Ph. D. Admissions Requirements
Early application is strongly encouraged as the number of new students admitted each year is limited, and the admissions process is competitive. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $100.00. Incomplete applications, including those without the required fee, will not be reviewed.
To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. Program applicants must:
1. Hold a master’s degree in social work (M.S.W.) from a CSWE-accredited program.
Applicants holding graduate degrees in related fields may be considered, but if admitted, non-M.S.W.s must complete (with grades of B or above) six (6) credit hours of a M.S.W. independent study which will include the 7-week M.S.W. foundation modules of HBSE, Policy, and Practice. This can be done prior to (or concurrent with) doctoral course enrollment.
2. Have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or better (4.0 scale) in all previous graduate study. Applicants whose GPA is below 3.5, but who have demonstrated excellence in other areas of the application, may be considered. We will calculate your GPA based on your transcripts.
3. Submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE). You must have official test scores sent directly to the school. Test scores should not be more than five(5) years old. The University of Houston's institutional code for the GRE is 6870, and the social work code is 5001. For information about the GRE, call the Educational Testing Service at 1-800-537-3160 or check the UH Learning and Assessment Services website (http://las.uh.edu/uts/).
4. Submit a minimum of three, but not more than five, letters of recommendation from persons who are familiar with your competencies and your potential for doctoral education. At least two (2) letters must be from tenure track faculty with a doctorate degree (i.e., current and/or former graduate level professors).
5. Submit a current vita and a written narrative statement that describes your academic and employment histories, and your interest in the Ph.D. Program. Applicants with at least two years full-time post M.S.W. practice experience should highlight their area of expertise. Non-M.S.W. applicants are expected to have at least two years paid social service experience under the supervision of an L.M.S.W. (or equivalent).
6. Submit samples of publications, papers, or other materials reflecting your academic and research excellence.
7. Demonstrate competence in Statistics. This is a required statistics prerequisite for
accepted students. If you are accepted to the doctoral program, the statistics requirement must be completed prior to course enrollment. You may meet this requirement in the following ways:
a. If, within three years prior to application, you have taken and passed (with grade
of B or above) a graduate level statistics course. The course and grade must be included on an official transcript.
b. You may take a graduate level statistics course which must be approved by our doctoral faculty during the summer prior to enrollment. You must received a grade of B or above.
An admissions interview (in-person or by phone) may be requested at the discretion of the Doctoral Committee.
Note: Proficiency in English. Any student, prior to admission or during their course of study, may be required to demonstrate English proficiency through submission of a satisfactory score on a test designated by the Associate Dean of the college. Students whose written or spoken English skills appear to be marginal (i.e., they may impede academic success and/or reflect communication problems) may be required to seek instruction outside the college.
