Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
About This Program
The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work prepares scholars to advance knowledge and scholarship, pursue excellence, and provide leadership and service and to promote social and economic justice and cultural competence with diverse populations. The program builds on the premise that social welfare must be scientifically and theoretically based and continually responsive to changing local and global societal needs.
The primary goal of the program is to prepare scholars to advance knowledge development and dissemination for the profession of social work. The program seeks to provide students with an opportunity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field and the profession in order to provide more effective and efficient services in social welfare and qualify for leadership positions in teaching, research, and administration. Graduates of the program are expected to make a significant contribution to the profession of social work through continued research, scholarship, teaching, and service.
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will display competency in theory and theory development.
- Upon completion, students will display competency in knowledge and skills in research methods and data analysis.
- Upon completion, students will display competency in theory, research, and policy as applied to a specialty practice area.
- Upon completion, students will display competency in understanding and commitment to the underlying values, ethics, and social and economic justice perspectives in the scientific inquiry in social work
- Upon completion, students will display competency in theory and research as applied to social work practice, policy, and social work education.
Admissions Criteria
To be considered for admission to the PhD program, an applicant must have:
- A Master's Degree:
- Master's Degree in Social Work
- Applicants who do not have a Master's Degree in Social Work are expected to have work or volunteer experience in human services and complete an introductory social work course and diversity course prior to beginning the program.
- Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work documenting:
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 minimum, on the last 60 hours as calculated by the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration
- Masters GPA of 3.4 minimum as calculated by the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration.
- Curriculum Vitae which outlines (1) work and volunteer experiences in human services; (2) participation in professional organizations and conferences; and (3) publications, if applicable.
- Statement of academic goals consistent with the goals of the Social Work PhD Program goals.
- Professional writing sample that provides evidence of the applicant's writing skills and critical thinking skills.
- Three letters of recommendation, preferably from persons holding PhD degrees, addressing applicant's skills in the areas of analytical thinking and writing skills.
- If English is not the applicant's first language, a minimum TOEFL iBT total score of 90 with a writing sectional score of at least 23 must be submitted.
- An interview will be conducted with applicants meeting the basic admission criteria above.
An application for admission, transcripts of previous academic work and Graduate Record Examination scores must be submitted to Graduate Admissions. An additional separate application and supporting materials must be sent to the Graduate Advisor, PhD in Social Work Program.
Curriculum
| Core Courses | ||
| SOCW 6373 | THEORY AND MODELING BUILDING IN SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH | 3 |
| SOCW 6328 | SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS | 3 |
| SOCW 6340 | ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS IN HUMAN SERVICES | 3 |
| SOCW 6348 | SEMINAR IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS | 3 |
| SOCW 6347 | INTERMEDIATE STATISTICS | 3 |
| SOCW 6349 | MIXED METHODS RESEARCH | 3 |
| SOCW 6341 | ADVANCED STATISTICAL METHODS IN HUMAN SERVICES | 3 |
| SOCW 6367 | SEMINAR IN ADVANCED STATISTICAL APPLICATIONS | 3 |
| SOCW 6396 | SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: PRINCIPLES AND SKILLS | 3 |
| SOCW 6393 | GRANT WRITING | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Two elective courses, one from outside of the School of Social Work. | 6 | |
| Disertation Hours | ||
| Select 9 hours from the following: | 9 | |
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| DISSERTATION | ||
| SOCW 7399 | DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION | 3 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Program Completion
Initial Diagnostic Advisory Committee Assessment
- Upon completion of the 18 credits of foundation coursework, students’ progress is evaluated by an Initial Diagnostic Advisory Committee and developmental feedback is provided.
Comprehensive Specialty Examination
- Upon completion of 36 credits of required and elective coursework, students must complete and pass their comprehensive specialty examination.
- The comprehensive specialty examination is taken before application for degree candidacy and registration for dissertation.
Dissertation
- Dissertation tutorial (3 credits) taken in the same term as the comprehensive specialty examination.
- Students develop and defend a dissertation proposal before beginning the dissertation research.
- Enroll in a minimum of 9 credits of dissertation credits.
- Students complete their dissertation with a formal, oral defense.
Doctoral students must demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers and the Code of Ethics as currently published by the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners.
Advising Resources
Please read all student emails carefully and review the frequently asked questions. These resources are intended to provide help when you need it. If you want to meet with your advisor, please sign up for an appointment as early in the semester as possible.
Location:
SWSH 131, 501 W. Mitchell St., Arlington, TX 76019
Email:
ssw-oass@uta.edu
Phone:
817-272-3687