PhD Program Application Instructions for the PhD and MSW+PhD
If you have questions or would like more information Contact:
- Jennifer Nakayama, Graduate Coordinator about the PhD Program and admissions to the MSW+PhD and PhD. You can also request individual zoom meetings to learn more about the program.
- See the MSW Program. For more information about the MSW Program.
- See Graduate and Professional Admissions Contact US for questions regarding the on-line application process and transcripts.
- See Graduate and Professional Admissions to apply and for information about the application process.
The Application process is complex and involves many components. To help keep the process organized, we recommend the following three practices.
First create a checklist or spreadsheet that includes the following:
- List of all items required for submission. You might want to breakdown letters and transcripts by person and institution or degree respectively.
- Date submitted
- How or to whom submitted
- Application item details and additional notes.
Second, label your documents appropriately. Put the application component and your name as part of the file name (e.g. Resume – Betty Buckeye AU26). In the document itself, create a header or footer with your name and program on every page (e.g. Betty Buckeye MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s).
Third, where possible keep a copy of all items submitted.
MSW+PhD applicants must apply via the PhD Program. You will be reviewed for both programs. You do not need to apply for the MSW separately. Those either not eligible for (not reviewed) or not admitted (reviewed, but not admitted) to the PhD program will be referred to MSW Admissions.
There are two types of MSW+PhD applications: 1) MSW+PhD from the master’s; and 2) MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s. Those whose highest degree by the start of Autumn semester is a bachelor’s must have a 3.5 combined undergraduate GPA and a B- or higher in research methods and a B- or higher in statistics.
The MSW+PhD is in-person and offers either the Traditional or Advanced Standing option pending eligibility requirements. Other applicants should apply to the MSW, complete the MSW, and when ready apply to the PhD.
MSW+PhD applicants must submit an MSW statement (Part 1) as well as PhD statement (Part 2). MSW+PhD applicants pursuing the Advanced Standing program must meet qualifications and submit either a Field Evaluation or 4th letter of recommendation summarizing your performance in Field.
Please see the Graduate and Professional Admissions website for International Applicant Information.
All PhD and MSW+PhD applicants must apply to the Social Work Doctor of Philosophy. If you have ever been a Graduate Student at Ohio State or are currently a Graduate Student at Ohio State, please see “Other Considerations” and select “Intra-University Transfer”. Please follow all policies and application instructions on the Graduate and Professional Admissions website.
Your College of Social Work Admission and Funding Application requests information that is not requested on the Ohio State Graduate and Professional Admissions on-line application form and helps us to consider your application for the correct program and funding resources. Please create a (Word) document for the purpose of responding to the below questions. When ready, you will upload this document as “Departmental Application.”
To get started, create a file following this naming convention: Departmental Application – Last Name, First Name. Within the document create a header or footer following this pattern: Last Name, First Name – Program (MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s) – year (2026). Provide the question number and prompt in boldface as well as your brief response. Brief, but complete answers are best.
Part 1: College of Social Work Admission Application
- Name:
- Email address:
- Program: (list one – FT PhD, PT PhD, MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s, or MSW+PhD from the master’s)
- MSW Program option (if applying to the MSW+PhD program, choose one -Traditional MSW, ASAP
- ASAP eligibility – I meet all ASAP eligibility requirements. (NOTE: If you don’t meet the requirements and are applying for the MSW+PhD, change your application to Traditional. If you are applying to the PhD or MSW+PhD Traditional option, respond: not applicable or n/a.)
- Combined undergraduate GPA (for MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s applicants – 3.5 or higher is required; all other applicants can respond “not applicable” or “n/a”.)
- MSW? – Indicate what your status is or will be by the Autumn semester that you are applying to. “I have an MSW from (Institution name)” or “I do not have an MSW” or “I am currently enrolled in Ohio State University’s MSW program”.
- Three potential Faculty Mentors – College of Social Work faculty members will serve as your Graduate Associate supervisor (for those who apply for funding) and will serve on your candidacy and dissertation committees. List three College of Social Work faculty members whose interests overlap with yours and who you think could potentially serve as your mentors. In your personal statement, also provide a rationale for your choice.
- Faculty Name
- Faculty Name
- Faculty Name
- Three Areas of Interest – List up to three areas of interest you would like to consider for your work in the PhD Program. Please limit your response to one line per area of interest.
- Area of interest
- Area of interest
- Area of interest
- Post-Secondary Research Methods and/or Statistics Courses – Provide the information as in the following example. Include grades if applying for the MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s
Post-Secondary Research Methods and/or Statistics Courses Year and term Institution Course number and name 2023 Autumn Ohio State University SOCWORK 8408: Statistics 1 for Social Work Research Post-Secondary Research Methods and/or Statistics Courses
Part 2: College of Social Work Funding
Choose one of the options or respond briefly to the following questions.
