Advanced Standing
If you already hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, you may be eligible to earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in just 12 months through the advanced standing program.
With the same leadership focus as the traditional MSW curriculum, the advanced standing curriculum enables you to bypass the first-year foundational requirements and start classes at the second-year level. As an advanced standing student, you will:
- Earn your MSW full time in three semesters.
- Complete 24 credits that will prepare you to pursue professional licensure.
Deadline: The deadline to apply for the advanced standing MSW program beginning in May 2025 is Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
For more information about the advanced standing MSW, please contact the Office of Outreach and Recruitment, at 213-740-2013 or applymsw@usc.edu.
*Please note the Advanced Standing program is not eligible to participate in the Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) program.
Application Requirements
- You must complete the online application and submit all supporting documentation by the deadline in order to be considered for admission.
- To apply for the advanced standing program, your letters of recommendation must come from a professor from your BSW program and your agency field placement supervisor. You may submit a third optional recommendation from an academic or professional reference. These individuals should indicate they are recommending you specifically for the advanced standing program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited school of social work earned within the past five years
- Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 in all social work courses
Acceptance into the advanced standing program is not guaranteed. Admission is competitive, and the MSW program only accepts a limited number of advanced standing students.