Master of Social Work

Institutional Accreditation

Information on FGCU institutional accreditation is available at www.fgcu.edu/accreditation

The FGCU Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Getting Started

Applicants must submit an application online per the individual program’s instructions below. Please contact Graduate Admissions at 239-745-GRAD or graduate@fgcu.edu for additional information about the application process. Satisfaction of minimum University and program requirements does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Applicants should check with the program for the most up to date admission requirements prior to commencing the application process.

See program website at URL listed above.

Summer Master of Social Work (MSW) Supplemental Application
Application Deadline is January 15, 2025

• Note: The GRE is not required for admission to the MSW program at FGCU. If your GPA is below 3.0 you will be required to submit an exception letter stating why you should be considered for the program and what steps you have taken to mitigate the low GPA. Submitting an exception letter in this circumstances does not guarantee admission to the program.

Program Admission Requirements

General Program:

• Earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Admission to FGCU Graduate Admissions (https://www.fgcu.edu/Graduate/apply.html)
• Evidence of broad coursework in the liberal arts: 6 hours General Science (must include Human Biology); 6 hours English Composition; 6 hours Humanities; 6 hours Social Sciences; 6 hours Quantitative Math.
• Successful completion of a course in statistics
• One year's (40 hours per week) paid experience in a social service agency (in a service capacity) is preferred.
• Earned a 3.0 GPA or higher for the final 60 hours of your undergraduate degree. 
• Three professional references including one from a former instructor, if available.
• A written personal statement (to be evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee for commitment to social work values, social justice, diversity, writing skills, etc.).
• Interviews may be required.
• Completion of MSW Application Package (PDF). (See link provided above.)
• An international applicant for whom English is a second language is required to submit a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• Meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee acceptance into the MSW program at FGCU.

Advanced Standing Program:

• Earned baccalaureate of social work degree within the past 5 years from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Admission to FGCU Graduate Admissions (https://www.fgcu.edu/Graduate/apply.html)
• Successful completion of a course in statistics.
• One year (40 hours per week) paid experience in a social service agency (in a service capacity is preferred) is preferred.
• Earned a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher in all undergraduate Social Work courses.
• Two professional references including one from a former instructor, if available.  
• A written personal statement (to be evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee for commitment to social work values, social justice, diversity, writing skills, etc.).
• An interview may be required.
• Completion of MSW Application Package (PDF). (See link provided above.)
• Completed Advanced Standing Application Packet.  (Included in MSW Application Package, link provided above.)
• Copy of complete BSW Field Performance Summary Narrative and Summary Evaluation Form .
• An international applicant for whom English is a second language is required to submit a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• Meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee acceptance into the Advanced Standing MSW program at FGCU.

These materials must be submitted in order for the applicant to be considered for admission for the summer semester. Students will be admitted to the two-year MSW program during the summer semester of each year. Note that only elective courses will be offered during the summer semester, core courses will begin in the fall semester.  All admitted students are required to attend an orientation held during the fall immediately prior to classes beginning. In addition, students planning to enroll full-time must plan to be available during the summer months for the field placement search process. Although student "life" or work experiences are highly valued by the faculty, no academic credit is given in whole or in part, in lieu of the field practicum or courses in the professional foundation areas specified in the Curriculum Policy Statement.

Regular Full Time - 2 year

Regular Part Time - 4 year

Advanced Standing Full Time - 1 year

Advanced Standing Part Time - 2 year

Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search

Getting started with the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.

*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)

Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will be able to:

• Apply social work ethical principles.
• Engage diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
• Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
• Knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
• Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
• Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the program levels. Instructors assess knowledge of ethical standards in 6235: Social Welfare and History; SOW 6305: Social Work Practice I; and Field Education I, II, III, and IV. Practice skills are assessed in the Foundation Year in the  two practice courses offered: SOW 6305, 6306, and in Field Education I and II. In the Concentration Year practice skills are assessed in SOW 6124, 6344, 6369, 6611, 6616 and Field Education I and II.  Instructors in SOW 6236 Social Policy Analysis evaluate the student's progress after the completion of the final advocacy project demonstrating required knowledge. Research is assessed in SOW 6405: Research I: Methods and SOW 6435: Research II: Practice Evaluation  which demonstrate the required research skills.

Communication Skills

Graduates will be able to:

• Identify as a professional and conduct oneself accordingly.
• Apply social work ethical principles.
• Engage diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human right and social and economic justice.
• Respond to contexts that shape practice.

Communications skills are assessed in the social work practice courses: SOW 6305. 6306, 6124, 6186, 6344,6369, 6611, 6616 and Field Education I, II, III, and IV.

Critical Thinking Skills

Graduates will be able to:

• Apply critical thinking to strengthen professional judgment.
• Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
• Respond to contexts that shape practice.
• Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Critical thinking skills are assessed in all MSW courses. Specifically in SOW 6124: Psychopathology, SOW 6306: SOW Practice II; SOW 6405: Research Methods, SOW 6435: Practice Evaluation, and SOW 6389: Advanced Practice Seminar.

Supplemental Tuition Waiver Policies

Students are eligible to apply for graduate fee waivers in FGCU’s Master of Social Work Program after being admitted to the program with a minimum GPA of 3.0. All documents must be sent electronically to the Graduate Admissions Office and Department of Socail Work to be considered.

Application for a tuition waiver from the Department of Social Work requires:

IN STATE GRADUATE TUITION SUPPORT APPLICATION or

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP FOR OUT-OF STATE GRADUATE STUDENT TUITION SUPPORT

SUPPLEMENTAL TUITION WAIVER POLICIES AND APPLICATION (PDF)

PERSONAL FINANCIAL NARRATIVE

These links will take you to additional opportunities for financial assistance.

GRADUATE STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP

FGCU FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP

CHILD PROTECTION & CHILD WELFARE TUITION EXCEPTION APPLICATION