About PhD Program,
Thank you for your interest in the Ph.D. Program in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington! Your passion for research and education will find good support in our Ph.D. program, which prepares graduates to advance the social work knowledge base by engaging in meaningful and innovative research to address social problems. Our graduates become faculty members in universities around the world and take the lead in research, policy, and social work education for the purpose of promoting a just society.
Our Ph.D. students are from different countries and regions and exemplify diversity in their education and practice backgrounds.
Our students have extensive opportunities of having hands-on research experience in faculty’s research projects, such as those funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the National Institute for Transportation and Communities.
Our students publish in professional journals, present at academic conferences, and assist with the submission of external grants through a well-developed mentoring, training, and advising system.
Students are supported through a variety of development programs such as individual mentoring, writing and publication workshops, and teaching assistance workshops.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Our Ph.D. students are from different countries and regions and exemplify diversity in their education and practice backgrounds.
Our students have extensive opportunities of having hands-on research experience in faculty’s research projects, such as those funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the National Institute for Transportation and Communities.
Our students publish in professional journals, present at academic conferences, and assist with the submission of external grants through a well-developed mentoring, training, and advising system.
Students are supported through a variety of development programs such as individual mentoring, writing and publication workshops, and teaching assistance workshops.
- A Master’s Degree:
- Master’s Degree in Social Work
- Applicants who do not have a Master’s Degree in Social Work are expected to have work or volunteer experience in human services and complete an introductory social work course and diversity course prior to beginning the program.
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 minimum, on the last 60 hours as calculated by the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration
- Masters GPA of 3.4 minimum as calculated by the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration.
- 18 hours of Core coursework.
- The core coursework qualifying examination must be satisfactorily completed before progressing in the program.
- Six hours of Research Practicum.
- Six hours electives selected from relevant graduate courses offered outside the School of Social Work.
 PhD Funding Coverage,
The Social Work doctoral program provides full-time incoming doctoral students with a multi-year funding package that should fund much of your graduate career at the University of Texas at Arlington. We combine fellowship awards, stipends for graduate assistants and graduate teaching assistantships and tuition to offer students three years of funding. Students may also apply for other funding from sources within and outside of the university. You may also fill out a FAFSA and apply for federal aid through the Office of Financial Aid.
Application Requirement,
All Admission Application Forms can be found at the ApplyUTA website. More information on applying to the UTA Graduate School can be found on the Admissions website. Your application to the Social Work PhD Program cannot be reviewed until the appropriate form below has been completed.
- Based on your situation, complete one of the appropriate online forms below to apply to the Graduate School at UTA. How you complete this application depends on where you received your master’s degree.
- If you graduated with a master’s degree from a university other than UT Arlington, you must complete the online Application for Admission form at https://www.uta.edu/admissions/apply/graduate.
Applications for Fall 2025 will be available starting mid-summer 2024. - If you already earned a master’s degree from UT Arlington, you will need to complete the online Application for Readmission Form.
- If you are currently a UTA master’s student and will graduate from UTA during the upcoming spring or summer semester, you will need to fill out the Request to Change Graduate Program Form.
- Request that your transcripts for all graduate and undergraduate programs be sent directly to the UTA Office of Admissions, Records and Registration. For more information on how to submit official transcripts, go to https://www.uta.edu/admissions/apply/submitting-transcripts.
- Three Professional References will be submitted through the ApplyUTA
- It is best to select people who can speak to your ability to succeed in a PhD program. Many people get letters from former professors or people they have worked with on research-related projects. If you do not have these available, it is best to seek references from someone who understands doctoral education. This is not a personal reference.
- You are encouraged to discuss your goals and experiences with your references to help them decide what to include in the letter they will write for you.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)– What’s the difference between a resume and CV?
- Sample of Written Work
- If English is not the applicant’s first language, a minimum TOEFL iBT total score of 90 with a writing sectional score of at least 23 must be submitted.
- An interview will be conducted with applicants meeting the basic admission criteria above.
Application Deadline,
Jan 15, 2025
Application Fee,
Application Fee, is $90.00
