PhD Qualifications

LauraEllen Ashcraft

Prospective students must demonstrate the potential for doctoral studies. All applicants to the PhD Program in Social Work must provide the following:

  • Completion of the PhD Application.
  • Official copies of all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
  • Personal Statement: Why you are applying for a PhD in Social Work at Pitt and what do you see yourself doing after completion? What are your research interests and how did you develop them? What relevant skills/experiences do you have, and how will these contribute to your development as a researcher/education? What experiences do you have working with people with backgrounds and experiences different from your own? Are there specific faculty with whom you’d like to work?
  • Writing sample: Please provide a writing sample that is solely authored by you. You may choose anything that will show us that you can write clearly and coherently about topics relevant to social work, ideally, research topics relevant to social work. Your writing sample should be approximately ten to fifteen pages.
  • Three letters of reference from professors and others who have known the applicant in a professional capacity. Do not include personal references.
  • The $50 application fee is waived for fall 2024 applicants. 

Apply to the School of Social Work PhD Program

Please use the above link and follow GradCAS guidelines for sending official transcripts. Please contact the admissions office if you are experiencing difficulty.

The doctoral program is strongly committed to a policy of equal educational opportunity for people of all races, ethnic origins, genders, religions, sexualities, abilities, nationalities, and backgrounds.