- Name:
- Email:
- Phone:
- Ohio Residency – Ohio Resident; Non-Resident
- US Citizenship – US Citizen; US Permanent Resident; F1 Visa
- MSW? – (by Autumn semester) – I have an MSW; I do not have an MSW.
- Other Employment – Please indicate any other anticipated funding or employment and provide details such as employer/funder, hours working per week, etc.
- Languages – List any languages in addition to English in which you could conduct research.
- Subfields or Populations – List any social work subfields or populations of interest.
- Research Experience – Describe your research experience (e.g. coding data, conducting interviews, analyzing data).
- Software – List computer software that you have used and describe your level of knowledge or skill related to that software.
Please submit a Resume or CV. If the file size is limited, reduce your CV to two pages.
The statement(s) are the focal point of your application and tie together all other documents submitted. The statement provides the admissions committee with insight into your qualifications and reason for pursuing the PhD or the MSW+PhD.
PhD Applicants need only complete the PhD Background and Professional Goals Statement.
MSW+PhD applicants not currently enrolled in Ohio State University’s MSW program should complete both the MSW and the PhD statements and combine them into one document. Please label the MSW statement as: “Part 1 – MSW” and the PhD statement as: “Part 2 – PhD”. Please follow the prompts and guidelines for each statement.
Please follow the below format requirements:
- 12pt font
- 4-5 pages for Part 1 MSW (for MSW+PhD applicants)
- 6 pages for Part 2 PhD or the PhD statement – be detailed and concise
- Your name and program (FT PhD, PT PhD, MSW+PhD from the master’s, MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s) on the header or footer of each page.
Please use a formal writing style and provide headers for the following prompts.
-
Engagement
When choosing a career plan and graduate program, one should make sure that the core values of the profession and program align with their core values. Please address the following questions:
- What is the reason you want to pursue a Master’s level degree in Social Work? Please discuss your knowledge, understanding, and motivation for pursuing your MSW. This response could also include but is not limited to volunteer/work experience.
- Why is the MSW Program at Ohio State the ideal program for you?
-
Balance:
The MSW Program at Ohio State has a classroom and field education component. To be successful in the MSW Program, students must be able to balance rigorous coursework and clinical field placement responsibilities with their own personal and professional commitments. MSW I students are required to complete 224 hours in their foundation field practicum hours and MSW II/ASAP students must complete 672 hours for their advanced field practicum hours. Based upon this information, please discuss the following:
- Why you are applying to the specific sub plan (Online vs. on-campus (on-campus only for MSW+PhD applicants); advanced standing vs. traditional; part-time vs. full-time) and why you feel it is a good fit for you.
- Describe strategies you use to manage multiple commitments and related stress.
- Provide a concrete example of how you use your time and stress management skills
- How will these skills allow you to be successful in the MSW Program?
-
Implicit Bias and Working Across Difference:
Social Workers commonly work with individuals, groups and communities of which they are not a member. We all may have implicit biases, i.e., a negative attitude, of which we are not consciously aware, based on learned associations between particular qualities and social categories. As a result, it is important for Social Workers to address any personal biases that will impact their ability to effectively work with people with a wide variety of lived experiences.
- Describe a time you had to work through a personal bias that you held. What was the outcome?
- How do plan to address any personal biases?
-
Human Rights:
The National Association of Social Workers identifies Social Justice as one their six core values. As a result, Social Workers are challenged to advocate for social justice for vulnerable populations.
- As a Social Worker, how do you envision embracing this core value?
- Write about a social justice issue you are passionate about and describe why the issue resonates with you?
-
Academic* (Required only if cumulative GPA is below a 3.00):
Describe what contributed to your academic challenges in your previous education and what measures you will take to be successful in the Master of Social Work program.
-
Evaluation and Research Interests:
(MSW+PhD applicants, for your response, indicate that this information will be included in your PhD statement.)
Describe any research experience and related interests. Summarize any achievements and/or honors you have received related to academics and/or community service.
When writing your PhD statement, follow the below instructions specific to the PhD statement.
- Your statement should be written in essay format, rather than as responses to questions as we want to see how well you write and synthesize information.
- In your essay be sure that you have included information requested in each of the prompts.
- In your introductory paragraph or sentence, state your name and indicate the specific program that you are applying to: FT PhD, PT PhD, MSW+PhD from the master’s, MSW+PhD from the bachelor’s.
Statement prompts:
-
Background – Undergraduate and graduate education; relevant social work employment and related practice experience, and professional activities.
Please provide a succinct summary of your background including undergraduate and graduate education, relevant social work employment and related practice experience, and professional activities. If you do not have a social work background, please describe employment, volunteer or professional experiences that support your application to the PhD.
-
Reasons for pursuing a PhD in the field of social work and how the degree fits into your career goals as a social work researcher and educator.
