| Frequently Asked Questions
What
is the difference between the Master's in Social Work
(MS) program at Columbia and the doctoral (Ph.D.)
program?
The MSW program is the entry-level graduate degree
for those students who plan to become practitioners
providing direct social work services to client populations,
performing agency-based administrative, advocacy or
policy functions. The majority of our MSW graduates
go on to provide their services in an agency-based
setting. By contrast, the doctoral program is primarily
designed to train researchers and scholars in social
work and social welfare who will contribute to knowledge
development advancing work of the profession and its
practitioners.
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What
types of careers do your program's graduates pursue?
The majority of the doctoral program's graduates accept
positions conducting research and/or teaching in universities
and research institutions throughout the world. Other
graduates choose to join governmental organizations
or think thanks that conduct relevant social policy
research and analysis. A few opt to re-enter the social
services field in an executive capacity. All said,
the current job market for the social work student
with a doctorate is excellent -- there are diverse
opportunities and many of them.
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What
are the basic requirements for entering the doctoral
program?
Applicants to the CUSSW Doctoral Program must meet
the following requirements:
- Attainment of a Masters degree in social work or, in exceptional circumstances, a related discipline.
- Excellent undergraduate and graduate academic records
- Demonstrated competence to undertake independent
research
- Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination
- For those applying to the Advanced Practice
method, a minimum of two years of post-Masters direct
practice experience is strongly preferred.
Further admissions information and downloadable admissions
materials may be found at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/phdprogram/admissions/index.html
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Do
you accept part-time students? What about students
wishing to take courses on a non-matriculated basis?
Unfortunately, we do not accept part-time students.
The doctoral program's graduation requirements are
both demanding and time-consuming, requiring students
to devote nearly two years full-time to the program's
coursework alone, followed by work on the dissertation.
There are two courses that students may take on a
non-matriculated basis -- a course on the history
and philosophy of social welfare, and an introductory
methods course. Please contact the doctoral program
if you would be interested in receiving a non-matriculated
student application. Applicants should be aware that
there is no financial aid available to non-matriculated
students.
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What
materials must be submitted with the application?
All of the following:
- A completed general application
form
- A personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
(at least two of which must be from persons who
are well-acquainted with your academic work)
- Transcripts from all undergraduate
and graduate schools you have attended
- GRE scores
- TOEFL scores for international
students whose native language is not English.
- TSE scores
(The Test of Spoken English) for international students
whose native language is not English are strongly recommended.
- Writing sample of no more than
25 pages (optional)
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Who is required to take the
TOEFL or TSE?
All international students whose native language is
not English must take the TOEFL, with the exception
of students who earned their Master's degree at an
institution in an English-speaking country. The TSE test is also encouraged. If you
are uncertain about whether or not you need to take
these tests, please contact us.
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What
are your minimum scores required on the GRE?
The doctoral program does not employ a minimum "cut-off"
score on the GRE. Instead, our admissions committee
uses the GRE as one useful tool among many to evaluate
each applicant. A student's personal statement, references,
and academic transcripts are also crucial determining
a candidate's potential for admission. However, it
goes without saying that a strong score does strengthen
your application.
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I
have taken high-level graduate courses in social work
(or a related discipline) from another school. Is
there a possibility that I can transfer these credits
toward the Columbia program?
Because of the specialized nature of our curriculum,
we only waive introductory level statistics and research
courses. To waive a class, you must submit a syllabus
from the equivalent class you have taken and discuss
waiving with the Columbia professor teaching the course.
There are other scenarios in which certain courses
might be waived, but this is dependent on your particular
academic background and experience. To find out if
you might qualify for additional transfer credits,
please contact the doctoral program for more information.
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When is the application
due?
All admissions materials (including test scores, transcripts
and recommendations) must be postmarked by January
2. Late applications will not be accepted.
Early submissions are encouraged.
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How much does it
cost to apply?
Paper-based applications require a fee of $225. Online applications require a fee of $65. For more information on the online application, see:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/phdprogram/admissions/apply.html
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How can I
be sure that all my application materials have
been received?
We thoroughly account for all the admissions materials that arrive for each applicant. If something from your application is missing, we will either call or e-mail you in order to let you know what we need. You will receive one notification of missing materials, after which point you will be wholly responsible for following up on missing items.
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Is it possible to send in my application materials
in several installments?
Applicants should be aware of the fact that we will
not process incomplete applications. Until all of
the above-mentioned components of the application
are received, your application will not move on to
the admissions committee. We suggest that you send
all the materials you can in one mailing, so that
the time it takes to process your application is significantly
lessened. Remember that you will have to rely upon
outside sources for portions of your application.
Therefore, we strongly advise that you take the GRE
and ask for your recommendations well in advance of
applying to the program.
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When
should I expect to hear about my admissions decision?
You should expect to hear from us sometime in March
or early April. The specific date varies from year
to year because the number of applicants differs.
Be assured, however, that we will inform you of your
decision in as timely a manner as possible.
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What
financial aid is available to students?
The Doctoral Program offers competitive funding packages
to accepted students requesting financial aid. The
funding packages available directly from the doctoral
program can include partial to full tuition remission
and competitively set living stipends. In addition,
students may be eligible for a variety of grants and
scholarships, research and teaching assistantships.
Among the most prestigious of these awards offered
at Columbia are mental health services research traineeships
with funding from the National Institute of Mental
Health, and minority fellowships offered by the Council
on Social Work Education. Applicants to the program
should be advised that there is no formal financial
aid form to complete, but that they should indicate
on their applications that they wish to be considered
for financial aid from the doctoral program. International
students should be aware that funding is normally
prioritized for domestic students.
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How
hard is it to get into the program?
Each year, we attract a very strong pool of applicants
with diverse talents and research interests. Unfortunately,
the number of quality applications invariably exceeds
the number of available spots that we have in the
incoming cohort, and our applicant pool has become
increasingly competitive over the last several years.
Although each year's applicant pool is unique, we
continually work to recruit the most academically
promising, diverse and well-rounded cohort possible.
We encourage you to apply and wish you the best as
you contemplate your decisions regarding your doctoral
education.
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Where should
I direct my other questions about the doctoral
program?
If you have any additional questions, feel free to
contact the doctoral office.
We'll be glad to help.
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