Selecting an MSW Degree Pathway

The Silberman School of Social Work offers several distinct pathways to the Master of Social Work degree. These pathways help to make a rigorous graduate education possible for the greatest range of social work students. MSW applicants select a degree pathway when applying to the program. MSW applicants may apply for study in only one degree pathway. Each pathway requires unique pre-requisites and application materials. The pathways offered as of 2019-2020, with their respective admission requirements, are:

Two-Year Full-Time Program

The Two-Year Full-Time Program is designed for students who can devote themselves to full-time academic and field-based study. Students are expected to attend classes two days a week with their pathway cohort, and to attend their field placement three days a week during standard business hours. Under this pathway, students complete the 60 academic credits required for graduation in two years.

Eligibility Requirements

An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above
Some professional experience in the field of social services (i.e. internships, volunteer work, and/or employment)
Well-developed writing and critical thinking skills
Demonstrated capacity for graduate-level study in social work, including: a strong understanding of, and commitment to, social work values, goals, and ethics; the capacity to think critically about social issues confronting the profession; and a commitment to social justice and advocacy.

Application Materials

Silberman MSW application
Statement of Purpose – The statement of purpose articulates the applicant’s knowledge of professional social work, discusses the applicant’s experience and interests in a social work setting, and answers questions posed on the application.
Two (2) letters of recommendation
Unofficial transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities
$125 application fee, non-refundable – This fee is waived for United States Military Veterans.

Accelerated Full-Time Program

The Accelerated Full-Time Program is designed for students ready to participate in an intensive, year-round learning experience. Students in this pathway complete their degrees over five consecutive semesters – including two summers – spanning 18 months. Accelerated Full-Time students matriculate in January, are assigned field placements, and complete their first-year requirements by the end of the first summer. They then start the third semester in the fall, and ultimately finish the program the following August. Because of its uninterrupted trajectory and intensive academic nature, the Accelerated Full-Time Program is among the most very rigorous programs offered at the Silberman School of Social Work. Please Note: The only Practice Method available to students in the Accelerated Full-Time Program is Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (CPIFG).

Eligibility Requirements

An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above
Professional experience in the field of social services (i.e. internships, volunteer work, and/or employment)
Well-developed writing and critical thinking skills
Demonstrated capacity for graduate-level study in social work, including: a strong understanding of, and commitment to, social work values, goals, and ethics; the capacity to think critically about social issues confronting the profession; and a commitment to social justice and advocacy.

Application Materials

Silberman MSW application
Statement of Purpose – The statement of purpose articulates the applicant’s knowledge of professional social work, discusses the applicant’s experience and interests in a social work setting, and answers questions posed on the application.
Two (2) letters of recommendation
Unofficial transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities
$125 application fee, non-refundable – This fee is waived for United States Military Veterans.

One-Year Residency (OYR) Program

The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College offers the nation’s oldest work-study MSW program, called the One-Year Residency (OYR) Program, designed for social service professionals. Launched in the early 1970s to serve New York’s dedicated social service workers who could not pursue graduate education while working, the OYR Program ensures that students can obtain the MSW while continuing to work. It does this by integrating the student’s professional environment with their MSW degree path. Students typically attend courses part-time at Silberman over one school year and two summers (Time Frame I). Then, they spend one intensive “residency” year within the organizations where they already work, completing school-approved field practicum internships that are distinct from their preexisting roles (Time Frame II). Finally, they complete their coursework at Silberman (Time Frame III). The OYR Program trajectory typically takes about 28 months in total. Applicants are eligible to apply to the OYR Program if they have earned a bachelor’s degree; completed at least two years of successful full-time employment as a direct care worker or supervisor of direct care workers in a social service agency at the time of application; and obtain their employer’s formal agreement to provide a field placement, approved by the School of Social Work, during their second year in the program.

Eligibility Requirements

An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, GPA 3.0 or above
Currently employed full-time as a direct care worker or a supervisor of direct care workers in a social service setting
Has completed at least two consecutive years of full-time employment by the time of application, as a direct care worker or a supervisor of direct care workers in a social service setting
Current employer agrees to provide the applicant, if they are accepted, with a School of Social Work-approved fieldwork internship within the organization and a SIFI-certified field instructor during their second year (this agreement is verified by the AEA form detailed below)
Well-developed writing and critical thinking skills
Demonstrated capacity for graduate-level study in social work, including: a strong understanding of, and commitment to, social work values, goals, and ethics; the capacity to think critically about social issues confronting the profession; and a commitment to social justice and advocacy.

Note: OYR applicants are required to select the Practice Method that relates to their existing social service role and experience.