The PhD program in the College of Social Work prepares students to be researchers and educators, either as faculty members at universities or in research positions in the public and private sectors. Please tell us how a PhD from our program fits into your career goals.
-
Specific research interests and focus as well as potential contributions of your research to social work.
Although students’ research interests evolve while they are in the PhD program, we would like to hear what your current research interests are. What population are you interested in studying? (e.g. age group, problem area, settings, aspect of mental, physical, or developmental well-being). Are you interested in societal-level, organizational-level, and/or individual-level issues? What area of social work practice do you hope to improve through your future research? Your interests should be focused (e.g. “mental health needs of homeless adolescents” instead of “adolescents”).
-
Detailed description of your research experiences and training including specific research-related activities on research projects to which you have contributed.
To be successful in our PhD program, students should have an idea of what social work research is and whether they want to do research as part of their career. While the PhD program does not expect applicants to be proficient in research skills, we look for applicants who have had some research-related experience. Please be specific about your research experiences. What projects did you work on? In what setting did you do research? What specifically was your role? What specific research tasks were you responsible for? What quantitative or qualitative methods did you use?
If you do not have prior research experience, please provide your rationale for why you are prepared to become a researcher.
-
Information on research methods and statistics courses that you have taken.
The PhD curriculum includes required research methods and statistics courses. We look for applicants who have had at least some experience with statistics, either as part of research activity or coursework. Please tell us about any math, statistics, or research method courses that you have taken as well as other research experiences you have had. Are you prepared to take research methods or statistics method courses?
If you have not taken any research methods or statistics course, please provide your rationale for why you expect to do well in those courses.
-
Details of your scholarly and professional works including a thesis and/or other published or unpublished writings.
Professional writing is an important skill for researchers and academics because of expectations regarding the publication of scholarly articles and the generation of research reports. Please tell us about any experience you have with scholarly or professional writing.
If you do not have any experience with scholarly or professional writing, please provide a rationale for why you are prepared to undertake scholarly writing.
-
Identify and provide a rationale for potential College of Social Work faculty mentors who can support your research interests.
Working with faculty mentors in your area of research focus is a significant part of doctoral education. Faculty members also serve as supervisors of your graduate research associateship as well as candidacy and dissertation committees. Please look at the Ohio State University College of Social Work website and identify one or more faculty who are doing research in your areas of interest and can be potential mentors. Provide your rationale for identifying these faculty members as your potential mentors.
-
Reasons for pursuing the PhD in Social Work at The Ohio State University.
There are many social work PhD programs in the country. After looking at the College of Social Work website or talking to others who know about our program, what characteristics of our program make you interested in pursuing your PhD in Social Work at Ohio State University?
-
Potential contribution to human well-being across the US and world populations through research based on your social work professional or volunteer experiences, and/or research focus.
NASW provides a Code of Ethics for the social work profession, which includes social justice. As such, social work research abides by our professional Code of Ethics. Social work encourages community-engaged research activities that promote NASW ethical standards and contribute to the well-being of people from a variety of backgrounds, life experiences, and circumstances. Please tell us about how your social work professional or volunteer experiences, interests, and research would contribute to improving the lives of people from a variety of backgrounds, life experiences, and circumstances.
The writing sample that you select should demonstrate your ability to write and think analytically. The sample should be written solely by you. A research paper or academic writing is preferred. You may submit a sample from your previous coursework or employment or write a paper for this purpose.
The GRE is not required for Social Work. If submitted to Ohio State University, scores will be visible to reviewers.
International applicants should follow the requirements for English testing or exemptions on the Graduate and Professional Admissions International Additional Requirements to Apply website page.
The submission of Letters of Recommendation is governed and managed by Graduate and Professional Admissions. Please see Prepare Required Materials and scroll to the Letters of Recommendation section including the Letters of Recommendation FAQs.
The PhD and MSW+PhD require three letters of recommendation. These letters should be formal and preferably on letterhead stationery. Recommenders should have a background that is appropriate for addressing your suitability in the PhD (research focus) or the MSW+PhD (practice and research focus).
ASAP applicants who are unable to submit a Field Evaluation, may submit a fourth letter of recommendation from your field practicum instructor.
MSW+PhD applicants who are applying for the ASAP program must submit a copy of your field practicum evaluation or learning agreement. A fourth letter of recommendation from your field practicum instructor may be used in place of this evaluation.
The submission and evaluation of transcripts is governed and managed by Graduate and Professional Admissions. Please see their Transcripts webpage for requirements and submission procedures.
If you are a current or former graduate student at Ohio State University, you need to submit only transcripts not currently on file. Please check with your former department and/or Jennifer Nakayama of the PhD Program to ask which transcripts are still on file. Transcripts or updated transcripts are required for any coursework taken after your last submission of transcripts.