phd social work usa

Please visit our commencement page for all information regarding the  ceremony for Class of 2024 PhD, DSW, MSW and MSN graduates. 

Fall 2024 On-Campus MSW Application FINAL Deadline: July 16, 2024

Welcome Prospective PhD Students

We appreciate your interest in the PhD program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. We invite applications from diverse, bright and passionate individuals who are committed to a high level of achievement in their academic, personal and professional lives.

Our program is considered one of the best in the United States in preparing scholars for advanced research careers in social work. As such, the PhD candidate selection process is rigorous, reflecting our emphasis on academic achievement, initiative and motivation. Our goal is to make students competitive for the best available positions here and abroad.

What are the basic requirements for admission to the doctoral program? Candidates must have a master’s degree in social work or related field, excellent undergraduate and graduate academic records, and participation in independent research. International applicants must also have a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

What materials are required for the PhD application? All applicants must submit a Graduate Admission Application , statement of purpose, resume, transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, four letters of recommendation, TOEFL scores (international students only), evidence of financial support (international students only), PhD information form, PhD career plans and goals form, and scholarly writing sample. Further admissions information and downloadable admissions materials may be found in our Application Process section.

Is a Master of Social Work (MSW) required for admission to the doctoral program? A Master of Social Work (MSW) is strongly encouraged for potential applicants because it shows a thorough understanding of the field of social work. However, we will also consider a master’s degree from a related field (sociology, psychology, etc.). Applicants without a master’s degree can apply to the school’s MSW program.

Do you offer the PhD program online? No, the PhD program is not offered online. You must be a full-time student at the University Park Campus.

Does the doctoral program accept transfer students? On the rare occasion that we accept transfer students from another doctoral program, their applications are reviewed by the doctoral committee on a case-by-case basis. All transfer students must apply through regular admission to the PhD program. Each transfer student application is then individually reviewed to evaluate courses already taken and determine a possible course of action. The transfer of post-master’s degree doctoral course work from another institution will only be considered if a grade of B or higher (A=4.0) has been obtained, and the course has been completed within the last five years. Transfer of credits must be petitioned and approved by both the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the graduate school. For complete transfer credit information, please refer to the USC Catalogue .

What if I previously applied to the PhD program? If you previously applied to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work PhD program, you must submit a new Graduate Admission Application and PhD Information form. If you applied within the last two years and are satisfied with the materials you previously submitted, you have the option to use the previously submitted letters of recommendation, TOEFL scores, and transcripts for your current application. TOEFL test scores (for international applicants only) must be taken within two years of the application deadline.

Do you accept part-time students? Due to the rigorous and demanding requirements of the doctoral program, we do not accept part-time students. Students are required to be full-time on the University Park Campus.

Who is required to take the TOEFL? All international applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), with the exception of applicants who earned both their bachelor’s and master's degrees in the United States.

Is the GRE required?  The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is no longer required for admission to our doctoral program.

What is the profile of the incoming doctoral class? The USC Graduate School is committed to providing detailed information on the inputs, outcomes, and overall characteristics of its PhD programs, for the purposes of full transparency and to support informed decision-making. It can be viewed at their website:  https://graduateschool.usc.edu/about-us/phd-program-characteristics/

When should I apply? All application materials must be received by the university by December 1 to be considered priority applications. Completed application materials will be accepted until January 1 , but they will be considered late and may not be reviewed for admission for the next fall. Visit the Application Process .

Is it possible to send my application materials in several installments? No.  Application materials for admission are ONLY available online in Graduate Admission Application . Please visit the Application Process for the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in the PhD Program.

How long does it take to process my application? It is crucial to have part one and part two application materials received at the university by December 1. It takes about 30 days for part one application materials to be processed by the USC Office of Graduate Admission and uploaded to the system for review. It will take another four to six weeks for the school to review all application materials.

How can I be sure that all my application materials have been received? The PhD program will send you an email confirmation after January 1 about the status of your application materials. Please make sure you have an updated email address on file. You may also receive a notification from the USC Office of Graduate Admission about outstanding application materials. Please respond promptly to requests for information and materials from both offices.

When should I expect to hear about my admission decision? The doctoral committee will review applications for fall admission in late January. Those applicants we are interested in admitting will be invited to an all-day campus visit in late March. Official admission letter notifications will be sent by early April.

What can I do to improve my chances for acceptance? Strong applicants typically show great academic promise, as evidenced by above average achievement in undergraduate and professional education, participation in research and publications, professional competence as demonstrated through substantial experience and contributions to the social work field, above average TOEFL scores, and above average grade point average.

What if I previously applied to the PhD program? If you previously applied to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work PhD program, you must submit a new Graduate Admission Application and PhD Information form. If you applied within the last two years and are satisfied with the materials you previously submitted, you have the option to use the previously submitted letters of recommendation, TOEFL scores and transcripts for your current application. TOEFL test scores (for international applicants only) must be taken within two years of the application deadline.

Is the GRE required?  The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is no longer required for admission to our doctoral program.  

How can I be sure that all my application materials have been received? The PhD program will send you an email confirmation after January 1 about the status of your application materials. Please make sure you have an updated email address on file. You may also receive a notification from the USC Office of Graduate Admission about outstanding applications materials. Please respond promptly to requests for information and materials from both offices.

Learn about admission process to the PhD program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and criteria requirements. All application materials must be received by the university by December 1 to be considered priority applications.  Learn More .

Learn about the additional admissions criteria and documentation required as part of the PhD application process as an international applicants (those who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States). Learn More

All incoming students All accepted and admitted students in the program and who remain in good academic standing receive financial assistance for the first four years, amounting to $200,000. Learn More .

PhD Admissions

Malinda sampson, phd program manager.

Contact Us Office of PhD Admission USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work 669 W. 34th Street Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411 [email protected]

Malinda Sampson PhD Program Manager 213.821.7657 [email protected]

Doctor of Philosophy

NYU Silver School of Social Work’s PhD program prepares students to become leading researchers and educators in the promotion of social justice and the health and well-being of marginalized communities nationally and globally.

Our intensive doctoral training competitively positions graduates for top-tier academic and research opportunities—such as faculty positions at leading research universities—cultivating the next wave of independent investigators, scholars, and social work leaders. Building on Silver’s nationally recognized strength in intervention and implementation research and our focus on addressing inequities, the PhD program prepares students to make their own unique contributions to the field of social welfare. 

Our rigorous coursework educates students in classic and contemporary theory, cutting-edge quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies, and specialized learning in their substantive areas. The opportunity to take electives within the larger university allows students to explore further their areas and methodologies in an interdisciplinary classroom. NYU Silver also prepares students to be educators through training, including in anti-racist pedagogies, and hands-on experience teaching BSW and MSW level courses.

At the heart of our program is the mentored research practicum offering students the opportunity to put their learning into practice. NYU Silver PhD students are paired from day one with a research mentor as part of our  personalized mentoring program , helping them develop competencies in core research, scholarship, and teaching areas.  NYU Silver  Faculty  are renowned for their expertise in several key research areas, including racial and social justice, behavioral health services, child welfare, and aging. Being part of a large Global Network University and located in the diverse and dynamic city of New York, NYU Silver offers an unparalleled environment for the study of areas critical to local, national and global well-being. 

In fact, PhD Program Director Dr.  Rohini Pahwa was recently awarded a  five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health  to gain insight into the factors that influence the social networks and and mental health services use of Black and Latinx people with serious mental illnesses. 

Associate Professor of Social Work and PhD Program Director

“I chose NYU Silver for my PhD . . .

because of the program’s emphasis on preparing students to become leading researchers and educators in the health and well-being of marginalized communities and in the promotion of social justice.”

Sabrina Cluesman, PhD candidate and recipient of a NIDA Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31)

In an Emerati Women’s Day video from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Washington, DC, PhD student  Layla Al Neyadi  discusses her inspiration to seek her degree at NYU Silver and her aspiration to improve mental health policy and services for her fellow Emiratis:

Please email the doctoral program office or call (212) 998-5941 for additional information.

College of Education and Human Development

School of Social Work

PhD in Social Work

Established in 1946, our program is one of the oldest in the United States, and develops a mentoring partnership between nationally prominent faculty and students to promote knowledge and skills in theory development and community-based research. The research productivity of our faculty was ranked 20th out of 76 U.S. social work doctoral programs in a recent study 

Our graduates include internationally recognized scholars in diverse areas of study. Alumni go on to faculty and academic leadership roles in schools of social work around the world, as well as agency and program directors, and high-level servants in federal, state, and local government agencies. 

Learn about the PhD program in social work at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Scholarship, research, and teaching which contribute to the knowledge base of social work and foster a just, nurturing, inclusive society.

Program Highlights

• Highly productive faculty. Collaborate with our faculty and research and training centers to conduct, write, and publish research in child welfare, aging, mental health, violence prevention, health disparities, social welfare policy, international social work, work with immigrants and refugees, and other social work related research areas.
• Generous funding for PhD students. The majority of our students receive a four-year funding package that covers tuition, health insurance, and a stipend. Many students also secure dissertation fellowships, and we help students secure assistantships for funding for their fifth year.
• Teaching and professional development. Gain skills in teaching and curriculum development. We provide doctoral colloquia focusing both on current research and professional and career development.
• Diverse student body. Our graduate students come from Minnesota, across the nation, and from around the world, giving the learning and research experience depth and breadth in lived experiences and perspectives.
• Structured research mentoring experiences. Our PhD program relies heavily on a mentoring model, and PhD students work closely with faculty members throughout the program. Mentoring is seen as a vital part of the teaching and learning process within the doctoral program. 

Fall 2023 Applications

Please note: the application deadline was December 1, 2023

Program Outline

Students take two years of coursework both inside and outside the School of Social Work, including required courses in research methods, statistics, theory, history, policy and teaching, as well as supporting program courses from across the university. Students typically complete their preliminary examinations and defend their dissertation proposal, and then complete their dissertation in their fourth or fifth year.

Careers of Social Work PhD Graduates

This is a selected list of institutions where recent University of Minnesota School of Social Work graduates have found positions:

Research Universities

• State University of New York at Buffalo
• Tulane University
• University of Arkansas
• University of Kansas
• University of Memphis
• University of Texas
• University of Utah
• Virginia Commonwealth University

Teaching Universities

• Augsburg University
• California State University - Chico
• Colorado State University - Pueblo
• Providence College
• Radford University 
• University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Institutes and Foundations

• Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota
• Health Partners Research Foundation
• Minnesota Minority Education Partnership

Applied/Administrative Positions

• Children’s Defense Fund
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• NASW-MN  

International Universities

• National University Taiwan
• Tel Aviv University
• Self-Directed Services for the Long-Term Supports of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
• Social Work, Intractable Conflict and Professionalism: A Case Study of Jewish-Israeli Social Work Practice
• Omayeletumbulo [wisdom sayings] as a Pathway to School Engagement for Young Mothers in Rural Namibia
• County Exemption from Social Work Licensure in Minnesota: Understanding the Past and Present to Affect the Future
• Animal-Assisted Interactions for College Student Mental Health and a Conceptual Model of Practice
• Environmental Effects on Cognitive Health in Older Adults: Insights for Long-Term Care Services
• “This is how we show up for our relatives”: Understanding How Indigenous Relative Caregivers Embody Traditional Kinship to Resist the Colonial Child Welfare System
• Perceived Discrimination and Depressive Symptom Trajectories of Middle-aged and Older Adults with Chronic Diseases
• Student Stories of Resilience After Campus Sexual Assault
• How do Contextual Factors and Family Support Influence Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse During Forensic Interviews and Service Outcomes in Child Protection Cases?
• Moral Injury Among Professionals in K-12 Education: A Mixed Methods Inquiry
• Making Sense of Poverty in Child Welfare: A Grounded Theory Informed Study of Public and Tribal Child Welfare Workers' Poverty Constructions, Perceptions of Causes, and Praxis
• Neighborhood Social Capital and the Health and Health Risk Behavior of Adolescent Immigrants and Non-Immigrants

Sampling of PhD Student Publications

Our PhD students routinely co-author with faculty and other researchers at the School of Social Work and across campus. Nearly all PhD students graduate with multiple peer reviewed articles, multiple presentations at national/international research conferences, and teaching experience as the instructor of record of undergraduate or graduate courses. The following is just a sampling of the recent peer-reviewed articles published by our students, either as sole author or in collaboration with others.

Carlson , W. C. (2023). Implementation challenges of T visa eligibility for human trafficking survivors: a role for social work. Social Work , 68(3), 222-229.

Flangan, S. , Sterman, J., & Merighi, J. R., Batty, R. (2023). Bridging the gap – How interprofessional collaboration can support family-centered emergency preparedness: An exploratory qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 23(1):777.

Haight, W. L., Suleiman , J. , Flanagan , S. K. , Park, S. , Soltani, L. J. , Carlson, W. C. , Otis , J. R. , & Turck, K. S. (2023). Reflections on social work education during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of faculty members and lessons moving forward. Qualitative Social Work , 22(5), 938-955.

Samimi, C., Jefferson, N., Flanagan , S. , & Anyon, Y. (2023). Intersections of disproportion: A critical quantitative examination of dis/ability and gender in Black students’ school discipline outcomes. The Urban Review , 1-20.

Soffer-Elnekave , R. , Haight, W., Nashandi , N. J. , Cho, M., Suleiman , J. , & Park , S. (2023). Re-orienting narratives of moral injury towards positive development: The experiences of emerging adults with child welfare histories. Children and Youth Services Review , 149, 106922.

Soria, K. M., Horgos , B. , & Shenouda, J. D. (2023). Disparities in college students’ financial hardships during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice , 60(1), 31-48.

Toft, J., Lightfoot, E., Calhoun, M ., Choy-Brown, M., Merighi, J. R., Renner, L. M., Soffer-Elnekave, R. , Mendel, J., & Marsalis, S. (2023). Effects of neoliberalism on social work practice in the United States: A scoping review. Social Work Research , 47(2), 99-110. 

Renner, L. M., Driessen, M. C. , & Lewis-Dmello, A. (2022). An evaluation of a parent group for survivors of intimate partner violence. Journal of Family Violence , 37(2), 247-259.

Soria K., Horgos B ., Roberts B.J. (2022). The COVID‐19 pandemic and students’ mental health. New Directions for Student Services, 176, 37-45. 

Lee, M. H., Hong, S., & Merighi, J. R. (2021). The effect of fatalism on mammography use in Korean American women. Health Education & Behavior , 49(4), 740−749.

Lightfoot, E., Yun, H. , Moone, R., Otis, J ., Suleiman, K., Turck, K ., & Kutzler, C. (2021). Changes to family caregiving of older adults and adults with disabilities during COVID-19. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine , 7, 1-8.

Mervis, J. E., Fischer, J ., Cooper, S. E., Deckert, A. C., Lysaker, P. H., MacDonald III, A. W., & Meyer-Kalos, P. (2021). Introspective accuracy for substance use across a year of treatment for first episode psychosis. Schizophrenia Research: Cognition , 26, 100200.

Renner, L. M., Hartley, C. C., & Driessen, M. C. (2021). Provider, caretaker, nurturer, hero: Perceptions of parenting changes among women who experienced intimate partner violence. Journal of Child and Family Studies , 30(9), 2191-2203.

Soria, K., & Horgos, B. (2021). Factors associated with college students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of College Student Development, 62(2), 107-113. 

An, S., Lee, H. Y., Choi, Y. J., & Yoon, Y. J. (2020). Literacy of breast cancer and screening guideline in an immigrant group: importance of health accessibility. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health , 22, 563-570.

Lightfoot, E., Zheng, M ., & DeZelar, S . (2021). Substantiation of child maltreatment among parents with disabilities in the United States. Journal of Public Child Welfare , 15(5), 583-596.

Renner, L. M., Driessen, M. C. , & Lewis-Dmello, A. (2020). A pilot study evaluation of a parent group for survivors of intimate partner violence. Journal of Family Violence , 35, 203-215.

Cho, M. , Haight. W., Choi, W. S., Hong, S. H., & Piescher, K. (2019). A prospective, longitudinal study of risk factors for early onset of delinquency among maltreated youth.Children and Youth Services Review, 102, 222-230.

