Applying for the Program

Prospective students interested in applying to the Intensive Weekend program must have a minimum of one year's work experience in the field and plan to remain in the employ of the sponsoring agency for the duration of studies.  The same admission criteria apply as for on campus study.   Applicants must demonstrate potential to do well in graduate school and to contribute to the social work profession, as evidenced in undergraduate work,  subsequent coursework in social work or other graduate level programs, application statement, recommendations, and experiential background.  A confidential disclosure statement is also required.

Successful completion of a course in statistics is required for the MSW degree.  Students will be required to take an approved statistics course if they have not fulfilled this requirement prior to matriculation.  Information about this requirement also appears on the MSW Admissions page.

Students holding a BSW and seeking admission with advanced standing must have a B or better in all social work courses to be considered for admission, and a strong undergraduate academic record.   Students with an otherwise strong application but  an undergraduate social work course with less than a B, are encouraged to enroll in Professional Credit Courses offered by Rutgers SSW or other accredited graduate prior to application for advanced standing admission to the Intensive Weekend program.

Satisfactory completion of Professional Credit Courses or other relevant graduate courses may serve to strengthen an application, by demonstrating the ability to do graduate level work.

Applicants should discuss their interest in applying for the Intensive Weekend program with their employer and provide their employer with information about the program available on this website.  Applicants may wish to discuss potential field education opportunities at their place of employment or within their agency's network of collaborative or referral relationships.

Please be advised:

  • Applicants who wish to be considered for the Intensive Weekend Program and on campus study must file a separate application   for each program.  

  • Applicants considering two or more Intensive Weekend locations should submit only one application - to their preferred location. 

Two-tiered Application Process

Application to the Intensive Weekend program is a two tiered process:

FIRST, applicants submit an online to graduate admissions application by MARCH 1 or FEBRUARY 1 for Advanced Standing, including all supporting documentation:

  • Personal statement
  • Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate study
  • 3 letters of recommendation, including a recommendation from your primary work supervisor
  • Resume
  • Confidential Disclosure Statement

It is essential that ALL transcripts and supporting material arrive by the deadline, so that qualifying applicants can move to the next step of the process.

SECOND, once a preliminary review of the online application, transcripts and supporting documentation is complete, qualified applicants will be invited to submit SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS and a FIELD PLAN.   

This year, qualified applicants will be required to submit their Supplementary Materials online and submit a confirmatory page, signed by the applicant's, agency director/designate, and field instructor.  Applicants are urged to check email regularly as the link to Supplementary Materials will be sent to qualified applicants via email.


THE FINAL STEP of the application process is an  interview, generally held in April-June. Again, please check your email regularly, as interviews will be scheduled via email, as Supplementary Materials are submitted and reviewed.

The interview consists of a group informational session, an individual interview, and a written exercise. The interview helps assure an appropriate match between the prospective student and the program. We do expect that applicants who accept an interview have explored the requirements for the program and have a serious interest in pursuing their MSW through the Intensive Weekend program. 

 

Application decisions:

Admissions decisions are expected by June or July, earlier for Advanced Standing admissions.  Please let us know if you have applied to an on-campus program and need an earlier decision.  All admission decisions are contingent upon the confirmation of a field placement by August 1.  The student is required to be in field throughout duration of their studies in the Intensive Weekend program.

Program start dates:

Program Orientation is scheduled mid-week during the last week of August, on-campus in New Brunswick. The preparatory program is in September/October and most classes begin later in the semester.