BSW Upper Division Admission

Thank you for your interest in the BSW Upper Division Program at UNC Charlotte.

All students who declare social work as their major are designated as pre-social work majors, also referred to as being in “​Lower Division”​. Students in Lower Division apply to and matriculate into Upper Division to complete the requirements for the BSW degree.

Students seeking admission to UNC Charlotte as freshmen or transfer students, who are interested in social work as a major, should first apply directly to the Office of Undergraduate admissions for University entrance at http://admissions.charlotte.edu. 

Students who plan to apply for entrance into the Upper Division BSW Program are required to meet with the CHHS Advising Office before applying to learn more about the major, course requirements and the course sequence.

Application Priority Deadlines

All applications open on December 15th. The priority deadline for current lower division BSW students is March 1st and the application period closes May 15th. For newly admitted lower division BSW students the priority deadline is May 1st and the application period closes July 15th.  

Additional Information: 

  • Newly admitted students include Spring, Summer, and Fall 2027 admits only. 
  • Applications are subject to earlier closure once program capacity is reached. 
  • Decisions are released on a rolling basis until August 1st.  
  • Applications for the 2026 -2027 upper division cohort have closed. 
  • Applications for 2027-2028 academic year will open December 15th.  
  • Upper Division Admission is a selective process and not all students will be admitted, even if they have met the minimum requirements for the program. However, we typically have a high admittance rate and strongly encourage students who meet the criteria to apply early! 

BSW Admissions Options

When applying for admission students will have the opportunity to select if they would like to have their application reviewed to be admitted to either the campus-based or online program.

Learn more about BSW Campus and Online program options

BSW Upper Division Admissions Criteria 

  • ​Minimum GPA​ as evidenced in DegreeWorks
    • Cumulative​ UNC​ Charlotte​ GPA ​of​ 2.5​ or​ higher​ by the start of Upper Division. ​Applicants​​ with​ fewer​ than​ 12​ credits ​earned​ at​ UNC​ Charlotte ​must​ also​ have​ a cumulative ​transfer​ GPA​ of ​2.5​ or ​higher.
  • ​​Course​ Credits and ​Prerequisites as evidenced in DegreeWorks
    • The​ applicant​ has​ earned ​60​ credits​ or​ will​ have ​earned​ 60 ​credits ​by the start of Upper Division.
    • The applicant has already completed or will have completed by August and earned satisfactory grades (C or better) in:
      • BIOL 1110 
      • BIOL 1110L 
      • POLS 1575 (or approved alternatives), 
      • PSYC 1101
      • STAT 1222
      • SOCY 1101
      • SOWK 1101 or 1511 
      • SOWK 2182
      • SOWK 2183
      • SOWK 2184 
    • The ​applicant​ should be on track for completing all general education requirements (i.e., General Education Themes, Math) by the start of Upper Division. Applicants​ ​can ​be ​enrolled ​in spring and ​summer ​courses ​at ​the ​time ​of ​the application.
  • Resume
  • Statement of Purpose  – The essay should be no more than 3-5 pages, be in 7th Ed APA format (title page, line spacing, margins, in text citations, and a reference page), and must respond to ALL of the following four prompts:
    • 1) Please discuss your reasons for seeking admission into the BSW Program and your career goals. 
    • 2) Describe a social problem social workers might address through their work. Include research that helps the reader better understand the problem. 
    •  3) Discuss what a social worker might do to ensure they help and do not cause harm to those they serve. Please feel welcome to include one or more examples based on past work or volunteer experience, but including examples from your experience is optional and not required.
    • 4) Students in the BSW program must complete coursework during the first year in Upper Division and the coursework along with an internship (field placement) during the final year of the program. The internship will be 16-hours per week both fall and spring of the final year. Share your plan for being able to fit the BSW program, including the internship, into your life. Be specific in your plan of how you will accomplish your field placement, classes, and other responsibilities (e.g., – if you are also working).