Choi, Y. J., Lee, H. Y., An, S., Yoon, Y. J. , & Oh, J. (2019). Predictors of cervical cancer screening awareness and literacy among Korean-American women. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 7(1), 1–9.

Driessen, M. C. (2019). Campus sexual assault policies: A feminist policy analysis framework. Affilia, 35(3) 1-16. doi:10.1177/0886109919878273

Driessen, M. C. (2019). Campus sexual assault & student activism, 1970-1990. Qualitative Social Work, 19(3), 1-16. doi:10.1177/1473325019828805

Emery, C. R., Wu, S., Eremina, T., Yoon, Y. J. , Kim, S., & Yang, H. (2019). Does informal social control deter child abuse? A comparative study of Koreans and Russians. International journal on child maltreatment: research, policy and practice, 2(2), 37–54.

Gibson, P., Haight, W., Cho, M., Nashandi, N. J., & Yoon, Y. J. (2019). A mixed methods study of Black Girls' vulnerability to out-of-school suspensions: The intersection of race and gender. Children and Youth Services Review, 102, 169–176.

Haight, W., Waubanascum, C., Glesener, D. , Day, P., Bussey, B., & Nichols, K. (2019). The Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies: Reducing disparities through Indigenous social work education. Children and Youth Services Review, 100, 156-166.

Kiesel, L, DeZelar, S. & Lightfoot, E. (2019). Equity in social work employment in the United States: Opportunity and challenges for social workers with disabilities. Disability & Society.

Kivnick, H. Q., Driessen, M. C., Santavasy, C. , Wardwell, C., & Davis, L. D. (2019). “Who’s Been Putting Socks in My Drawer?” Narrative case study of an elder role model. The Gerontologist, 1-10. doi:10.1093/geront/gnz114

Lee, H.Y., Beltran, R.M. , Kwon, M., Kim, G.N., Lee, D.K. (2019). Racial disparities in cervical cancer screening: Implications for relieving cervical cancer burden in Asian American Pacific Islander women. Cancer Nursing: An International Journal for Cancer Care.

Lightfoot, E. & DeZelar, S . (2019). Social work with parents with disabilities: Historical interactions and contemporary innovations. Social Work Review, 2, 1-10.

Lightfoot, E., Franklin, C., & Beltran, R . (2019). Preparing for the academic job market: A guide for social work doctoral students and their mentors. Journal of Social Work Education.

Newman, T., Okamoto, K. , Kimiecik, C., Sohns, E., Burns, M., & Magier, E. (2019). The role of social workers in sport: Shared values and opportunities for interprofessional collaborations. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 10(3), 160-173.

Renner, L. M., & Driessen, M . C. (2019). Siblings who are exposed to child maltreatment: Practices reported by county children's services supervisors. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 13(5), 491-511. doi:10.1080/15548732.2018.1514350

An, S., Choi, Y. J., Lee, H. Y., Yoon, Y. J. , & Platt, M. (2018). Predictors of breast cancer screening among Korean American women: Is having an annual checkup critical? Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 19(5), 1281–1286.

Bayless, S. D., Jenson, J. M., Richmond, M. K., Pampel, F. C., Cook, M., & Calhoun, M. (2018). Effects of an afterschool early literacy intervention on the reading skills of children in public housing communities. Child & Youth Care Forum, 47, 537-561.

DeZelar, S. , & Lightfoot, E. (2018). Use of parental disability as a removal reason for children in foster care in the US. Children and Youth Services Review, 86, 128-134.

Fink, A. (2018). Bigger data, less wisdom: The need for more inclusive collective intelligence in social service provision. AI & Society, 33, 61-70.

Haight, W., Waubanascum, C., Glesener, D. , & Marsalis, S. (2018). A scoping study of Indigenous child welfare: The long emergency and preparations for the next seven generations. Children and Youth Services Review, 93, 397-410.

Jenson, J. M., Veeh, C., Anyon, Y., St. Mary, J., Calhoun, M. , Tejada, J., & Lechuga-Peña, S. (2018). Effects of an afterschool program on the academic outcomes of children and youth residing in public housing neighborhoods: A quasi-experimental study. Children and Youth Services Review, 88, 211-217.

Kiesel, L., DeZelar, S. & Lightfoot, E. (2018). Challenges, barriers and opportunities: Social workers with disabilities and experiences in field education. Journal of Social Work Education. 54(4), 696-708.

Lee, H. Y., Choi, Y. J., Yoon, Y. J. , & Oh, J. (2018). HPV literacy: The role of English proficiency in Korean American immigrant women. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 22(3), E64–E70.

Lightfoot, E. & LaLiberte, T. & Cho, M. (2018). Parental supports for parents with disabilities: The role of informal supports.Child Welfare, 96(4), 89-110.

Merighi, J. R., Zheng, M. , & Browne, T. (2018). Nephrology social workers' caseloads and hourly wages in 2014 and 2017: Findings from the National Kidney Foundation Council of Nephrology Social Workers Professional Practice Survey. Journal of Nephrology Social Work, 42(1), 31−59.

St. Mary, J., Calhoun, M. , Tejada, J., & Jenson, J. M. (2018). Perceptions of academic achievement and educational opportunities among Black and African American youth. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 35(5), 499-509.

Haight, W., Sugrue, E., Calhoun, M. , & Black, J. (2017). “Basically, I look at it like combat”: Reflections on moral injury by parents involved with child protection services. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 477-489.

Haight, W., Sugrue, E., Calhoun, M. , & Black, J. (2017). Everyday coping with moral injury: The perspectives of professionals and parents involved with child protection services. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 108-121.

Haight, W., Sugrue, E., Calhoun, M. (2017). Moral injury among child protection professionals: Implications for the ethical treatment and retention of workers. Children and Youth Services Review, 82, 27-41.

Hewitt, A., Stancliffe, R., Hall-Lande, J., Nord, D., Pettingell, S., Hamre, K. , Hallas-Muchow L. (2017). Characteristics of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder who use residential services and supports through adult developmental disability services in the United States. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Horn, T. L. , Piescher, K., Shannon, P. J., Hong, S., & Benton, A. (2017). Experiences of Somali and Oromo youth in the child protection system. Children and Youth Services Review.

Kayama, M., Haight, W., Ku, M. L. M., Cho, M. , & Lee, H. Y. (2017). East Asian and U.S. educators' reflections on how stigmatization affects their relationships with parents whose children have disabilities: Challenges and solutions. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 128-144.

Khuu, B. P. , Lee, H. Y. (2017). Health literacy and associated factors among Hmong American immigrants. Journal of Community Health, 1-8.

Kim, Y.S., Lee, H.Y., Lee, M.H., Simms, T. , & Park, B.H., (2017). Mental health literacy in Korean older adults: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12395

Lightfoot, E. & LaLiberte, T. & Cho, M. (2017). A case record review of termination of parental rights cases involving parents with a disability. Children and Youth Services Review, 79, 399-407.

Sugrue, E. & Lightfoot, E. (2017). Preschool Policymaking by Stealth: Application of an Alternative Framework for the Policy Process. Journal of Policy Practice. DOI: 10.1080/15588742.2016.1266982

Carlson, J., Nguyen, H. , and Reinardy, J. (2016). Social justice and the capabilities approach: Seeking a global print for EPAS. Journal of Social Work Education, 52, Issue 3.

Haight, W., Bidwell, L., Choi, W. S., & Cho, M. (2016). An evaluation of the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM): Recidivism outcomes for maltreated youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Children and Youth Services Review, 65, 78-85.

Haight, W., Kayama, M., Ku, M. L., Cho, M. , & Lee, H. Y. (2016). Perspectives of elementary school educators in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the US on disability, stigmatization and children's developing self Part 1: Defining the problem in cultural context. Children and Youth Services Review, 70, 214-228.

Haight, W., Sugrue, E., Calhoun, M. , & Black, J. (2016). A scoping study of moral injury: Identifying directions for social work research. Child and Youth Services Review, 70, 190-200.

Hoffman, S. J., Robertson, C. L., Shannon, P. J., Cook, T.L. , Letts, J., & Mathiason, M. A. (2016). Physical Correlates of Torture Exposure in Karen Refugees. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 1-15.

Kayama, M., Haight, W., Ku, M. L. M., Cho, M. , & Lee, H. Y. (2016). Perspectives of elementary school educators in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the US on disability, stigmatization and children's developing self Part 2: Solutions. Children and Youth Services Review, 70, 403-418.

Khuu, B. P. , Lee, H.Y., Zhou, A.Q., Shin, J. & Lee, R.M., (2016) Healthcare providers’ perspectives on parental health literacy and child health outcomes among Southeast Asian American immigrants and refugees, Children and Youth Services Review, 67 (2016) 220–229. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.006

Lightfoot, E., Blevins, J. , Lum, T. & Dube, A. (2016). Cultural health assets of Somali and Oromo immigrants in the United States: Findings from a community-based participatory research project. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(1), 252-260.

Lightfoot, E. & DeZelar, S. (2016). The experiences and outcomes of children in foster care who were removed because of a parental disability. Children and Youth Services Review, 62, 22–28.

Lightfoot, E., Nienow, M., Moua, K., Colburn, G. , & Petri, A. (2016). Insights on professional identification and licensure from community practice social workers. Journal of Community Practice, 24 (2), 123-146. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10705422.2016.1165328

McCleary, J., Shannon, P. J., Cook, T. (2016) Connecting refugees to substance use treatment: A qualitative study. Social Work and Public Health, 31(1), 1-. 10.1080/19371918.2015.1087906.

Shannon, P.J., Vinson, G.A., Cook, T.L. , Lennon, E. (2016). Characteristics of successful and unsuccessful mental health referrals of refugees. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 43(4), 555-568. doi:10.1007/s10488-015-0639-8

Simms, T. (2016). Statutory compensation for the wrongly imprisoned. Social Work, 61, 155-162. doi: 10.1093/sw/sww003

Yang, H., Yoon, Y. J. , Jeong, B., & Emery, C. R. (2016). The effects of parental abuse and aggression on mobile phone dependency: Focused on the moderated mediation effect of youth activity. Youth Facilities and Environment, 14(2), 5–15.

• Faculty & Research

PhD in Social Work

Preparing the next generation of social work and social welfare scholars and leaders.

Our students develop core competencies that are integral to contemporary social work practice, teaching, and research. The critical linkages between social work and social science research, theory, and practice build upon our faculty  strengths and expertise, and grow through interdisciplinary collaborations and expertise in areas such as health, mental health, trauma, addictions, child welfare, and aging. The PhD in Social Work program offers an opportunity for students to work with, and learn from, these leaders and to pursue a multi-method and highly individualized course of study.

The core curriculum requires a mixed methods foundation, grounding in social work values and a social justice lens, and training in teaching excellence. Student knowledge is deepened through hands-on teaching-practicum experience, the development of a specialization area, and mentored research training. These integrated experiences provide a rich educational foundation for social work leadership in academic, policy, research, and practice arenas.

Please Note: The PhD Program in Social Work no longer requires that applicants take the GRE or MAT exams.

For further information about the PhD program, request information below or contact Daniel P. Miller , Director of the PhD Program in Social Work, at [email protected] .

50 Best Social Work PhD Programs

To help further narrow your search, we have compiled a list of the 50 best programs in the country based on two primary criteria: overall academic reputation (65%) and quality of financial aid provided to students (35%). Programs on this list have a focus on research and teaching and, unless noted, do not focus on advanced clinical practice, as the DSW degree does. Many of the schools listed here also offer joint MSW/PhD programs for those looking for to complete the entirety of their graduate work in one location.

#1  University of Michigan

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U-M’s School of Social Work has been among the country’s best for quite awhile now. Michigan offers a unique joint PhD program for social work students, partnering with five other graduate programs on campus. Students choose from one of U-M’s other well-regarded fields including Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. Joint PhD students reflect the populations they serve and address society’s challenging issues through scientifically rigorous social and behavioral research. U-M faculty create a robust interdisciplinary culture and formulate solutions to serious worldwide problems. Together, Joint PhD students mentored by faculty tackle society’s most pressing problems- poverty, homelessness, mental illness, violence towards children and addiction to name a few. U-M faculty empower students to extend their reach, deepen their impact and create real social change.

Like other programs at the top of our ranking, The Joint Program in Social Work and Social Science provides all incoming doctoral students with a multi-year funding package. U-M combines fellowship awards, graduate student research assistant positions, and graduate student instructorships to offer most students five years of full funding, which includes tuition, stipends, and health care. U-M ranks first in research-and-development spending among the nation’s public universities. Its institutes and centers include: The Institute for Social Research; National Poverty Center; Institute for Research on Women and Gender; Curtis Center; Nonprofit and Public Management Center; University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center; and the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research.

Program Website Offers combined Masters/PhD? Yes Offers part-time option? No

#2  University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a magnet for the world’s leading scholars in the social sciences. Its School of Social Service Administration consistently ranks among the best social work institutions in the country. Members of the SSA doctoral program join a select group of students and scholars who advance an interdisciplinary approach to social work and social welfare scholarship. The program is designed to deepen students’ mastery of both social science theory and research methods so that they are prepared to contribute to scholarly knowledge in innovative ways. The PhD in social work opens doors to university-level research and teaching positions and high-level policy research. In the doctoral program, students have the flexibility of designing their own course of study in tandem with related disciplines across the university. SSA students receive the theoretical training needed to become applied social scientists.

Doctoral students receive significant funding to ensure that they are able to immerse themselves in the program. Effective July 1, 2017, all admitted doctoral students are eligible to receive a scholarship that will cover all tuition and fees plus a $25,000 stipend for up to five years. To ensure that incoming students receive the in-depth advising they need to develop a customized program of study, the Doctoral Committee selects an advisor for each student during the admissions process, matching theoretical and substantive interests.  SSA is one of few schools of social work with a full-time career services office. Doctoral students participate in original research alongside faculty advisors in University-affiliated research centers and programs, including: Center for Gender Studies; Center for Health Administration Studies; Center for Human Potential and Public Policy; Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture; Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention; Human Rights Program; and the Urban Health Initiative.

#3  Washington University (St. Louis, MO)

Another perennially top-ranked program, the Brown School at Washington University offers world-class graduate instruction in social work. The curriculum at the Brown School emphasizes substantive, theoretical and methodological preparation. Vital and groundbreaking research is being conducted at over a dozen Brown School research centers, and students have access to the scholars forging the future of their field. Wash-U’s faculty are top scholars and experts, and students receive the benefit of their mentorship and guidance. The director of the program serves as the primary faculty advisor of all incoming doctoral students. During orientation, students receive a tailored list of additional Brown School faculty who may serve as substantive advisor(s), those who share mutual areas of research interest. At the completion of the first year, students officially select an advisor to mentor them in their chosen area of research.

The Brown School is committed to providing their doctoral students full tuition scholarships, four-year stipends and professional development accounts. Additional funding is possible through research and teaching fellowships as well as other sources of internal and external support. The PhD curriculum includes three units each of required teaching and research practica. These practica typically occur after the first semester in the program and round out the individualized curriculum plan. Teaching practica ensure students are well-trained in substantive content and pedagogy as they prepare for independent teaching at the graduate level. Additional opportunities for research development are available within specific research fellowship programs, faculty laboratories and research centers. The program requires 72 units of credit, 21 of which can be transferred from an MSW program or a graduate degree from an allied field.

Program Website Offers combined Masters/PhD? No Offers part-time option? No

#4  University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh has one of the oldest and most well respected social work doctoral programs in the United States. Since its inception, The School of Social Work has conferred the PhD degree on hundreds of graduates who enjoy productive careers in social work research, education, administration, and planning. The program provides students with a supportive educational environment which facilitates their progress towards degree completion. Pitt’s doctoral program is committed to the school’s mission which addresses human dignity, social justice, and social equity for diverse populations. The university awarded its first DSW degrees in 1949. In 1963, the DSW degree was changed to a PhD. The school celebrated the 60th Anniversary of its PhD Program in 2009. Pittsburgh’s program has consistently been regarded among the top 10 social work doctoral programs in the nation.

Accepted candidates are fully funded with tuition and stipend support for four years of study. Tuition support includes health insurance, and the school has a wonderful Social Work Library which is part of the University’s Library System. Doctoral education in Social Work prepares students for leadership roles in social work research, social work education, social policy, planning, and administration. The goal of the program is to provide students with advanced academic training that will allow them to contribute to the knowledge base of the social work profession. The doctoral program is open to applicants who have demonstrated intellectual capacity, critical thinking skills, and potential for research and scholarship. Pitt’s full time program is highly competitive and accepts 6-8 students each year.

