university of kentucky phd social work

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College of Social Work

Dean: Dr. Justin “Jay” Miller

The University of Kentucky College of Social Work promotes community and individual well-being through its translational research and scholarship, exemplary teaching, and vital community engagement. The College is committed to the people and social institutions throughout Kentucky, the nation, and the world. The College, like the University, is an organization that cultivates a diverse academic community characterized by interpersonal fairness and social justice. The College is fiercely committed to developing outstanding social work professionals and scholars – leaders who will serve individuals, families, and communities through innovative and effective practices that are guided by cultural competence, systematic ethical analysis, and a keen and pragmatic understanding of the human condition.

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Amanda Brown

Director of Graduate Studies

Clinical Instructor

University of Kentucky College of Social Work

643 Patterson Office Tower

Lexington, Kentucky, 40506-0027

(859) 562-3687

Other programs from the College of Social Work:

Master social work (msw) - online.

THE MSW @ UK:   Students are drawn to the MSW because of the versatility of the degree. The MSW @ UK sets you up to be successful in your chosen area of the profession. Candidates pursue their passion in areas from clinical practice with adolescents to non-profit development in rural communities, or something in between.

Career Opportunities in Social Work

                        you can make a difference ​.

At UK we believe in helping each student find the right pathway to professional success. Our highly dedicated faculty and staff are here to challenge and inspire, guide and assist you throughout your graduate student career. We are committed to your success, both as students in our Master in Social Work program and as professional social work practitioners in whatever arena you may choose to practice.

Application Materials

How to apply.

The admissions process requires the College of Social Work and the Graduate School both review your application and you must be accepted by both. The College’s Admissions Committee reviews your application materials and then forwards a recommendation to the Graduate School. The Graduate School makes an independent determination based largely upon your transcripts. The College of Social Work and the Graduate School will email separate letters after your application has been evaluated.

All applications for graduate study at the University of Kentucky Graduate School must be submitted online through ApplyYourself. You will need to keep your username and password if you wish to return to continue an unfinished application or review a completed one. Access the Graduate School Application  here .  

In order to complete the application, you will need to upload the following (no GRE is required):

Transcripts:

You will be asked to upload copies of transcripts (unofficial is fine) from all higher education institutions attended and, in the case of domestic students, to self-report cumulative GPA’s for each institution. If you are offered admission and decide to enroll you will then be required to submit official transcripts to the Graduate School.

Letters of Recommendation:

The MSW Program at the University of Kentucky requires applicants to provide two references. These references must be obtained from individuals in the following categories:

• Professional Social Worker/Field Instructor
• Work or Volunteer Supervisor

Please exclude personal, pastoral and relative references. If you graduated within the past 5 years you must provide at least one academic reference which can include a former instructor, your field supervisor or advisor.

As part of the online application you will be asked to supply email contact information for your two references. Once your application has been submitted, an automated email will be generated for each person identified and their recommendations will be submitted directly to us. You can check back into your application at any time to see who has submitted a recommendation.

Personal Statement

Your statement should be approximately four pages in length, double-spaced, and the following topics must be addressed within the narrative:

• Motivation for social service, social work education, and a career in the profession: State your reasons for wanting to pursue an MSW degree. Why are you applying to the University of Kentucky College of Social Work? What are your social service interests and career goals?
• Personal life experiences and relevant events: Briefly describe your personal history as it relates to your interest in the profession of social work. What do you consider to be your particular strengths, skills and abilities that will contribute to your success in this field?
• Capacities for professional social work education: Breifly describe your professional, volunteer and/or educational history as it relates to your capacity for success in graduate study in the field of social work. What characteristics, circumstances, or challenges could serve to enhance or limit your capacity to pursue graduate level education in the field of social work?

Ethical Dilemma Essay

In 250 words or less, describe an ethical dilemma you encountered in either your professional or personal past. Identify and define the ethical problem, the parties involved, the values you relied upon to make your decisions, and how the dilemma was resolved. Explain how the outcome has affected you and any lessons you learned.

