Social Work: Doctoral

Elizabeth Palley, JD, PhD
Director of PhD Program
Social Work Building, Room 349
p – 516.877.4441
e – palley@adelphi.edu

https://socialwork.adelphi.edu/academics/phd-program/

Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a Master of Social Work degree with a grade-point average of at least 3.3; three years of successful post-M.S.W. professional experience; and evidence of capacity to engage in doctoral study. Promising candidates are interviewed by a member of the doctoral faculty.

Exceptions to these requirements will be considered when applicants demonstrate equivalent attainments or compensating strengths—for example, an applicant who has not yet completed three years of post-master’s professional experience but has made a contribution to social work knowledge in professional publications. Applicants who do not fulfill the typical admission requirement may be required to complete additional course work beyond the 51 credit hours.

The School of Social Work considers the following criteria when evaluating applicants for acceptance into the doctoral programs:

Intellectual capacity
General professional competence
Knowledge of critical issues in social work
Strength of commitment to doctoral study
Adequacy of plans for financing doctoral study
General capability (e.g., time) to pursue research on a doctoral level
A high score on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of international students to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in language skills to engage in doctoral study.

Application Procedure

Applicants for admission should:

Secure and fill out the “Application for Admission to Graduate Studies” form;
Arrange for three letters of reference, using the provided forms, and send them to the Office of Graduate Admissions (see below);
The personal statement should addressed these areas (a) educational background and professional experience, to support your application (b) substantive area[s] of interest for research, evaluation, and/or teaching, (c) career plans, including how a doctorate in social work supports the achievement of these goals. Applicants are encouraged to use these headings in their essay. The personal statement should be no longer than 4 [four] double-spaced pages, with once inch margins and a 12-pt font;
Include an example of scholarly writing. This sample may include a scholarly publication, grant proposal, a conceptual paper, or a written assignment for a Master’s ;
Include the required, nonrefundable application fee ($50) in the form of a check or money order made payable to Adelphi University;
Ensure that complete application packet is submitted by April 15 for consideration for Fall admission;
Mail the completed application form, personal essay, professional samples, and application fee in the return envelope provided with the application form to:

Office of Graduate Admissions,
Adelphi University, Levermore Hall
1 South Avenue
P.O. Box 701 Garden City, New York 11530-0107

When the application is complete (all the above items have been received), the director of the doctoral program will communicate with promising applicants to set up an admissions interview with a member of the doctoral faculty on Adelphi’s Garden City campus.

Programs

Social Work, Ph.D.