Wayne State University MSW Application Guide
Wayne State University (WSU) is located in Detroit, Michigan and offers various options for MSW programs. In this post, I’ll break down the MSW programs offered at WSU, WSU MSW application requirements, as well as a deep dive into how to write your WSU MSW Statement of Purpose.
WSU MSW Programs
Wayne State University has a variety of different MSW programs and streams. They offer an advanced standing program for applicants who already have a BSW, as well as a core program for applicants without a BSW or who completed their BSW more than 5 years ago. Both of these programs are offered in full-time or part-time streams, and vary in length from 10 months to 4 years, depending on the program stream.
WSU MSW Application Requirements
To apply for an MSW at WSU, applicants need to possess:
Minimum 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale
At least 30 credits in social or biological sciences
To complete your application, you will need to submit:
Updated resume
Official transcripts
2 letters of reference
Statement of purpose (more on this below!)
Interested in other USA-based MSW programs? Check out our resources related to applying to MSW programs in the USA!
WSU MSW Statement of Purpose
The Wayne State University MSW Statement of Purpose is comprised of 4 prompts. The instructions from the school state that your statement should be no less than 3 pages long, but should be no longer than 5 pages. As well, it’s important to note that they state that you should not include a cover page for your statement of purpose.
General WSU Statement of Purpose Tips
Follow APA guidelines: While WSU doesn’t specify that you need to follow APA guidelines, the Statement of Purpose serves as a sample of academic writing. One easy way to help your statement stand out is by following APA guidelines, which is the formatting style most commonly used in MSW programs and the field of social work. The only caveat to this is that you should omit a cover page, as per the WSU Statement of Purpose guidelines.
Structure your Statement of Purpose with headings: Although WSU doesn’t specifically require you to use headings in your statement, I strongly recommend doing so. Using headings throughout the statement helps make sure that you stay on track as you write. This means that you’re more likely to fully answer each prompt, and you’re less likely to include irrelevant information. For each heading, I suggest summarizing each prompt into a brief statement. For example, the heading for prompt 2 (below) could be “Social Justice Issue”
Do some brainstorming before you start writing: I suggest reflecting on the following questions before you start writing your statement
Why do you want to become a social worker?
What personal, professional, volunteer, or academic experiences informed your decision to pursue social work?
What are your future career goals as a social worker?
Why are you applying to the WSU MSW program specifically?
By thinking about these questions ahead of time, you’ll be able to give yourself a head start once you actually start writing your statement of purpose!
Need some help with your Statement of Purpose? Our free personal statement template can help you get started!
Prompt 1
“The National Association of Social Workers set forth important guiding principles to address social workers’ ethical responsibility to clients, colleagues, employers and employing organizations, the social work profession and society. In order to answer the following questions, please read carefully the information provided at
https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code‐of‐Ethics-English
Describe how these ethical standards would shape your professional social work practice. How would you reconcile any conflicts between your personal values and the requirements of the profession? Describe why you believe you are a good fit with the mission of the Wayne State University School of Social Work, particularly its urban mission. See http://socialwork.wayne.edu/about/mission.php.”
Why the school asks this question: WSU asks about your fit with the NASW code of ethics and the WSU School of Social Work mission to ensure you’re not only a good fit for the field of social work, but also that your values and interests are aligned with those of the WSU MSW program.
To answer this prompt, it’s important to demonstrate not only an understanding of the NASW code of ethics, but also an understanding of WSU’s values as a program. To do this, I recommend:
Choose 1-2 NASW values: Narrow down the NASW code of ethics to 1-2 ethical principles or values that you align strongly with. While it can be tempting to try and address every single value in the code of ethics, highlighting a select few will help make sure you’re able to give an answer that’s more thorough and meaningful.
Demonstrate your alignment with WSU: WSU makes it clear that one of its key areas of interest lies in supporting people in urban settings. I would suggest highlighting how this area of interest aligns with your past experience and/or future goals. Doing so will help make sure you come across as not only genuinely interested, but also as a strong fit for the program!
Prompt 2
“Social workers are committed to social justice. Please describe your thoughts on a particular
social and economic justice issue and how you intend to use your professional social work
degree to address these issues.”
Why the school asks this question: WSU asks this question to get a better idea of your understanding of social work issues, and how you are able to fill a unique gap as a social worker.