Personal Résumé –  include work and volunteer experience.

If you have questions about your ability to begin the program please contact an MSW advisor at [email protected]  before applying to the Graduate School.

Applicants must meet the Graduate School admission requirements .

Application Deadlines:  

     Fall Semester Start :

          Priority Deadline: June 1st

          Deadline: July 15th

      Spring Semester Start :

          Priority Deadline: November 1st

          Deadline: December 1st

     Summer Semester Start :

          Deadline: April 1st

Any advanced standing students intending to start a field practicum in their first fall or spring semester should plan to apply by the priority deadline. Curriculum models can be found   here .

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Social Work

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Applied Research Methods in Social Work: Key Outcomes & Format

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Social work (phd).

Earn the highest degree in the social work profession with The Catholic University of America's Ph.D. in Social Work. This program prepares doctoral students to teach, research, and lead from a framework of mercy, charity, justice, and peace, grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church's social and moral doctrine. The Ph.D. degree signifies the highest academic achievement, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and vision to promote human rights and social justice. It advances the profession through scholarly research, theory building, and leadership, aiming to serve society in preventing, intervening in, and alleviating social problems while enhancing social well-being.

The Doctorate of Philosophy in Social Work program is a 45-credit-hour plus dissertation degree program. 

The curriculum for The Catholic University of America's Ph.D. in Social Work program is designed to equip students with advanced research skills and knowledge for leadership in the social work profession.

• Total Credits : Students complete a minimum of 45 credit hours of coursework, covering advanced topics in social work theory, research methods, and statistics.
• Core Courses : Key courses include Multivariate Statistics and Design, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, and Advanced Theoretical Frameworks for Social Work.
• Electives : Students choose 6 credit hours of electives tailored to their research interests, such as health, mental health, child welfare, or international development.

Comprehensive Examination

• Components : The comprehensive exam includes a written examination, an integrative paper, and an oral defense. This exam tests students' ability to synthesize and apply their knowledge across the curriculum.

Dissertation

• Proposal : Students must submit a dissertation proposal within two years of attaining candidacy.
• Research : The dissertation must present original research that contributes to the field of social work.
• Defense : Students must defend their dissertation in a public oral examination.

Additional Requirements

• Continuous Enrollment : Students must maintain continuous enrollment by registering each semester for Dissertation Guidance until the dissertation is completed.

Tuition Cost

$1,200 / credit hour

More information about this degree is available on the School website or by request from our Admissions team .

Master of Social Work Online: Curriculum

Curriculum details.

Learn to deliver quality practice to individuals, groups, organizations, and communities in the University of Kentucky’s online CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work. The MSW offers two options:

• The Regular Standing program is 60 credit hours.
• The Advanced Standing program requires that prospective students have earned their BSW within the past seven years and have a 3.5 GPA in social work classes. This program is 30 credit hours.

With each program option, you’ll complete any one of our multiple certificates or an Individualized Plan of Study (IPS). The courses within the certificate or IPS replace elective course options and do not increase the credits required to complete your MSW curriculum.

No matter which MSW option, you’ll graduate from UK’s program ready for advanced practice roles across the social work profession.

Note that courses offered during the fall and spring semesters are 16 weeks, while the summer session courses are eight weeks.

An essential component of the curriculum of UK’s MSW is the Field Education Program , which prepares students to engage with different communities as they develop proficiency in the social work core competencies and gain professional practice.

Students work closely with program coordinators to identify and secure internship opportunities that provide supportive and positive learning environments. As a result, students will procure valuable, real-world experience to bolster their career options as they enter the field upon graduation.

The online MSW requires 900 hours of clinical social work practicums in the regular standing program and 600 hours in the advanced standing program.

Regular Standing

This course introduces students to generalist practice theory and skills in professional practice with individuals and families. Essential critical thinking skills are examined as is the planned change process: engagement, interviewing, assessment, planning/intervention, implementation, evaluation, and termination.

This course helps students develop and apply the theoretical and philosophical formulations that underlie direct practice with groups.

