Social Work Program Admissions

Social Work Pre-Requisite Courses:

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Students have the following five courses complete or in-progress at time of application:

Please Note: Students may check equivalency for CSU GE areas by visiting ASSIST.org or by contacting the Fresno State Office of Admissions and Records.

Social Work Additional Eligibility Requirements:

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In addition to the five Social Work pre-requisite courses, applicants must meet the following:

• Complete all lower-division General Education courses
• Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7
• Formally apply for upper-division social work major status

Transfer applicants must also meet the requirements for eligiblity to Fresno State. Please contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment for more information on requirements and dates for applying to Fresno State.

Pre-Health Applicants

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The Social Work program application is only available for current Fresno State students with a declared major in Pre-Health. Students will apply during their third semester in Pre-Health for admission into the Social Work program and, if admitted, will have their major changed to Social Work during their fourth semester.

Prospective students (i.e. high school students) interested in Social Work should apply to Fresno State as a "Pre-Health" major when submitting their university application. Current students not declared in Pre-Health wanting to pursue social work may only do so during their first year, and should consult the Advising and Career Development Center.

Pre-Health Program Overview

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The College of Health and Human Services Pre-Health Program supports first-time freshmen exploring careers in health and human services through academic advising and two specially designed career exploration courses. Students will begin as "Pre-Health" and take HHS 18A and HHS 18B during their first academic year. During the third semester students interested in social work will apply to for the program.

Students in Pre-Health follow a three semester sequence of courses before they apply to the program of their choice

• All Pre-Health students in their first semester will enroll in HHS 18A: Career Pathways in Health and Human Services in and HHS 18B in their second semester to help in the exploration process. 
• During the beginning of their third semester they will apply to the major of their interest. 

During the third semester Pre-Health students will receive the application to select the major(s) of their choice:

1. Students will apply to the top two majors of their choice in September of the third semester 
2. Students will be sent acceptance/denial letter before the registration date for the Spring semester
3. Students will accept/decline the offered major
4. Students will be changed into accepted major by the department
5. Social Work students will register for SWRK 20 in their fourth semester  

Following admission into the Social Work program the major will change from "Pre-Health" to "Social Work and students will complete sequenced social work courses until graduation.

Consult the Fresno State Catalog for more information on Social Work major requirements.

See the Pre-Health program page for more information:

Pre-Health Program Information

Change of Major Policy

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Fresno State’s Social Work program is an impacted major, meaning there is no direct major change option into Nursing. Instead, students must follow the Pre-Health pathway and apply for admission into the BSN program after meeting all requirements.

Students who do not enter the University as a Pre-Health major are eligible to change their major to Pre-Health during their first academic year. Change of majors past the first year are based on program availability and are approved at the discretion of ACDC counselors. Students who transfer in or are in junior/senior standing are generally not eligible to change their major into Pre-Health or change their major directly to social work.

For incoming students that have not attended their Dog Days: New Student Orientation please contact the Office of New Student and Family Programs regarding a date where Pre-Health advising is available.

Transfer Applicants

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Students attending a California Community College, CSU, or other four-year private or public university are considered transfer applicants to the Social Work program. Applicants must have completed CSU GE Foundation (A1, A2, A3, B4) requirements and a SWRK 20 equivalent course prior to beginning the BSW program. Students must also meet all other requirements for Fresno State admission.

Due to the sequenced nature of the SWRK program curriculum, transfer applicants may only apply for the BSW program during the Fall Fresno State admission cycle (October 1st - November 30th) each year. Students must accept their admission during the Spring and attend a summer orientation session to be admitted to Fresno State.

Students who have already completed a bachelors degree are not eligible for the BSW program and instead should consider the Master's in Social Work program. 

 

Application Process

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Transfer applicants for the Fresno State Social Work program should complete the following steps:

1. Student applies to the University through CalStateApply (October 1st - November 30th)
2. Student should select Social Work as their major of interest in the CalStateApply application
3. Student fills out additional application/Supplemental Application materials in their CalStateApply application.
4. The Social Work program receives information from admissions as to who has applied 
5. The program reviews transfer students application information 
6. The program makes decisions based on criteria set by department 
7. The program lets the admissions know their admissions decisions of who they have accepted to the program Early 
8. Admissions and Department send out admissions decisions together, typically in March/April
9. Students who are accepted are admitted to Social Work major and will register for the first semester course sequence during their summer Dog Days Orientation
10. Students who are not selected to program will be changed to their secondary major option 

CalStateApply Website

Change of Major Note: Pre-Social Work has been discontinued. Transfer applicants not admitted to or who did not apply to the Social Work program must accept their secondary major to continue at Fresno State. Non-Social Work transfer students may not change their major into Social Work following admission.