#5  Case Western Reserve University

Founded in 1952 as one of the first doctoral programs in social welfare in America, the PhD program at the Mandel School is designed to develop leaders in social work research, policy, and teaching. It is a cornerstone of the school, offering doctoral students the opportunity to engage with world-renowned faculty, cutting-edge research, and a creative curriculum – all within a supportive environment committed to student success. In response to the different needs and interests of our students, the Mandel School offers two formats for professionals electing to pursue a PhD degree in social welfare: the full-time and the part-time format. Course content includes philosophy of science and theory building, theories of human behavior, advanced research design, statistics, measurement and data analysis, qualitative research models and methods, an integrated research seminar, social welfare policy, theory and evidence base of social work practice, and social work education.

Case Western offers full time students a 100% tuition waiver covering all coursework and six hours of dissertation research credits. Doctoral students may also be able to receive additional tuition waivers for dissertation research credits through serving as teaching assistants for doctoral methods courses or for serving as research assistants on faculty members’ funded research projects. Full time students are guaranteed a stipend of $18,000 for each of the first four years of doctoral study. This fellowship provides individualized training in social work research methods with a faculty member closely matched with the student’s research interests. Students can apply for a mentorship in research or in teaching. In response to the different needs and interests of our students, the Mandel School offers two formats for professionals electing to pursue a PhD degree in social welfare: the full-time and the part-time format.

Program Website Offers combined Masters/PhD? No Offers part-time option? Yes

#6  University of Washington (Seattle, WA)

The PhD Program in Social Welfare at Washington prepares students to become leaders in the advancement of knowledge in the profession and relevant interdisciplinary domains. Students acquire both the substantive and methodological competence to contribute theoretical formulations and empirical research that inform effective social work practice and advance scholarship in social welfare for the promotion of social justice.  In addition to being among the top contributors to research and scholarship, the School’s faculty members have developed special depth in prevention research. Faculty research emphasizes prevention and intervention services and encompasses topics related to health/mental health promotion and disparities, aging, child and adolescent services, family-based practice, interpersonal violence, substance abuse, income distribution, and issues related to gender, communities of color (including American Indian and Alaska native health), and gays and lesbians.

We ensure the same level of support to all incoming students, and our admissions decisions are based in part on the number of students for whom we can ensure support during their first 3 years in the program. We work with students to seek sources of funding both within the University and from outside sources. The support typically involves teaching or research assistantships or fellowships for the 9-month regular school year and includes tuition waiver and health benefits in addition to a salary.  The program offers excellent student resources such as access to cutting edge quantitative and qualitative methods training, preparation for teaching and related faculty roles, student travel to professional conferences, a high level of faculty research activity, scholars engaged in cross-cultural research, and excellent computer access and consultation.

#7  Boston College

Boston College School of Social Work is home to a highly productive community of scholars whose research advances the field of social welfare and the practice of social work. This unique curriculum will prepare students to excel as a researcher and teacher in leading academic and social welfare institutions worldwide.  Students develop expertise in: A Substantive Area of Social Work providing the foundation for advanced research; A Social or Behavioral Science with theory and empirical findings of causes, dynamics, and outcomes of social work interventions; Research Methods necessary to effectively advance knowledge in the field; Teaching Methods to pass knowledge and skills to the next generation of scholars and practitioners; Communication Skills to impart the results of your scholarship, through writing and speaking, to the social work community.

All accepted doctoral students receive merit-based financial support. Students at the Boston College School of Social work receive a multi-year full tuition package worth more than $125,000. This fellowship also provides a living stipend. The award in the first year is a $20,000 non-service stipend. In the second and third years, the award is a $20,000 service stipend. In the fourth year, the award is a $20,000 non-service stipend. The curriculum is designed with a blend of quantitative research courses, combined with theory and methods classes plus a required teaching course. Students also gain practical skills by teaching and tutoring in an MSW classroom. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for the available tenure track positions and other professional research careers. The mission of the Boston College School of Social Work Doctoral Program is to prepare scholars committed to the pursuit of knowledge to advance the field of social welfare and social work practice.

#8  University of North Carolina

The Ph.D. Program in social work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is designed to produce graduates who are capable of building and testing explanatory and practice theory to guide social interventions in social work. It includes thorough training in research methodology and data analysis for addressing both basic and applied research questions. It is not designed to add to clinical or practice skills. Students define a specialized area of study that focuses their assignments and guides their research experiences. It is anticipated that graduates will pursue careers involving scholarly activity and basic and applied research in either academic, research, or policy settings. Through innovative research that improves practice and enhances education, students at UNC search for solutions to the challenges of poverty, mental health, violence, and substance abuse.

The doctoral program of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill provides significant funding to doctoral students, including up to four years of tuition, health insurance, as well as teaching and research stipends. In addition, all doctoral applicants are considered for university-wide fellowship support. There are several kind of assistantships: Merit Assistantships, which come through the university; research assistantships in which the student works for pay on a grant or contract; and research assistantships and teaching, paid from school or program funds, for example, from endowed funds. Students may receive funding from more than one source. The School has grown to include 27 tenured and tenure-track faculty members – seven of whom are chaired or distinguished professors – and more than 65 clinical and research faculty members. In 2011, social work faculty received more than $12 million in grant funding.

#9  Boston University

Building upon BU School of Social Work’s robust commitment to social justice and empowerment of historically marginalized populations, the doctoral program provides training in the theory, research methods, and values of the social work profession necessary to solve urgent human and societal problems. Students’ work reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the program and individualized course of study. Students develop core competencies that are integral to contemporary social work practice, teaching, and research. The critical linkages between social work and social science research, theory, and practice build upon faculty strengths and expertise, and grow through interdisciplinary collaborations and expertise in areas such as health, mental health, trauma, addictions, child welfare, and aging. The PhD in Social Work program offers an opportunity for students to work with, and learn from, these leaders and to pursue a multi-method and highly individualized course of study.

BU is pleased to offer a generous multi-year funding package of up to five years, which includes tuition, paid stipends, and health care. PhD students are funded through a combination of tuition scholarships, and research and teaching assistantships. While students gain hands-on research and teaching experience, assistantships supported by the School of Social Work are paid as stipends during the eight-month academic year. The core curriculum requires a mixed methods foundation, grounding in social work values and a social justice lens, and training in teaching excellence. Student knowledge is deepened through hands-on teaching-practicum experience, the development of a specialization area, and mentored research training. These integrated experiences provide a rich educational foundation for social work leadership in academic, policy, research, and practice arenas.

#10  University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania PhD program in Social Welfare is designed to develop leaders in academia and research to identify both problems and potential solutions. Faculty work hard to foster scholarly energy, collaboration, and creativity. Most graduates go on to faculty posts in Schools of Social Work and Social Welfare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of social workers is expected to grow by 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations.” As a growing academic field, multiple job offers are common. In order to apply for a dual degree program (including the MSW/PhD program), applicants must submit two separate applications. Each of these applications must include two sets of supporting documents, including transcripts, personal statements, and 3 letters of recommendation. Applications for each dual degree program will be reviewed independently of each other; it is possible to be admitted into one program and not the other.

The program is designed to be completed in four years. Each student is supported financially by the School of Social Policy & Practice in the form of tuition, fees, individual health insurance, and a nine-month research and teaching stipend for the four years. Graduates also are prepared to assume, as some have, positions in government, international organizations, research firms, and think tanks. The program is structured so that students can earn their PhD in 4 years. Coursework is completed in the first two years. In addition to learning fundamental content and research skills at SP2, PhD students can take courses in virtually any department at Penn. The last two years are dedicated to gaining research and teaching experience while completing the dissertation. The typical student has multiple publications upon graduation and has teaching experience at the master’s level.

#11  University of California (Los Angeles)

The Social Welfare PhD program at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs provides students with highly structured personalized instruction and mentoring to facilitate entry into careers of research and teaching. The curriculum is interdisciplinary. Students take advantage of the rich learning resources in the Social Welfare Department and other departments within the Luskin School and the larger UCLA campus to develop substantive and methodological knowledge consonant with cutting-edge scholarship in an area of specialization. Areas of specialization include child and family well-being, health and mental health across the lifespan, poverty, and social and economic justice. In recognition of the considerable knowledge and skills required of those contemplating careers in academia, students are encouraged to publish in scholarly journals, present at national conferences, prepare and submit research proposals to external funders, and enter the job market, subsequently, with competitive records of scholarly productivity.

Financial aid packages are competitive and include full tuition plus stipends in the first two years, as well as university fellowships and paid teaching and research assistantships in years three through five, as needed. Research training, both formal and experiential, is at the core of the program. Flexibility is provided to help students attain in-depth competence in a substantive area of social welfare. Students progress from a common foundation in scholarship and research methods toward a high degree of individualized specialization. This common foundation emphasizes the acquisition of analytic tools needed to understand, appraise and advance knowledge in social welfare. With these analytical tools, the students select a specific area of specialization and develop expertise in that area. Considerable emphasis is placed on the individualized instructional relationship between students and faculty mentors. The learning process involves more than classroom instruction. Students are expected to work closely with faculty in their roles as scholars and researchers.

#12  University of Southern California

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work established the first social work doctoral program in the western United States in 1953. Students pursue an in-depth, customized course of study in an atmosphere of careful mentoring and respect for scholarship. The doctoral curriculum is highly interdisciplinary with the intent of producing graduates who are capable of original research and passionate about advancing the profession’s knowledge base. Course work and independent study opportunities within the school and across the university offer intellectual grounding in comparative social science theories, advanced research methods and statistics, global issues, policy analysis and advocacy, and 21st century challenges to practice at the individual, family and group levels. The school gives special emphasis to evidence-based approaches and translational science.

All incoming students accepted and admitted into the program and who remain in good academic standing will receive financial assistance for the first four years, amounting to $200,000. Students also may be eligible for additional fellowships, scholarships, grants, research and teaching assistantships, and loans. Doctoral students regularly collaborate on faculty research projects in addition to pursuing their own funded research. The cornerstone of USC’s success is the dedicated faculty, who take pride in close collaboration with students in research and mentoring, as well as teaching. Faculty help doctoral students develop a portfolio of research and teaching experience that will prepare them fully for the challenges they face as the next generation of scholars and leaders of the profession.

#13  Arizona State University

The purpose of the doctoral program in social work is to train future social work scholars. Graduates are prepared to enter careers in applied research that enhance human well-being, particularly among oppressed and vulnerable populations, and to educate the next generation of social workers. Students pursue their personal intellectual passions guided by an individualized program of study. They are mentored by world-class faculty who collectively rank #1 in disseminating scholarship in premiere social work journals. Examples of recent dissertation topics include: Characteristics of Foster Families and Foster Children that Impact Placement Stability; Migration Aspirations, Religiosity, and Sexual Behavior among Youth: A New Look at Suicidal Ideation in Central Mexico; and Ecological Factors and the Behavioral and Educational Outcomes of African American Students in Special Education.

Contingent upon satisfactory progress in the program, ASU typically offers incoming students five years of financial support. In the first two years when students are focusing on their course work, financial support frequently consists of tuition assistance, health benefits, and a living stipend in exchange for being placed with a faculty member in a 20 hour a week academic training placement. In subsequent years, students have the option of pursuing research with funded faculty and research centers, or obtaining teaching positions in the School of Social Work. Research collaboratives housed within the School of Social Work include: ASU Center for Child Well-Being; Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center; Center for International Translational Intervention Research; Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy; and the Office of American Indian Projects, among others.

#14  New York University

The New York University Silver School of Social Work doctoral program is committed to preparing stewards of the discipline for leadership positions at the national and global levels. The program’s specific aim is to competitively position graduates for top-tier academic and research opportunities, such as faculty positions at leading research universities, and to cultivate the next wave of independent investigators, scholars, and social work leaders. NYU Silver immerses its doctoral students in cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative research, providing them with the rigorous methodological, conceptual, and statistical research training critical for next-level success. Silver School doctoral students are paired from day one with a research mentor as part of a personalized mentoring program, helping them develop competencies in core research, scholarship, and teaching areas.

Accepted full-time students are typically awarded the Dean’s Fellowship, which includes full tuition and registration fee waivers, graduate student health insurance, and a competitive stipend. Upon completing coursework, students are responsible for maintaining their matriculation in the program by paying for one credit per semester until their dissertation is successfully defended. NYU Silver’s outstanding faculty are renowned for their expertise in several key research areas, including poverty studies, mental health services research, and children and family research. NYU offers an unparalleled research environment and platform for study. Silver School doctoral students impact and are impacted by the diversity, dynamism, and richness of New York City, while NYU’s Global Network University initiative provides global opportunities to address critical social welfare issues through research and direct service abroad.

#15  Michigan State University

The PhD program in Social Work at MSU is designed to prepare social workers for leadership positions in the profession as: Social work educators; Researchers of social problems and social work intervention methods; Planners, administrators, and evaluators of social service programs; and Policy makers and analysts. It emphasizes the development, analysis, and application of social work knowledge related to professional practice and research in selected settings and to social work education at the undergraduate and graduate levels in order to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the Social Work profession and the field of social welfare. It is also interdisciplinary in nature, requiring course work in both social work and a particular social science, or across disciplines, while focusing on a selected area of study.

Beginning fall, 2016, the School is pleased to offer five years of guaranteed funding to all qualified incoming students. During the first four years of the program, support will be in the form of an assistantship each year: Graduate assistants work with faculty members on their research projects 20 hours per week during the academic year and receive a tuition waiver, health benefits, and a stipend. There are a variety of teaching opportunities available for doctoral students. In most cases, students are encouraged to consider teaching once they have completed their coursework and comprehensive exam process. The focused area of study, or cognate, is designed by the student and his/her Guidance Committee (a group of faculty chosen by the student that represents social work and the focused cognate area). Courses for the cognate may be taken from any department within the University, with appropriate approval, and are organized around a student’s specific area of scholarly interest.

#16  University of California (Berkeley)

Berkeley Social Welfare’s doctoral program is designed to inspire independence and originality of thought in pursuit of knowledge. Students design and pursue an individualized program of work tailored to their intellectual interests and aligned with specialized research areas of faculty mentors and supervisors from the School of Social Welfare and additional distinguished departments across the Berkeley campus. Doctoral course work includes seminars in research methods, statistics, theory and other related areas. Required courses for doctoral students focus primarily on research methodology. In addition, students enroll in elective courses, seminars, and independent tutorials useful for mastering selected fields of study, preparing for the qualifying examination, and developing competence in research methods. Students are also encouraged to select courses from the rich and varied offerings in other University departments.

A typical funding package for Berkeley Social Welfare doctoral students will usually include a total of four years of financial support, through a combination of payment of tuition and fees; academic student employment as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) or Graduate Student Instructor (GSI); and a living expense stipend. A Combined MSW/PhD Program option is also available specifically for individuals who possess a strong interest in and exceptional capacity for research and scholarly work; and who wish to pursue a continuous program of graduate study leading to the MSW and the PhD degrees. Berkeley Social Welfare research areas include: Systems of Care for Children/Families/Elderly; Behavioral Health and Prevention/Intervention; Community, Organizational and Policy Development; Violence and Victimization; Health and Healthcare Disparities; and Race, Class and Gender.

#17  Virginia Commonwealth University

Reflecting the dual mission of Virginia Commonwealth University and the profession of Social Work, the Ph.D. program in Social Work aims to develop scholars, researchers and educators who will, independently and collaboratively, make significant contributions to advancing social justice and human well-being within local, national and international contexts. Current faculty areas of expertise include: Community and organizational partnerships in prevention and intervention research in local, national and international settings; Interdisciplinary research in social, behavioral and health sciences; International collaborative projects (e.g., interpersonal and societal violence and trauma, poverty and inequality, immigrants and refugees in the U.S. and abroad, and population aging and mental health in low-resource settings).

