9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
School of Social Work
BSW Program
Application to Upper Division
Thank you for applying to the BSW Program at UNC Charlotte, also referred to as Upper
Division. The application deadlines to begin the Upper Division course sequence in August 2015
are listed below.
Spring 2014 Application Deadline:
January 16, 2015
Summer 2014 Application Deadline:
July 6, 2015
Your typed signature at the end of this application is considered to be an acknowledgement
that you have read and agree to the information listed in items 1-16 below.
Instructions, Criteria for Eligibility & Other Important Notes to Applicants:
1. Applications must be typed.
2. If assistance is needed to complete this application due to a disability, please contact Amy
Barsanti, Admissions Director, at abarsanti@uncc.edu, at least three weeks prior to the due
date so that arrangements can be made.
3. This application, the two essays and transcripts must be emailed to Ms. Cheryl Whitley,
Administrative Support Associate, at cwhitl31@uncc.edu by 5pm on the due date as one
document. The file name should be the applicant’s last name, followed by first name.
4. The application and supporting materials must be sent from the student’s UNC Charlotte
email address. In an effort to protect student confidentiality, applications cannot be
accepted from personal email addresses.
5. Late applications will not be accepted.
6. Letters regarding admissions decisions are sent to each applicant by February 15th, if you
have met the January 16th deadline, or August 1st, if you have met the July 6th deadline.
7. In order to be eligible to be considered for admission to Upper Division you must have
earned:
o A D or greater in BIO 1110, BIO 1110L, PSYC 1101, & SOCY 1101 AND
o A C or greater in SOWK 1101 & SOWK 2182 AND
BSW Upper Div Application 2015
o Have an overall GPA at UNC Charlotte 2.25 or higher
8. Students can apply to the BSW Program without yet having completed SOWK 2183 or STATS
1222, but in order to begin Upper Division courses in fall 2015 students must have
completed these courses and earned:
 A C or better in SOWK 2183
 A D or better in STATS 1222
9. Please attach an unofficial UNC Charlotte transcript to this application. Unofficial transfer
transcripts must be included only if the courses taken and grades earned are not noted on
the UNC Charlotte transcript. Applications that do not have the required transcript(s)
attached will be disqualified from consideration for Upper Division and the student will
receive a denial letter.
10. Applicants must have met with an advisor in the CHHS Advising Office prior to applying.
11. The applicant is responsible for knowing the UNC Charlotte General Education requirements
and BSW required courses. For details, see the BSW Program Student Handbook located on
the BSW Program Webpage.
12. Students are not denied admission based on their criminal backgrounds, but having past
convictions or pending charges may preclude a student from being considered for some
field placements and from participating in some course related community projects. A
criminal background may be a barrier to graduating from the BSW Program.
13. Volunteer or professional human service experience is desirable for the applicant’s
exposure to the nature and challenges of social work. Two factors considered by the
Admission’s Committee are the type of population served and the length of time engaged in
the activity.
14. The BSW Program is a two-year full-time day program. Students accepted into the program
are guaranteed seats in required social work courses, but not in particular course sections.
15. Students accepted into the program must complete an internship for course credit of 2 full
days per week in fall and 3 full days per week in spring of senior year while also attending
classes. While efforts will be made to accommodate student preferences regarding practice
areas and internship location, students may be placed up to a 50-mile radius of the
University for internships. In addition, service-learning activities off campus are also
incorporated into some courses. Students working jobs of more than 15 hours per week
may find it difficult to complete this program.
16. Upper Division applications are reviewed in relation to the following minimum criteria.
o Completion of a majority of the UNC Charlotte general education requirements
o Completion of program prerequisites
o A minimum overall GPA of 2.25 or higher
o Grades in required social work courses
o Prior paid or voluntary human services related experience
o The written narrative responses where students have an opportunity to
demonstrate their writing skills, ability to self-reflect, and their understanding of
and congruence with professional social work values.
Using the above criteria, students who the BSW Admissions Committee determines to have the
strongest applications will be selected until all available seats are filled.
BSW Upper Div Application 2015
Applicant Information:
Date of Application:
Student ID #:
Name:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Alternate Phone:
UNC Charlotte Email Address: (This is
where your notification letter will be
sent to)
Have you ever applied to Upper
Division in the past?
_____ Yes _____ No
If yes, please indicate when, the outcome, and your
previous name if it has since changed:
Have you met with an advisor in the
CHHS Student Advising Center?
_____ Yes _____ No
College/University Education:
Institution
Attended
Dates
Attended
Overall GPA
Number of
Credits Earned
UNC Charlotte
Please list the total semester hours you have completed (including transfer credits): _______
Please list your grade for each of the following courses:
BSW Upper Div Application 2015
BIOL 1110:
SOCY 1101:
SOWK 2182:
BIOL 1110L:
STATS 1222:
SOWK 2183:
PSYC 1101:
POLS 1110:
* If you are currently enrolled in any of the above courses, note it above. If you have not taken
any of the above courses, provide an explanation as to when you plan to complete them.
Volunteer or Paid Health & Human Service Experience:
Please list below your volunteer and paid health & human service related experience
completed within the past 3 years. Add lines as needed.
Name of
Agency/Organization
Name & Phone
Number of
Supervisor/Contact
Person
BSW Upper Div Application 2015
Dates &
Approximate
Number of Hours
(Specify per
week, per
month, etc)
Volunteer
or
Paid?
Describe your
Duties/Activities
Narrative Section:
The narrative section of this application provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your
writing, skills, self-awareness, and understanding of social work values. Provide a 1 page
double-spaced response for each essay. Attach your responses to your application:
Essay #1: What influences led you to the decision to pursue a social work degree?
Essay #2: As a social work student (and as a professional social worker) you will be expected to
explore, evaluate, and potentially change your perspective on people who are different from
you. You will be asked, for example, to accept and help people with disabilities, older people,
people who identify as LGBTQ, people who are poor, persons have been convicted of crimes,
people of a different race or ethnicity, and people whose religious beliefs differ from yours. In
addition, the NASW Code of Ethics outlines professional core values from which social workers
work. These values of the profession, times may conflict with you personal values. With this in
mind, please address the following:
a. Identify the group you feel you may have the most work to do in terms of
understanding their situation and being able to become an effective helper.
b. Explain the reason(s) you may have difficulty working with this group.
c. Describe steps you will take or have taken to become more comfortable working
with the population you identified in A & B.
d. Identify the professional social work values from the NASW Code of Ethics that you
see as being your strengths. The NASW Code of Ethics can be found at:
http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp.
e. Explain the reason that you see these values as your strengths.
f. Identify the personal values or beliefs you hold that you need to put aside at times
because they may conflict social work values.
g. What might you do if faced with a conflict between your personal and the values of
the profession? Be as specific as you can.
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Your signature below indicates your awareness that the social work faculty will use this
application as a first step in considering your appropriateness for the social work profession
and that, due to the limited number of seats in our program, not all students who apply will
be accepted even if they have met the minimum requirements. Using the criteria of GPA,
grades in required courses, Volunteer/Paid Human Service Experience, and Writing Skills
(including ability to self-reflect and understanding of social work values), the BSW Admissions
Committee identifies the strongest applications, with the final decision made by the BSW
Coordinator until all seats are filled. Second time applicants are evaluated in the same
manner as all other applications. If admitted to Upper Division, your performance will
continue to be evaluated as you progress toward a social work degree.
Student Signature:
_______________________________
Printed Name:
_______________________________
BSW Upper Div Application 2015
Date: ______________