Theory informs individual’s cultural influences and transactional relationships within families, groups, organizations, and communities. This course implements evidence-based theories to understand and ultimately help change behavior.

This course provides an exploration of the historical and current context of social problems utilizing a justice informed framework and allows students to understand the complexities of social problems as and how social work defines and addresses these issues.

This course utilizes philosophical formulations that underlie ethics and relevant concepts to develop ethical reasoning and decision-making, addressing dilemmas faced in practice and cultivating professionalism to build and sustain relationships.

This course provides a foundation to understand the critical analyses of social policies and policy making processes and the impact of such on clients and human service delivery systems within a social justice framework.

Students start supervised fieldwork in a generalist setting to practice what you’ve learned in working with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities.

This course provides systematic approaches to scientific thinking necessary for building knowledge and evaluating one’s own practice as well as the ethical use of scientific inquiry.

Focus on a strengths-based approach to empower marginalized populations, build human capacity, advocate for just policy, and create sustainable justice.

Regular and Advanced Standing

This course will build knowledge of the major mental disorders typically encountered by social workers along with diagnostic classifications, criteria, etiologies, and natural histories of disorders and treatments.

This course prepares students to conduct culturally sensitive clinical assessments and treatment plans of adults, children and families including diagnostic assessments, substance use evaluations, lethality assessments and other evidence-informed approaches.

Students will examine and engage various models/frameworks for conceptualizing, implementing, and analyzing contemporary social welfare policy.

This course delves further into theory and practice appropriate for work with organizations and community systems and continues to explore community practice models that engage effective social work practitioners within organizations and communities.

Students will complete a 300 hour practicum in a public or private agency that provides services to a wide range of individuals and practice theory, knowledge, and skills in clinical decision-making, assessment, and treatment planning under supervision.

In the final practicum, students prepare to practice as social workers at the advanced level in public and private settings by focusing on the application of theory, knowledge and skills developed in the advanced curriculum year with practice experience in community-based agencies.

This course provides a foundation for students to become sophisticated consumers of research by applying quantitative research methods in executing single-subject designs and participating in clinical intervention studies to test the effectiveness of interventions.

Child Welfare Practice Certificate

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to child abuse and neglect, including historical perspectives, indicators of maltreatment, theories about its etiology, and effective interventions on the micro and macro levels. Students will learn about child protection policies and services, and the social worker’s roles and responsibilities.

This course is designed to prepare students to practice with individuals and families affected by child sexual abuse. Theory, process models, and evidence-based practices relevant to child sexual abuse will be presented. The course will focus on developing practice behaviors necessary to assess and provide case management for children, families, and offenders in child sexual abuse cases. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on the role of social work in a multidisciplinary team approach specific to child sexual abuse, including advocacy to prevent abuse, raise awareness, and ensure treatment for survivors.

SW 640 – Foundation Practicum (3) Students start supervised fieldwork in a generalist setting to practice what you’ve learned in working with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities.

SW 740 – Advanced Practicum I (3) Students will complete a 300 hour practicum in a public or private agency that provides services to a wide range of individuals and practice theory, knowledge, and skills in clinical decision-making, assessment, and treatment planning under supervision.

SW 741 – Advanced Practicum II (3) In the final practicum, students prepare to practice as social workers at the advanced level in public and private settings by focusing on the application of theory, knowledge and skills developed in the advanced curriculum year with practice experience in community-based agencies.

Clinical Social Work Practice Certificate

This course provides the Master’s level social work student an opportunity for advanced study of differential diagnostic assessment using the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The course also provides an opportunity for more detailed study of the more common mental disorders seen in social work practice. In conjunction with the Decision Making course it provides an opportunity for advanced study of clinical decision making as it pertains to current mental health assessment.

This course offers an intensive study of three evidence based practices: one for adult, one for children and one group intervention. It is designed to increase the social worker’s familiarity with evidence based practices for social work treatment of mental health disorders.

