PhD Admissions
6/22/09 - THE FALL 2009 COHORT HAS BEEN FILLED.
We encourage you to apply to our Fall 2010 program.
PhD Admissions
Admission to the PhD program is limited to persons who have or will have earned an MSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program by the time they enroll in doctoral studies. Although preference is given to social workers with several years of post-MSW professional work experience, newly-graduated MSWs are also welcome to apply, particularly if they possess strong academic qualifications or a BSW with experience.
SSW PhD Program Admissions Deadline
The PhD Program does not have an admissions deadline for potential candidates. However, once the class cohort has been filled, no further applications will be considered for the semester in question. Generally, the incoming class is filled by mid-April for fall semester enrollment. All new full-time PhD students start classes during fall semester. Students seeking the part-time option may enter the program during the fall, spring or summer semester.
GPA and Testing Requirements
The University of Georgia Graduate School recommends a total verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of no less than 1000, as well as an overall undergraduate grade point average of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. An overall graduate (MSW) GPA of no less than 3.5 is also recommended. Exceptionally qualified social workers not meeting these academic standards are also welcome to apply and are occasionally admitted.
Those applicants for whom English is a second language must take the TOEFL exam; a minimum score of 213 is recommended for the computer-based test. View the supplemental information for prospective international students on the Graduate School web site.
Graduate School Application Requirements for Admission / Online Application
To submit an application to the School of Social Work PhD Program, you must apply online through the University of Georgia Graduate School website. Following are links that will guide you through this process:
Once you have applied to the Graduate School, you will be emailed a web address where you may access your application status. Each time the Graduate School or the School of Social Work receive a requirement for admission, it will be posted online and you will be notified by email.
School of Social Work Additional Requirements for Admission
The vita/resume, professional goals statement, and scholarly writing sample should be mailed directly to the PhD Program Office at the address below. The three letters of recommendation may be submitted one of three ways (see below).
Vita/Resume
A copy of your vita/resume is required.
Professional Goals Statement
As part of your application, you need to submit a written statement of your professional interests and career aspirations. We request that you limit your essay to no more than 3 pages. We use this essay to help us get to know you. Please include discussion of the following questions:
- Why do you wish to receive advanced research education in the social work profession?
- What specifically attracts you to the University of Georgia social work PhD Program?
- What are your major areas of interest in research on social work practice?
- What practice experience in social work have you had thus far?
- What are your plans regarding time and cost of earning your PhD?
- What are your post-PhD career plans?
Scholarly Writing Sample
All applicants must submit one example of a recent, single-authored, scholarly writing that provides evidence of the individual’s capacity to think analytically and critically. This should be the best example available that highlights the applicant’s readiness to undertake doctoral level work. The submission should be a “clean” copy, that is, free of editorial markings.
The following are examples of appropriate submissions of scholarly writing:
- Published article, book chapter, or book.
- Master’s thesis.
- Unpublished research report.
- Term paper written in an upper level graduate course.
- Grant application.
If an appropriate example of a recent writing sample is not available, the applicant should prepare a paper utilizing the following guidelines:
- The paper should be between 6-10 pages in length, excluding references; word-processed; and double-spaced.
- Scholarly literature should be cited and referenced appropriately.
- APA-style is preferred, but other accepted academic styles are allowed.
Instructions:
- Choose any issue or problem relevant to social work.
- Clearly define the issue or problem.
- Critically discuss some of the primary evidence in the literature relevant to the issue or problem.
- State your position on the issue or problem and justify your position.
- At the end of the paper, please hand-write and sign the following statement: “I completed this writing sample independently, appropriately citing scholarly or other works used as references.”
Letters of Recommendation
The program requires three letters of recommendation. These letters may be submitted in one of three ways.
- Via email to sswphd@uga.edu They must be formal recommendation letters on letterhead and submitted as an attachment to the initial email. Letters in the body of the email will not be accepted. We will only accept emails sent directly from the recommender.
- Via mail directly to the PhD
Program Office. An optional letter of recommendation form may also be used in conjunction to the letter. Click here
for the form. The form must be filled out by both the applicant and
the recommender. The letter of recommendation and the optional form should be mailed directly to the PhD Program Office at the following address:
The University of Georgia
School of Social Work
PhD Program Office
416 Tucker Hall
Athens, GA 30602-7016 - Submitted online via the Graduate School admissions web site. In addition to the online form, an accompanying formal recommendation letter is required. These letters should be sent directly to the PhD Program Office at the above address.