Full-time students who remain in good academic standing receive financial assistance in the form of full tuition remission and a stipend in each of their first four years of study. The doctoral program director and faculty advisers assist students in identifying sources of support for subsequent years, including support for dissertation research. Formal mentorship takes the form of graduate research assistantships and supervised teaching opportunities in the School’s competitive M.S.W. and/or B.S.W. programs. First-year students participate in a proseminar that is led by the Ph.D. program director. The three-fold purpose of the seminar is to: introduce students to the School’s faculty and their programs of research; familiarize students with current major trends and topics in social work and social welfare; and facilitate a working model of on-going peer advising and consultation.

#18  Bryn Mawr College

The country’s first Ph.D. degree in social work was awarded at Bryn Mawr College in 1920. As a social work school within a liberal arts college, the GSSWSR takes interdisciplinary inquiry and teaching seriously, and Ph.D. students are vital members of the Bryn Mawr College teaching community. A distinctive feature of Bryn Mawr’s Ph.D. program is the small size — typically enrolling cohorts of just three or four students per year. That size allows for a close-knit and productive community of scholars. The ratio of Ph.D. students at all stages in the program to tenured and tenure-track faculty is less than 2:1, and class sizes are typically just 6. This model allows for students to engage and learn more deeply, as individuals, as a cohort, and in close collaboration with faculty. At the same time, to support the program’s focus on interdisciplinary social work scholarship within a broader liberal arts tradition, students also have access to a wealth of resources beyond GSSWSR.

All Ph.D. students are funded equally and do not compete for basic financial support during coursework. The school supports all Ph.D. students to engage deeply in doctoral training with full tuition waivers and substantial stipends to offset costs of living. Bryn Mawr discourages competition among students and instead aims to facilitate a collaborative and supportive community of scholars. Faculty have a wide variety of research interests. Two primary areas of focus for research and teaching at GSSWSR are “Health and Mental Health Across the Lifespan” and “Children, Families and Society.” The school’s traditional strengths in clinical practice and social theory and research help to foster a generative community that values innovative conceptualizations that reach across traditional silos to better address the central problems that social work faces as a field.

#19  Ohio State University

The mission of the doctoral program in Social Work at OSU is to nurture the next generation of social work researchers and educators within the translational research framework with the ultimate goal of positively impacting the lives of individuals, families, communities, and society. Hallmarks of the program include: Theory-driven intervention and implementation research; Qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand the individual, family and community contexts of social problems; Mixed methods research to understand the agency and program contexts where interventions are implemented; Pedagogical skills to be effective social work educators; Grant writing skills for research funding; and Publishing and presenting.

The College of Social Work provides a competitive funding package for doctoral students. In the first three years, students are granted a Graduate Associate position with stipend and tuition coverage (for full-time students). In the fourth year through Dissertation, students are granted Graduate Student Lecturer positions. The Graduate School sponsors a number of fellowships for incoming and current graduate students.  Currently, Doctoral faculty are studying: School mental health, school social work, school-family-community partnerships; Community food security and community-based research; Children of immigrant families and social adjustment; Positive youth development and youth sport; Integrative body-mind spirit practices; Educational disparities; and Human trafficking; and Latino gangs.

Program Website Offers combined Masters/PhD? Yes Offers part-time option? Yes

#20  University of Wisconsin (Madison)

The doctoral program in social welfare strives to develop scholars, leaders, and social work educators who will advance knowledge about social work, social welfare policy, and intervention strategies from a behavioral and social science perspective to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. The program has a strong reputation of academic excellence. Students have a wide selection of courses in world-renowned social and behavioral science departments such as sociology, economics, educational psychology, human development and family studies, the La Follette School of Public Affairs, psychology, women’s studies, population health sciences, and nursing. There are opportunities to collaborate with world-renowned research centers and institutes, such as: Center for the Demography of Health and Aging; Comprehensive Cancer Center; Institute on Aging; and the Institute for Research on Poverty, among others.

The School of Social Work provides highly competitive financial support to new and continuing Ph.D. students. Graduate Assistantship and Fellowship positions include paid tuition, health insurance coverage, and a monthly stipend. Other forms of financial aid include: Teaching Assistantship; Project and Research Assistantships; Fellowship; Scholarships and Awards.  In their programs doctoral students build and integrate knowledge in: a substantive or social problem area (e.g., child welfare, aging, developmental disabilities, end-of-life care, health, mental health, poverty); social science theory (e.g., theories of the life course, economic theory, psychopathology, organizational theory, stress process theories); research designs and statistical methodologies (e.g., program evaluation, policy analysis, longitudinal analysis). There are also options to pursue interdisciplinary Ph.D. minors in Aging; Prevention and Intervention Science; and Women’s Studies, among others.

#21  Columbia University (New York)

The Columbia School of Social Work’s Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program has produced many of the world’s most influential leaders in social work and social welfare scholarship since its inception in 1950. The program is offered by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and administered by the School of Social Work. It prepares candidates for careers as researchers, scholars and educators. Doctoral students can choose from three concentrations: Advanced Practice; Social Policy and Policy Analysis; or Social Policy and Administration. Candidates will also take advanced social work courses and a wide range of courses offered in other Columbia professional schools.

While much of the program is highly individualized, all students will be enrolled in approximately two full-time years of course work, plus time for tutorials, research projects, examinations, and dissertation work. All students also conduct an intensive individualized research practicum, or a research assistantship, in conjunction with a current faculty research project. Around 65 students are enrolled in the Ph.D. program. While the majority of students have a master’s in social work, many others have master’s degrees in related disciplines such as economics, education and public policy.The majority of graduates accept positions conducting research and/or teaching in universities and research institutions throughout the world. Other graduates choose to join governmental organizations or think tanks that conduct relevant social policy research and analysis. A few opt to re-enter the social services field in an executive capacity.

#22  University at Buffalo (SUNY)

Founded in 1846 as a private medical college, The State University of New York at Buffalo is a public research university in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. In the school’s doctorate of social work program, students will: Create an individual, fully interdisciplinary program of coursework and scholarship; Benefit from a small-by-design program that facilitates meaningful connections with peers and mentors; Participate in the intellectual exchanges and scholarly collaborations fostered by UB’s many research centers and institutes and community partnerships; Engage with our diverse, dedicated and growing faculty, with particular expertise in trauma, veterans’ issues, aging, social policy, and refugee and immigrant communities; and access diverse research opportunities, facilities and support through the Buffalo Center for Social Research.

PhD students receive generous funding, consisting of three years of tuition waivers, through assistantships and scholarship programs. This interdisciplinary PhD is best for individuals who are seeking careers as researchers and academics. The highly customizable nature of the program allows students to tailor their coursework to their individual research interests. The programs consists of two years of coursework followed by a year of exams and dissertation work plus additional time for more dissertation work. The program also focuses on and prepares students to take action in program and policy arenas at local, national and global levels. A medium-sized professional school within the largest and most comprehensive research university in the State University of New York system, the UB School of Social Work is positioned in a diverse learning community to offer flexible academic programming, meeting the unique interests and career goals of students.

#23  University of Maryland (Baltimore)

The mission of the UMB School of Social Work’s Doctor of Philosophy program is to prepare graduates to conduct interdisciplinary research and become exemplary social work scholars and educators.‌ For the last 10 years, the School’s faculty publishing rate places it in the top 10 schools in the country in terms of the number of articles published in scholarly journals. In a short period of time, the SSW has become the leader in social work education in the state, as well as become known to a national and international audience. In addition to the School’s academic side, there is a community service side: Social Work Community Outreach Service, Promise Heights, Family Connections and the Ruth H. Young Center for Families and Children are all very active in helping with the social work needs in Baltimore and beyond. The SSW has over 80 full-time faculty members including over 40 tenure-tracked positions.

Full-time students are eligible for full-time (20-hour) assistantships which provide a stipend of $19,167 (10-month) or $23,000 (12-month), plus tuition remission for the fall and spring semesters, and health insurance. The School has a number of graduate research assistantships (GRAs) that require either 10 or 20 hours of work per week for a 10 or 12 month academic year. Students are required to take at least one course outside the social work PhD program; students begin taking electives in their second year. Students may select their electives from doctoral-level courses offered in the School of Social Work, the other UMB schools, as well as academic departments on the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) or University of Maryland in College Park (UMCP) campuses (e.g., psychology, sociology, policy sciences). UMB’s full-time students average 4 to 5 years to complete the program.

#24  University of Kansas

The goal of the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare doctoral program is to prepare students to become leaders nationally and internationally in advancing social work practice and policy through research, teaching and scholarship. Students graduate from the program with the critical knowledge and skills they need to become innovative stewards of the discipline who generate and disseminate knowledge as researchers, scholars and educators. Students work with highly productive, nationally and internationally renowned faculty with expertise in aging, child welfare, child mental health, adult mental health, corrections, juvenile justice, spirituality, diversity and poverty. Students also gain critical methodological, pedagogical and research skills and expertise through funded appointments as graduate research and teaching assistants and high quality doctoral courses.

If enrolled in full-time study, the KU School of Social Welfare will guarantee four years of financial support, as long as student remains in good standing in the program. In most cases, this will consist of a 50 percent appointment as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA), Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), or a combination of the two and paid tuition. The curriculum is designed to provide core training in research methodology, theory, policy and teaching pedagogy. In combination with funded appointments, students develop expertise in their chosen areas of inquiry and research methods. Other research and funding opportunities are often available through individual faculty research projects in many areas. Current Ph.D. in social work students report that faculty accessibility and interest in doctoral students is very high and particularly comment the high quality of the faculty-student mentoring relationship.

#25  University of Texas (Arlington)

UT Arlington’s doctoral program in the School of Social Work prepares students for careers in social work research, policy and teaching. Graduates hold faculty positions in colleges and universities across the country and have made important contributions to social work practice, education, research, administration and leadership. Students can attend full-time or part-time. About ten students enter the program each year, coming from a variety of regions, countries, educational, and practice backgrounds. Students are encouraged, upon their entry to the program, to identify an area of interest which they can explore in their course work and assignments. Following a core set of foundational courses, students concentrate in an area of specialization as they move through the program. Students learn in small classes with a diverse, talented and committed faculty. Students work closely with faculty members on research projects which provide them with hands on experience in the various stages of the research process.

The Social Work doctoral program provides full-time incoming doctoral students with a multi-year funding package that should fund much of their graduate career at the University of Texas at Arlington. The school combines fellowship awards, stipends for graduate assistants and graduate teaching assistantships and tuition to offer students three years of funding. Students may also apply for other funding from sources within and outside of the university. Throughout their doctoral studies, students also benefit from a well-developed system of advisement and mentorship. The program offers a variety of supports for career development with regular workshops on professional writing and publication; practice and preparation for job interviews and colloquia presentations of dissertation research. Students also mentor each other in a system of peer mentorship organized by the active Doctoral Student Association.

#26  University of South Carolina

The College of Social Work Doctoral Program at the University of South Carolina prepares social work scholars to advance social well-being and social justice through leadership in transdisciplinary community-engaged research and education. In the Ph.D. program, students immediately begin advancing social well-being and social justice through scholarship. The program’s dynamic approach to doctoral education prepares students for transdisciplinary community-engaged research and education. The school merges social justice with community-engaged research that cuts across disciplines. Students are directly involved in research, technical assistance, and training within the school’s various research and advocacy centers. And many faculty and students are involved in collaborative research with other colleges, departments, and universities.

The school offers graduate and research assistantships to Full-time and Advanced Standing students. Assistantships are competitive and a limited number are awarded. Assistantships are awarded based on the applicant’s academic achievement and merit. Care is taken to arrange connections with one or more faculty members who share interests. Faculty members are currently conducting social work research on: food security, youth and college sports, robotics and the elderly, religious congregations, kidney dialysis, refugee resettlement, community violence, interprofessional education, parenting children with autism, Buddhism and social work, and social entrepreneurship as well as research in more familiar social work settings such as child welfare, mental health, the military, criminal justice, and schools.

#27  University of Denver

Founded in 1968, GSSW’s PhD program is among the oldest social work doctoral programs in the nation. Doctoral students are encouraged to develop a solid understanding of the theories, social interventions and policies that guide research in their substantive area. The doctoral curriculum includes advanced content in theory, policy and research methodology. In consultation with faculty advisers, students develop a plan of study that includes required core courses and elective courses in their chosen substantive area of inquiry. Coursework for a full-time doctoral student is usually completed in two academic years. Before beginning the dissertation, students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination that demonstrates knowledge of theory, research and policy.

Most students are admitted to the program with a very competitive funding package that typically provides three years of financial support. A two-year graduate assistantship includes a living stipend, 100% tuition waiver and a health care subsidy. Students must have an applied research experience while enrolled in the program. This experience is generally obtained through a University of Denver graduate research assistantship or as a research assistant on a funded research project. Factors that set UD’s program apart: Excellent mentorship; Emphasis on collaboration; Strong foundation in theory; Strong commitment to social justice; Community-based research; Strong commitment to producing excellent teachers; Valuing different methodologies.

#28  University of Alabama

University of Alabama’s Social Work PhD program prepares leaders in social work scholarship, research, and teaching. The curriculum addresses theory, research methods, and the critical evaluation of social work policies and practice. Students in the PhD program benefit from small class sizes, a supportive learning environment and excellent resources. Located less than hour from the Birmingham metro area and surrounded by rural counties, UA’s School of Social Work is the destination for research focusing on: Disparities in health, services, and social policies; Economic and social barriers; Services to military families; Aging and end of life; and matters of racial and social justice. The mission of the University of Alabama’s social work PhD program is to prepare social work scholars who develop and disseminate knowledge.

Students receive three-years of funding, which includes tuition, health insurance, and a stipend. Some financial aid is also available from the School of Social Work, including the Ben Avis Orcutt and the Leslie J. Shellhase endowed scholarships, which are administered by the PhD program. Financial aid commonly takes the form of graduate teaching, research assistantships, special grants or fellowships. Earning a PhD in social work from UA prepares students to solve important social problems with research and to teach future social workers. Students gain knowledge in: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods; Statistics; Practice Theory; Social Welfare History and Policy; and Social Work Education. Faculty research areas include: Aging and End of Life; Child Maltreatment and Child Welfare; Health and Mental Health; International Social Work; and Social Welfare Policy.

#29  University of Minnesota

Established in 1946, UMN’s social work doctoral program is one of the oldest in the United States, and develops a mentoring partnership between nationally prominent faculty and students to promote knowledge and skills in theory development and community-based research. Graduates include internationally recognized scholars in diverse areas of study. Alumni go on to faculty and academic leadership roles in schools of social work around the world, as well as agency and program directors, and high-level servants in federal, state, and local government agencies. Faculty at UMN are highly productive. Students can collaborate with faculty and research and training centers to conduct, write, and publish research in child welfare, aging, adult mental health, violence prevention, and social services development and delivery.

The majority of students receive a three-year funding package which covers tuition, health insurance, and a stipend. Many students also secure dissertation fellowships, and the school helps many students secure assistantships for funding into their fourth and fifth years. Teaching and professional development is an emphasis of the program. Students gain skills in teaching and curriculum development. Graduates go on to faculty positions in universities and colleges. The school provides doctoral colloquia focusing both on current research and professional and career development. The school has a uniquely diverse student body. Graduate students come from Minnesota, across the nation, and from around the world, giving the learning and research experience depth and breadth in lived experiences and perspectives.

Program Website Offers combined Masters/PhD? On a limited basis Offers part-time option? No

#30  Indiana University (IUPUI)

Located in downtown Indianapolis on the campus of IUPUI, the doctoral program in Social Work from Indiana University graduates interprofessional scholars, educators, and leaders with cutting-edge theoretical and methodological expertise who advance social justice in a changing global landscape. Their mission is to prepare research-oriented scholars and innovative educators and leaders imbued with the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to advance health, well-being, and social and economic justice in a diverse world.  Advanced research and scholarship are woven through a comprehensive program to prepare students for leading roles in areas such as social work education, social welfare, policy analysis and development, administration, social work practice, and advocacy.

Tuition is waived for full-time doctoral students on Research Assistantships or Fellowships. University Fellowships grant students $22,500, plus $1,000 travel allowance, full tuition, and health insurance.  Primary areas of faculty research expertise include: mental health, racial and cultural diversity, gerontology, family and children services, juvenile corrections, and housing & health care. All Ph.D. students complete an External Minor in a department or school other than the School of Social Work. This enables students to tie their research interests to another academic discipline (e.g., African American Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Women’s Studies, etc.) and professional schools (e.g., Education, Public and Environmental Affairs, Medicine, Philanthropy, Nursing).

