Athens,
GA,
United States
Type
Public
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
PhD in Social Work in Athens United States | University of Georgia
University of Georgia
|
Athens United States
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Doctor of Philosophy
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD
24,630
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
36 months
The University of Georgia's Social Work PhD Program equips professional social workers with advanced scientific research and program evaluation skills to generate knowledge that advances social justice. Grounded in two core professional priorities, the program focuses on evidence-based understanding of human behavior and social issues, along with practical applications of this knowledge. While MSW programs train practitioners, our PhD curriculum emphasizes creating and sharing research-backed knowledge to strengthen professional practice across the field.
Established in 1990, UGA's School of Social Work PhD Program has graduated more than 90 students who now hold academic, research, or leadership roles. The program develops social work scholars for university research positions and prepares professionals for evaluation and scientific research roles in both public and private organizations. Our primary objectives include equipping students with advanced research capabilities to conduct original studies with direct practice implications, while also cultivating teaching excellence to educate future social work professionals.
The doctoral curriculum features mandatory research coursework, two research practicums, additional social work classes, three statistics courses, and approved cognate studies from other departments. Students also register for credit hours corresponding to key milestones: Comprehensive Exams, Prospectus Defense, and Dissertation Defense. Although completion times vary, full-time students typically finish the PhD Program within 3-4 years.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 6.5
Qualification Requirements
All persons who hold or will have earned an MSW degree by the time they begin doctoral studies are eligible to apply to the PhD program, the addition of two years of post-MSW professional work experience would present a stronger application.
All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and provide competitive scores that are no more than five years old. Please note, however, that the five-year requirement on test scores does not apply to students who received an MSW degree from UGA. There is no equivalent test or waiver for the GRE. Applicants should also have an overall undergraduate grade point average of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and an overall graduate (MSW) GPA of no less than 3.5 is also recommended.
The vita/resume, professional goals statement, scholarly writing sample and letters of recommendation should be uploaded to the Graduate School application portal when you apply.
Vita/Resume
A copy of your vita/resume is required.
Professional Goals Statement
The PhD Admissions Committee considers the personal statement to be a significant part of the application. This statement will be used to assess your writing skills, research interests and potential, career goals, and overall fit with the PhD program. The statement should be no more than 5 pages and address the following questions:
How have your unique biography, academic training, and practice experiences informed your desire and ability to pursue a PhD in social work?
What are the primary areas of research you would like to explore during your doctoral training? And, what is the significance of these lines of inquiry within social work and beyond?
What specifically attracts you to the University of Georgia social work PhD Program?
Please identify any faculty within the School of Social Work or at the University of Georgia who are well positioned to support you in exploring your research interests. If your research interests are inter- or trans-disciplinary, please articulate linkages with those other fields.
What are your career goals and how would a PhD in social work help you achieve those goals?
Are there any other factors that should be considered in the evaluation of your application?
Please organize your personal statement as a cohesive essay, rather than a list of discrete answers to the questions posed.
Scholarly Writing Sample
Applicants must submit a recent, single-authored, scholarly writing example that provides evidence of the individual's capacity to conceptually organize material in a coherent and logical manner, to write clearly and concisely calling upon prior scholarship and/or theory, and more generally to demonstrate the applicant's readiness to undertake doctoral-level work. The submission should be a clean copy (i.e., free of editorial markings.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit three recommendation letters that speak to their potential for success in the doctoral program, aptitude for research and teaching, and capacity to engage in collaborative research. Recommendations from individuals who have supervised your research and scholarly work (e.g., research project supervisors, thesis advisors, professors) tend to be the most useful during the selection process and should comprise the majority.
Minimum TOEFL score requirement: overall score of 80 with at least 20 on speaking and writing
Minimum IELTS score requirement: overall band-width of 6.5, with no single band (score) below 6.0
All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and provide competitive scores that are no more than five years old. Please note, however, that the five-year requirement on test scores does not apply to students who received an MSW degree from UGA. There is no equivalent test or waiver for the GRE. Applicants should also have an overall undergraduate grade point average of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and an overall graduate (MSW) GPA of no less than 3.5 is also recommended.
The vita/resume, professional goals statement, scholarly writing sample and letters of recommendation should be uploaded to the Graduate School application portal when you apply.
Vita/Resume
A copy of your vita/resume is required.
Professional Goals Statement
The PhD Admissions Committee considers the personal statement to be a significant part of the application. This statement will be used to assess your writing skills, research interests and potential, career goals, and overall fit with the PhD program. The statement should be no more than 5 pages and address the following questions:
How have your unique biography, academic training, and practice experiences informed your desire and ability to pursue a PhD in social work?
What are the primary areas of research you would like to explore during your doctoral training? And, what is the significance of these lines of inquiry within social work and beyond?
What specifically attracts you to the University of Georgia social work PhD Program?
Please identify any faculty within the School of Social Work or at the University of Georgia who are well positioned to support you in exploring your research interests. If your research interests are inter- or trans-disciplinary, please articulate linkages with those other fields.
What are your career goals and how would a PhD in social work help you achieve those goals?
Are there any other factors that should be considered in the evaluation of your application?
Please organize your personal statement as a cohesive essay, rather than a list of discrete answers to the questions posed.
Scholarly Writing Sample
Applicants must submit a recent, single-authored, scholarly writing example that provides evidence of the individual's capacity to conceptually organize material in a coherent and logical manner, to write clearly and concisely calling upon prior scholarship and/or theory, and more generally to demonstrate the applicant's readiness to undertake doctoral-level work. The submission should be a clean copy (i.e., free of editorial markings.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit three recommendation letters that speak to their potential for success in the doctoral program, aptitude for research and teaching, and capacity to engage in collaborative research. Recommendations from individuals who have supervised your research and scholarly work (e.g., research project supervisors, thesis advisors, professors) tend to be the most useful during the selection process and should comprise the majority.
Minimum TOEFL score requirement: overall score of 80 with at least 20 on speaking and writing
Minimum IELTS score requirement: overall band-width of 6.5, with no single band (score) below 6.0
Tuition
USD
24,630