this paper is for applying for a master’s degree. in social work, I have bachelor’s in Early childhood and I’m working as a head of infants and teaching grade 1 and I have experience in teaching kindergarten.
The required essay is an important section of your application package. We are interested in 1) understanding how your experiences influenced your desire to obtain a Masters’s in Social Work and 2) the quality of your writing and critical analysis as it relates to analyzing and addressing a social problem.
If you are applying to the part-time or full-time Advanced Standing program, we also want to understand the rationale for your specialization choice (ONLY Advanced Standing applicants are required to complete Part 3).
Length:
Please pay close attention to page limits.
Your Autobiographical Statement should not exceed 3 pages.
Your Social Issue Analysis should be 2 pages.
Together the Autobiographical Statement and the Issue Analysis may not exceed five (5) pages total.
You may include an additional page to cite references. This will not be counted toward the limit.
For Advanced Standing applicants only – Part 3 should not exceed more than a half-page, and your entire submission should not exceed 5.5 pages.
Formatting:
Essays must follow APA style guidelines (Title page and abstract not required)
Essays should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins on standard-sized (8.5” x 11”) paper, using the 12-point font (either Times New Roman or Calibri).
Use “Part 1: Autobiographical Statement” as the first header.
Use the heading “Part 2: Social Issue Analysis” as the second header.
If applicable, use “Part 3: Specialization Rationale” as the third header.
Part 1: Autobiographical Statement
Write an autobiographical statement discussing how your personal, academic, volunteer, and/or professional experiences have led you to the field of social work.
( don’t have any volunteering, profession. only personal. and I want to bring it to my school and start it their)
The School of Social Work seeks to promote social and economic justice in underrepresented and underserved communities. Please address how your qualities, characteristics, and life experiences bring:
fit with this mission;
influence your approach to social work practice;
contribute to your short and long term career goals; and,
contribute to the school’s learning community and the field of social work.
Include:
what makes you an ideal candidate for graduate school; and,
share what specifically has influenced your decisions to pursue an MSW at the University of Washington.
Part 2: Social Issue Analysis
Write an essay describing a contemporary social justice issue that is relevant to the social work field. This academic essay allows you to showcase the quality of your writing in terms of organization and critical analysis; references from credible sources are expected.
Please respond to the following prompts in your essay:
What is the social problem, and how is it relevant to the social work field?
What are the social structures that contribute to the origin and maintenance of this social inequity?
Why does this social justice issue deserve public attention and resources?
What research supports your position (cite references)?
Describe some specific possible ways for social workers to address the issue. Include a discussion of leadership roles you might undertake to address this issue.
If relevant and space permitting, include any personal experiences that have contributed to your identification and understanding of the issue.
Part 3: Advanced Standing Specialization Rationale