#31  University of Texas (Austin)

The PhD program in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin prepares its graduates for successful academic careers as social work educators and researchers. The school’s unique setting provides the best in learning and living environments. Students have the advantages of a smaller learning community within a large, world-class, research-one university located in a city known for its vitality, music, creativity and laid-back style. The curriculum is practical to the skills that students need for future job prospects within academia. The curriculum includes course work, research and teaching experiences, an opportunity to master individualized content and original research, and chances to publish in leading journals.

The primary sources of financial support for PhD students are graduate teaching and research assistantships, graduate fellowships administered by the university, and financial aid administered by the Office of Student Financial Services. Faculty and staff provide career advice and specific coaching to develop interviewing skills and a competitive CV and portfolio for the academic job market. While in the program, students are personally mentored by world-renowned and interdisciplinary faculty. Working within any of UT Austin’s research institutes, students have numerous opportunities to develop research competencies while solving the critical social problems of the day. Finally, students gain teaching competencies through assistantships and opportunities to teach their own classes.

#32  University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)

The PhD program in Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign equips students with tangible skills to use rigorous scientific methods to develop and disseminate knowledge, teach the next generation of social workers, and serve their communities. Grounded in social work values and related theories, the program’s social-justice oriented students are prepared for leadership roles in conducting high impact interdisciplinary work, educating students, and meeting the changing needs of a global social work landscape. PhD students conduct research and analyze policies on issues of importance to society, and will be prepared for university-level teaching and for social work research upon graduation. The School works closely with PhD graduates in pursuing job opportunities.

The School of Social Work has a competitive financial aid program which results in several of our students receiving some type of aid that does not have to be repaid. Included in the possibilities are grants, assistantships, fellowships, stipends, tuition waivers, and endowed awards. Financial aid is available on the basis of academic merit and experience and not financial need. Graduate Assistantship positions are for first year students only and include an in-state base rate tuition waiver, general fee waiver, and monthly stipend. Students typically work 10 or 20 hours per week while holding an assistantship position. Each entering doctoral student is assigned a faculty as her/his academic advisor. The assignment of a student’s advisor is based on the focus interests of the student and those of a faculty member.

#33  University of Tennessee

The goal of the doctoral program at UT Knoxville is to train researchers and teachers who can work in a variety of settings to develop and disseminate knowledge about interventions, programs, and policies that will be used by professional social workers. Students who go through the PhD program will receive extensive training in research methods and statistics and will critically examine issues relevant to social work practice at both the micro and macro levels. Students also gain extensive experience in effective college teaching, including online teaching and best practices for the use of technology in the classroom. Working closely with a faculty mentor, students will become thoroughly familiar with the professional literature in their selected area and will conduct empirical research that will contribute to the knowledge base of social work.

The PhD program faculty are dedicated to producing outstanding social work scholars and educators. The program is closely linked with the Center for Behavioral Health Research, a renowned and well-established center for social work research excellence (and a part of the College of Social Work). The Center works with faculty and PhD students on research in such areas as the structure and coordination of services, aggressive and antisocial youth, child welfare, and measurement and assessment. PhD students have multiple opportunities to publish research papers, make presentations at national conferences, and develop their skills as social work educators. Many graduates are now on the faculty of social work programs around the country and abroad. The school also has graduates working in such settings as psychiatric hospitals and state agencies.

#34  Rutgers University (New Brunswick)

The Ph.D. program in Social Work at Rutgers prepares students to assume positions of leadership in the field of social welfare. Graduates contribute to the knowledge base of social work and related fields as faculty, researchers, policy analysts, and executive administrators. The program aims to maximize student choice with regard to dissertation research studies. Students work with their advisors to assemble elective courses, research internships, and mentored research projects that will build a coherent body of knowledge and expertise in the student’s chosen area of interest. The distribution of PhD courses includes required, restricted choice electives, and free elective courses.

The Doctoral Program offers a range of possible funding packages to accepted students in need of financial aid. These may include full or partial tuition remission or other financial support. Qualified students may also be eligible for Graduate Assistantships which include full tuition and a stipend. Rutgers University provides merit-based financial aid to many of its doctoral students. Applicants to the PhD program in social work may qualify for teaching and research assistantships, or school-specific awards or tuition waivers. Students have the opportunity to choose from a range of courses in top ranked departments within the Graduate School.  Research Internships may be completed at university research institutes or with social work or social science faculty. Cross-registration may be arranged with Princeton University, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, or Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.

#35  University at Albany (SUNY)

The doctoral program in Social Work at Albany is nationally renowned for studies on aging, children and families, diversity and minority health disparities, addictions, and mental health. Graduates and current students include leaders in state government, research institutes, and community-based agencies in the U.S. and around the world. The School’s faculty are nationally recognized, year in and year out, for their scholarship and productivity. The School’s unique location in New York’s Capital Region — the seat of government for one of America’s largest states — provides opportunities for policy and practice pilot programs that often inform services and laws. Recent studies have consistently ranked Albany among the top five schools in the country on measures of faculty productivity in research and scholarship.

Ph.D. students in social work collaborate with faculty of international reputation while conducting research in the areas that intrigue them most — anything from developmental disabilities to homeless GLBT youth. After graduation, they are in great demand as faculty, researchers, practice leaders, and initiators of social welfare policy, as well as in other capacities.  The curriculum is designed to accomplish three objectives: To enable students to acquire a core of advanced knowledge of social work practice theory, social policy, research methods, and statistics; To permit students to obtain specialized knowledge in areas of their own choosing; and to facilitate the contribution of students to knowledge-building and education in social work and social welfare.

#36  University of Houston

The GCSW at UH is committed to preparing the next generation of social work scholars for faculty appointments in schools of social work or for high level positions in research. As students progress through the doctoral program, they identify, develop and pursue an area of research that prepares them to contribute to scholarship and advance the knowledge base of social work. The curriculum is oriented towards evidence-based social work (EBSW) so that students are trained to generate and use valid research evidence to inform the decisions social workers make at all levels of practice and policy. By training students in EBSW, we increase the capacity of the profession to build interdisciplinary partnerships in both research and practice. The GCSW provides the kind of personal attention that enables students to succeed in their doctoral education.

Research Assistantships and Teaching Fellowships/Instructional Assistantships  are awarded to Ph.D. students on a competitive basis.  Through their teaching and advisement, the GCSW faculty share their knowledge and social work values with students. By emphasizing scholarship and research, GCSW faculty help students engage in critical thinking and intellectual discovery. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States with many diverse, multicultural populations. The Texas Medical Center, located in the heart of Houston, is one of the largest medical complexes in the world. As such, the greater Houston area offers doctoral students a vast array of opportunities for research activities. The program offers small classes, individualized studies with faculty members, training workshops, research internships and a doctoral publication that is managed by the doctoral students.

#37  University of Connecticut

UConn’s Social Work PhD program prepares scholars and researchers to serve as faculty members in higher education and as leaders in human service organizations and research centers. The curriculum offered reflects the powerful role research plays in relation to applied social work practice and knowledge building. Nine core courses provide students with competency in advanced research methods and statistics, and social science theories. Doctoral students are expected to attain mastery of critical thinking and logic of inquiry skills focused on specific social work research methods, statistical analysis, social welfare history and philosophy, social policy analysis, theories of human behavior and social environment, and social work practice theories. The PhD program curriculum is comprised of: Core curriculum; Dissertation preparation; and Electives.

Several characteristics distinguish UConn’s program: A proven record of equipping students with the necessary knowledge base and research skills to develop their own research in their area of interest; Courses and advising are provided by outstanding scholars, researchers and leaders in the profession; A community of supportive mentors, distinguished faculty, and peers; Opportunities to teach in the MSW program and participate in the Teaching Preparation Program, including Teaching Seminars; and opportunities to serve as Research Assistants on faculty-led research; The School is an academic unit of UConn which is ranked among the top 20 public universities nationally and the highest ranked in New England; Graduates serve as faculty members in Schools of Social Work across the country and as researchers and leaders in public and private agencies.

#38  University of Illinois Chicago

The mission of the UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work is to educate professional social workers, develop knowledge, and provide leadership in the development and implementation of policies and services on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, racial and ethnic minorities, and other at-risk urban populations. Consistent with this mission and Jane Addams’ Hull House tradition, the PhD Program in Social Work responds to the urgent demand for more effective human services, the need for changes in social policy and the growth in social work education at all levels. The program is designed to support the development of scholars of social and economic justice, providing students with the knowledge and skills for advancing social work treatment theory and research and for development and direction of social welfare programs.

Students fund their education in a number of ways including: University-based Fellowships; JACSW-based Research Assistantships; Faculty-grant-based Research Assistantships; Teaching Assistantships; and Tuition Waivers. The program provides for two broad research tracks: social planning, policy and administration, and social work practice scholarship within which a more specialized area of individualized study is selected. Most graduates of the program either teach in colleges and universities or hold positions as agency executives. Smaller numbers are working in research positions, with a very few in direct practice. Current research includes: Systems and communities support of youth within the juvenile justice system; domestic minor sex trafficking in Chicago; and the well-being of African American males and their families, among many others.

#39  Saint Louis University

The Ph.D. in social work program at SLU provides a solid foundation for an academic career or as a social work research scientist in practice or policy settings. The program has a strong interdisciplinary and methodological orientation. SLU’s School of Social Work’s interactive teaching methods integrate community-based practice with classroom activities and discussions. Small class sizes facilitate an atmosphere of intellectual dialogue that fosters relationships between students and faculty. SLU’s Ph.D. in social work requires 72 credit hours and offers rigorous methodological and interdisciplinary training for social workers and related professionals.

New and continuing students are eligible for merit-based scholarships. Newly accepted master’s or doctoral students and students in the first year of a program are eligible to apply for the Diversity, Dissertation and Presidential university-funded fellowships. Students are also able to apply for a full or partial graduate assistantship with the School of Social Work. Building on the foundations of required coursework, students develop an individualized plan of study that will meet their intellectual and professional requirements. These concentrations consist mainly of elected coursework and participation in mentored research. Students also complete a dissertation project corresponding with their educational and professional goals.

#40  Portland State University

The Ph.D. Program in Social Work at Portland State admitted its first cohort in 1992, and since then doctoral graduates have been hired into tenure-track academic positions in universities across the country. Many conduct research as principal investigators on major research projects, and others hold leadership roles in diverse communities and at social service organizations. All coursework is built through a focused social justice lens. The program teaches students to recognize and interrupt the expression or perpetuation of privilege, discrimination, inequality, and structural systems of oppression. The program is rigorous, relevant, and responsive to the future of social work education and scholarship and continues its focus on the promotion of social and economic justice for the improvement of communities.

The Ph.D. Program guides students to build mentor/mentee relationships with doctoral faculty throughout the various phases of study, and to build collegial relationships among fellow students. All graduates will learn how to promote justice and equity through critically informed research, teaching, and action. The School’s commitment to cutting edge research is at the heart of the program. It is all about turning research into action for the people and communities students serve. Doctoral students work with senior researchers at PSU’s three nationally recognized research centers: the Regional Research Institute for Human Services; the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services; and the Center for Interdisciplinary Mentoring Research.

#41  University of Missouri

The University of Missouri School of Social Work PhD program is nationally distinct in its interdisciplinary emphasis, theory-driven research, community-based collaborative research, and student-faculty collaborative research. The program’s purpose is to produce researchers who investigate social problems and disseminate research knowledge, as well as to produce high quality social work educators. It also prepares graduates with the highest level of knowledge and skills needed to inform policy making, program development and evaluation, and research on clinical practice issues. The School is also a member of the St. Louis Group for Excellence in Social Work Research and Education, an elite group of research oriented schools of social work. The goal of the PhD program is to prepare students for excellence and leadership in social work research and teaching.

A number of scholarships are available to qualified students based on private philanthropy of donors who have established endowments in support of the School. One of the strengths of the program is that students have opportunities for collaborative research and teaching with other disciplines across campus, such as family and community medicine, health sciences, nursing, public health, women’s and gender studies, interdisciplinary research centers, and others. Frequently, such collaboration makes an important contribution to student success in the program. Doctoral faculty are dedicated to producing outstanding researchers and educators. They encourage students to publish papers in refereed journals, make presentations at regional and national conferences, and have teaching opportunities while in the program.

#42  University of Utah

Utah’s PhD Program in Social Work balances theory-driven research based on strong methodological and analytic skills. Graduates are prepared to be productive researchers and skilled teachers in prominent schools of social work, and the school offers competitive support for qualifying students. Designed for students to obtain their degree in three to five academic years, the first part of the program consists of core doctoral coursework, including epistemology, statistics, systematic reviews, and qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as substantive elective classes, followed by independent research culminating in the dissertation process. Coursework in the interdisciplinary program promotes strong critical and inter-professional thinking, and integrative, evidence-based approaches to social problems, drawing from a solid social science theory base.

Research and teaching assistantship opportunities are available at the College of Social Work. PhD students find that working in the Social Research Institute, Goodwill Initiatives on Aging, Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development (C-MIIND) or the Utah Criminal Justice Center offers critical career and scholarship enhancement. These institutes sponsor grant-funded research and demonstration projects regarding such issues as child welfare practice and cross-system reforms, juvenile and criminal justice reforms, aging, mental health, the challenges faced by welfare families, substance involved families, and services for persons with disabilities. Students learn foundational skills of research and scholarship while specializing in individualized areas of substantive interest. Doctoral students at the University of Utah collaborate extensively with their faculty mentors to graduate with a balanced portfolio that demonstrates excellence in both teaching and research publication.

#43  Fordham University (New York)

Fordham University’s PhD in Social Work program empowers students to be leaders of change in education, research and organizations. Their accredited integrated curriculum allows students to focus on social work practice or policy and implementation, while also concentrating on a specific field such as gerontology, children and family services, and health or mental health. From the campus at Lincoln Center, the unparalleled diversity of the New York metropolitan area offers unique opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty in research, training, and educational projects while earning their PhD in Social Work. Students must identify an area of study in which to specialize – social policy or social work practice. Each area of specialization consists of courses focusing on the specialization in social policy or social work practice after foundation courses are completed.

Up to two Rogler Doctoral Fellowships will be available during the each academic year. This two-year, pre-dissertation social work fellowship is available for students in need of scholarships who plan to examine Latino/Hispanic-related topics in their dissertation. The fellowship provides a stipend to support student’s progress in the program. Hallmarks of the program include: Specializations in practice or policy development and implementation; Focus on areas of concentration in gerontology, children and families, and mental health; Close collaboration with a faculty of skilled educators and researchers; Flexible scheduling and student-centered plans of study—including part-time and full-time—to fit students’ needs; and opportunities to teach in the MSW program.

#44  Simmons College

The Ph.D. in social work is designed for experienced practitioners to develop applied scientific methodological skills and to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and populations. The Ph.D. program prepares students to become talented and effective educators. They receive formal training in the pedagogy of adult learning — in the classroom and through a teaching practicum — and are offered opportunities to teach with our seasoned professors. There is substantial interest in combining education in social work with education in public health. Faculty and staff at the Simmons School of Social Work (SSW) and faculty at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health will collaborate with interested students to facilitate such an opportunity.

Interdisciplinary Social Work/Public Health Training Opportunity with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Simmons College School of Social Work provides highly qualified M.S.W. and Ph.D. students with the opportunity to combine the applied clinical expertise of a social work degree with comprehensive scientific public health training. Graduates of each of these degree programs enter the workforce with advanced skills to address health and mental health needs of diverse populations. Career paths include program and policy development, administration, and evaluation in international and domestic organizations. Potential employers include NGOs, departments of health, humanitarian agencies, advocacy coalitions, hospitals, and health-care organizations.

#45  University of Kentucky

The Ph.D. program in social work at Kentucky is designed to develop highly-skilled research scholars who will make meaningful contributions to the advancement of scientific knowledge. Through small group seminars and hands-on collaboration with nationally and internationally renowned scholars, students are immersed in the important and challenging work of advancing the profession’s knowledge base. The program provides graduates the knowledge and skills to become successful social work scholars and educators. Faculty members are affiliated with such prominent UK centers as: The Training Resource Center; Center on Drug and Alcohol Research; and the Center on Trauma and Children. Students work with faculty mentors within the college and university in such areas as health and mental health, substance abuse, international social work, social work education, child welfare, criminal justice, military social work, gerontology, suicidology, macro-level interventions, and others.

