Writing Requirement (Fall Entry)

Online Writing Assessment (Fall Entry Only)

The ability to write clearly and concisely is crucial to successful social work practice. We are committed to helping our students develop strong writing skills. As part of that process, we require all incoming students (except Advanced Standing students) to take a writing assessment. A member of the faculty will read the essay, assess the student’s skills, and offer feedback. Please note students do not receive a grade for this assignment.

We expect that students write the essay without assistance. The Simmons University Honor Code states that students are expected to present their own work, and should not represent anyone else’s work as their own.

The writing assessment is administered online. Students have up to four hours after the scheduled start time to complete assignment. The assessment consists of reading an article and composing a 500-word essay in response to two questions. Students should read the article before the designated appointment time.

• Register to take the assessment at a scheduled time. 
• The assessment will be emailed to your Simmons University email account at the selected start time.  Instructions on how to submit the assessment will be included in the email.
• The assignment should be completed on a computer, rather than a tablet or smartphone.
• Essays must be submitted as a .doc or .pdf file.
• Cite any sources according to the APA guidelines.
• Students will receive faculty feedback in before the fall semester begins.

You will be emailed by Larissa Douglas, MSW Program Manager, with information about registering for the assessment. 

You may access the article at any time by downloading the following file:

• Levels of Racism: A Theoretic Framework and a Gardener’s Tale