At the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), we are committed to community—the community within our school and the communities with whom we partner to create individual and collective impact.
We're excited to welcome you! Although we hail from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and have a wide variety of research, scholarship and career interests, our faculty, staff and students all share one thing in common: We are champions for social justice who are leading the charge for social change.
You are embarking on an incredible educational journey. You'll graduate with the knowledge, skills and commitment to create a more just and equitable world for all. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.
Questions?
Please read through this page in its entirety, as it will answer many of the questions you have as a new student. If you have additional questions, your primary points of contact is Rachel Forbes (Rachel.Forbes@du.edu) and Erin Leazer (Erin.Leazer@du.edu).
For the incoming fall 2025 classes, submit your $300 deposit by April 15, 2025 of receiving your decision letter to hold your spot in the Western Colorado MSW Program.
The deposit is non-refundable, but the full amount will be credited to your first tuition payment.
Accept Offer of Admission:To accept our offer of admission, visit your application status page. There, scroll to the “Forms” section and click the “Reply to Admission Offer” link to select “I ACCEPT your admission offer.”
Submit your Tuition Deposit:Once you have accepted your offer, you will have the opportunity to pay your tuition deposit by clicking the “Enrollment Deposit—Submit Payment” link that appears on your application status page. This link will take you to a webpage where you can pay your deposit with a credit card.
To apply for state or federal financial assistance, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form as soon as possible. This application is required to determine eligibility for grants, loans and student employment.
If you have questions regarding the FAFSA, Federal loans or the GradPLUS loan, please email finaid@du.edu.
If you have questions regarding a merit-based scholarship, graduate assistantship, deposit deadline or scholarship disbursement, contact gsswadmission@du.edu or call 303-871-2841.
Stipends & Research Assistantships
If you are interested in pursuing a research assistantship, view our active research project page to identify a project that fits your interest. From there, reach out to the affiliated faculty member directly for position availability. For general questions about research assistantships, please contact Associate Professor Ramona Beltran.
CLIMB Stipend
The Collaborative Learning and Innovative Educational Models of Behavioral Health Program (CLIMB) is a behavioral health workforce program that provides MSW students in their concentration year a stipend and specialized training.
Application Deadline:Priority deadline is June 1, 2025; applications will continue to be accepted after this date until all stipends are awarded.
Eligibility: Western Colorado MSW students with a Colorado residence
In partnership with the Butler Institute for Families and the Colorado Department of Human Services, we offer 20 child welfare stipends ranging from $12,000 -$14,000 so you can effectively serve families who use public child welfare services.
Application Deadline: Application is rolling, due on the 15th of every month January – May, 2025
Eligibility: Western Colorado MSW Program and Western Colorado Advanced-Standing MSW Program students with a Colorado residence and a concentration internship in a Colorado public child welfare (county) agency.
In partnership with the University of Colorado Anschutz Division of Geriatric Medicine, we offer two, $10,000 GeriCare EveryWhere stipends to students who are passionate about a career working with older adults and their families. Students who receive a stipend must contractually agree to practice in a geriatric setting in Colorado for a minimum of two years after graduation.
Application Deadline: Application is due July 1, 2025
Eligibility: Western Colorado MSW Program and Western Colorado Advanced-Standing MSW Program students with a Colorado residence who commit to practice in a geriatric setting in Colorado for a minimum of two years after graduation
Approximately one month before your scheduled start date, you will receive an invitation for the mandatory orientation. Orientation is on September 11, 2025.
Start your first term!
Classes start Friday, September 12, 2025. You'll meet with Western Colorado faculty and staff during your first quarter to plan out your future academic terms.
Select “My Student Profile” under Academic Profile Widget
Select the correct registration quarter from the "Term" drop-down menu above your profile photo
Click “Registration Notices” at top right of screen and review your registration day and time under "Time Tickets"
Plan Your Classes & Register
The most up-to-date course schedules are in MyDU. You will self-register for the online courses shared below.
Tips for Viewing the Course Schedules:
Search by the subject "social work" and use attribute: "Social Work: Glenwood Springs" to see only your program's classes. Western Colorado classes will always be in the 300 sections. Go to online course schedule for the most up-to-date course schedules.
Register for the courses below for the Fall 2025 quarter:
SOWK 4020 Integrated Practice for Social Justice (3 credits)
SOWK 4001 Clinical Social Work Skills (3 credits)
SOWK 4150 Foundation Field Seminar (2 credits)
You may decide to add an additional Elective/Concentration Course (3 credits)—some students like to push through 4 classes so that during another quarter there is some relief. This is an individual choice, and please note the recommendation is for 3 classes only.
Using the search box function at the top of the screen, type "Billing Agreement"
Click on "Billing Agreement"
Read agreement and sign using your DU password
Financial Hold
Please call 303.871.4944 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.
Immunization Hold
Reach out to Health and Counseling Center at 303.871.2205 or email them at info@hcc.du.edu. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.
Missing Transcripts Hold
The registration hold on your student profile will indicate which official transcripts are missing from your record. If you have not already done so, please have official transcripts sent directly from the school directly to registrar@du.edu to clear this hold. They must be sent directly from the school to be considered official.
Office of Outreach and Support Hold
Call 303.871.2400 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.
Parking Fines Hold
Call 303.871.3210 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.
Field Education
With field internships, you can begin practicing your social work skills right away. With more than 50 GSSW field agencies available in Western Colorado—from hospitals and hospices to child welfare agencies, policy nonprofits and animal sanctuaries—you’ll find an internship that fits your specific needs and interests. When you submit your deposit, Erin Leazer will reach out in Spring 2025 to start your internship search process.
RFTA is the public transportation serving the Roaring Fork community, including access to the Colorado Mountain Campus locations.
Student Life
Enrolling in graduate school is a big step, and we’ll be there for you, from your first day of orientation through your job search after graduation and your career as an alumnus. We’re dedicated to supporting students in developing and enhancing their academic and professional skills while also ensuring that resources—such as accommodation for learning differences and disabilities, health and counseling—are available and accessible.
GSSW is home to a courageous community of faculty members whose work is advancing social justice and social work practice. Their research and scholarship spans areas such as public policy, addiction, child welfare and youth development, homelessness, and issues including ableism, sexism, racism and intersectional lived experiences. Get to know our faculty and their research, and feel free to introduce yourself and ask questions!
Campus is surrounded by art and culture in the various mountain towns in the Roaring Fork Valley. Visit the world-class arts and music venues in Aspen or the Carbondale Arts community art center. Join the Glenwood Springs Art Council for some art education and celebration.
Food
The Glenwood-area food scene has a variety of flavors and experiences to enjoy, including locally sourced and sustainable food and drink options. Some of our local favorites are Marble Distilling Company and Silo. Carbondale has an array of dining experiences, public gardens and farms to enjoy, places including The Pioneer Garden, Sustainable Settings and Smiling Goat Ranch.