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Ph.D. in Social Work

 

Description

The Ph.D. in Social Work program is designed for practitioners to develop scientific research skills so that they can engage in scholarship that improves the health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, and communities.  We train clinical practitioners to become social scientists. Our research courses are rigorous with an applied focus. We emphasize using empirical evidence to effect social change and promote social justice. PhD program faculty mentor students to develop academic and professional careers that include research, teaching, and leadership roles. 

 

Learning Outcomes

The Ph.D. program advances student research competencies through required and elective courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods and advanced statistical analysis.  Students are required to take five research courses. In addition, students have opportunities to participate in research initiatives through practice and assistantships.

The Ph.D. program prepares students to become talented and effective educators.  They receive formal training in the pedagogy of adult learning — in courses and through a teaching practicum — and are offered opportunities to teach with our professors.

 

Requirements for entry into program

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with an appropriate distribution of liberal arts courses. In addition, they must hold a master’s degree from a program in social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or master’s degree or higher in a related discipline with a minimum GPA of 3.0, a minimum of 1 year of experience working in the social work or related field. Application materials include GRE test scores, academic transcripts, 3 recommendation letters, a personal statement of academic intent, a writing sample, and an interview with the program director.

 

Delivery Modes Available

The Ph.D. program is offered on a part-time or full-time basis. Most course are offered on-site. A few are offered online.  Most coursework is offered on Thursdays during the fall, spring and summer academic semesters. 

Other Degree Options

Four-course teaching certificate through the Simmons Health Professions Educational Doctorate degree program.

 

Degree requirements

Graduation requires a total of 51 credits (17 courses) are required for graduation in addition to successful passage of comprehensive written and oral qualifying exams, and submission of a publishable paper, and completion of the dissertation requirement, which may be in the form or three publishable papers.

Full-Time PhD Program Coursework Structure (3 courses per semester)

Fall Year 1 (9 credits)

  • Quantitative Scientific Methods
  • Critical Analysis of Social Work Practice
  • Elective: Learning Theory and Practice* OR an elective of student’s choice 

 

Spring Year 1 (9 credits)

  • Social and Behavioral Theory 
  • Philosophy of Science 
  • Teaching Methodologies, Course Design, and Assessment 

Summer Year 1 (6 credits)

  • Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis
  • Elective: Curriculum Development, Program Design, and Evaluation* OR an elective of student’s choice  

 

Fall Year 2 (9 credits)

  • Policy Analysis in Political, Social and Economic Contexts
  • Introduction to Multivariate Statistics 
  • Teaching Methods, Course Design, and Assessment + Teaching Practicum 

Spring Year 2 (9 credits)

  • Integrating Public Policy Issues and Outcomes into Social Work Research 
  • Qualitative Research Methods 
  • Intervention Research  

Summer Year 2 (6 credits)

  • Qualitative Data Analysis
  • Survey Research Methods

 

Fall Year 3 (3 credits)

  • Community-based Participatory Research: Models and Methods + Research Practicum
  • Comprehensive Written & Oral Exam
  • Peer-review paper submitted by the end of this semester 

 

Spring Year 3 (1 credit fee)

  • Dissertation Proposal Continuance 

Summer Year 3 (off, no registration required)

 

Fall Year 4 (1 credit fee)

  • Dissertation Proposal Continuance OR Dissertation Continuance 

 

Spring Year 4 and each semester dissertation defense (1 credit fee)

  • Dissertation Continuance – continual registration in this continuance is required through the semester of the dissertation defense

 *This elective course is required for the Teaching Certificate

Part-Time PhD Program Coursework Structure (2 courses per semester)

Fall Year 1 (6 credits)

  • Quantitative Scientific Methods 
  • Critical Analysis of Social Work Practice  

Spring Year 1 (6 credits)

  • Social and Behavioral Theory 
  • Philosophy of Science 

Summer Year 1 (6 credits)

  • Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis
  • Elective: Curriculum Development, Program Design, and Evaluation* OR other elective   

Fall Year 2 (6 credits)

  • Policy Analysis in Political, Social and Economic Contexts 
  • Introduction to Multivariate Statistics  

Spring Year 2 (9 credits)

  • Integrating Public Policy Issues and Outcomes into Social Work Research 
  • Qualitative Research Methods 

 

Summer Year 2 (6 credits)

  • Qualitative Data Analysis 
  • Survey Research Methods

Fall Year 3 (6 credits)

  • Community-based Participatory Research: Models and Methods + Research Practicum  
  • Elective: Learning Theory and Practice* OR an elective of student’s choice

Spring Year 3 (6 credits)

  • Teaching Methodologies, Course Design, and Assessment
  • Intervention Research 

 

Summer Year 3 (3 credits)

  • Elective: Curriculum Development, Program Design, and Evaluation* OR other elective

Fall Year 4 (3 credits)

  • Teaching Practicum
  • Comprehensive Written & Oral Exam 
  • Peer-review paper submitted by the end of this semester

 

Spring Year 4 (1 credit fee)

  • Dissertation Proposal Continuance 

Summer Year 4 (off, no registration required)

 

Fall Year 5 (1 credit fee)

  • Dissertation Proposal Continuance OR Dissertation Continuance 

 

Spring Year 5 and each semester through the dissertation defense (1 credit fee

  • Dissertation Continuance– continual registration in this continuance is required until defense.

*This elective course is required for the Teaching Certificate

 

 

Qualifying exam for Candidacy: 

Upon successful completion of required coursework, students will take a written and oral exam on curricular content. In order to qualify for candidacy students must pass both the written and oral exam, and also submit an empirical manuscript to a scientific peer-reviewed journal approved by the faculty. Upon meeting these requirements, the student will move into candidacy, and be eligible to begin the dissertation process.

 

The Dissertation

Successful completion of the dissertation will demonstrate the candidate's ability to join the academy as an independent scholar. Specifically, the candidate will demonstrate empirical and conceptual knowledge, the ability to apply rigorous scientific methodology to a substantive area of study, and the capacity to articulate the applied relevance of the findings to the field. The doctoral candidate has the option to complete a traditional dissertation or three-paper dissertation.