas: Social Welfare Policy and Services I (SSS 581), Human Behavior and the Social Environment (SSS 571), and Human Development and Psychopathology (SSS 572). Students must apply to the MSW program chair for approval to take the examinations. All students take the examinations on the same day in August or January. Students must take any qualifying exams within the first two semesters of their entrance to the school. They must verify that, through previous coursework, they have mastered the course material. The Council on Social Work Education mandates that life or previous work experience cannot be used as justification for application for a qualifying exam. A student must earn a grade of 85 or above on a qualifying examination to waive that course.
Financial Aid
Scholarships are available to MSW students: CUA scholarships, NCSSS scholarships, and federal work study (FWS) funding for MSW students in field internships. Applicants to the National Catholic School of Social Service may contact the school's Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (202-319-5496) for information about scholarships and federal work study funding.
Loan information can be requested from the Office of Student Financial Assistance, Father O'Connell Hall, CUA, Washington, DC 20064, 202-319-5307.
CUA Scholarships
CUA scholarships are primarily awarded to incoming students based on merit and offered during the admissions process. Students retain the scholarship during their enrollment at NCSSS provided they remain in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 3.0). Available to incoming full and part-time students.
National Catholic School of Social Service Scholarships
The National Catholic School of Social Service has a limited number of scholarships awarded based on merit and financial need. Scholarship applications are available on the school's website and require submission of a resume and an essay providing information about the area of professional interest and financial need. NCSSS scholarships are awarded for one academic year only. Students may apply for another NCSSS scholarship in subsequent years by completing and submitting the NCSSS Scholarship Application to the NCSSS Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.
Applicants for NCSSS scholarships should submit their scholarship applications by April 1, and must have been admitted to the MSW program in order to be considered for scholarship funding. Applicants must also submit a FAFSA to be considered for NCSSS scholarships, since financial need is a primary consideration in making these awards.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (SDS).
NCSSS has been awarded a five-year grant from HRSA. This scholarship requires financial need, as determined by your FAFSA. It also requires that you meet the definition of either: 1) economically disadvantaged; or 2) environmentally disadvantaged. Available to full-time students enrolled in the clinical concentration. Please contact the NCSSS Office of Admissions for more information: (202-319-5496), cua-ncsss-admissions@cua.edu.
Federal Work Study
Federal Work Study (FWS) is taxable funding awarded annually to full-time MSW students: (1) enrolled in field placements, and (2) demonstrating financial need (FAFSA). The funding is granted for work completed as part of the regular NCSSS field internship. There is no application deadline, but because funding is very limited, early submission of the FAFSA and the field application is strongly encouraged. To be considered for FWS, (1) complete the FAFSA, and (2) submit the NCSSS field application as early as possible. No separate application is required.