A fellowship (stipend plus tuition and health insurance) is funded in part by Bill Beaven of Eidetik, Inc. Applicants for this competitive fellowship with an interest in developmental disabilities or aging will be given special consideration. The doctoral curriculum provides students with the skills to critically analyze the state of the art in social work knowledge, to develop theory-informed research questions, and to design and implement scientific procedures to find answers to advance the knowledge base. Students also hone their skills as educators through a mentored teaching experience across their course of study. Students work with faculty from Education, Public Health, Family Science, and others. There is a strong emphasis on students acquiring the research competencies needed to conduct research and publish their scholarship. At the same time, students learn how to become top-notch educators through teaching assistantships, teaching practica, and a course in teaching.

#46  University of Georgia

The University of Georgia School of Social Work Ph.D. Program, founded in 1990, has a two-fold primary emphasis: producing scholars who have the capacity to work interdisciplinarily through an epistemologically diverse, research-intensive program of study; and preparing tomorrow’s social work educators through instruction in sound pedagogical practice and opportunities for mentored experiential learning. The University of Georgia is committed to a vigorous public service tradition — a tradition the Ph.D. program upholds by recruitment of a diverse student body; focus on community-engaged scholarship informed by cultural humility to address persistent and emerging inequities through socially just research, with implications for practice, policy, and education; and the development of leadership skills for careers in academic, public, and private settings.

Students admitted as prospective candidates in full time study are generally offered graduate assistantship funding. Recipients are selected through a competitive process, and assistantships are awarded only to the University’s most qualified individuals to aid them in their pursuit of study or research. UGA offers: An emphasis on community-engaged scholarship; A sustained commitment to social justice; A diverse student body; Excellent financial support in the form of research and teaching assistantships; Opportunities for interdisciplinary scholarship within a robust program of study; A rich and nurturing research environment; Nationally and internationally recognized faculty with innovative and expansive areas of expertise; Opportunities to participate in faculty driven and independent research and publish in top tier refereed journals; and Multiple graduate certificate opportunities, including gerontology, women’s studies, qualitative studies, quantitative methods, and nonprofit leadership.

#47  Smith College

Smith’s Ph.D. program prepares advanced clinical scholars and practitioners to contribute to knowledge about clinical social work theory and practice. Students are trained to be leaders in education, research and scholarship, as well as clinical supervisors, consultants and advanced practitioners. Ph.D. students take specialized courses in teaching philosophy and methods to help them prepare for academic careers. The program also encourages all doctoral students not already employed in social work education to engage in some form of clinical teaching—in the classroom, in an agency, as a supervisor or as a consultant—as part of the course of study. Typically students take on this work during the second internship or the final summer of on-campus study, and they are mentored by an adviser or by individual faculty members.

All students and applicants are invited to submit an application for financial aid to the School. Need-based financial aid for Ph.D. students is extremely limited and awarded to the most needy doctoral students. The Ph.D. program invites students to: Prepare to contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge about clinical social work practice; Learn to design and undertake research and scholarship on clinical practice; Advance their capacity for critical thinking in relation to the knowledge, values and skills relevant to the practice of clinical social work and research on clinical practice; Refine and further develop their clinical skills in order to achieve and conceptualize an advanced level of clinical and research competence; and hone leadership skills that will help students promote the social work profession’s commitment to social justice and to serving diverse, vulnerable and oppressed populations.

#48  Wayne State University

For over 75 years, the School of Social Work at Wayne State University has been recognized nationally as a leader in producing highly competent practitioners as well as for developing innovative models in social work practice and social work education. Building on this rich tradition, the purpose of the Ph.D. and certificate programs are to prepare social work scholars equipped to engage in research on contemporary urban issues and problems for the advancement of social work practice and social welfare policy. Our students are preparing to assume leadership positions as social work educators, researchers, and agency administrators. At the time of admission, all students select from two concentrations: Policy and Practice, or Clinical Scholarship, both of which require intensive courses in research and theory. Policy and practice students complete courses in a cognate that include coursework outside of the School of Social Work. Clinical scholarship students complete advanced coursework in clinical theory and advanced practice.

To encourage talented students to continue their education at Wayne State’s School of Social Work, the school offers scholarships and financial aid. Private scholarships, loans, grants, fellowships and other forms of financial aid are available on a limited basis to students enrolled in the School of Social Work. In addition to electing a concentration, students may also choose to elect a dual title degree in Infant Mental Health or Gerontology. The School also provides an interdisciplinary degree program in Social Work and Anthropology (SWAN). The first two years of graduate study for full-time students are focused on core coursework in statistics, research methods, and social work theory at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro levels. These courses provide a foundation for PhD-level knowledge and skills, and are assessed through qualifying exams in these core curricular areas.

#49  Hunter College (CUNY)

The Ph.D. Program in Social Welfare is guided by the past achievements and future aspirations of the human services professions. On one hand, the program remains committed to social work’s historic role in developing effective change strategies at the individual, agency, community, national, and international levels. On the other hand, the program strives to produce scholars who are expert in using research to answer leading edge, practice-relevant questions of the future. As a result, graduates successfully compete for academic positions in public and private universities and occupy influential positions in social service agencies and foundations. The program does not privilege any particular research methodology or approach. Instead, the school offer courses in both quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis and encourage students to deepen their research skills through elective courses in advanced and mixed methods.

Faculty members are experts in a wide range of social problem areas such as child welfare, aging, public education, entitlement services, criminal justice, health care, and mental health. Faculty and students are fully engaged in the policy and practice issues of the day, and student scholarship explores social welfare concerns that emerge from their own experiences in the field. Within this shared devotion to enquiry and social problem solving, the faculty is committed to mentoring students in all aspects of the craft of social research. Learning Goals include: Broad and Specialized Knowledge in the Discipline; Oral and Written Communication Skills, Other Skills, and Experience Appropriate to the Discipline; Professional Ethics; and A Substantial and Original Contribution to Their Field.

#50  Adelphi University

The Adelphi University School of Social Work Ph.D. program expands students’ capacities to conceptualize, develop, evaluate and disseminate knowledge of the problems that impact the human condition—and strategies designed to change those conditions. In becoming social work scholars, students must develop a critical and sophisticated understanding of the historical, global, national and community forces that shape contemporary human experience and social work practice. The Adelphi doctorate in Social Work curriculum is grounded in an evolving knowledge base, and fosters the critical thinking that will prepare students for leadership in the development of knowledge for all levels of social work practice.

The program’s classes are small and supportive, whether they’re taught in a traditional classroom setting or online. The curriculum is challenging, but the schedule is not — faculty teach at multiple locations in convenient formats. Faculty members are engaged social work scholars with extensive teaching experience. They’re also recognized leaders in their respective fields. The program offers students a part-time and full-time option. In the part-time option, students take two courses per semester on one afternoon and evening a week for eight semesters. Students who have completed the first two years of study with a minimum grade point average of 3.3 are eligible to take qualifying examinations based on their first two years (eight courses and 24 credits) of course work. If they pass all four examinations, they may proceed with the remaining eight courses and development of a proposal for their dissertations.

Previous Post: Top 25 Podcasts for Social Workers

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See the 12 Best Social Work Graduate Programs

Check out these highly ranked graduate schools for social work.

(Getty Images) |

Social workers lend helping hands.

Do you like to care for other people? If so, you may enjoy a career as a social worker, providing support and guidance to people who are coping with difficult circumstances, such as individuals who are unemployed, facing a family crisis, struggling with addiction or diagnosed with a serious illness. Social workers cater to vulnerable individuals in a variety of settings, including employment centers, schools, child welfare agencies, addiction rehabilitation centers and hospitals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment of social workers will grow 16 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. That means a graduate degree in social work can help set you ahead of the pack when looking for jobs. These are the best social work graduate programs.

(Caitlin Cunningham) |

Boston College

Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 10 (tie)

Interesting fact about the program: Field placements are a key component of the education offered by the Boston College School of Social Work, which matches students with placements that align with their career interests, according to the school website.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at Boston College .

(Boston University Photography) |

Boston University

Location: Boston

Interesting fact about the program: Master of Social Work students at Boston University can choose between two majors. They can major in clinical practice, which focuses on addressing emotional and behavioral problems that affect individuals, groups and families, or they can major in macro practice, which revolves around mitigating major societal problems, such as poverty and racism.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at Boston University .

(Scott Spitzer | Office of University Communications)

University of Pennsylvania

Location: Philadelphia

Interesting fact about the program: Master of Social Work students at Penn are required to take a course on social work research, so that they can gain basic research skills and learn how to analyze research.

Learn more about the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania .

(Gina Prodan | Case Western Reserve University)

Case Western Reserve University (OH)

Location : Cleveland

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 9

Interesting fact about the program: Case Western offers numerous paths of study to students pursuing its Master of Science in Social Administration, or MSSA degree, which is comparable to a Master of Social Work or MSW degree. Paths of study within the program include one focused on substance use disorders and recovery and another focused on community practice for social change.

Learn more about the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western .

(University of Texas—Austin McCombs) |

University of Texas—Austin

Location: Austin, Texas

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 8

Interesting fact about the program: Students enrolled in the university's Master of Science in Social Work program may elect to complete their degree in either two years, three years or three-and-a-half years, depending on how heavy they want their course load to be. It takes two years to complete the program as a full-time student.

Learn more about the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at UT—Austin .

(Eileen Barroso | Columbia University)

Columbia University (NY)

Location: New York City

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 3 (tie)

Interesting fact about the program: Columbia's social work school is home to a research center that focuses on issues that interfere with workers' successful participation in the workforce, called the Center for Social Policy and Practice in the Workplace. The school also offers its Master of Social Work students the option to focus on the "World of Work" field of practice, which prepares them to assist workers with situations that interfere with their ability to work.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at Columbia .

(UC—Berkeley) |

University of California—Berkeley

Location: Berkeley, California

Interesting fact about the program: Berkeley's Master of Social Welfare program offers several specializations, including one that focuses on child welfare social work and another that focuses on school-based social work.

Learn more about the School of Social Welfare at the University of California—Berkeley .

(Tom Rossiter) |

University of Chicago

Location: Chicago

Interesting fact: Master of Social Work students at the university can apply to enter a program of study, which is a faculty-designed series of elective courses customized for students who are interested in specific career paths. For instance, one program of study focuses on trauma-responsive social work, and another focuses on combating educational inequities.

Learn more about the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago .

University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Interesting fact: MSW students can choose between two concentrations: "Direct Practice," which focuses on how to assist individuals, families and small groups, or "Community, Management and Policy Practice," which prepares students for organization leadership positions.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill .

(Katherine B. Turner) |

University of Washington

Location: Seattle

Interesting fact: The University of Washington is home to Forefront, a suicide prevention research center that involves collaboration between its social work school and its other academic programs. In addition, the university's School of Social Work hosts the Innovative Programs Research Group, which conducts research on what types of social programs are most helpful for vulnerable populations, such as military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at the University of Washington .

(Joe Angeles | Washington University)

Washington University in St. Louis (MO)

Location: St. Louis

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 2

Interesting fact: Master of Social Work students at this university have several unique concentrations available to them, including ones that focus on American Indian and Alaska Native populations; violence and injury prevention; and international social and economic development.

Learn more about the George Warren Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis .

(Daryl Marshke | MichiganPhotography)

University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

U.S. News graduate program in social work ranking: 1

Interesting fact: Master of Social Work students at the school must choose a concentration in either community organization, interpersonal practice, management of human services or social policy and evaluation. The school offers a Jewish Communal Leadership program, which is a five-semester program that provides both a master's in social work and a certificate in Jewish communal leadership.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor .

Learn more about top graduate programs.

Check out all of the 2020 Best Graduate Schools rankings. Stay up to date on education news by following U.S. News Education on Facebook ,  Twitter  and LinkedIn . 

(Robert Kozloff) |

Explore highly rated social work graduate programs.

• 1. University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
• 2. Washington University in St. Louis
• 3 (tie). Columbia University
• 3 (tie). University of California—Berkeley
• 3 (tie). University of Chicago
• 3 (tie). University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill
• 3 (tie). University of Washington
• 8. University of Texas—Austin
• 9. Case Western Reserve University
• 10 (tie). Boston College
• 10 (tie). Boston University
• 10 (tie). University of Pennsylvania

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PhD in Social Welfare

Berkeley Social Welfare’s doctoral program is designed to inspire independence and originality of thought in pursuit of knowledge. We develop scholars who make significant contributions to social work and social welfare teaching, research, policy development and analysis, and administration.

Our doctoral students are trained and equipped with the knowledge of professional practices, policies and programs required to address a wide range of contemporary societal problems. In addition to providing the educational climate conducive to creating innovative research scholars, we also train future educators who can inspire the next generation of social work practitioners and researchers.

Nationally and internationally recognized as leaders in their fields, our pre-eminent faculty conducts cutting-edge research on major issues facing California, the U.S. and the world. Berkeley Social Welfare has more faculty fellows of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare than any other school.

Doctoral Studies in Social Welfare

Social Welfare doctoral students design and pursue an individualized program of work tailored to their intellectual interests, and aligned with specialized research areas of faculty mentors and supervisors from Berkeley Social Welfare, and additional distinguished departments across the Berkeley campus.

Doctoral coursework includes seminars in research methods, statistics, theory and other related areas. Required courses for doctoral students focus primarily on research methodology. In addition, students enroll in elective courses, seminars, and independent tutorials useful for mastering selected fields of study, preparing for the qualifying examination, and developing competence in research methods. For specific degree requirements and descriptions of courses offered, please see the Berkeley Academic Guide to Social Welfare .

Students are also encouraged to select courses from the rich and varied offerings in other University departments. Doctoral students at Berkeley are required to include faculty from outside their major discipline on qualifying and dissertation committees; and Social Welfare PhD students have access to world-class Berkeley faculty in top-ranked programs.

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 ten semesters, having taken the Qualifying Exam by the end of the third year and filed the dissertation by the end of the fifth year.

Combined MSW/PhD Degree Program

A Combined MSW/PhD Program option is also available specifically for individuals who possess a strong interest in and exceptional capacity for research and scholarly work; and who wish to pursue a continuous program of graduate study leading to the MSW and the PhD degrees.

Admission to the PhD Program

Berkeley Social Welfare prefers applicants to doctoral study who hold a master's degree in social work or social welfare, or have comparable preparation in a closely related field, and who show evidence of intellectual and other qualifications essential to successful doctoral study. In reviewing applications we seek to determine whether the applicant's particular objectives can be met in our doctoral program at Berkeley.

For complete admission requirements and application instructions, please visit PhD Admissions .

Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid

Berkeley PhD students pay UC Berkeley Graduate Academic Fees. For current rates please visit the Office of the Registrar's Fee Schedule .

Berkeley Social Welfare offers a competitive funding package for newly admitted doctoral students that will typically include three years of departmental support, plus an additional year of support from the Graduate Division Doctoral Completion Fellowship available upon becoming eligible. Doctoral support packages normally include payment of tuition and fees (including student health insurance), plus an annual allowance for living expense support (currently estimated at $28,000 per academic year), funded through a combination of academic student employment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) and/or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR), and university or departmental fellowship award(s).

For more information about fees, fellowships and financial support for doctoral students, please see our guide to Financing Your Graduate Degree .

Apply to PhD!

Learn about admission requirements and the application process

Berkeley Academic Guide

Class schedules, course descriptions, and degree requirements

Resources for Current Students

Social Work Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 310 results

University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice

Philadelphia, PA •

University of Pennsylvania •

Graduate School

• • Rating 3.89 out of 5   9 reviews

Master's Student: The school offers so many resources for their students. My cohort is really small, which pairs big campus amenities with a closer student professor relationship. ... Read 9 reviews

Blue checkmark.

University of Pennsylvania ,

Graduate School ,

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The school offers so many resources for their students. My cohort is really small, which pairs big campus amenities with a closer student professor relationship. .

Read 9 reviews.

Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis, MO •

Washington University in St. Louis •

• • Rating 3.59 out of 5   17 reviews

Master's Student: In my opinion, the foundation courses are quite repetitive and redundant. However, the faculty really knows their stuff and I am finding the concentration courses much more engaging! ... Read 17 reviews

Washington University in St. Louis ,

ST. LOUIS, MO ,

17 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says In my opinion, the foundation courses are quite repetitive and redundant. However, the faculty really knows their stuff and I am finding the concentration courses much more engaging! .

