Frequently Asked Questions

When can I declare social work as my major?
You may declare a social work major at any time once you are admitted to UA Little Rock. Once you declare social work as your major, you are a “Pre-Major/Pre-Admit” and will be advised by Dee Dee Wallace in the CBHHS Student Success Center. To make an appointment with Dee Dee, contact 501-916-5807 or email: cbhhsstudentsuccess@ualr.edu.

I already have a bachelor’s degree, can I still apply for the BSW program?
If you already have a BA or BS degree in another major and would like to return to UA Little Rock for your BSW degree, the following information may be helpful:

• When you apply to UA Little Rock, as a Post-baccalaureate (or post-bac) student, the BSW faculty do not have access to your transcript, therefore it is essential that you submit copies of ALL transcripts with your application to the BSW program. Unofficial copies are acceptable as long as they show the course name and number, the semester taken, and the credits and grade you received. Please make sure that the transcript from the school that granted your BA/BS degree clearly indicates that you received the aforementioned degree.
• All students, post-bacs included, must take our three major prerequisites and earn a 2.5 GPA in these three courses with no grade of D or F regardless of what your GPA is for your three prerequisites:
  • SOWK 1301: Introduction to Social Work,
  • SOCI 2300: Introduction to Sociology, and
  • PSYC 2300: Psychology and the Human Experience (Intro to Psychology) or the equivalent thereof.
• All students must have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 in order to be accepted into the program.
• The state of Arkansas requires that all students who graduate with a degree from a public institution must have American History/Government course. If your degree is from a public institution within Arkansas, you have likely met this requirement. If it is from an out-of-state school or a private school in Arkansas and you have not met this requirement, you will have to take an American History/Government (HIST 2311, HIST 2312, or POLS 1310) course in order to graduate with your BSW.
• As a post-bac student, you are not required to have a foreign language.
• Depending on your major, courses from your first degree may enable us to waive some of the degree requirements for the program. For example, if you have taken a statistics or research course in a related field such as sociology or psychology, the BSW program may be able to waive the statistics course requirement. Please ask about this when you inquire about the BSW program.
• Once admitted, you will need to take your social work courses along with two other courses, RHET 3301, 3315, or 3326 and PSYC 3360: Abnormal Psychology, in order to complete your degree.
• In order to graduate with your BSW, you must take at least 30 credit hours from UA Little Rock.

If you have any questions about the above, please contact the BSW program at socialwork@ualr.edu or by phone at 501-916-3240.

Do you require that students complete an internship?
Yes. Your BSW internship must be completed during your senior year on Thursdays and Fridays during regular business hours (approximately 16 hours per week) in the fall and spring semesters.

Can I work and go to school at the same time?
Many students do but they also find it difficult during their senior year when they are required to be in their internships and must take a class on Tuesdays from 3 – 5 pm that is required in conjunction with the internship.

How big are your classes?
BSW classes are usually no more than 25 students.

Do you have online and night classes?
We do offer some classes during junior and senior years online. We offer one section of each class at night or online except for the seminar class you must take concurrently with your internship.

Do I have to have a BSW degree in order to get accepted into the MSW program?
No. In order to be considered for admission to the MSW program, students must have a bachelor’s degree with a liberal arts perspective from an accredited college or university.

When is the application due?
We do accept applications all year, although most core courses begin in the fall. Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Only completed applications are eligible for review.

Although we do admit students in the spring semester, most core courses begin in the fall and most of the curriculum is carefully sequenced. Therefore, students admitted in the spring can only enroll on a part-time basis.

Application Due Dates

• All students (full-time, part-time, online, advanced standing) fall: March 1

Do I have to take the GRE or the MAT?
No. The School of Social Work no longer requires standardized test scores as part of the application process.

When will I find out if I have been admitted?
You will be informed of the admissions committee’s decision via the email address you listed on your application. Remember that your application must be completed before you can be considered for admission! If you apply by March, you can expect to hear a decision in mid-May. If you apply in October, you can expect to hear a decision in mid-December.

How will I know if my application is complete?
You can determine what has been received by the Graduate School by checking their website at UA Little Rock website. You will receive a confirmation email from the School of Social Work after submitting a completed MSW application.

If I choose the part-time program, can I get all my classes in the evening or on Saturday?
We do not offer classes on Saturday; we offer some classes during the evening. Registration is first-come, first-serve.

How long will it take me to complete the MSW program?
For full-time students, it takes four semesters (two academic years) to complete the MSW program. Part-time students will spend six semesters (three academic years). Advanced standing students can complete the program in either a full-time (12 months—summer, fall, and spring semesters) or part-time (21 months—two academic years).

I already have a master’s degree. How do I request transfer of credits?
Students with coursework in other masters programs may request that prior coursework be transferred in. This request must be made prior to enrollment to the MSW Program to the Graduate Coordinator by email. No more than two courses will be allowed to transfer in. In most cases, students will only be allowed to transfer in elective courses; transfer courses are generally not accepted as required courses. Students must email the Admissions Coordinator at socialwork@ualr.edu. with the request, have earned at least a grade of B in the course, include a syllabus for the course they wish to transfer and provide a statement regarding why they wish to transfer in and what course they to have it transferred in as.
Transfer grades are not computed as part of a student’s UA Little Rock cumulative GPA.

Can graduate students live on campus?
Yes, anyone enrolled at UA Little Rock can live on campus, given the limitations of available space. There are residence halls, apartments, rental houses, and UA Little Rock owned off-campus housing available. Go to http://ualr.edu/housing/ for more information and an application.

How much is graduate school tuition, and will it cost more for me to come to school at UA Little Rock if I don’t live in Arkansas?
Students must be Arkansas residents and reside in Arkansas in order to be enrolled in the MSW Program. For additional prices and updated listings, please check the Tuition and Fees page at the UA Little Rock Bursar’s website at https://ualr.edu/bursar/.

After I’m admitted, when do I register?
You must be advised before you register for classes. Information about advising will be sent out with your admissions letter or shortly thereafter. All students on the main campus (face to face program) are required to attend an all day new student orientation before classes begin in August. Online students are required to either attend the orientation with main campus or students or attend an online orientation.

You will need to log into BOSS using your student ID (T Number). Click on the Student Services link. From the Student Services tab, you may click on Registration and follow the instructions. All MSW students register on the same day and time to ensure fairness in class availability. You may also use BOSS to view your student account and to make sure there are no holds or registration flags which might prevent you from registering. You can also view this video for information about how to register for classes.

When I graduate from UA Little Rock with an MSW, am I qualified to practice social work or do I have to have a license?
You must obtain a license through the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board or from the state where you plan to practice. Upon successful completion of the licensing examination, you may obtain a license and be eligible to practice social work. For more information, contact the Arkansas Licensing Board, see their website at http://www.arkansas.gov/swlb.

Do I have to do a thesis in order to graduate from UA Little Rock’s MSW program?
No, the UA Little Rock MSW program does not require students to complete a thesis.

I have a disability. I will need accommodations in the classroom. What should I do?
The School of Social Work supports students with disabilities. If you have a disability that requires assistance in the classroom, you should first contact UA Little Rock Disability Resource Center to register for their services and request accommodations.