Applications open Aug. 1
Whether you’re a prospective first-year student or transfer student,
get to know Ohio State online or in person.
Social Work Admitted Student Online Visit
At this virtual program, you will meet other admitted social work students, connect with current students and your academic advisors, explore your academic program, and have an opportunity to ask questions. Learn more about the College of Social Work and connect with the incoming Class of Autumn 2025.
Registration opens in January 2025 for this program

- Is Ohio State right for you? Visit and see for yourself. Come and find your fit within our historic campus and our small, student-centered College of Social Work.
- One-on-One Meeting: We’re happy to meet with you via phone, in person or zoom to review the social work major, campus resources and highlights, and answer any questions you may have. Contact Renee Benham.
- Undergraduate Admissions In-Person Campus Tours or Online Events: Get to know Ohio State online or in person. Whether you’re a prospective first-year student or transfer student, register for an in-person or online admissions event.
First-year social work students are highly engaged and intellectually curious, and want to make a difference in the world. Our students have a passion for helping others. Upon admission to Ohio State, our new first-year students will begin as pre-social work students and complete pre-major coursework with their cohort during their first two years of study. For information on admission to The Ohio State University, please visit Undergraduate Admissions.
Do you have a passion for social justice, helping others, and enacting change? The social work major provides students with the knowledge and skills to engage in generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Professional practice settings include mental health, substance misuse, schools, child welfare, counseling, medical centers, corrections and the court system, aging, homeless programs, and more. Admitted first-year students majoring in social work can opt in to 4+1 BSSW/MSW Program, which allows you to earn your Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees in five years.
Transfer students make up the highest percentage of enrolled social work students and bring with them unique perspectives and experiences. Our social work major offers flexibility to accommodate a wide range of learning needs including full-time working students, adult learners, students with families, and part-time students. If you have a passion for pursuing social work, we have a place for you.
Have you completed or are you in the process of completing the program pre-requisites?
- Social Work 1100 Social Work Survey (or equivalent)
- Social Work 1120 Introduction to Social Welfare
- Social Work 1130 Introduction to Social Work
- Social Work 3301 Lifespan Development (or equivalent)
- Psychology 1100 Introduction to Psychology
- Sociology 1101 Introduction to Sociology (or equivalent)
- Writing & Information Literacy GE
Do you have a cumulative GPA and pre-requisite GPA of 2.0 or higher?
If you are a transfer student, you will need to apply to The Ohio State University and be admitted to Ohio State before you can complete the BSSW Declaration Form. You may submit the BSSW Declaration Form between Feb. 1 and Aug. 23 to start the major in Autumn Semester and between Sept. 1 and Dec. 15 to start the major in Spring Semester.
Once approved for the major, meet with your social work academic advisor to enroll in major classes!
- All students with last names A-M should contact Renee Benham.
- All students with last names N-Z should contact Stacy Song.
- All online BSSW students should contact Andréa Severson.
Please remember that your admission is contingent upon successful completion of all pre-major courses (unless you have received advisor approval of exception) and maintaining a cumulative and pre-requisite GPA of 2.0 or above. Inability to meet these conditions will void acceptance into the major. Should this occur, you may submit a declaration form for a later semester.
As a Social Work Major Student
- Attend the social work major orientation and complete the online Carmen-Canvas orientation modules in August (Autumn Semester start) or January (Spring Semester start).
- Complete 59 credit hours of Social Work major coursework, including 13 credits of social work electives, allowing you to explore areas of interests such as substance misuse, child welfare, school social work, corrections, international social work, human trafficking, poverty, and more.
- Earn a C or higher grade in all Social Work major and elective coursework and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Complete 420 hours of hands-on social work experience through your Social Work Field Placement.
- Consider a Minor or Certificate Program: The Social Work degree allows for a minor area of study or certificate program. Suggested minors offered by the College of Social Work include Child Abuse & Neglect or Substance Misuse.
- If your cumulative GPA is 3.4 or higher, consider applying to the Social Work Honors Program, which provides you with the opportunity to engage in in-depth classroom study, conduct independent research, and create and implement social change projects.
- Interested in working with children and families? The University Partnership Title IV-E Child Welfare Program fast-tracks you to a career in child welfare. Training includes specialized child welfare courses and a field placement in an Ohio Public children’s services agency.
Have you completed or are you in the process of completing the program pre-requisites?
- Social Work 1100 Social Work Survey (or equivalent)
- Social Work 1120 Introduction to Social Welfare
- Social Work 1130 Introduction to Social Work
- Social Work 3301 Lifespan Development (or equivalent)
- Psychology 1100 Introduction to Psychology
- Sociology 1101 Introduction to Sociology (or equivalent)
- Writing & Information Literacy GE
Do you have a cumulative GPA and pre-requisite GPA of 2.0 or higher?
You may submit the BSSW Declaration Form between Feb. 1 and Aug. 23 to start the major in Autumn Semester and between Sept. 1 and Dec. 15 to start the major in Spring Semester.
If you are a current Ohio State student interested in changing your area of study to social work by declaring the social work major, adding social work as a second major, or adding social work as a second degree you should contact one of the social work advisors listed below.
- All students with last names A-M should contact Renee Benham.
- All students with last names N-Z should contact Stacy Song.
- All online BSSW students should contact Andréa Severson.
Once approved for the major, meet with your social work academic advisor to enroll in major classes!
Please remember that your admission is contingent upon successful completion of all pre-major courses (unless you have received advisor approval of exception) and maintaining a cumulative and pre-requisite GPA of 2.0 or above. Inability to meet these conditions will void acceptance into the major. Should this occur, you may submit a declaration form for a later semester.
As a Social Work Major Student
- Attend the social work major orientation and complete the online Carmen-Canvas orientation modules in August (Autumn Semester start) or January (Spring Semester start).
- Complete 59 credit hours of Social Work major coursework, including 13 credits of social work electives, allowing you to explore areas of interests such as substance misuse, child welfare, school social work, corrections, international social work, human trafficking, poverty, and more.
- Earn a C or higher grade in all Social Work major and elective coursework and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Complete 420 hours of hands-on social work experience through your Social Work Field Placement.
- Consider a Minor or Certificate Program: The Social Work degree allows for a minor area of study or certificate program. Suggested minors offered by the College of Social Work include Child Abuse & Neglect or Substance Misuse.
- If your cumulative GPA is 3.4 or higher, consider applying to the Social Work Honors Program, which provides you with the opportunity to engage in in-depth classroom study, conduct independent research, and create and implement social change projects.
- Interested in working with children and families? The University Partnership Title IV-E Child Welfare Program fast-tracks you to a career in child welfare. Training includes specialized child welfare courses and a field placement in an Ohio Public children’s services agency.
The Career Acceleration Plan (CAP) permits a limited number of students to complete the Bachelor of Science in Social Work required major courses in three semesters.
CAP permits a limited number of students to complete the Bachelor of Science in Social Work required major courses in three semesters. This plan is offered by the college on a selective basis to students who have extensive internship, volunteer or work experience in the human services field; demonstrate clearly defined social work career goals; and have completed all pre-major courses and a majority of the General Education requirements. It’s recommended CAP students have at least a 3.0 cumulative point hour ratio.
Declaring the Social Work Major for the Career Acceleration Plan/Spring Start
Have you completed or are you in the process of completing the program pre-requisites?
- Social Work 1100 Social Work Survey (or equivalent)
- Social Work 1120 Introduction to Social Welfare
- Social Work 1130 Introduction to Social Work
- Social Work 3301 Lifespan Development (or equivalent)
- Psychology 1100 Introduction to Psychology
- Sociology 1101 Introduction to Sociology
- Writing & Information Literacy GE
Do you have a cumulative GPA and pre-requisite GPA of 2.00 or higher?
If you meet these requirements and are a current Ohio State University student, you may submit the BSSW Declaration Form between Sept. 1 and Dec. 15 to start the major in Spring Semester. If you are a transfer student, you will need to apply to The Ohio State University and be admitted to Ohio State before you can complete the BSSW Declaration Form.
Once approved for the major, meet with your social work academic advisor to enroll in major classes!
Please remember that your admission is contingent upon successful completion of all pre-major courses (unless you have received advisor approval of exception) and maintaining a cumulative and pre-requisite GPA of 2.0 or above. Inability to meet these conditions will void acceptance into the major. Should this occur, you may submit a declaration form for a later semester.
Questions? Contact bssw@osu.edu.
Social Work Course Curriculum Plan*
Example curriculum plan to complete social work major courses in three semesters:
Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Semester 3 |
---|---|---|
1st Spring Semester (16 credits) | Autumn Semester (15 credits) | 2nd Spring Semester (15 credits) |
Social Work 3101: |
Social Work 3401: |
Social Work 3201: |
Social Work 3501: |
Social Work 4501: |
Social Work 3402: |
Social Work 3502: |
Social Work 4502: |
Social Work 4503: |
Social Work 3503: |
Social Work 4188.01 & 4189: |
Social Work 4188.01 & 4189: |
Social Work 3600: |
*If all GE courses and social work electives are not completed prior to admission to CAP, additional semesters may be needed to complete the social work degree.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
PLANNING FOR YOUR FUTURE
Financial aid can consist of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time employment. The university makes every effort within its means to help all students with limited financial resources secure their needed funds. Early and realistic financial planning is essential to ensure that you will have adequate resources to be able to attend Ohio State and take advantage of the many experiences that the university offers.
Please contact the Buckeye Link at 614-292-0300 for answers to all of your financial aid questions.

SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIPS
The College of Social Work Scholarship application for the 2025-26 academic year will open on Dec. 1 and will close March 15. Our scholarships are varied and awarded based on academic achievement, financial need, and professional area of interest in social work. Scholarship awardees will be notified of their selection in April and funds will be applied in Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026.
You will be asked to submit the following documents:
- A personal essay that describes your career goals and aspirations and discusses how you have incorporated the values of service and social justice in your work, volunteer, and educational experiences and in your interactions with others.
- A one-page résumé that highlights work, volunteer, and educational experiences relevant to the social work field.
- Two academic or professional references.
If you are interested in being considered for a need-based scholarship, please complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
Our scholarship application process is available through ScholarshipUniverse. Please log in with your OSU username (name.#) and password to create your ScholarshipUniverse account and complete the application process.


New First-Year Social Work Student Scholarship
The College of Social Work is offering a merit-based scholarship to eligible first-year social work students. The $10,000 scholarship is available in the 2025-26 academic year. The application opens in ScholarshipUniverse (https://osu.scholarshipuniverse.com/) December 1, 2024 and is due by March 15, 2025.
Award amount:
$10,000 ($5,000/autumn semester; $5,000/spring semester)
Criteria:
- Must be an incoming, first-year social work student.
- Must apply by the early action (Nov. 1) deadline, be admitted to the Columbus campus and attend the Columbus campus.
- Must be a state of Ohio resident or resident of any other U.S. state.
- Can enroll as a full-time student in autumn semester and spring semester as a social work major, following high school graduation.
- Must be actively engaged in leadership, service, and social justice activities.
Please note:
- The scholarship awardee will be notified of their selection in April 2025.
- Scholarships are awarded for one academic year only. Both incoming and current students must submit an application every year to be considered for scholarships.