Application Materials

Silberman OYR application
Agency Executive Agreement (AEA) form – Signed by executive at the social service agency where the applicant works, approving reduced work schedule and in-house field placement should they be accepted to Silberman OYR
Statement of Purpose
One (1) letter of recommendation written by the agency executive who signed the AEA (please attach this to the AEA) – In cases where the agency executive cannot evaluate the applicant’s skills in the field, we will accept a recommendation from the assistant agency executive or current supervisor
One (1) additional letter of recommendation from an academic or professional reference
Unofficial transcripts from all previously attended colleges
$125 application fee, non-refundable – This fee is waived for United States Military Veterans.

Accelerated One-Year Residency (OYR) Program

This accelerated version of Silberman’s One-Year Residency (OYR) Program (see previous) is an intensive program for OYR students prepared to participate in a highly rigorous curriculum. Mirroring the standard OYR Program, applicants are eligible to apply if they have completed at least two years of successful full-time employment as a direct care worker or supervisor of direct care workers in a social service agency at the time of application, and obtained their current social service employer’s approval to provide the required field placement internship, approved by Silberman, during the student’s third and fourth semesters in the program. Students typically complete the 60-credit Accelerated OYR Program in six semesters or about 24 months. Please Note: The only Practice Method available to students in the Accelerated OYR Program is Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (CPIFG).

Eligibility Requirements

An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, GPA 3.0 or above
Currently employed full-time as a direct care worker or a supervisor of direct care workers in a social service setting
Has completed at least two consecutive years of full-time employment by the time of application, as a direct care worker or a supervisor of direct care workers in a social service setting
Current employer agrees to provide the applicant, if they are accepted, with a School of Social Work-approved fieldwork internship within the organization and a SIFI-certified field instructor during their second year (this agreement is verified by the AEA form detailed below)
Well-developed writing and critical thinking skills
Demonstrated capacity for graduate-level study in social work, including: a strong understanding of, and commitment to, social work values, goals, and ethics; the capacity to think critically about social issues confronting the profession; and a commitment to social justice and advocacy.

Note: OYR applicants are required to select the Practice Method that relates to their existing social service role and experience.

Application Materials

Silberman OYR application
Agency Executive Agreement (AEA) form – Signed by executive at the social service agency where the applicant works, approving reduced work schedule and in-house field placement should they be accepted to Silberman OYR
Statement of Purpose
One (1) letter of recommendation written by the agency executive who signed the AEA (please attach this to the AEA) – In cases where the agency executive cannot evaluate the applicant’s skills in the field, we will accept a recommendation from the assistant agency executive or current supervisor
One (1) additional letter of recommendation from an academic or professional reference
Unofficial transcripts from all previously attended colleges
$125 application fee, non-refundable – This fee is waived for United States Military Veterans.

Advanced Standing Program

Students who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited social work program are able to pursue the full-time MSW with Advanced Standing. Advanced Standing applicants must have received the BSW degree within five years prior to application. Advanced Standing applicants must also have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.2 in the Social Work major. Students accepted into the program receive credit for the first MSW year, and can typically complete the remaining 36 credits in three semesters. Advanced Standing students begin their studies in the fall; complete one academic year of full-time study, including a field placement that takes place three days per week during standard business hours; and continue their studies over the summer to finish the program. Alternatively (and depending on the student’s chosen Practice Method), Advanced Standing students may choose to extend their program of study so they finish in the following fall. The Organizational Management and Leadership (OML) Practice Method is not available to Advanced Standing students.

Eligibility Requirements

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited college or university school of social work, earned within the past 5 years
Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above, and a GPA of 3.2 or above in the Social Work major
Professional experience in the field of social services (i.e. internships, volunteer work, and/or employment)
Well-developed writing and critical thinking skills
Demonstrated capacity for graduate-level study in social work, including: a strong understanding of, and commitment to, social work values, goals, and ethics; the capacity to think critically about social issues confronting the profession; and a commitment to social justice and advocacy.

Application Materials

Silberman MSW application
Core Competencies Form completed by a faculty advisor from the applicant’s undergraduate program
Core Competencies Form completed by a field instructor from the applicant’s undergraduate program
Statement of Purpose
Two (2) letters of recommendation
Unofficial transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities
$125 application fee, non-refundable – This fee is waived for United States Military Veterans.

Note

For further information about admission to the Silberman School of Social Work, please e-mail admissions at grad.socworkadvisor@hunter.cuny.edu or swapp@hunter.cuny.edu, or visit the School’s website at sssw.hunter.cuny.edu.