Read 17 reviews.

Social Sciences Division - University of Chicago

Chicago, IL •

University of Chicago •

• • Rating 3.75 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: The University of Chicago offers many clubs you can attend. Do to COIVD most of the clubs meet online and some in person one day out of the week. There's boxing, archery, fencing, and one of my personal favorites ju-jutsu, just to name a few. These sports are completive but they also have clubs that are just for fun and any body of any skill level can join. There is also this amazing climbing wall in the recreation center but we are not allowed to climb it at the moment because of COVID restrictions. It's also convent to be surrounded by hospitals (Rush and UIC). I got hurt while I was at school, I broke my arm, and I did not have to call on anyone to take me to the hospital, I could just walk. The food is okay and you get to chose from a good selection of things. The rooms where a nice size and most of the students were so friendly it was easy to make friends. ... Read 4 reviews

University of Chicago ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The University of Chicago offers many clubs you can attend. Do to COIVD most of the clubs meet online and some in person one day out of the week. There's boxing, archery, fencing, and one of my... .

Read 4 reviews.

College of Health Sciences - University of Wyoming

University of Wyoming •

Graduate School •

LARAMIE, WY

College of Arts and Sciences - Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University •

FAIRFIELD, CT

• • Rating 5 out of 5   6

University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

University of Pittsburgh •

PITTSBURGH, PA

• • Rating 3.9 out of 5   10

Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   25 reviews

Master's Student: I was disappointed to see that many scholarship programs funded by the school weren't available for my specific department regarding my field hours I would be completing in my 2nd year. I'm worried since I work full time and am the main financial provider for my family, but I am really excited about getting experience in my community! I have loved going to campus and meeting new people, especially since they live near LA, and they also want to make new friends to attend football games etc. I got involved in the Latinx Caucus of Social Work, this has given me the opportunity to start connecting more in my community and other students to feel welcomed and involved as well. I will be planning events on campus and outreaching to local non-university related members to increase education and be a resource. I have to explore more but it's not far from home so I love that :) ... Read 25 reviews

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

25 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I was disappointed to see that many scholarship programs funded by the school weren't available for my specific department regarding my field hours I would be completing in my 2nd year. I'm worried... .

Read 25 reviews.

University of Michigan School of Social Work

Ann Arbor, MI •

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor •

• • Rating 4.09 out of 5   11 reviews

Master's Student: I've had some great classes, especially th electives. the required classes can be slow. Not as academically rigorous as undergrad at U of M honestly. ... Read 11 reviews

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ,

ANN ARBOR, MI ,

11 Niche users give it an average review of 4.1 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I've had some great classes, especially th electives. the required classes can be slow. Not as academically rigorous as undergrad at U of M honestly. .

Read 11 reviews.

Luskin School of Public Affairs

University of California - Los Angeles •

• • Rating 3.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: I really love this program. The field education gives students a great glimpse into the field while being heavily supported by faculty and instructors. Faculty here really is amazing, as are the students and their passions. ... Read 3 reviews

University of California - Los Angeles ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 3.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I really love this program. The field education gives students a great glimpse into the field while being heavily supported by faculty and instructors. Faculty here really is amazing, as are the... .

Read 3 reviews.

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UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare

Berkeley, CA •

University of California - Berkeley •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: The academics at UC Berkeley's MSW program was excellent. I was sufficiently challenged and educated and I truly believe that I left the program well prepared to succeed in the social work field. I have observed that I have a similar knowledge base to that of my peers in my recent work environments. I find myself well equipped to operationalize my learning and adapt to new situations in my field. If I were to recommend the UC Berkeley MSW program, it would be for the rigorous academic experience incoming students will receive. ... Read 2 reviews

University of California - Berkeley ,

BERKELEY, CA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The academics at UC Berkeley's MSW program was excellent. I was sufficiently challenged and educated and I truly believe that I left the program well prepared to succeed in the social work field. I... .

Read 2 reviews.

School of Social Work - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC •

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: I am in their online Master of Public Administration (MPA) program pursuing a concentration in nonprofit management. I love how applicable the curriculum is, how even though it's online, the work feels diverse and engaging, and most of the professors are very knowledgeable, kind, helpful, and make the classes fun and applicable to the real world. The class sizes are small, so I'm getting to know other students and still have some sense of community despite not being on campus. My advisors and other faculty have always gone the extra mile to answer my questions and make sure I am having a worthwhile experience. So far, I cannot speak highly enough of this program. It's been a great fit for me and the flexibility to go at my own pace is so helpful as I also work full-time and have other commitments and responsibilities. ... Read 3 reviews

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ,

CHAPEL HILL, NC ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am in their online Master of Public Administration (MPA) program pursuing a concentration in nonprofit management. I love how applicable the curriculum is, how even though it's online, the work... .

Silver School of Social Work

New York, NY •

New York University •

• • Rating 4.4 out of 5   10 reviews

Alum: Completing the Extended program at NYU Silver School of Social Work was an exceptional experience that provided me with valuable learning opportunities. The program had a strong emphasis on social inclusion and clinical social work development, which helped me grow both academically and personally. I felt a sense of belonging to a supportive community throughout my time in the program, and this made it an enriching educational experience. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a fulfilling and rewarding educational journey. Overall, the program exceeded my expectations and has equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in my career. ... Read 10 reviews

New York University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.4 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Completing the Extended program at NYU Silver School of Social Work was an exceptional experience that provided me with valuable learning opportunities. The program had a strong emphasis on social... .

Read 10 reviews.

Boston College School of Social Work

Chestnut Hill, MA •

Boston College •

Master's Student: The School of Social Work fosters a welcoming place where students can further develop their academic interests as well as actively prepare us for the workforce as culturally humble social workers. ... Read 2 reviews

Boston College ,

CHESTNUT HILL, MA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says The School of Social Work fosters a welcoming place where students can further develop their academic interests as well as actively prepare us for the workforce as culturally humble social workers. .

Steve Hicks School of Social Work

Austin, TX •

University of Texas - Austin •

University of Texas - Austin ,

AUSTIN, TX ,

School of Social Work - Boston University

Boston, MA •

Boston University •

• • Rating 4.23 out of 5   22 reviews

Alum: I completed an off campus master of social work program. It was incredible. I would recommend it for graduate students who may be working full time, need flexibility, and unable to make it to Boston. ... Read 22 reviews

Boston University ,

BOSTON, MA ,

22 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I completed an off campus master of social work program. It was incredible. I would recommend it for graduate students who may be working full time, need flexibility, and unable to make it to Boston. .

Read 22 reviews.

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• Social Work Graduate Programs
• Social Sciences and Research Methods Graduate Programs

Smith College

Northampton, MA •

• • Rating 4.27 out of 5   11 reviews

Master's Student: Smith College not only offers a full time student stipend ($21,000/year) and tuition waiver (valued ~ $35,000) for the Biological Sciences department, but you are able to pull from resources within a neighboring R1 institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst. Research experiences vary based on the selected advisor, but Smith maintains a cutting-edge genomics facility and nearly limitless resources as a well-endowed college. Faculty maintain impressive accolades and are easily reachable, as a leader in my lab, I've learned about lab management, lab training, grant writing, and the nuances behind lab operations. I've worked collaboratively with researchers at UMass and felt that my experience at Smith has been one of growth. I feel confidently in my abilities and that I am a very desirable candidate in the biotech industry after receiving my MS degree. ... Read 11 reviews

NORTHAMPTON, MA ,

11 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Smith College not only offers a full time student stipend ($21,000/year) and tuition waiver (valued ~ $35,000) for the Biological Sciences department, but you are able to pull from resources within a... .

School of Social Work - UW-Madison

Madison, WI •

University of Wisconsin •

Master's Student: I got accepted to the accelerated Master of Social Work program. The accelerated program allows you to complete the program in one year. I start this fall and am excited to get started! ... Read 9 reviews

University of Wisconsin ,

MADISON, WI ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says I got accepted to the accelerated Master of Social Work program. The accelerated program allows you to complete the program in one year. I start this fall and am excited to get started! .

University of Illinois School of Social Work

Urbana, IL •

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: The professors are knowledgeable about their subjects and as they work in the field and teach they are all e to offer additional insights and understanding to the material. If you are a student working in a related field while taking classes the subject matter can often be applied to your job right away. ... Read 3 reviews

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ,

URBANA, IL ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The professors are knowledgeable about their subjects and as they work in the field and teach they are all e to offer additional insights and understanding to the material. If you are a student... .

University of Georgia School of Social Work

Athens, GA •

University of Georgia •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   8 reviews

Master's Student: The coursework was/is engaging and extremely useful. There is a requirement to complete two practicums that allowed you (me) to hone in skills that were/are relevant to the social work field. The progression of coursework allowed me to build upon my skills with each class. My challenge has always been statistics, however, my then professor assisted me in understanding, so I made a 'B'. ... Read 8 reviews

University of Georgia ,

ATHENS, GA ,

8 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The coursework was/is engaging and extremely useful. There is a requirement to complete two practicums that allowed you (me) to hone in skills that were/are relevant to the social work field. The... .

Read 8 reviews.

Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research

Bryn Mawr, PA •

Bryn Mawr College •

• • Rating 4.8 out of 5   5 reviews

Master's Student: The best part of my experience so far has been the atmosphere. Everyone is extremely welcoming and always asks how I am doing. I have yet to have a bad experience with any of my professors and fellow classmates. ... Read 5 reviews

Bryn Mawr College ,

BRYN MAWR, PA ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part of my experience so far has been the atmosphere. Everyone is extremely welcoming and always asks how I am doing. I have yet to have a bad experience with any of my professors and fellow... .

Read 5 reviews.

BYU College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Provo, UT •

Brigham Young University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: I will be starting the EMPA program at Brigham Young University this fall, and have been so impressed with the communications I have received as a new grad student. BYU's faculty have been professional, welcoming, and enthusiastic, which has inspired an excitement in me to begin studying. ... Read 2 reviews

Brigham Young University ,

PROVO, UT ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I will be starting the EMPA program at Brigham Young University this fall, and have been so impressed with the communications I have received as a new grad student. BYU's faculty have been... .

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Cleveland, OH •

Case Western Reserve University •

Master's Student: it is a great school, very supportive and lives up to its reputation. the classes are small and engaging and the students are helpful. faculty is great as well. i really enjoy the classes i am taking and have learned a lot. i really enjoy going to this school! ... Read 3 reviews

Case Western Reserve University ,

CLEVELAND, OH ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says it is a great school, very supportive and lives up to its reputation. the classes are small and engaging and the students are helpful. faculty is great as well. i really enjoy the classes i am taking... .

Tulane University School of Social Work

New Orleans, LA •

Tulane University •

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Master's Student: The program has been great so far. The professors are helpful and understanding of each student's learning capabilities. They have been very professional throughout my matriculation. However, the program as a whole is very rigid. They are not understanding of outside commitments and expect you to be nothing other than a student. While this attitude might be acceptable as an undergrad professor, it is not as a graduate one because of the demographic of students who are being taught. Many of us are parents, full-time workers, among other things. While school is very important it is certainly not the only thing in our lives. ... Read 9 reviews

Tulane University ,

NEW ORLEANS, LA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The program has been great so far. The professors are helpful and understanding of each student's learning capabilities. They have been very professional throughout my matriculation. However, the... .

College of Education and Human Development - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN •

University of Minnesota Twin Cities •

• • Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Alum: This is a well-known school for education. They are on top of the latest research and development in the field and share this knowledge with their students. The school has its own lab school for early childhood development where students are able to observe child behavior, learn hands-on how to connect and make meaningful relationships with children, and how to conduct basic research. ... Read 3 reviews

University of Minnesota Twin Cities ,

MINNEAPOLIS, MN ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says This is a well-known school for education. They are on top of the latest research and development in the field and share this knowledge with their students. The school has its own lab school for... .

University of Washington School of Social Work

Seattle, WA •

University of Washington •

• • Rating 2 out of 5   1 review

University of Washington ,

SEATTLE, WA ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 2 stars.

Read 1 reviews.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work

Columbus, OH •

The Ohio State University •

• • Rating 3.57 out of 5   7 reviews

Master's Student: I completed my undergraduate degree and loved the campus. Because of that, I wanted to come back to OSU for graduate school. I still love being on campus but I am not there often as I take my courses online now. ... Read 7 reviews

The Ohio State University ,

COLUMBUS, OH ,

7 Niche users give it an average review of 3.6 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I completed my undergraduate degree and loved the campus. Because of that, I wanted to come back to OSU for graduate school. I still love being on campus but I am not there often as I take my courses... .

Read 7 reviews.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences - NC State University

Raleigh, NC •

North Carolina State University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Graduate Student: NC State's MSW program will prepare you to handle a wide variety of social work careers. The professors are amazing and teach students how to engage in various social justice activities on multiple levels. This grad program was an excellent career decision. ... Read 1 review

North Carolina State University ,

RALEIGH, NC ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says NC State's MSW program will prepare you to handle a wide variety of social work careers. The professors are amazing and teach students how to engage in various social justice activities on multiple... .

Pittsburgh, PA •

• • Rating 3.9 out of 5   10 reviews

Alum: Let me put it this way - I spent at least the first year of grad school crying about the realities of oppression I was learning about. My social work education changed my life, and I do attribute that to the academic rigor at Pitt. ... Read 10 reviews

University of Pittsburgh ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Let me put it this way - I spent at least the first year of grad school crying about the realities of oppression I was learning about. My social work education changed my life, and I do attribute... .

San Francisco State University

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

• • Rating 4.19 out of 5   52

Sacred Heart University

• • Rating 4.4 out of 5   45

Waldron College of Health and Human Services

Radford University •

RADFORD, VA

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2

Showing results 1 through 25 of 310

Master of Social Work

Do you enjoy helping people improve their lives and solve stressful problems? Do you want a job where you can make a difference every day? If so, a career as a social worker may be right for you.

Social workers help communities in need by helping vulnerable people overcome complicated health, financial, psychological, and social issues. They work in a variety of settings, including government agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

Some social workers start working in the field immediately after graduating from college with a bachelor of social work (BSW) or a related degree. However, a master's in social work (MSW) can boost your income and open up new career opportunities.

What Is a Master of Social Work?

A master of social work is an advanced degree that prepares students for administrative and clinical practice jobs in social work. You can expect to develop strong research skills, gain clinical experience, and learn advanced social work theories.

Generally, graduate students who pursue an MSW should expect the program to take two years — or four semesters — of coursework. However, some schools offer an accelerated one-year program for incoming students who already hold a BSW.

If you have a bachelor’s degree in a different field, such as English or psychology, you're still eligible for two-year MSW programs. The degree will provide you with a strong foundation in social work as well as more advanced knowledge.

Selecting a Specialization

Hundreds of colleges and universities offer graduate programs in social work. Many MSW programs allow students to specialize in particular areas of social work, depending on factors like available electives and faculty expertise.

Specialties include child and family social work, clinical social work, criminal justice social work, domestic abuse and trauma, geriatric social work, and substance abuse counseling. If you’re interested in working with particular groups or in specific settings, search for programs that align with your personal career goals.

Not sure what you want to specialize in yet? In advanced generalist MSW programs, you can gain a variety of skills that will allow you to succeed in any social work job.

Challenges in Master of Social Work Programs

Graduate degrees are more difficult and time-consuming than undergraduate programs. No matter the degree and school you choose, you can expect to spend long hours learning advanced theories, studying, and writing research papers. However, an MSW can pose unique emotional and mental challenges.

For instance, as an MSW student, you may:

• Encounter disturbing or upsetting course materials
• Experience burnout
• Work with people facing extreme difficulties, like homelessness and substance abuse

Despite these obstacles, an MSW can lead to a meaningful career that gives you a chance to make a tangible difference in your community.

Applying to Graduate Programs in Social Work

If you’ve decided to pursue an MSW, the next step is to apply to graduate schools . Although each program has individual application requirements, you can expect to submit materials such as:

• An application fee
• Letters of recommendation
• A personal statement
• Undergraduate transcripts

By pursuing a master's in social work, you'll be well on your way to developing advanced social work knowledge and launching a career that will have a positive impact.

