FAQs

All Students:
How do I access health insurance or health services while I am a student?

Prospective Students:
Is there more than one application required for the MSW Program?
How much is the application fee?
Can the application fee be waived?
What is the application deadline?
How many recommendations do I need?
How many transcripts do I need to submit?
Is there a length requirement for the Personal Statement?
What format should be used for the Personal Statement?
Can the MSW be completed on-line?
Is there an evening or week-end program?
How long does it take to earn the MSW degree?
How will I know what application materials have been received?
When will I know if I am admitted or not?
How and when do I pay the $100 tuition deposit?

Current Students:
What do I do if the class section I tried to register for is full and I was put into another section?
How do I get into a class section that is full?
Why am I scheduled for only 4 hours of SWK 889 when I registered for 6 hours?
When do I take my Comprehensive Examination? 
Do I need to “apply” to graduate?
Does the College of Social Work have a commencement ceremony?
What if I do not want to participate in the University’s commencement ceremony?



Prospective Students:

Q: Is there more than one application required for the MSW Program?
A: Yes, students must submit an on-line OSU Graduate Admissions Application along with a $40 application fee (www.gradapply.osu.edu) and the College of Social Work Admission Application, which can be downloaded from the "how to apply" section of this website during autumn 2009.

Q: How much is the application fee?
A: There is one $40 non-refundable application fee to the University per year ($50 for international students).  This fee may be paid by credit card (Visa, Discover, MasterCard or American Express) or by electronic check if you have a U.S. bank account.  DO NOT FILL OUT THE ON-LINE APPLICATION AND THEN SEND A PAPER CHECK IN THE MAIL.

Q: Can the application fee be waived?
A: Unfortunately, the application fee cannot be waived.  University policy states payment of the application fee must be received with the application and cannot be waived or postponed.

Q: What is the application deadline?
A: March 1st is the deadline for those wishing to be considered for the Advanced Standing Option.  April 1st is the deadline for all other applicants.

Q: How many recommendations do I need?
A: Applicants only need to submit three (3) recommendations.  The College of Social Work has our own recommendation forms that are preferable to those that the University uses (both paper and those submitted on-line).  The College of Social Work Applicant Recommendation Forms can be downloaded from this web site.

Q: How many transcripts do I need to submit?
A: Students must submit two official transcripts from every college or university attended (OSU exempt).  One copy must be sent to OSU Graduate Admissions and one copy must be sent to the College of Social Work.  These must be sent directly from the college or university attended.

Q: Is there a length requirement for the Personal Statement?
A: No, we just expect applicants to completely respond to the questions.  However, one page would be too short and six pages or more would be too long.

Q: What format should be used for the Personal Statement?
A: Many students use an essay format while others will write out the question and then the response.  Either format is acceptable.

Q: Can the MSW be completed on-line?
A: No.  At this time, we offer no coursework on-line.

Q: Is there an evening or week-end program?
A: No.  We do offer classes in evening sections, however, we cannot guarantee that students would be able to complete their program with all evening classes.  

Q: How long does it take to earn the MSW degree?
A: The length of the program varies.

For those qualified for the Advanced Standing option, the program can be completed in four quarters (full-time, one calendar year/four continuous quarters) or eight quarters (part-time, over two years).

For the regular MSW Program, students can graduate in two years (six quarters over a two year period if full-time) or in three or four years as a part-time student.

Q: How will I know what application materials have been received?
A: Applicants can check their status on line at www.appstatus.osu.edu.  They can also call the MSW Program Office at 614-292-2972.

Q: When will I know if I am admitted or not?
A: Again, applicants can check their status on line at www.appstatus.osu.edu.  We admit to the MSW Program on a rolling basis, therefore, as soon as we have received all application materials (applications, transcripts, personal statement, recommendations and any required test scores) we will review your application file.  This takes anywhere from two to four weeks from the time of completion, depending on the volume of applicants.

Q: How and when do I pay the $100 tuition deposit?
A: Admitted students will be sent a “fee statement” by OSU Graduate Admissions along with their admission letter.  The tuition deposit must be submitted to the address listed along with the statement.  It should never be sent directly to the College of Social Work.

The deadline for paying the tuition deposit is April 30th or 30 days after admission for those admitted mid-April or later.

Current Students:

Q: What do I do if the class section I tried to register for is full and I was put into another section?
A: OSU’s registration system will automatically enroll students in an available section of the needed course if the requested section is full.   Students may submit a “Change of Section” form to change sections of a class (as long as the section you want is not full; if it is full, you must get instructor permission).  The only way to avoid being put into a section you cannot attend is to schedule “free time” for those time periods.

Q: How do I get into a class section that is full?
A: If the desired section of a course is full, students may add themselves to the wait list for the class (provided you have not already been added to an available section of the same class).

Students may also seek the permission of the instructor to enroll in a full section.  It is the instructor’s decision to permit or deny enrollment to a full section.  If the instructor grants permission, the student must complete a “Course Enrollment Permission” form, get the instructor’s signature and then submit the form to the Graduate School (247 University Hall).  The Course Enrollment Permission form can be downloaded from the Graduate School’s web site at www.gradsch.osu.edu under “Forms and Publications”.

Q: Why am I scheduled for only 4 hours of SWK 889 when I registered for 6 hours?
A: If you keyed in the number “6” when registering, the system will default to 4 hours.  You MUST key in a “0” first, as in “06” hours.

Q: When do I take my Comprehensive Examination?
A: Students take their Comprehensive Examination at the beginning of the quarter in which they are to graduate, with the exception of those graduating in the spring quarter (June).  Those students actually take their exam at the very end of winter quarter.

Q: Do I need to “apply” to graduate?
A: YES.  Students must submit an “Application to Graduate” and these are due to the Graduate School by the second Friday of the quarter in which you are graduating.  However, the College of Social Work usually asks students to submit them earlier to the MSW Program Office to allow time to audit each graduating student to ensure that all MSW requirements have been met.  Deadlines for submitting this application are included in a memo that is attached to each students Comprehensive Examination Study Guide.

The “Application to Graduate” can be found on this web site as well as the Graduate School’s web site (www.gradsch.osu.edu).

Q: Does the College of Social Work have a commencement ceremony?
A: YES.  Each year the College of Social Work holds an “Evening of Recognition” for those that have graduated throughout the year.  This event is held on the Friday night prior to spring quarter commencement.  Invitations are sent to all graduates as well as notification via email.  Participants are required to wear graduation regalia.  Your diplomas are not presented at this time.

Q: What if I do not want to participate in the University’s commencement ceremony?
A: Graduates are not required to attend commencement.  If you do not plan to attend, you MUST submit a “Commencement Absence Form” which can be found on the Graduate School’s web site.  You then have the option of picking up your diploma or have it mailed to you.