Transfer Students
Applicants who have recently completed all or part of the first half of graduate study at a Council on Social Work Education-accredited (CSWE) school of social work may apply as transfer students.
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work follows the transfer credit policies set forth by the USC Degree Progress Department and outlined in the USC Catalogue.
- Graduate transfer credit will only be allowed for courses (1) from an accredited graduate school, (2) of a quality of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, (3) constituting a fair and reasonable equivalent to current USC course work at the graduate level and (4) logically fitting into the program for the degree.
- Graduate transfer credit will not be granted for life experience.
- Transfer work must have been completed within seven years of admission to a USC master's degree program to be applied toward that degree.
Please refer to the MSW Curriculum and the USC Catalogue for MSW degree requirements and other academic policies.
In addition, please review transfer credit policies specific to the Master of Social Work program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work:
- Transfer applicants are considered for fall enrollment only.
- There is no petition process for denied transfer credits.
- Courses eligible for transfer credit review are those determined to be equivalent to USC's first-year courses or to meet the expectation of the second-year electives, and in which a grade of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale was earned. Please note that transfer credit is not guaranteed, even if a course meets the eligibility requirements.
- Coursework is evaluated on a course-by-course basis by designated faculty members, with the approval of the vice dean.
- The USC MSW Transfer Review Committee will only review courses which are equivalent to the following: Human Behavior & Social Environment I, Human Behavior & Social Environment II, Social Policy courses, 1st year Research Courses, and Electives. The committee will review transfer credit for Social Practice courses and Field on a case-by-case basis due to the structure of the USC MSW curriculum in which these courses are taken concurrently.
- In order to be eligible for transfer review, student must have been enrolled and matriculating through a CSWE accredited MSW program.
Transfer Applicant Timeline for the Fall 2024 academic year
Monday, January 8, 2024
This is the application deadline. Please follow the standard application process and ensure that all application materials are submitted electronically or postmarked by this date. Please include in your statement of purpose your reasons for transferring to USC.
Monday, April 1, 2024
The following transfer materials must be submitted by this deadline:
- Transfer Request Form
- A letter of good standing from the dean or associate dean of the original institution
- Course syllabus for each course for which you are requesting transfer credit
- Printout or photocopy of MSW program information in the original institution's catalogue for the period during which coursework was completed
- Completed assignments for each course for which you are requesting transfer credit posted on the syllabus.
Summer 2024
You will be notified of transfer credit evaluation during this time.