Admissions Requirements
List of Admission Requirements:- Next steps to apply:
- Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited institution or international equivalent. Two years post-MSW practice experience is encouraged, but not required. Please note that two years post-MSW practice experience is often required for social work faculty positions in higher education. Program faculty will work with any student accepted to the PhD program to discuss options to gain this experience during and/or after their time in the PhD program if needed.
- Please note that applicants with an international Master of Social Work degree need to have their transcript reviewed by the CSWE International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service. See application instructions HERE. When applying to the PhD program, students provide the usual application materials and also the CSWE letter verifying that their master’s degree program was equivalent to a CSWE-accredited program.
- GPA - an undergraduate GPA of at least a 2.75 overall required, though a minimum 3.0 GPA on a prior degree is preferred
- English proficiency exam for International applicants as guided by the International Graduate Admissions Team at WVU. Further information for international applicants is available here:
- Resume or CV – Submit a current resume or CV including education, employment, and volunteer experience with start and end dates.
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended – see graduate admissions instructions for first time WVU graduate applicants and second degree WVU graduate applicants.
- Three letters of recommendation - at least one from a faculty member and at least one from a post MSW practice supervisor (applicants can submit an addendum section in their application statement to explain if this is not feasible)
- Application statement (titled personal statement in the application) – The application statement is an essential part of the applicant’s admission application. This is the applicant’s opportunity to communicate with the PhD Admission Committee members about their academic and professional goals and why a PhD in social work from WVU will help them achieve those goals.
- Instructions: Provide a 3-5 page double-spaced statement with the following headers written in APA style that includes references as noted below.
- PhD Program and Career Goals - Why do you want to pursue a PhD in social work and how does it align with your long-term career goals? Explain how your career goals are informed by your academic and social work practice experience. Identify if you are applying for the full-time or part-time curriculum option (contact PhD program director, Carrie Rishel with any questions regarding the two options).
- Area of Research Interest - Identify your research area and explain how it aligns with the West Virginia University School of Social Work (SSW) PhD program theme of community-focused research. The theme of community-focused research reflects the land grant mission of WVU to advance education, healthcare, and prosperity for all by intentionally promoting research that has real impact on communities in West Virginia and beyond. Include citations of appropriate sources when addressing your research area of interest.
- Potential Faculty Mentors - Review the WVU School of Social Work website, identify which faculty member(s) are most closely aligned with your research area(s) of interest and explain why.
- Financial Support Needs and Balance of Responsibilities - Address your need for and interest in financial support in the form of a GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant) or GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) position. Full-time students are eligible for GTA/GRA positions that include a stipend and tuition waivers for fall and spring semesters and require 20 hours of work per week. If interested in a GTA/GRA position, please address how you envision these responsibilities fitting into your school/work/life balance.
- References - List references in APA style of citations used in discussion of your research interest.
- If necessary, applicants can submit an addendum to their application statement that addresses any gaps or deficiencies in their academic or professional record, including incomplete grades, withdrawals from courses, etc. This should include an explanation of the letters of recommendation if they do not meet the application requirements of at least one letter from a faculty member and one from a post-MSW practice supervisor.
- Academic or Professional Writing Sample – All applicants must submit a writing sample to demonstrate their ability to think critically and clearly communicate in writing.
- Instructions: Provide one recent writing sample of which you are the primary author. The sample should provide evidence of your ability to think analytically and critically and to clearly communicate ideas or findings. The following are examples of appropriate submissions: published article or book chapter, unpublished research or evaluation report, or a term/thesis paper written in a graduate-level course. The writing sample should include citation of relevant research literature. If you submit a multi-authored paper/report, please include a description of your role and contribution.
SSW PhD Major Code: 14F1