PhD in Social Work Application Information

Applicant Requirements

To apply to the GSSW doctoral program, you must have one of the following:

• a master's degree conferred by a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• a master's degree in one of the social sciences and demonstrated evidence of substantial professional experience in the social work field - students without an MSW or an equivalent Master’s degree in social work/social welfare will be required to take an additional 15 credits in social work to complete the PhD.

In addition, you must have:

• a clear interest in developing advanced theory, policy and research skills in a substantive area relevant to the field of social work
• a superior academic record in all previous work
• the maturity, intellectual ability and readiness for advanced study
• a basic familiarity with descriptive and inferential statistics (this knowledge, along with basic algebra and probability, is helpful for several of the required doctoral courses). An introductory course in statistical analysis and inference is available in the first quarter of study if needed.

NOTE: the GRE is no longer required for admission into the PhD program. 

Two years of post-master's practice experience is strongly preferred, but not mandatory.

PhD Application Deadlines

Early Action Deadline: November 1, 2025: If you apply by the early action deadline, you will receive an admissions decision by early January 2026.    
Final Deadline: January 8, 2026

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PhD Application Instructions

You must submit an online application to be considered for our PhD program. If you are interested in joining the fall 2025 PhD cohort, the application is available.

A completed online application includes:

• Transcripts

  You may submit unofficial transcripts for an initial review of your application. If admitted, you must provide official transcripts from all institutions attended before GSSW orientation day.

  Many schools issue transcripts electronically, either through their own web services or through vendors. If this option is available through the institutions you attended, request that your transcript(s) be sent to gsswadmission@du.edu.

  If your transcripts are being sent by mail, use the following address:

  Office of Admission
  Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
  2148 South High Street
  Denver, CO 80208-7100

• Resume

  Include with your application a PDF of your resume that includes the following information:

  • Name, mailing address and other current contact information
  • Areas of special interest
  • Education: institution(s), the dates you attended, your degrees (majors and minors). Begin with your most recent degree.
  • Continuing Education: List the continuing education experience that you have.
  • Paid Employment History: List your paid work experiences in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. For each position held, please provide the name of employer, location, beginning and ending dates, and a brief job description.
  • Volunteer Experiences: List your volunteer social work or human services experiences in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. Please provide the name of each agency or organization, its location, beginning and ending dates, and a brief description of your responsibilities and activities.
  • Honors and Awards: Identify any academic honors or awards that you received.
  • Professional Affiliations/Licensure: List any professional associations of which you are a member and any advanced certification(s) you received.
  • Research and Evaluation Experiences: List your research and evaluation experiences, including a description of your position, beginning and ending dates, and responsibilities.
  • Teaching Experiences: List all courses you taught; include the course title, level, beginning and ending dates, a brief course description and the educational institution at which it was taught.
  • Paper Presentations at Conferences: List the titles of papers you presented at national, state or other conferences over the last five years; include the date, conference sponsor and any co-authors or co-presenters.
  • Publications: List publications on which you are listed as an author, including journal articles, books, book chapters, technical reports, magazine or newsletter articles, contract or grant applications and program manuals. Please follow the style guidelines in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (Sixth Edition).
• Recommendations

  You are required to submit three letters of recommendation, preferably from academic, research or professional supervisors/colleagues.

• Statement of Professional and Educational Intent

  The PhD Admission Committee considers your Statement of Professional and Educational Intent to be a significant part of your application. Respond openly and honestly to each section. The average statement length is seven pages. Double space your statement and put your name in the upper right corner of each page. The statement must be written solely by you without the use of an editor.

  Your statement should include the following elements:

  • Discuss your qualifications and readiness for pursuing doctoral studies in social work.
  • Describe the area(s) of knowledge around which you wish to concentrate your study and research.
  • Explain how your research will tackle significant social work issues, such as poverty, substance use, child welfare, etc. In other words, how will your research impact the lives of and create sustainable solutions for some of the most intractable social problems in our society? 
  • How does your personal, professional, or practice experience inform the area in which you plan to conduct research?
  • Reflect on the personal, professional and/or academic experiences that have influenced your perspective on and approach to research. 
  • Describe the professional or academic position you plan to pursue after your PhD and why you have chosen that career goal.
  • Explain why you feel this program would be a good match for you.
  • Identify any projects at GSSW, or at the University of Denver, in which you have an interest.
  • Discuss any other factors you feel are important in our evaluation of your application.
• Application Fee

  You can submit your $65 nonrefundable application fee in the online application. The fee can be paid using any major credit card or check.

International Student Application Requirements

We welcome applications from international students and value the diverse cultural perspectives you bring to our community.

If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate your English proficiency by attaching the materials listed below to your PhD application:

• One of the following: test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or C1 Advanced.
  • TOEFL score of 95
  • IELTS score of 8
  • C1 Advanced score of 200
• Copy of passport
• Financial verification form with a bank letter or other official verification showing how your tuition and living expenses will be financed.

Learn more about our international student community.