Prospective Students

Dear Prospective Student:

Thank you for your interest in a degree in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University. Let me tell you about the opportunities and experiences available to students who choose to pursue their B.S.S.W. or M.S.W. at Ohio State.

First and foremost, the College of Social Work: is an integral part of The Ohio State University. OSU is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, with a world class library, state-of-the-art computers, an internationally recognized faculty, and student services that are abundant and comprehensive. A degree from Ohio State is recognized as a mark of excellence around the world.

The College of Social Work Programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Year in and year out our professors are recognized as a major strength of the College. It is a faculty rich in diversity and dedicated as much to excellence in teaching as it is to good scholarship.

The College of Social Work's B.S.S.W program’s principal educational objective is to prepare students for beginning social work practice. This professional program is built upon a sequence of courses that provides a strong liberal arts perspective, and its foundation courses prepare students for more specialized study at the graduate (M.S.W.) level.

The B.S.S.W. program consists of two components: the pre-professional requirements, scheduled primarily in the freshman and sophomores years; and the major, usually completed in the junior and senior years of study. The curriculum, consisting of classroom instruction and a field practicum, is intended for the development of knowledge, values, and practice skills that will enable the graduate to function at a beginning level of social work practice.

At the M.S.W. level, our students are prepared for careers in Clinical Social Work or Social Administration. Students also take courses to expand their expertise in areas such as mental health, health care, child welfare, developmental disabilities, school social work, aging, social work with the deaf/hearing impaired, and more. This program offers both full-time and part-time options for completing a degree, making it especially attractive to students who have work, family, or other obligations.  Coursework toward the M.S.W. degree is also available at the Lima-OSU, Mansfield-OSU, and Newark-OSU campuses for part-time students.

Additional ways of specializing at the College of Social Work abound. The College is one of only two social work programs in Ohio officially recognized by the Ohio Department of Education as preparing a student for certification in the expanding field of School Social Work. In addition, students interested in a career in public service can opt for one of the dual masters degree programs in Social Work and Public Policy and Management, Social Work and Public Health, or Social Work and City and Regional Planning. A graduate interdisciplinary Certificate Program in Aging is offered by the College of Social Work and other Schools and Colleges at the University; students who opt to participate in this program receive a certificate in this important and growing specialization. And M.S.W. students have the option of pursuing an official minor area in African American Studies.

At the College of Social Work, we understand that the decision you are about to make is an important one for you and your family. We know that you will want to find the best possible match between your professional goals and the educational opportunities available to you. If you have questions about one of our academic programs, please contact one of our faculty or staff in the B.S.S.W., M.S.W, or Ph.D. program offices.

As a College, we recognize that our responsibility to our students is to provide the very best professional social work education possible, and are committed to doing so. I hope that what we offer matches your interests. I urge you to consider applying to OSU, one of the finest social work programs in the nation!

Sincerely yours,

Tom Gregoire, MSW, PhD
Interim Dean