University of St. Thomas

The University of St. Thomas is a private university that has a main campus in St. Paul. Also called the University of St. Thomas Minnesota to differentiate it between colleges of the same name, it goes by the name of St. Thomas as well. Established in 1885 as a seminary, it only admitted male students and prepared those students for working for the Catholic Church. Just a few years later, the seminary split into a school of its own, which led to the main campus becoming the College of St. Thomas. It served as a military college during World War II and required that all students complete military training. The college removed this requirement a few years later. Female students finally earned the right to enroll in classes in the 1970s, and the university opened a second campus in Minneapolis as well.

St. Thomas is now one of the top colleges in Minnesota and also ranks on a national scale. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university the highest at number 118 on its own list, but it also appeared on lists released by both Washington Monthly and Forbes. The university offers a number of majors but eliminated its drama department after enrollment figures dropped. It offers programs at the undergrad, graduate and doctoral levels for students who meet certain requirements. The University of St. Thomas has a total enrollment of more than 10,000 students across all levels.

University of St. Thomas Accreditation Details

The University of St. Thomas has both regional accreditation and program accreditation. Its regional accreditation, which some might call institutional accreditation, comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Not only does the SACS look at factors relating to graduation and job placement rates, but it also looks at salaries and the experience of professors when deciding to grant accreditation. The university must also agree to apply and renew its accreditation every decade, and St. Thomas did not have any problems continuing its accreditation in the past. Seven professional organizations and agencies granted the university specialty accreditation for more of the 10 degree programs that it offers in fields like health care management and psychology. A few of the agencies that granted St. Thomas accreditation include:

• American Psychological Association
• Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology, Inc. (ABET)
• Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

University of St. Thomas Application Requirements

St. Thomas created a Doctor of Social Work program for students with both a Bachelor's and Master's in Social Work or a similar field. The deadline for applications runs from the beginning of September through the middle of January, and the university will not accept any applications submitted after this deadline. To apply, you will need to create a unique account that includes a password and user name that you set up. You will need to complete a section on your education background that covers where you went to college and the degrees that you have. There is a second employment section that asks about all the most recent jobs you held as well as a personal information section that asks for things like your social security number and date of birth.

You must also submit your resume as part of the application, and your resume must include your contact information and all recent employers. The university asks for three letters of recommendation that you must submit online too. Other requirements include both a writing sample and a personal essay. The essay must explain your reasons for applying to the DSW program, your strengths and weaknesses and why you want to attend St. Thomas.

Tuition and Financial Aid

St. Thomas charges a rate of $1,109 per credit that applies to all classes that you take while in the doctoral program. If you take courses from another department, your total cost may increase or decrease. Some students may need to take some master's courses that they didn't take in graduate school. Those classes will cost $793 per credit. You also face additional fees and costs for taking more than the maximum number of credits in a semester.

The University of St. Thomas encourages all students to file the FAFSA, which allows the university to create specific financial aid packages for each incoming students. The university has diversity grants available for those who have financial hardships and those who overcame adversity to attend college. It also takes part in the Yellow Ribbon Project, which offers additional aid for those who qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. You may receive other grants from either the university itself, the federal government or the state government. Doctoral students have the option of taking out government loans and applying for private student loans from more traditional lenders too.

Related Resource: Top 20 Most Affordable Online DSW Degrees (Doctor of Social Work

Doctor of Social Work

The Doctorate of Social Work, or DSW, is a program available from the University of St. Thomas designed for experienced social workers. This program will teach you how to research and write on topics for publications, explain complicated ideas to students and become a better worker in the field. Students must demonstrate that they are competent in eight different areas that include critical thinking, leadership, ethical behaviors and social justice. Though there are more than 20 classes available, the university only requires that you take 13 of those classes. Some students opt to take more because they want to develop a better understanding of those topics.

Many of these courses, including one on teaching social work, can help you become a better teacher and educate the workers in your office as well as students who want to become social workers. You can also take courses that teach you how to design and evaluate the curriculum for a group of students and how to act like a professional in the workplace. Some students may complete a teaching practicum that lets them gain real experience working with students. The program includes courses on grant writing that can help you raise funds for an organization and on writing for publication that can teach you the fundamentals of researching and writing. This University of St. Thomas program also includes courses on the theories and history of social work that can make you a more well-rounded professional.