Department of Social Work & Sociology
1500 N. Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220
January 2016
Dear Social Work Program Applicant:
We appreciate your interest in becoming a Social Work Major. As you know, there is a process
for becoming an upper division social work major – applying and being accepted into the Social
Work Program. Interested sophomores and juniors must complete this process.
If you were fully accepted into the Program last spring, you do not need to do anything more at
this time. If you were provisionally accepted, you must ensure that you have completed the
requirements identified in your provisional acceptance letter.
Please read through these directions carefully and follow them completely. If you have any
questions, please contact Dr. Harlow as soon as possible.
To apply to the Social Work Program, you should:
1. Determine if you have met the requirements to apply. You are eligible if you have:
a. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.4 or higher;
b. A grade of “C” or above in each of the social work classes: (SWK 255, SWK 257 and
258 (Communication I and II), and English 101 and 102;
c. Completed at least 45 credit hours, which much include English 101 and 102, Math
115 and 121 (or higher), SWK 255, SWK 257 or 258, Foreign Language 101 and
enrolled in 102, and either completed or enrolled in one of the statistics courses.
d. Completed all required community service hours for each semester you have been a
social work major.
2. Complete a brief essay on an assigned topic. You will schedule this writing exercise with
Dr. Harlow. Please stop by his office or contact him by e-mail to schedule. This is a
real-time essay exercise. You will be assigned a writing topic when you arrive. You will be
required to complete the written essay on the topic during the prescribed time period. You
will submit your completed essay to Dr. Harlow.
VUU Application to Social Work Program, Page 2
3. Complete an application packet:
a. Complete the application form (attached here). Please type it, print it out, and sign it.
b. Attach a copy of your unofficial transcript from VUU with your application. This
unofficial transcript must include grades from your most recently completed
semester. You can print this from your MyVUU page.
c. Submit two (2) sealed letters of recommendation, one from a non-social work
professor and one from a recent community service supervisor.
d. Dr. Harlow will include your written essay in your application packet.
Application packets should be submitted in a large sealed envelope. Incomplete application
packages will not be accepted.
NOTE: The deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday, March 4, no later
than 4 PM. Late applications will not be considered. Applications should be returned to
Dr. Jeffrey Harlow Room 209 of MEG. If he is not in his office, please put it under his
office door.
All applicants will be contacted to schedule a personal interview with members of the
Social Work faculty and members of the Social Work Advisory Board. Interviews will be
held in November. You must dress professionally for this interview.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Y. Harlow
Dr. Jeffrey Harlow
VUU Social work Program Director