A complete application means that you have submitted your application form to the Graduate School online application system and they have received all required transcripts, applicable test scores and fees. The Graduate School, when indicating the application process is complete, does not assess whether applicants have submitted the appropriate program supplementary statements. It is the applicant’s responsibility to be sure all required items (listed below) are submitted. Be careful, the application cannot be edited or changed once submitted. Note that you are not required to upload documents into the “Statement #2”, “Extenuating Circumstances”, “Graduate Program Additional Application,” “Description of Research or Work Experience,” “Other Credentials”, “Upload 1” or “Upload 2” sections of the Graduate School application.

From online application system, click “Social Work (Twin Cities)” link toward the bottom of the left-hand column on your screen and complete form. Some questions will be required and, therefore, won’t allow you to submit an application without indicating an answer.  Note: Applicants must select Twin Cities Campus Social Work PhD for your proposed major and degree objective before “Social Work (Twin Cities)” will appear in the lower left column.

In the Applicant Statement section of the Graduate School online system, applicants have the opportunity to upload two documents referred to as Statement #1 and Statement #2. School of Social work applicants, however, need only complete the required Personal Statement that is described below. Applicants will then upload that entire document into the Graduate School application system in place of Statement #1 and ignore Statement #2.  Applicants should not respond to the questions provided by the Graduate School, but rather to the questions outlined below.

The School of Social Work Personal Statement consists of two sections to be answered in one document:

Section 1: Research Interests: It is very important that the admissions committee understands your interest in research in social work. Discuss the specific social work and social welfare problems or questions that you are interested in researching and explain how such research might contribute to knowledge in the field of social work/social welfare. The committee welcomes a broad variety of research problems or questions including those geared to helping the profession better meet the needs of a diverse society. In addition, please describe your past or present research training or experience and how you see research as part of your future career goals. Feel free to discuss any other aspects of your research interests that you would like the admissions committee to know about.

Section 2: Career Goals: The admissions committee is also interested in more general information about your career goals. In this section, please address the reasons for your interest in doctoral study, your overall career goals, how doctoral work relates to your future career goals, how research and teaching fit with your goals, and any additional information that you would like the admissions committee to consider when reviewing your application.

Please submit samples of scholarly writing (e.g., sole-authored publications, manuscripts, presentations prepared for professional conferences, course papers, etc.) that provide evidence of your ability to conceptualize effectively and communicate complex ideas and which demonstrate clarity, organization and the appropriate use of grammar and style. If co-authored materials are submitted, please attach a statement specifically describing your contributions to the work. Informal examples of writing such as newsletter articles or power point presentations are not acceptable writing samples.

Please attach a resume listing your paid and volunteer work experiences for at least the past five years or a time period that represents the breadth of your experiences appropriately. Include professional work experience, volunteer work, consulting, board or committee memberships, etc.

For each experience, include the following information in the order listed:

• Agency name or professional affiliation
• Agency address and phone
• Your position or role
• Supervisor’s name and title
• Status of the position as: paid, volunteer, internship, consultant and number of hours per week
• Start and end dates and total time in years and months
• Description of principal duties and responsibilities

In your resume you should also list publications, presentations, teaching experience, research experience, and any honors or awards.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Please select references who are able to comment on your potential for research and scholarly activity as well as the quality of your professional practice. Letters of recommendation from personal friends with whom you have not had a professional working/academic relationship carry little weight. At least one, if not two, of your letters should be from a former professor who is able to comment on your academic and research potential.

Please use the online system through the Graduate School application to identify your recommenders. We prefer that recommenders submit online, but they also have the option of mailing the recommendation to the School of Social Work by placing the letter in an envelope with a completed Applicant Recommendation Form (accessed by clicking “Downloadable Forms” within the Graduate School application). Send to: M.S.W. Admissions Office, 105 Peters Hall, 1404 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul MN 55108   Recommenders are asked to use the following special instructions when completing their letter: Please comment on the applicant’s most outstanding academic and professional characteristics and those in greatest need of development, applicant’s demonstration of creativity in work and independence in thinking, demonstrated written and oral communication skills, ability to work with and/or lead others, ability and sensitivity to work with diverse populations, ability to contribute to the knowledge base of social work through original research, and any other factors reviewers should consider. 

You must list on your online application each institution of higher learning from which you have earned credit. You must also submit transcripts or academic records for each of these institutions. This includes partial or incomplete transcripts.

Unofficial transcripts or academic records must be uploaded directly to the Graduate School online application. Please do not submit paper copies of this material because it will cause delays in your application processing. Click here for more detailed instructions. You will only be asked to submit official transcripts or academic records if you are admitted. These must be submitted before you register and enroll at the University of Minnesota.

If you have been previously enrolled at the University of Minnesota (any campus), you can get electronic copies of your transcripts from OneStop student services.

All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). You must submit official scores from the GRE taken within the past five years. For further information on the GRE contact:

• Educational Testing Service, 609-771-7670 or www.gre.org
• Thompson Prometric GRE Registration Center, 1-800-473-2255 or www.2test.com

International applicants for whom English is not the native language must submit official TOEFL scores. Scores must be less than two years old. The minimum scores required are:

• 550 on paper test
• 79 on internet based test (iBT) plus section scores of at least 21 on the writing section and 19 on the reading section