Pre-Social Work Preparation at UHMānoa
(Text compiled from the UHM 2010-2011 Catalog, UHM's Schools of Social Work website www.hawaii.edu/sswork, National Association of Social Workers website www.socialworkers.org, and the International Federation of Social Workers website www.ifsw.org.)
Hawai'i Social Work program: UH Mānoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work
Social Work Degree Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
The Application Process
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure
Social work promotes individual and collective well-being through advocating for justice, providing effective programs and services, and enhancing individual and family development. Founded on principles of human rights and social justice, social work’s primary responsibility is to the most vulnerable groups and individuals of our society. Social workers view differences among people as enriching the quality of life for all.
Social workers help people prevent and overcome social and health problems such as poverty, mental illness, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse and neglect, emotional instability, illness, economic uncertainty, domestic violence, homelessness, and drug abuse. Social workers enhance opportunities for individuals, especially for those who have been historically oppressed, and seek to maximize individuals’ and groups’ participation in society using theories of human behavior, relationships, and social systems.
Social workers work directly with individuals, couples, families, and groups to make the most effective use of their abilities and to identify and overcome obstacles preventing them from participating fully in society. Social workers may also work with communities, organizations, and social systems to improve services and to administrate social and health programs. When adequate services do not exist in a community, social workers sometimes develop new services.
Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals and clinics, schools, public welfare departments, family and child welfare agencies, mental health clinics, gerontology and geriatric programs, legal administration, immigrant and refugee centers, private practice, and so on. They also practice in a wide variety of formats, from assisting individuals to advocating for specific populations, from home visits to office appointments, from working with people to
filing reports. Some social workers also teach or conduct research in academia.
Social Work Degree Programs
Social work is one of the few healthcare fields that provide job opportunities at all three levels, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral. Different jobs in social work require different degree levels; for more specific information, contact UHM’s Career Development and Student Employment office or UHM's School of Social Work.
Becoming a social worker requires approximately 4 to 10 years of education:
- BSW, or Bachelor of Social Work (4-5 years);
- MSW, or Master in Social Work (2-3 years); and
- Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (3 or more years).
The BSW provides students with the knowledge, skills, and values of the profession, integrated with a liberal arts education. The BSW prepares students for beginning-level generalist practice and for advanced study in social work.
The MSW provides students with the knowledge and competence for working with diverse populations. The MSW prepares students for advanced practice with individuals and families within the context of their communities.
The Ph.D. prepares social workers for leadership roles in social work and social welfare. The program requires advanced scholarship and encourages inquiry into Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian cultures in our community, state, and the Pacific region.
Prerequisites for Admission
Prerequisites vary widely from school to school. Students must research the individual program at each of the institutions to which they intend apply. The following guidelines pertain only to the School of Social Work at UH Mānoa.
Bachelor Level: UHM's School of Social Work builds its curriculum upon a foundation of liberal arts education and typically admits students at the Junior level. To be admitted to the BSW program, applicants must:
- be admitted to UH Mānoa;
- have completed, or be in the process of completing, UH's General Education Core requirements (special consideration is given to second-semester sophomores requesting early admission);
- have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher;
- be able to provide evidence of motivation for and commitment to social work education (e.g., personal, volunteer, or social-work-related experience); and
- have completed, or be in the process of completing, the following knowledge-based courses with a grade of 'C' or better:
SW 200 |
The Field of Social Work |
Phil 110 or 111 |
Introduction to Deductive or Inductive Logic |
Psy 100 |
Survey of Psychology |
Psy 260 or 270 |
Psychology of Personality or Introduction to Clinical Psychology |
Introductory-level course in political science (Pols 110 recommended) |
|
Any course on human biology |
|
Visit www.hawaii.edu/sswork/forms/bsw/bsw_00_overview.pdf to see the School of Social Work's current list of prerequisites. Note that the School offers recommendations for GenEd core courses. Finally, contact the School if you have questions about which courses to take or about the evaluation of transfer courses.
Master Level: Admission to the MSW program requires:
- a completed Bachelor degree from an accredited college or university, or the equivalent from a foreign institution;
- a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average;
- a liberal arts background;
- a record of scholarship that indicates the ability to do satisfactory graduate work;
- evidence of personal qualifications, motivation, and social work or related experience; and
- the potential for successful graduate education and professional practice in social work
The School of Social Work admits students to the MSW program in Fall semesters only; the application deadline is February 1st.
Doctoral Level: Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive, based upon evidence of potential for leadership and scholarly inquiry, and is decided on a case-by-case basis. For more information, contact the chair of the PhD program at UHM’s School of Social Work.
What makes a strong candidate?
UHM's School of Social Work is looking for students who:
- have met the prerequisites (see above);
- demonstrate compassion, empathy, and a commitment to social justice;
- have high ethical and moral standards;
- are able to work in a variety of settings;
- are able to handle stressful environments;
- are able to incorporate a variety of liberal arts disciplines into their work;
- live a well-rounded lifestyle and are able to balance professional and humanitarian interests;
- have excellent logic and reasoning skills;
- have strong oral and written communication skills.
The Application Process
Before applying, you should first meet with an academic advisor at UHM's School of Social Work (see below) to assess your resume.
To apply, visit www.hawaii.edu/sswork/bsw-forms.html for instructions and downloadable forms. Note that the website includes information on applying for financial aid and on available scholarships.
As part of your application, you will need to submit:
- an application form;
- a statistical information form;
- a personal statement;
- official transcripts; and
- three letters of recommendation.
Application deadlines are February 1 for the Fall semester and Oct 1 for the Spring semester.
Additional Information
UHMānoa's Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for your social work programs.
| UHM's School of Social Work Henke Hall 224, 1800 East-West Road (808) 956-6300 |
www.hawaii.edu/sswork sswadmit@hawaii.edu |
| UHM's School of Social Work Advising Office is located in Henke Hall 230. Call (808) 956-7182 | |
| UHM’s BSW Organization | www2.hawaii.edu/~bsworg/ |
| National Association of Social Workers | www.socialworkers.org |
| International Federation of Social Workers | www.ifsw.org/home |
| Preparing for Graduate School by the Honors Program | http://preparingforgraduateschool.weebly.com/ |