Application Materials

1. Unofficial transcripts from all higher education institutions attended.
2. Employment history (resume or vita)
3. Personal statement
4. Two reference letters with cover letter attached for each reference. Please exclude personal, pastoral and relative references. If you graduated within the past 5 years, you must provide at least one academic reference.

Personal Statement

The personal statement (no more than 5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font) should include the following:

• Why are you interested in pursuing a DSW?
  • Articulate why you are pursuing a DSW versus a PhD?  Why now, at this stage in your career?  What concentration area are you interested in (i.e., administration and leadership, clinical social work, or military behavioral health)?  What impact do you expect on your career and on social work practice?
• How will your practice experience inform your DSW education?
  • Describe salient points of your practice experience, your current area of practice expertise and/or interest, and how they will support your education as an advanced practitioner. 
• Identify characteristics, circumstances, or challenges that could enhance or limit your success in pursuing a DSW.
• Specify a practice problem or challenge that you would like to focus on as part of the DSW program curriculum.  Your discussion should demonstrate critical thinking about social work practice, a basic understanding of the practice problem or challenge identified and reflect an interest in improving practice.

Your personal statement serves as a writing sample and should demonstrate critical thinking, graduate-level writing, and be formatted in APA style, including a title page and reference section (not included in the 5-page limit).

Admissions Requirements

1. Applicants should hold a Master of Social Work degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) with a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 (above a 3.5 is preferred).
2. Additionally, students should have sufficient information technology skills to be successful in an online doctoral program.
3. Finally, a minimum of two years social work/human service practice experience (preferably post-MSW) is strongly encouraged.

Application Deadlines

• Priority Deadline – March 1, 2024
• Deadline – April 15, 2024