Bachelor of Social Work Admissions Requirements

• Submit a $50 non-refundable application fee. Please see the application for more information about fee waivers.
• Applicants must complete a total of 60 undergraduate credits, including program prerequisite courses* with a letter grade of C (B or higher preferred), before beginning the program, and have a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Applicants are strongly recommended to complete a Pre-Application Worksheet before submitting their application to ensure program prerequisite courses (see tab below) are fulfilled. 
• Upload all unofficial transcripts** for any college credit earned (including college courses taken while in high school).
  • Please do not send transcripts to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Applicants must upload transcripts through their application portal or mail them to the School of Social Welfare. Transcripts sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office may cause a delay in admissions review.
• Complete a personal essay that displays your understanding of the profession, the School of Social Welfare's mission, and readiness for undergraduate social work education through the manner in 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 discuss the provided essay questions clearly indicated on the application.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation are required from past or current professors and/or employers, supervisors, or health care professionals for whom you have worked in a paid or volunteer position.
• Resume.

See Application Material Guidelines for more information about the admissions requirements. 

Students applying for admission to the upper-division Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program beginning Fall 2026 must have completed one three-credit lower-division Introduction to Social Work course before enrollment. This course must be equivalent to HWC 220: Introduction to the Social Work Profession at Stony Brook University.

Acceptable equivalents include:

• Completion of an equivalent course at another SUNY institution, following SUNY Transfer Path policies.
• Completion of an equivalent course at a CSWE-accredited social work program.

Exceptions:
This requirement will be waived for students transferring with a completed associate’s degree in human services from a partner community college with which we have an approved articulation agreement.

Students admitted without a completed degree may petition to waive the requirement if they have taken a comparable introduction to social work course at another institution.

Applicants to the Undergraduate Program must complete a total of 60 undergraduate credits that include the following program prerequisite courses prior to beginning the program. Courses must be completed with a letter grade of C or better (B or higher preferred). A minimum of one (or two, where needed) 3-credit course is required for each area.

The following program prerequisites courses provide students with a broad liberal arts base with core content in the following areas.

• Introduction to American Government
  • American political systems provide knowledge about the organization of the American government, including the Constitution, Congress, political parties, pressure groups, the growth of the presidency, the Supreme Court, judicial review, federalism, separation of powers, and the Bill of Rights.
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook POL 102 or an equivalent course at another institution*.
• Foreign Language 
  • This requirement may be met by any course fulfilling a Stony Brook LANG-part or LANG-designated SBC or equivalent coursework at another institution*. 
• Fine Arts 
  • This requirement may be met by any course fulfilling a Stony Brook ARTS designated SBC or equivalent coursework at another institution*. 
• Humanities 
  • This requirement may be met by any course fulfilling a Stony Brook HUM-designated SBC or equivalent coursework at another institution*. 
• Math (above Algebra) 
  • This requirement may be met by any course fulfilling a Stony Brook QPS-designated SBC.
    • Preferred Stony Brook statistics courses are PSY 201, SOC 202, or AMS 102 or equivalent coursework at another institution*.
• English Composition 
  • Develops proficiency in the composition of expository and argumentative essays. 
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook WRT 102 course or equivalent coursework at another institution* and/or by scoring 4 on the English placement examination and completing a designated intensive writing course.
• Introduction to Human Biology
  • Introductory course in biological sciences which provides an understanding of the major concepts of human biology, including the cell, the gene, molecular biology, development and evolution, the human implications and values associated with these concepts, and the impact of biology on human behavior. 
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook ANP 101** or equivalent coursework at another institution*.
• Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Anthropology
  • Provides an analysis of the principles of social structure through an examination of various forms of kinship, marriage, family, age group, voluntary associations, and various levels of political, judicial, religious, and economic organization.
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook (SOC 105 or ANT 102) or equivalent coursework at another institution*.
• Introduction to Psychology 
  • Provides an understanding of psychology as the science of behavior, including content related to personality theory, social and developmental psychology, and psychological testing.
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook PSY 103 or equivalent coursework at another institution*.
• US History Since 1877 (Modern American History/Post-Reconstruction era) 
  • Provides knowledge of modern American history, including industrialization, the impact of industrialization upon social, cultural, and political life, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the resulting social and technological changes.
    • This requirement may be met by Stony Brook HIS 104** or equivalent coursework at another institution*.

Applicants can visit our Transfer Course Equivalency Database to view equivalent courses to fulfill the required program prerequisites. 

*Consult with the School of Social Welfare for equivalent courses. Unequivalent courses may result in delayed admissions review. 

**Other Stony Brook courses are equivalent to fulfill this requirement. Consult with the School of Social Welfare for equivalent courses.

• At the discretion of the School of Social Welfare Admissions Committee, interviews may be required.
• Admission to the BSW program is conditional and contingent on the successful completion of all admission requirements of the School of Social Welfare.
• The School of Social Welfare Admissions Office will make an effort to inform applicants of any missing materials. However, it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure their application is complete for review. Incomplete applications may result in delayed admissions review. All admissions correspondence will be emailed. Please check your email frequently for notifications.
• Forty-three (43) percent of applicants to the MSW program are accepted, and 45 percent are accepted to the BSW program. Ninety-five (95) percent of enrolled MSW students and 98 percent of enrolled BSW students complete the requirements for the degree. A survey of MSW graduates indicated that 90 percent of those responding to the questionnaire were employed in social work, and 85 percent had obtained employment within three months of graduation.