Overview of Application and Selection Process 

The application process for Upper Division is competitive and not all applicants who meet the minimum criteria for admission will be accepted. Applications are submitted electronically between December 15th and July 15th of each year through a form located on an application page found on the School of Social Work website.  Applications are reviewed by the BSW Admissions Committee which is composed of full-time social work faculty members who regularly teach in or administratively support the BSW program. Additional faculty members and staff may also review components of the application. The following materials are submitted: Application form, resume, statement of purpose, and transcripts from any colleges attended other than UNC Charlotte if the information is not in DegreeWorks. Application elements (academic preparation, experience, and essay prompts) are scored by a BSW Admission Committee member using a BSW Application Rating Rubric which is based on a point system. If a BSW Committee member has a concern then the member can request a second reviewer on the committee. The BSW Admissions committee meets on a regular basis to review and discuss each applicant and make a decision regarding admission. Competitive applicants (those with highest scores) are selected until all seats are filled. 

Admission Decisions and Notifications

Acceptance 

Students who meet the minimum standard criteria (minimum GPA of 2.5, earned at least 60 credits, and have successfully completed required prerequisites), and who have submitted a sufficient personal essay and resume that accumulate in a competitive score are granted admission.   

Applicants are informed via a letter sent to their email address, no later than August 1st. Applicants who have been offered admission to the BSW Program and who wish to accept the offer will need to submit their electronic ​enrollment form by the deadline identified in the acceptance letter.  If​ the​ form ​is ​not ​returned ​by the deadline, it will be assumed that the student has declined the offer. 

Conditional Admission

In some cases, applicants may be granted conditional admission to the BSW Program. Conditional admission is offered when one or more of the admissions criteria have not been met. For example, if a student has not taken STAT 1222, the applicant may be admitted conditionally. It’s the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements are met. Upon completion of outstanding items, the conditional admission will be changed to a full admission. 

Applicants are informed via a letter sent to their email address, no later than August 1st. The letter will include an explanation about the conditional admission with specific information of expectation in order to meet admission and remove conditional admission status. Students with conditional acceptance to the BSW Program and who wish to accept the offer will need to submit their electronic ​enrollment form by the deadline identified in the acceptance letter.  If​ the​ form ​is ​not ​returned ​by the deadline, it will be assumed that the student has declined the offer. Additionally, outstanding course requirements are outlined in the letter. 

Denial 

A combination of factors often lead to denial such as GPA, personal essay, insufficient resume, etc. Applicants who are denied admission are not informed of the specific reason for denial.  There is not a waitlist for the Upper Division BSW Program. 

Applicants are informed via a letter sent to their email address, no later than August 1st. Students not accepted into Upper Division are encouraged to meet with their Lower Division College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) academic advisor for further academic planning. Students not accepted into Upper Division may reapply the following year. However, this may delay time to graduation and is not typically recommended. Those who do not continue in the BSW major have the option of declaring another major at the University.

Additional Information for Applicants

  • The School of Social Work does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience toward the social work degree.
  • Applicants with past convictions who are offered admission and opt to enroll would be doing so with the understanding that this background could be a potential barrier to graduation or future employment. The BSW Program does make every effort to assist students with a positive criminal background check in finding​ practicum placements.
  • Persons with disabilities who need assistance in the admission process must contact the School of Social Work to request such assistance a minimum of fifteen days prior to the application deadline. The applicant will be connected with the Office of Disability Services to request that a staff ​member​ assist ​the ​applicant ​with​ completing ​the ​application.
  • Students who leave the major in good standing or are dismissed from the program and wish to return can contact the BSW Program Director for guidance related to readmission.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any additional questions about the BSW Program at UNC Charlotte, please view our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you still have further questions, please contact sswadmissions@charlotte.edu.

FAQs for BSW Program

BSW Information Sessions 

State Authorization

 (Practicum Placement and Licensure)

The Online BSW program is generally targeted toward those who live in the North Carolina region, however, UNC Charlotte is authorized to offer online programs and courses in all US states and territories. Please note, Practicum Education availability may be impacted based on individual state. UNC Charlotte is not currently authorized to offer any of its online programs outside of the United States, according to Digital and Professional Learning. If a student listed in their application that they live in the North Carolina region and they are admitted, then it is with the understanding they plan to live in the North Carolina region throughout the duration of the program. If a student plans to move out of the North Carolina region during the program, they should consult with the BSW Program Director, BSW Practicum Director, and Charlotte Online to further discuss the program as this may impact the ability to complete the program. Please review the State Authorization from the UNC Charlotte School of Professional Studies for more information. Regarding licensure this program prepares BSW students to earn credentials for Certified Social Worker. Please review the Professional Licensure webpage for more information.