Testimonials - Past and Present

"Choosing the right doctoral program is a very important and often difficult decision. I had been accepted to three other outstanding programs to include one in the Ivy League. However, UGA distinguished itself from the other outstanding institutions in less tangible ways that the other programs could not. The two most striking features of UGA School of Social work were the love the doctoral students had for the program and number of distinguished faculty on the UGA staff. Nearly all the students I met not only felt supported, but truly enjoyed being a UGA doctoral student. I was similarly impressed with the number of faculty I recognized prior to my attendance whose research had impacted my experience as a scientist-practitioner. Simply put UGA has no rival in terms of the caliber of staff and students.

 Since graduating I have been offered too many opportunities to excel to count. I regularly have research opportunities made available to me that did not exist prior to my doctoral studies. The breadth of my work has widened to international audiences and affected medical policies at the state department level. And my forthcoming academic position at the Department of Defense Medical School (The Uniformed University of Health Sciences) would not have been possible without my Ph.D."

Jeffrey S. Yarvis, Ph.D. - 2004 Graduate;

MAJ, MS, Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, G-9, 30th Medical Brigade, Heidelberg, Germany

 

"I can highly recommend the UGA Social Work Ph.D. program as one of the finest in the south. MSWs looking for a top notch educational experience while earning their Ph.D. should seriously consider this terrific program. The financial aid package is generous and Athens is a wonderful community to live in."

Bruce A. Thyer, Ph.D. - Former PhD Program Director; Professor and Former Dean, College of Social Work, Florida State University

 

"When I made the decision to attend a PhD program in the United States, the social work doctoral program at UGA had various attractions to me: strong academics, plus excellent financial and emotional support. Since I came here, I have really enjoyed my doctoral student life in Athens. In particular, the School supports international students (including me) very well. Since UGA is a big school, there are diverse learning and working opportunities outside of the School of Social Work, which is the perfect fit to the interdiscplinary approach. In addition, I like a warm weather in Athens. Athens is a small campus town, which is great for studying and is near the big city of Atlanta. My whole family enjoys a very good life in Athens."

Byungdoek Kang – 3rd Year International Student

 

"My doctoral experience at the UGA School of Social Work has been exceptional. I have been most impressed with the collaborative learning environment, interdisciplinary opportunities, and research concentration. The School also offers multiple opportunities for teaching and research, which have provided me with a solid foundation for a career in academia. Outside of UGA I have thoroughly enjoyed the educational, leisure, and cultural opportunities in the Athens community. Finally, my Ph.D. cohort has been a very supportive, fun, sincere, and inspiring group!"

Denise Levy – 3rd Year Student