Applying to the University of Montana's Master of Social Work program is a two-step process that involves:

1. Fulfilling the UM Graduate School application requirements; and
2. Fulfilling The School of Social Work MSW Program application requirements.

Carefully review the instructions outlined in areas one and two below before submitting your application materials.

Application Deadline and Requirements

Welcome to the University of Montana (UM) School of Social Work Masters of Social Work Application. Please carefully review the information below before submitting your application. Any application that is incomplete will not be considered for admission. Applicants must be able to fulfill the requirements for both the UM Graduate School and the UM School of Social Work.

To submit your file to the University for review, the following items are required:
(See below for more in-depth information)

• A completed application
• Your official transcripts from all prior academic institutions
• 3 references
• 2 essay questions
• Professional resume

UM Graduate School Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. (Transcripts are submitted through this system. Do not send physical copies of transcripts directly to the school. Please see transcripts section below)
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for all undergraduate work, based on a 4.00 scale.
• Three statements of recommendation which must meet the following specifications:
  
  
  • Recommendations must be completed and submitted by persons outside the applicant's extended family who have direct knowledge of the applicant's character and abilities.
  • One recommendation must be academic.

School of Social Work Requirements

• Evidence of a solid foundation in the liberal arts and the sciences, including course work in the social and behavioral sciences. 
• Responses to the two essay questions listed below. 

Application Details

Transcripts:

It is highly recommended that applicants begin the transcript process as soon as possible to allow time for transcripts to arrive and resolve any issues, should they arise.

• Applicants must request transcripts from each educational institution attended, even if they did not earn their Bachelor degree through it.

Resume:

A current resume which includes the following sections specifying the dates of your education, as well as your employment and volunteer experience. Indicate if the employment or volunteer experience were full-time or part-time endeavors; if part-time, please include the number of average weekly hours invested.

• Education
• Paid Experience
• Volunteer Experience and Community Involvement

Personal Statement:

A personal statement is not required. However, if an applicant feels their academic record does not reflect their potential, they may submit a personal statement in this section telling the Admissions Committee why they think they can handle the demands of graduate education.

Essay Questions:

Both documents must each be 3-4 pages, not counting title and reference pages, and must follow APA formatting guidelines, including proper citation of sources.

• Essay Question One: Submit an essay that addresses how your personal qualities, life experience, and professional and volunteer work have led you to the field of social work and prepared you to honor the UM MSW Mission Statement (see below). How will these qualities and experiences shape what you bring to the MSW learning community and to the pursuit of social justice in the field of social work? How do these qualities and experiences make you a strong candidate for the specific MSW program offered at the University of Montana?
• Essay Question Two: Submit an essay that analyzes a contemporary social issue that you consider relevant to the field of social work. In this essay, demonstrate your skills in professional writing and critical analysis. The essay should include the following:
  
  
  • Overview of the issue and its relevance to social work.
  • Brief historical background and context of the issue.
  • Rationale that addresses why this issue matters to social workers in pursuit of social justice.
  • Brief overview of relevant research (3-4 sources) that provides evidence regarding the nature of the issue and strategies for addressing it.
  • Brief description of ways in which social workers and others are working to address the issue.
  • Innovative possibilities for action and change that you would put forth based on your understanding of and experience relating to the issue.
  • Proper citation sources and reference page.

University of Montana School of Social Work Mission Statement

The Master of Social Work program prepares social workers who, guided by a person-in-environment perspective, will promote and support the profession's historic commitment to social and economic justice and equality through direct practice activities and community-based efforts reflecting the needs and dignity of all people. The program educates students to become competent, ethical, and collaborative practitioners, community leaders, and researchers who appreciate diversity, use critical thinking skills, and understand rural and global contexts. Graduates will embrace advances in knowledge and practice promoting the rights and well-being of people and creating a more humane society.

Application Review

• Applications will not be reviewed until all materials are received. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission. 
• If you are presenting an academic record that in your opinion does not reflect your potential, please include a personal statement telling the Admissions Committee why you think you can handle the demands of graduate education. There is a place to submit this statement in the Documents tab of this application. 
• GRE: The School of Social Work does not require the Graduate Record Exam as part of the application process. However, for applicants with a GPA of less than 3.0, the School recommends submission of GRE scores as an additional source of data regarding readiness for graduate-level education.

General Information

For questions about the University of Montana School of Social Work program and requirements, please contact the MSW Program Lead, Logan Cook, at logan.cook@mso.umt.edu.

For general questions about the MSW Online program, including requirements and the application process, please contact the MSW Online Program Coordinator, Kinsey Webb, at kinsey.webb@mso.umt.edu.

For questions specific to the application, please contact Tomas Hernandez, at tomas.hernandez@mso.umt.edu.

Dual Degree Options

The University of Montana School of Social Work offers two opportunities for dual degrees. Applicants that are interested in these dual degree options should fill out this application and contact the person listed below in the program the applicant is interested in. 

MSW/JD: The School of Social Work and Alexander Blewett III School of Law have collaborated to offer a MSW/JD Joint Degree program. The MSW/JD Joint Degree allows students to complete curriculum requirements in four years, rather than the five it would take if completing both degrees consecutively.

The Joint Degree offers students an opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration while preparing graduates to respond to the unique needs of a rural state like Montana. Students graduating with a MSW/JD will be prepared to address the complex problems that arise at the intersection of both professions. Many key social issues and concerns of vulnerable populations involve the intersection of social work and law such as criminal justice, child protection, housing, homelessness, and domestic violence. Having both degrees facilitates graduates' granular understanding of these systems, the impact they have for individuals, and how best to advocate for clients. Graduates of the Joint Degree program will be prepared to fill a variety of positions upon graduation, including leadership roles within government agencies, community human service agencies, and non-profit organizations to name a few. 

Interested students will apply to each program separately using established procedures for each program. Students completing the Joint Degree will complete courses at both The School of Law and The School of Social Work. For more information regarding the application process and course sequence, please contact Ashley Trautman, MSW JD: ashley.trautman@mso.umt.edu.

Clery Act

In 1998, Congress passed amendments to the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, which had amended the earlier Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), renaming the law to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, also known as the Clery Act. 

The purpose of the Clery Act is to provide current and prospective students and employees with accurate and important information about crimes and campus safety so they can make informed decisions. The U.S. Department of Education electronically publishes UM data, along with comparable information from other colleges and universities.