BASW Admission Requirements and How to Apply | School of Social Work & Criminal Justice

Admission Requirements

The UW Tacoma Social Welfare major admits a cohort of students in autumn quarter only. Core classes must be taken in sequence.

To be considered for BASW program admission, applicants must:

Be admitted to UW Tacoma. Not a current UW Tacoma student? Apply first.
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
- Current UWT students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all UW coursework and be in good standing with the university.
- Transfer and Running Start applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all transferable coursework.
Completion of at least 75 college-level quarter credits before the start of the BASW program.
Have completed each the following prerequisite courses with a grade of 2.0/C or better:
> 5 credits of English composition
> Introductory course in psychology*
> Introductory course in sociology*

*Applicants can be considered for admission if one or both of these courses are planned for an upcoming quarter and are encouraged to apply.

Refer to the BASW prerequisite grid to find college-level courses that have been approved to meet the prerequisite course requirements to the program.

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Completion of admission requirements.
Academic history.
Quality of admissions essay.
Experiences related to social services (paid or volunteer).

Note: Academic credit toward the BASW major is not given for previous employment or life experience.

BASW Application Requirements:

Complete online Social Welfare Application for admission and upload all of the documents below during final submission:
- Submit essay using the writing prompt provided.
- Provide current resume of work and volunteer experiences.
- Complete, sign and upload the UW HSIP Acknowledgement form. See additional details in UW Health Science Immunization Program section below.

BASW Prerequisites

Link to BASW prerequisite grid

Background check

Background checks are needed for admitted students for their field placement.

Information on background checks

BASW Deadlines

The BASW program admits a cohort or students each autumn quarter only. All applicants must be admitted to UW Tacoma to be considered for BASW program admission.

Prior to applying for BASW program admission, applicants must complete all admission requirements for UW Tacoma and the BASW program (or have a plan in place to complete the required courses prior to beginning classes). Transfer and Running Start applicants are encouraged to meet with a university admissions advisor prior to applying.

Applications are still open for autumn 2023! Final close date for autumn 2023 BASW applications is August 15th.

The first round of application reviews will begin after March 15th, however the program will continue to review program applications completed after this deadline on a space-available basis. Some applicants may be placed on a waitlist; applicants not admitted off the waitlist must submit a new application to be considered for a new program start.

How to Apply

After reviewing the admission and special requirements above, complete a Social Welfare Application.

The following is needed to complete a Social Welfare Application:

Your UW Tacoma student ID number (issued once admitted to UWT; can be found by logging in to MyUW).
Access to your academic record to be able to report your prerequisite grades and number of earned and planned credits.
Social Welfare Admissions Essay (prompts available in the web application).
Current resume.
UW HSIP Authorization Form

Returning Students

Students who have not enrolled in UWT courses for more than one quarter (not including summer) are considered returning students and should reapply using the UW Tacoma Returning Student Application. Students previously enrolled at UW Seattle or UW Bothell should apply using the UW Tacoma Transfer Application.

Students that were enrolled in the UW Tacoma BASW program before leaving UWT should notify the program of their intent to return to UWT and the BASW major via email to swcj@uw.edu before submitting a Social Welfare Application.

Students that were previously enrolled at UW Tacoma as a premajor or declared a different major should complete a Social Welfare Application.

International Students

Note: International student applicants must meet all International Admissions Requirements before their BASW program application will be reviewed.

BASW Application

Link to BASW Application

Professional Conduct and Ethics

Essential Skills, Values and Standards of Professional Conduct

Our commitment to diversity is elaborated on this webpage on Essential Skills, Values, and Standards of Professional Conduct. Before submitting an application, all applicants should review these essential abilities to understand the qualities and professional behavior expected of students.

Essential Skills, Values and Standards of Professional Conduct

NASW Code of Ethics

Major Principles of the National Association of Social Workers' (NASW) Code of Ethics

The NASW is the major professional organization for social workers. Before submitting an application, all applicants should review the NASW Code of Ethics to understand the major principles to which students of UWT BASW program are expected to adhere.

NASW Code of Ethics

UW Health Sciences Immunization Program (HSIP)

UW HSIP

Please review the immunization FAQs for further information.

UW Health Sciences Immunization Program

The University of Washington Health Sciences Center requires that its students show documentation of protection against a number of vaccine-preventable diseases. The University of Washington Seattle School of Social Work falls under the umbrella of UW Health Sciences and therefore all UW Tacoma MSW and BASW students must comply. Applicants must submit the HSIP Acknowledgement form with their application.

New students admitted to the Social Work Program must submit appropriate documentation within a specific timeframe. New students will be advised of specific submission deadlines upon admission, but generally all documentation must be supplied prior to entering the Social Work program. The following immunizations and verifications are REQUIRED for all Social Work students. No student will be permitted to enter any practicum site until all immunization verification is submitted and verified by the Health Sciences Immunization Program (HSIP). Students must document immunity to Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis, Varicella (chicken pox), COVID-19 vaccine, TB screening and have an annual influenza vaccine. Due to the nature of health professions training programs, exemptions are rarely granted and only in alignment with CDC recommendations, HSIP policy, and University policy and practice.