Frequently Asked Questions - PhD Admissions

The time it takes to obtain the PhD degree will generally vary according to your previous preparation, your progress in the program, and the nature of your dissertation research. A minimum of three years is necessary to complete the program (two years of full-time course work and one year for the dissertation) although most students require a longer period.

In Social Welfare, it is expected that all doctoral students will complete the PhD degree within 10 semesters, having taken the qualifying exam by the end of the 3rd year and filed the dissertation by the end of the 5th year. For Combined MSW/PhD students, this "normative time" expectation is 12 semesters.

No. The Social Welfare PhD Program is a full-time program. All doctoral students are expected to be enrolled full-time (12 units per term) until passing the Qualifying Examination.

The Berkeley PhD in Social Welfare is a research degree. If you are looking for a doctoral degree oriented towards advanced clinical practice in social work, you might consider programs offering the DSW degree, which is not offered at Berkeley.

Paths to doctoral training can be quite diverse, but many applicants have held multiple research positions and/or long-term involvement in research prior to applying to the doctoral or combined program. Your application should clearly demonstrate all the ways in which you have participated in research processes and/or developed skills relevant for research.

Berkeley Social Welfare offers a competitive funding package for newly admitted doctoral students at the time of admission. A funding package typically includes five years of financial support for payment of tuition and fees (including student health insurance); and an academic year allowance for living expense support funded jointly by fellowship award(s) and salary from a student academic appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR).

Details of funding support package offers are provided to admitted students upon acceptance. Doctoral students are also encouraged to apply for additional fellowships and extramural awards to support their graduate study as necessary. For more information please see our guide to Financing Your Graduate Degree.

Yes! We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to doctoral study to research and reach out to faculty who could possibly serve as mentors. The best way to initiate communication is by e-mail; browse our People pages for faculty contact information.

We recommend reaching out to potential faculty members no later than November 1st to ensure you have the chance to connect prior to the application deadline.

In your online application, you will be required to enter the name of the faculty member(s) you wish to work with, and whose research best reflects your interests. You will also be asked to briefly state why you chose these faculty members and why you chose them in your particular rank order. The list of Social Welfare PhD faculty advisers you may currently choose from may be found under "Faculty Advisor Choice" on the PhD Admissions Application instructions page.

Please review the Statement of Purpose requirements on our PhD Admissions Application Instructions page.

GRE scores are optional for students applying for Fall 2023 admission.