To answer this prompt, make sure to:
Choose a narrow area of focus. It’s difficult to fully discuss and address a broad social issue in a brief Statement of Purpose. Instead, choose a narrower scope to discuss. For example, instead of discussing domestic violence, you could focus on the impacts of domestic violence to children’s mental health. By being more specific, you’re able to dive deeper into the topic and demonstrate your critical thinking skills
Pick a topic related to your career goals. By relating your area of interest to what you discuss elsewhere in the statement, it helps strengthen your interest and commitment to that area of practice. As well, relating your social justice issue to your goals helps ensure the statement as a whole is cohesive
Use references. Although WSU doesn’t specifically state that they require academic references, including them helps demonstrate your academic research and writing skills. I recommend including 2-3 scholarly sources in the social justice issue section, and using APA formatting for in-text citations and references.
Need help formatting your statement in APA? Check out our blog post on how to format your APA MSW statement of purpose!
Prompt 3
“Describe your strengths and challenges, especially as it pertains to social work practice with
diverse populations. Include your attitude toward people with values, lifestyles, cultures,
and/or religions different from yours.”
Why the school asks this question: Social work is all about supporting people in the community, and this often means working with people of diverse backgrounds. WSU wants to ensure that applicants are comfortable working with diverse groups, and that they will be able to be successful as social workers in the future.
To answer this prompt, I suggest:
Using a specific example. Explaining that you’re comfortable working with diverse groups can work here, but it will considerably strengthen your answer to highlight a specific example of a time where you worked with someone (or a group of people) who is different from yourself. By highlighting an example, this allows you to “show” the admissions committee that you’re confident working with diverse populations, rather than just “telling” them.
Highlight your strengths! There are a variety of social work skills related to supporting diverse groups, and discussing a few of the skills you possess that will help you in this work can help answer this prompt. For example, you may choose to speak about cultural humility, advocacy, collaboration, or rapport-building, and explain how these skills will help make you an effective social worker.
Don’t be afraid to discuss challenges. MSW programs aren’t looking for applicants who are perfect; they’d usually rather have someone who is able to learn and grow from challenges they’ve faced. If you do discuss challenges in this area, make sure to keep the focus on what you learned from the situation and how you’d apply these lessons in the future.
Prompt 4
“Describe how you are prepared to successfully complete the MSW program. Describe how you might cope with the demands of graduate studies, balancing the demands of school, work, family and finances. Students applying for online program, briefly detail how you will complete asynchronous coursework.”
Why the school asks this question: Completing an MSW is demanding, and WSU wants to make sure that students admitted to the program are set up for success.
To answer this prompt, it can be helpful to:
Highlight an example of a time where you were balancing multiple priorities, whether this was while completing your undergrad, or perhaps navigating a complex personal situation while working or studying at the same time.
Discuss any relevant circumstances or strategies. For example, perhaps you’ve saved up money and are able to work part-time while you study so that you have time to dedicate to the MSW program. It may also be helpful to discuss your program stream here. For instance, if you’re applying for the part-time or online option, you can discuss how that decision is related to your ability to successfully complete the program.
Other Considerations
Although not formal prompts, WSU also asks applicants to address any gaps or deficiencies in their academic record, employment situations (such a terminations), and to disclose any misdemeanour or felony charges. For further details on this requirement, see the WSU Statement of Purpose Guidelines.
FAQs
How much is Wayne State University MSW tuition?
Like many schools, WSU tuition is charged based on the number of credit hours being completed. As of 2025, WSU tuition for grad students in the MSW program costs $832.70 per credit hour for residents of Michigan, and $1,803.63 per credit hour for non-residents. You can find more detailed tuition information on the WSU website.
When is the Wayne State University MSW application deadline?
MSW applications typically open in September or October and are accepted on a rolling basis. WSU’s priority deadline for applicants is December 1st for both the core and advanced stream.
What GPA do you need for MSW at Wayne State University?
WSU requires applicants to have a 2.75 to apply to MSW programs. That said, WSU recommends students meet with one of their application advisors to discuss their GPA if they are below the requirements and are interested in the program.
Still need help with your Wayne State University MSW application? Connect with an MSW Helper Application Advisor for 1:1 support or personal statement editing!
