Thinking about transferring to Ball State’s social work program? Transferring to our program is easy.
Ball State welcomes transfer students from other accredited social work programs, Ivy Tech and community colleges, and students just starting out in the social work major.
To earn your bachelor of social work degree (BSW) from Ball State, you must earn 30 of your last 40 course credits at Ball State. Many of the course credits you’ve already earned may transfer, depending on your program.
To find course equivalencies, visit TransferIN.Net.
Transfer Process and Procedures
To start the transfer process, contact transfer coordinator, Dr. Jerry Reynolds. You may contact him a year or more before you are ready to transfer. Early communication allows you to see if the social work degree is for you, get answers to questions, and find out how best to prepare for the transfer. If you are able to visit in person, think about sitting in on a class and taking a tour of the campus.
How to Transfer
Review Ball State’s admission information for transfer students and apply to the university.
If you are currently enrolled in another institution, you may need to send in two transcripts
- one now to begin the admissions process
- one when you complete your current semester's academic work
Request that a transcript be sent from every college you attended, even if you only took a course or two at one school. Ball State won't process your application until all transcripts are received and accepts only official transcripts sent directly from other colleges.
Once the university has accepted you for admission, you'll get a letter telling you to call the Advising Center to schedule an appointment with a university advisor.
You will go over:
- the general education requirements
- the registration process
- obtaining an email account
- getting a student ID
You can't register for classes until you meet with this advisor.
Contact Advising Center
Once you schedule an appointment to meet with an advisor in the Academic Advising Center, you should also schedule an appointment for the same day with the Department of Social Work’s advisor.
You will receive guidance on the specifics of the bachelor of social work (BSW) degree, and the two of you will develop an academic plan that will ensure your timely completion of the degree.
You will also discuss formal admission to the major.
Courses Accepted in Transfer
Ball State accepts course work from both four-year institutions and community colleges as long as they meet university standards.
To earn the bachelor of social work degree, 30 of your last 40 credits must be earned at Ball State.
In general, Ball State does not accept the following in transfer:
- pre-college courses (below 100-level courses)
- courses in which less than a "C" grade was earned. Starting Summer 2026, transfer grades of C- will be accepted.
- courses taken as independent studies
- courses that consist of internships
- courses transferred from other accredited social work programs are assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the curriculum at the other university
- check the courses required of the major to see how our program is set up.
Community college students are welcome as transfer students in our program. Ball State has articulation agreements with Ivy Tech related to the University Core Curriculum, and the Department of Social Work works closely with the human services program at Ivy Tech in Region 6 (Muncie, Anderson, Marion).
Your community college advisor should help you plan ahead for transfer to Ball State. The number and kinds of courses you transfer in will determine the courses you will need to take at Ball State to finish the social work degree. If you are working on your human services associate degree at Ivy Tech, it is recommended you meet with the Chairperson in the Department of Social Work at Ball State University to identify certain courses at Ivy Tech for the smoothest transfer into the BSW program.
Ivy Tech students from other regions may need to adapt this plan. Generally, taking as many courses that will count toward Ball State's general education (core) requirements is in your best interest. The Department of Social Work Chairperson will be glad to meet with you to discuss Ivy Tech courses that will transfer into Ball State University. Please call the Department of Social Work at 765-285-1016 to make an appointment.
If you are transferring from another accredited social work program, we encourage you to contact us so we can see what kind of course work you’ve taken.
Each accredited social work program configures its curriculum slightly differently, so the social work courses you transfer in will be assessed individually. Every effort will be made to minimize the need to repeat course content.
Transfer credits are not accepted for the following:
These courses must be taken within the department to earn the BSW degree from Ball State.