This course builds on previous content related to clinical decision-making, psychopathology and clinical assessment, and is designed to 1) apply a range of intervention theories to children, adults, families and groups, 2) facilitate the student’s capacity to conduct a comparative analysis of the approaches across common, conceptual, clinical, cultural and ethical domains, and to provide the forum for a critique of each approach using the latest empirical evidence on efficacy and effectiveness.

Military Behavioral Health Certificate

This course provides an overview of social work practice with military members, veterans, and military families. Students will learn to appreciate the unique experiences and stresses of military members and their families and the resultant implications for helping professionals serving this population. Topics to be covered include: (a) Warfare’s historical role in shaping public policy, (b) the military as a distinct subculture of American society, (c) common psychosocial problems and stresses experienced by military members, veterans, and military families, (d) a survey of evidence-based treatments for common psychopathologies and psychosocial problems experienced by this population, (e) an overview of systems of care serving this population, including the roles of social workers within these systems, and special ethical considerations for social workers serving military and veteran populations.

Prerequisites(s): Open to graduate and upper division undergraduate students.

SW 711 – Trauma-Informed Care (3) This online course examines social work practice theories and intervention skills, applicable to practice with survivors of abuse and trauma. An emphasis will also be placed on the application of social work ethics and values when working with survivors of abuse and trauma, particularly as it relates to the management of vicarious trauma.

SW 524 – Substance Misuse (3) This course is designed to challenge and develop the student’s knowledge of and ways of thinking about substance use and misuse. It provides clinical and scientific knowledge about the nature of substance misuse and the effect of substance misuse on individuals, families, health, and development. It also introduces current evidence-based treatment and prevention approaches.

School Social Work Certificate

A presentation and examination of school social work practice. Emphasis will be placed on roles, competencies, and skills necessary for effective service provision. The differences in services to children in schools will be contrasted with those in primary social service settings. The focus will also be given to the impact of school legislation and regulations on the choice of populations served and programs provided.

Designed to enhance professional judgment and clinical decision-making concerning child and adolescent clients, this course provides knowledge and skills for assessment and intervention concerning a broad range of biopsychosocial disorders, including situationally precipitated conditions or disorders. An integrative, comparative, and analytic approach is used to explore the relationship between these conditions and the matrix created by biology, society, culture, and environment, and to apply this knowledge to assessment and treatment.

Basic principles of applied behavior analysis and modification that employ social learning theory and operant conditioning models are taught. Emphasis is placed on designing individualized learning environments, selecting, and implementing behavior management strategies, writing behavior objectives, and performing task analyses.

Prerequisites(s): EDS 375 or permission of the instructor.

Substance Use Disorder Certificate

This course is designed to challenge and develop the student’s knowledge of and ways of thinking about substance use and misuse. It provides clinical and scientific knowledge about the nature of substance misuse and the effect of substance misuse on individuals, families, health, and development. It also introduces current evidence-based treatment and prevention approaches.

This online course examines social work practice theories, intervention approaches and skills as they apply to practice with childhood and adult survivors of physical, sexual and other forms of abuse and trauma. Particular attention will be made to the use of engagement, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation and follow up on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice. An emphasis will also be placed on diversity and use of social work ethics and values when working with survivors of abuse and trauma.

Trauma-Responsive Practice Certificate

Understanding the impact of trauma from micro, mezzo, and macro practice perspectives is an essential skill for social work professionals. This course reviews the trauma-informed care model, examines multi-level causes of trauma, and explores resilience-based interventions from a neuroscience perspective.

This online course examines social work practice theories and intervention skills, applicable to practice with survivors of abuse and trauma. An emphasis will also be placed on the application of social work ethics and values when working with survivors of abuse and trauma, particularly as it relates to the management of vicarious trauma.

Trauma-informed practice skills promote client post-traumatic growth and healing. This advanced practice course explores trauma-informed engagement, assessment, treatment and intervention, and termination strategies; analyzes the effectiveness of evidence-based and somatic treatment models; and explores treatment implications for micro practice.

Request more information or a consultation

You’re likely to have questions as you make your decision about pursuing an online degree. From program information to application process details, we’re here to help you find the answers you need.

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