About PhD Program,
Our PhD program prepares leaders in social work scholarship, research, and teaching. The curriculum addresses theory, research methods, and the critical evaluation of social work policies and practice.
Students in our PhD program benefit from small class sizes, a supportive learning environment and excellent resources. Located less than hour from the Birmingham metro area and surrounded by rural counties, UA’s School of Social Work is the destination for research focusing on the following areas:
- Matters of racial and social justice
- Disparities in health, mental health, services, and social policies
- Economic and social barriers
- Aging and end of life
- Child welfare/well-being
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Completion of an MSW degree is required to graduate from the PhD program. Students without an MSW are eligible to apply for the concurrent MSW/PhD program.
GRE scores are not required.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Students admitted to the PhD program are customarily provided with funding to support their studies for a minimum of three years—no additional application is necessary. That funding comes through assistantships, which cover tuition costs, a stipend of about $1,500 per month during the Fall and Spring semesters, and health insurance. Assistantship funding comes in exchange for about 20 hours of work per week as a research or teaching assistant.
We also nominate eligible students for competitive university fellowships and scholarships. Fellowship funding is very competitive and covers tuition, health insurance, and a stipend but does not require the student to be employed in a work assistantship.
Application Requirement,
- Graduate School application (preferred submission by Nov 1; application system is open until the February 1 deadline) o
- Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose form should provide a detailed and edited essay indicating the applicant’s research interests, reasons for pursuing the PhD degree in Social Work, and reasons that The University of Alabama’s program is appropriate given the applicant’s research goals and career goals.
- If the applicant does not have the MSW degree and is applying to complete the MSW and PhD concurrently, the essay must explain why the applicant believes that the PhD in Social Work is the appropriate degree, based on the applicant’s academic and professional background and research interests. The statement should be about five pages long. o
- Curriculum Vitae o
- Writing sample (sole-authored published paper, work report, class paper, etc.) o
- Transcripts – students can upload unofficial transcripts from each post-secondary institution to graduate application.
- Official transcripts are required upon admission and can be sent to grad.transcripts@ua.edu o
- Application fee o
- Three reference letters (to be submitted by references directly to application): The PhD Program Committee encourages applicants to obtain letters of reference from individuals who can knowledgeably discuss the applicant’s potential for scholarship and ability to succeed in a degree program emphasizing research. The Committee has found that letters of reference from those who have earned a PhD degree are especially helpful.
Application Deadline,
Feb 01, 2025
Application Fee,
Please refer official website
