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Transfer Applicant Admissions

If you have recently completed all or part of the first half of graduate study at a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited school of social work, you may be eligible to apply as a transfer student to the online MSW program. Learn more about the curriculum for the program here.

The admissions standards for the online MSW are the same as those for our on-campus program, and we seek applicants who are motivated to succeed in a challenging master’s degree program.

Application Requirements

The following transfer materials must be submitted in addition to those required for the standard application process:

  • Transfer Credit Request Form (you may request this from the Admissions department)
  • Official Transcripts from the original institution from which transfer credits are being requested.
  • A letter of good standing from the original MSW program.
  • Detailed syllabi or course descriptions for each course requested for transfer, including learning objectives, required readings, assignments, and assessments.
  • If requesting credit for practicum experience, applicants must submit a full description of their practicum experience and copies of practicum evaluations.

Please note: Practicum courses may be considered on a case-by-case basis due to the structure of the USC MSW curriculum in which these courses are taken concurrently and are only accepted from CSWE-accredited or candidacy programs and are reviewed for compliance with AS 3.2 (field education standards) and AS 4.2.2 (practice course instructor qualifications).

 

Please submit all materials together via email, formatting the subject line as follows: Transfer Application – [Student Name]. The application can be addressed to the admissions office at admissions@online.usc.edu.

USC Credit Transfer Policies

Review transfer credit policies in the online USC Handbook.

  • Graduate transfer credit will only be allowed for courses (1) from an accredited graduate school, (2) of a quality of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, (3) constituting a fair and reasonable equivalent to current USC course work at the graduate level and (4) logically fitting into the program for the degree.
  • Graduate transfer credit will not be granted for life experience.
  • Transfer work must have been completed within seven years of admission to a USC master’s degree program to be applied toward that degree.
  • Graduate transfer credit will not be allowed for non-matriculated students. Applicant must have been enrolled and matriculating through the MSW program at their original institution.

Master of Social Work Program Transfer Credit Policies

  • Applicants must be or have been enrolled in a Master of Social Work program at an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
  • Coursework must have been completed within seven years of admission to the USC MSW program.
  • The maximum number of transfer credits that may be applied toward a master’s degree is no more than 25% of the minimum units required for the program.
  • The USC MSW Transfer Review Committee will only review eligible foundation courses including the following:
    • Human Behavior & Social Environment
    • Policy Advocacy
    • Research
    • Practice
  • Transfer credit is not guaranteed, even if a course meets the eligibility requirements.
  • Transfer credit cannot be applied to the MSW-Advanced Standing program.
  • Transfer credit is not awarded for life experience or previous work experience.

If you have questions about transfer credits, contact us to learn more.