Social Work Admissions and Application

The Ph.D. program admits students every other year. Our next admissions cycle will open in fall 2022 for a fall 2023 program start date. If you would like to be placed on a list to be notified when the application window opens in fall 2022, please email Ph.D. Program Director Anne Williford at anne.williford@colostate.edu.

Applicants must have the following:

• Master’s degree in social work or an allied discipline from an accredited institution
• A completed statistics course within two years prior to admission

Note: We will give preference to applicants who have an MSW. Further preference will be given to applicants who have an MSW and at least two full years of post-MSW professional practice experience.

Required Application Materials:
To be uploaded to the Graduate School’s online application during the application period:

• Resume
• Official transcripts from each post-high school institution attended. To be official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to CSU. If the transcripts are in a language other than English, we require that certified translations accompany the transcripts. (Exception: Colorado State University transcripts do not need to be sent).
• Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a former professor and speak to the applicant’s ability to succeed in the Ph.D. program. The letters must be uploaded directly from the person recommending you to the Graduate School application site. You provide CSU with the email addresses of those submitting recommendations, and CSU then sends those people instructions on submitting the recommendation.
• Personal Statement that addresses your practice background, your reason for pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work, your research interests, your interests in CSU’s School of Social Work, and your future goals. It should be between three to five pages double-spaced.

Also, please note:

• International Students are required to score 550 (paper-based) or 80 (internet-based) for TOEFL; 6.5 for IELTS; and 58 for PTE. Please refer to CSU’s Graduate School website for international students English proficiency FAQs.
• WICHE/WRPG If you live in the Western United States Region outside of Colorado, and would like to apply for in-state tuition with WICHE/WRPG, please refer to the applicable form within the Graduate School application.

Please note: application requirements may be subject to change by our department, the Graduate School, and/or the CSU Office of Admissions.