Instructions: Application to the PhD

Application Due Dates

• December 30 – All applicants; Domestic

applicants seeking Fellowships

• November 30 – International applicants

seeking fellowships

Summary list of Application Materials

• Ohio State Graduate Application or

Transfer of Graduate program

application/form.

• Application Cover Sheet

• Resume or CV

• Personal Statement

• Academic or Professional Writing

Sample

• GRE Scores

• TOEFL Scores (International applicants)

• Three Letters of Recommendation

• Transcripts from all post-secondary

institutions attended

• PhD Student Funding application for

those seeking funding

Which Application Should I Use?

If you have never been a graduate student at

Ohio State, you should submit an Ohio State

Graduate Application.

If you have been a graduate student at Ohio

State use the Transfer of Graduate Program

Application.

Ohio State Graduate Application

To apply via this method go to the Graduate and

Professional Admissions website,

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/index.html Select

“Find your program”; select “Social Work” then

“Doctor of Philosophy”; select the “Apply” tab

and then select “Apply” and follow the

instructions.

Be prepared to pay your application fee when

applying.

Also, have the information you will need for your

application as well as your application

documents ready. You will be able to upload

these documents at this time.

Transfer of Graduate Program

Follow the instructions for new Graduate

Students through selecting “Apply”. Read the

information on the link and select either “current

or recent Ohio State student” or “former Ohio

State student”; then select “Graduate Intra-

University Transfer” and fill in the term and

campus, e.g. Autumn 2020 Columbus. Follow

the prompts and instructions.

Uploading Documents

It is recommended that you upload all of your

documents when completing the on-line

2 | Page

Instructions: Application to the PhD in Social Work, The Ohio State University

application. However, if you weren’t able to do

so, you may use the Admissions Uploader

located on the “Contact Us” page of the

Graduate and Professional Admissions website -

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/help/contact-

us.html

Questions about the On-line Application

Graduate and Professional Admissions manages

the on-line application system. Please direct

your questions about this system to them.

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/help/contact-

us.html

Direct questions about your application

materials to the PhD Program Office.

Identify Your Documents

Please be sure that every document you submit

has your name on it somewhere and follow

document identification instructions for specific

documents. This will help us to keep your

documents with your application.

Application Cover Sheet

The Application Cover Sheet is for administrative

purposes only and will help us to keep all of

your application materials together and review

your application for the correct program. You

can find this and other forms and links at the

bottom of the “How to Apply” page -

https://csw.osu.edu/degrees-

programs/phd/how-to-apply/

Resume

You may submit a resume or CV. Your resume or

CV should contain current email and phone

contact information.

Background and Professional Goals

Statement

The Background and Professional Goals

Statement ties together your application and

provides the admission committee with insight

into your qualifications and reason for pursuing

the PhD. It is given considerable weight and

should be prepared with great care.

Format:

• Double-spaced and typed

• 5 or fewer pages

• Your name and program (Full-time PhD or

Part-time PhD) on the header or footer of

each page

Content:

• Indicate the specific program that you are

applying to in your introductory paragraph

or sentence. Program options are:

o Full-time PhD

o Part-time PhD

• Background – Undergraduate and graduate

education; relevant employment, and

professional activities

• Specific interests in social work and/or other

disciplines

• Research experience, including thesis and

other published or unpublished writings

• Research interests and contributions your

research will make to social work

• Reasons for pursuing the PhD in the field of

social work and how the degree fits into

your career goals

• Reasons for pursuing the PhD in Social Work

at The Ohio State University

Writing Sample

• Written solely by you

• Demonstrates your ability to write and think

analytically

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Instructions: Application to the PhD in Social Work, The Ohio State University

• Reflects your highest level of research to

date

• Format: Include your name and Program

(Full-time PhD or Part-time PhD) on the

header and footer of each page.

Three Letters of Recommendation

• Letters of Recommendation should be

submitted via the on-line application. Have

your recommender’s email address

available and follow the prompts for listing

your recommenders.

• If you were not able to use the on-line

recommendation, your recommenders

should submit the “paper” reference form

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/pdf/refer.pdf

and letter directly to the PhD Program Office

(nakayama.7@osu.edu)

• Whether the recommender completes the

form on-line or via “paper”, the attached

letters should be formal and preferably on

letterhead stationery.

• Recommenders should be graduate or

undergraduate faculty members with a PhD

who can address your suitability for the PhD

program and a research career.

• As the applicant, you are responsible for

obtaining references and confirming that

forms and letters are sent and received.

Transcripts

• An official transcript from each post-

secondary institution attended is required

by Ohio State.

• For review purposes, copies of official

transcripts can be uploaded with your

application. You can also upload them later

using the Admissions Uploader. See

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/help/contact-

us.html

• Official final transcripts will be requested

upon admission and are required for

enrollment. Official transcripts are those

sent directly to Ohio State from your degree

institution.

• If you are a current or former Ohio State

MSW or other graduate student, you need to

submit only transcripts not currently on file.

Please check with that department and the

PhD program office to find out which

transcripts are on file.

• As the applicant, you are responsible to

make sure that transcripts from each post-

secondary institution that you have attended

are submitted and received.

GPA

• The Graduate School requires a GPA of 3.0

or higher for all graduate applicants for their

“last degree relevant to the program of

study earned.” (Graduate School Handbook

2.2). For the PhD Program, this excludes an

Associate’s degree.

• If your cumulative undergraduate GPA is

below 3.0, but you think you would

otherwise be a competitive applicant and

would like to apply, please contact the PhD

program.

4 | Page

Instructions: Application to the PhD in Social Work, The Ohio State University

GRE

• The GRE is required for all applicants

• Target GRE scores:

o Verbal - 40

percentile or higher;

o Quantitative – 40

percentile or

higher

o Writing – 3. 5 or higher.

• Tests should be no older than 5 years

• Codes:

o Ohio State – 1592

o Social Work - 5001

• For more information see:

http://www.ets.org/gre/

TOEFL/English Proficiency for International

Student Admission

Please follow Ohio State’s requirements. See

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/intl/english-

proficiency.html

PhD Student Funding Application

This application is required if you wish to be

considered for College of Social Work funding.

Students must be full-time in order to hold a

Graduate Associate (GA) position at Ohio State.

Forms

Links to forms can be found on the “How to

Apply” section of the Social Work PhD website -

http://csw.osu.edu/degrees-programs/phd/how-

to-apply/

Graduate Admissions Forms and information can

be found on the Graduate and Professional

Admissions website -

http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/index.html

Jennifer Nakayama – naka[email protected]u or

614-292-6188

http://csw.osu.edu/degrees-programs/phd/

College of Social Work

PhD Program Office 1947 College Road

Columbus, OH 43210

5 | Page

Instructions: Application to the PhD in Social Work, The Ohio State University

College of Social Work PhD FT and PT Application Check Sheet

Use this sheet or create your own to track your application submission progress.

Item

Date

Submitted

How Or To Whom

Submitted

Notes And Item Details

☐ Cover Sheet

☐ Resume

☐ Background And Professional

Goals Statement

☐ Writing Sample

☐ Letter Of Recommendation 1

Name of Recommender:

☐ Letter Of Recommendation 2

Name of Recommender:

☐ L

etter Of Recommendation 3 Name of Recommender:

☐

Undergraduate Transcripts School(s); name on

transcript(s)

☐ Graduate Transcripts

School(s); name on

transcript(s)

☐ GRE

Via GRE directly to

OSU

☐ TOEFL (International)

Via TOEFL directly

to OSU

☐ PhD Student Funding (GA)

Application

☐ Misc.