Doctor of Social Work online

The online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work offers an advanced practice doctor in social change and innovation for agency and community leaders and entrepreneurs.

The program prepares experienced professionals with the skills to develop practical, applied solutions to large-scale social challenges that directly impact vulnerable, marginalized or otherwise disadvantaged populations.

As a student in our online Doctor of Social Work program, you will develop characteristics of both practitioners and scholars. By adopting the disciplinary habits of scholars through rigorous inquiry and use of methodological tools associated with leading and managing innovation and change, you will become an effective social change leader.

Program Overview

As a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) student, you will complete 42 units of coursework focused on three areas:

• Problem definition within the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work
• Innovative design
• Executive leadership in human service organizations and community contexts

The DSW degree may be completed along a Standard or Accelerated track.

The Standard Track (42 units):

• Complete in 9 semesters.
• Register for 2 courses (6 units) over 6 semesters.
• Enroll in the Capstone Project for the last 3 semesters.

The Accelerated Track (42 units):

• Complete in 7 semesters.
• Register for 3 courses (9 units) over 4 semesters.

The curriculum includes Design Laboratory for Social Innovation I and II, where you will incorporate models from your courses to address one or more of the 12 Grand Challenges in Social Work, as defined by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.

• Strategic Innovations for the Grand Challenges
• Leading and Managing Large Complex Systems
• Data-Driven Decision Making in Social Services
• Leading Public Discourse
• Communication and Influence for Social Good
• Design Laboratory for Social Innovation I
• Financial Management for Social Change
• Design Laboratory for Social Innovation II
• Application of Implementation Science
• Executive Leadership
• Capstone Project

As a student, you will complete a capstone project that demonstrates your abilities and results in a prototype — such as a business plan, large contract proposal, prototype or organizational redesign plan — that is ready for public communication and implementation. This project will require you to demonstrate and apply social innovation in the context of the diverse knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout the program.

Similar to a dissertation, the capstone provides you with a guided opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and understanding that you have acquired throughout your course of study. You are expected to identify a problem of importance connected to the Grand Challenges and develop an innovative proposal for an immediately actionable social change effort in that challenge area.

Career Outcomes

Completion of USC’s Doctor of Social Work prepares individuals for leadership and management roles within a variety of settings.

Related Online Graduate Programs

Ph.D. in Social Work

Ready to join us start the next steps.

Social Work practitioners can earn their Ph.D. with our part-time, online program which includes a one-week summer immersion on campus.

What makes the Ph.D. in Social Work at SHU different?

The Ph.D. in Social Work program is designed to prepare students for social work research, scholarship and education, as well as community-based leadership and service. The Ph.D. promotes students as scholars who serve as stewards of the discipline.

To meet the need for accessible, affordable doctoral education, the Ph.D. in Social Work is offered as a part time program, delivered almost entirely online. All courses are offered asynchronously in an online platform, supplemented with synchronous meetings scheduled with faculty and peers within each course and throughout the program. On-campus experiences–Orientation, Summer Residency and Writer’s Retreat–are included to enhance learning outcomes and support professional socialization.

The Ph.D. program and its faculty prioritize creating inclusive environments for students of diverse backgrounds and learning styles, and the application of antiracist, integrated frameworks and approaches to social work education, research and practice.

Ph.D. students are offered an opportunity to teach in the MSW and BSW programs beginning in their second semester. Teaching assistantships include a community forum in which students develop their teaching philosophy and approach.  Mentorship is an essential aspect of the Ph.D. program, including a mentoring alliance specifically for BIPOC doctoral students.

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Discover the benefits of earning your Ph.D. in Social Work from Sacred Heart University.

Why Earn Your Ph.D. in Social Work from Sacred Heart?

With a Ph.D. in Social Work from Sacred Heart, you will advance your career in social work and social justice, develop a pedagogical approach and make a meaningful contribution to the current body of social work research. The Ph.D. program is specifically designed for social work professionals currently working in community-based organizations, governmental organizations, and institutions of higher education.

In the Ph.D. in Social Work program, you will:

• Work closely with a faculty mentor who will support your research interests and integrated social work practice
• Learn teaching strategies and curriculum development for both online and in-person instruction in higher education
• Have the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary research with public health, nursing, education, and the health sciences
• Advance your understanding of global issues in social and racial justice with an anti-racist lens and framework
• Have the opportunity to conduct research abroad at one of SHU’s international campuses
• Participate in a Graduate Teaching Assistantship

Part-time, Online Program for Working Practitioners

This part-time, online program offers year-round, six credits per 14-week semester, followed by dissertation research. The program begins with a two-day on campus orientation and includes a one-week low residency immersion program on the SHU campus every summer. View our sample plan of study .

Courses cover topics in historical and theoretical contexts of social work, advanced social and racial justice, quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, integrated social work practice, grant writing, pedagogy and social work education.

Advance your Career in Social Work

What's the difference between a dsw and ph.d. in social work.

A Doctorate of Social Work or DSW is considered a practice doctorate and is focused on social work practice, applied research, supervision and management. A DSW is best suited for practitioners who seek to advance their position in the field to leadership, management or community-based research. Having a Doctor of Philosophy or Ph.D. in Social Work enhances research skills and prepares students as stewards of the field to advance theory and knowledge. A Ph.D. is preferred within universities’ hiring faculty to teach and conduct social work research.

What can you do with a Ph.D. in Social Work?

Having a Ph.D. in Social Work degree offers many opportunities. Graduates with this degree can go on to academic positions as faculty in colleges or universities. They might take on tenure-track or clinical professor positions in programs that offer Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees. Some graduates may find positions in other academic social science departments, such as sociology or human services.

Graduates of the Ph.D. in Social Work program may pursue positions as a:

• Faculty in Higher Education (both clinical and tenure-earning) 
• Grant Writer
• Director of Nonprofit Agency
• Community-based Researcher

More Information

Now accepting applications for fall 2024!

Keith Hassell

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Member Institutions: PhD Programs

Doctor of philosophy (phd) programs.

The Directory of Doctoral Social Work Programs, formerly the GADE Guide, includes program information on GADE’s PhD program members. These programs very in the auspices of the university (public or nonprofit), the delivery of the program (in-person, hybrid or totally online), and the program schedule (full-time or part-time). Explore the individual program pages for more details on the various PhD programs.

• Adelphi University
• Arizona State University
• Barry University
• Baylor University
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Carleton University
• Case Western Reserve University
• The Catholic University of America
• City University of New York
• Clark Atlanta University
• Colorado State University
• Columbia University
• Florida International University
• Florida State University
• Fordham University
• Howard University
• Indiana University
• Loma Linda University
• Louisiana State University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Michigan State University
• Morgan State University
• New York University
• Norfolk State University
• The Ohio State University
• Our Lady of the Lake University
• Portland State University
• Rutgers University
• Sacred Heart University
• Saint Louis University
• Simmons University
• Smith College
• State University of New York at Albany
• State University of New York at Buffalo
• State University of New York at Stony Brook
• Temple University
• University of Alabama
• University of Calgary
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of California at Los Angeles
• The University of Chicago
• University of Connecticut
• University of Denver
• University of Georgia
• University of Hawaii at Manoa
• University of Houston
• University of Illinois, Chicago
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• University of Iowa
• University of Kansas
• University of Kentucky
• University of Louisville
• University of Manitoba
• University of Maryland, Baltimore
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of Mississippi
• University of Missouri
• University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of South Carolina
• University of South Florida
• University of Southern California
• University of Tennessee-Knoxville
• University of Texas at Arlington
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Toronto
• University of Utah
• University of Washington
• University of Windsor
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Walden University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wayne State University
• West Virginia University
• Widener University
• Wilfrid Laurier University
• Yeshiva University

To update your program's profile, please complete the Program Directory Update Form .

School of Social Work

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What is Social Work?

Friday, Apr 26, 2024

By Jaelon Jackson School of Social Work

As we celebrate Social Work Month, it is an ideal moment to contemplate the indispensable role social workers play in our communities.

This year, the National Association of Social Workers has chosen Empowering Social Workers as the theme of this month, shedding light on the pivotal contributions of social workers across various facets of our society.

Let us take a deeper dive into the essence of social work, its critical importance for communities, and the escalating demand for professional social workers amidst challenges like the opioid epidemic, mental health issues, counseling services, and the influence of government policy.

Social work stands as a versatile and complex profession dedicated to improving the welfare of individuals, families, and communities. Within this dynamic field, social workers, possessing extensive training, actively engage in addressing social concerns, championing the cause of social justice, and offering crucial support to those facing challenges. At its core, social work plays a key role in instigating positive transformations, empowering individuals, and actively contributing to the development of a society that is both inclusive and equitable.

Navigating the Opioid Crisis:

Social workers are on the front lines in addressing pressing issues such as the opioid epidemic, and mental health issues. The far-reaching consequences of opioid addiction have deeply affected numerous lives, tearing apart families and straining community resources. Social workers take a proactive stance, involving themselves in prevention, intervention, and recovery efforts, providing crucial support to individuals and families grappling with the complexities of addiction.

Addressing Mental Health Challenges:

In the arena of mental well-being, social workers emerge as compassionate companions, dismantling the barriers of stigma surrounding mental health concerns. They extend not only support but a genuine connection, recognizing the diverse hurdles individuals navigate. As the call for mental health services rises, social workers infuse their distinctive expertise and heartfelt understanding to tackle a spectrum of emotional challenges. Their mission is clear: to guarantee that everyone receives the care and empathy required to carve out fulfilling and purposeful lives.

Counseling Services in Social Work:

Within the domain of social work, counseling services stand as a cornerstone, offering individuals a safe haven to delve into their emotions and cultivate coping strategies. Social workers skillfully navigate clients through life's countless challenges, utilizing therapeutic techniques to foster empowerment, resilience, and personal growth.

How Government Policies Shape Social Work:

The policies created by the government significantly influence the field of social work, which is dedicated to assisting individuals and communities. Social workers function as advocates, actively working to ensure that government decisions regarding mental health, addiction services, and social support align with the genuine needs of the people.

As our societal challenges evolve, there is an increasing demand for social workers who possess a deep understanding and compassion for these issues. Whether it is addressing the consequences of the opioid epidemic or supporting individuals dealing with mental health challenges, social workers play a crucial role as catalysts for positive change. Social Work Month serves as a celebratory reminder of how these dedicated professionals, with their empathy and commitment, contribute to creating a fairer and more compassionate world.

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Address School of Social Work Box 19129 501 W. Mitchell Street Arlington, TX 76019-0129

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Master of Social Work

• Low-Residency

Join the next generation of leaders for social change.

Fairfield University’s low-residency Master of Social Work (MSW) program is designed as a clinical specialist program and prepares students to become leaders for social change. Our commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, intersectionality and justice is at the core of the curriculum and fieldwork. We prepare highly competent professionals with specialized knowledge and skills in the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of emotional, mental, and behavioral health problems.

Clinical social workers provide services in a variety of settings, including private practice, hospitals, community mental health, primary care, and agencies. Benefit from our low-residency model that fosters enriching learning experiences through online courses and on-campus residencies, promoting a convenient and collaborative learning experience with faculty and peers.

The Master of Social Work program is accredited by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE).

Completion Time: 9 – 48 months

Schedule: Full-time | Part-time

Start Dates: Fall (September) | Spring (January) | Summer (May)

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Develop practical skills for clinical social work in diverse settings.

Focus on Social Justice

We offer the flexibility to customize the curriculum to meet your unique professional goals and expand your career choices. Our clinical-focused curriculum, extensive field experiences , and concentration option empower you to choose your path and receive unrivaled support to make a difference in people’s lives.

Our MSW curriculum is offered in a low-residency format with online courses and two required on-campus visits and one optional visit a term. The residencies are designed to refine your clinical mental health skills and foster direct interaction with faculty and peers.

Learn more about the Master of Social Work. Take the next step

• Develop Clinical Expertise: Gain specialized skills and knowledge in behavioral health assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation through a clinical curriculum. Master specialized knowledge and techniques tailored to today’s healthcare landscape.
• Focus on Social Justice: Immerse yourself in a social justice-focused curriculum and fieldwork, promoting change for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Gain the skills to advocate for vulnerable populations and be an agent of change at all levels.
• Gain Hands-on Clinical Skills: Complete a high-quality field experience with one of our community partner placement sites for diverse and enriching learning opportunities. Gain invaluable clinical experience while you earn your degree, preparing you for your career in social work.

View a Plan of Study

Two Options Based on Your Background

Students in both the two-year and advanced standing programs move through the program as a cohort.

• Two-Year: The Master of Social Work is a 60-credit program with 900 hours of field experience and can be completed full-time in two years or part-time in three to four years.
• Advanced Standing: Graduates of accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs are eligible for advanced standing, enabling them to complete a 30-credit curriculum and field experience full time in three semesters, including 650 hours of field experience. Courses begin in the summer.

Turn your passion into a rewarding profession with a master’s degree in social work.

Unmatched Support

Benefit from unwavering support throughout the program. Our faculty personalize your journey, fostering your passions and coaching you every step of the way. Engage in an apprenticeship model, actively demonstrating and practicing skills alongside peers. Tailored field placements align with your career aspirations, ensuring valuable real-world experience.

Fully Accredited

Fairfield's MSW program was awarded initial accreditation through 2029 by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Commission found that the program was in full compliance with all accreditation standards and educational policies and granted accreditation for eight years. All students admitted to the two-year or advanced standing program will graduate from a fully vested CSWE-accredited program.

Master of Social Work Program Assessment Outcomes

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MSW Program Graduates Second Cohort With High Job Placement Rate

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How are Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Clinical Social Work different?

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“My clinical skills classes were instrumental in increasing my confidence in clinical work with clients. I also benefited from gaining a deeper understanding of intersectionality and the multitude of forces that may be impacting my clients' lives at any given time.”

– Emily Carveth, MSW '22

Faculty & Academic Approach

Accomplished faculty.

Our supportive faculty are licensed clinical social workers nationally and internationally recognized for their significant contributions to the field through published works, research presentations, and service on numerous professional, state, and national committees. They provide personalized guidance and support throughout the entire program.

Suzanne Marmo

Suzanne, licensed since 2001 and certified as an Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Worker (APHSW-C) since 2019, holds both a master's and a doctorate. Specializing in social work, she focuses on grief, bereavement, medical, and oncology. Additionally, a master trainer for ESPEC educates social workers on palliative and end-of-life care.

Julie Berrett-Abebe

Julie Berrett-Abebe holds master's degrees in Social Work and Pastoral Ministry from Boston College (2004) and a PhD from Simmons University (2017). Specializing in oncology, hospice, and community-based care for older adults, she leads research on health equity and collaborative practice models, overseeing a $1.6 million BHWET HRSA Grant (2021-2025), FCHC Scholars.

A Ph.D. social worker specializing in gender transformative interventions for equity and violence reduction. In private practice, he addresses men's issues, promoting non-violence and gender equality. With a decade of teaching at Fairfield University, Jay educates on therapy, substance abuse treatment, social justice, and policy, advocating for intersectional social justice and healthy masculinity to combat violence.

View All MSW Faculty

Explore the School of Education and Human Development

Led by award-winning faculty, Fairfield University’s School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) offers a range of graduate degree programs and certificates for students pursuing roles in education and human services. Develop as a professional and serve your community as you gain hands-on experience and learn to integrate the most current research.

Learn more about the School of Education and Human Development

Learn how Fairfield is committed to diversity and inclusion

Discover your calling as a Clinical Social Worker. Earn your Master of Social Work.

Admissions & Aid

Assistance navigating your journey to a Master of Social Work.

From your first admissions conversation to graduation and beyond, you’ll find support at every turn. The Fairfield University student support network is dedicated to meeting your needs. You’ll receive personal, academic, and financial guidance as you complete your Master of Social Work.

$10,000 Fellowships Available Apply for specialized internship training in integrated, team-based care through the Fairfield University Collaborates for a Healthier Connecticut (FCHC) Scholars Program. FCHC Scholars will each receive a stipend of $10,000. Learn more.

CT Health Horizons Scholarship Students are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in tuition assistance from CT Health Horizons. Eligibility is need-based and determined upon acceptance. Learn more.

Explore Graduate Financial Aid

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Admission requirements

Applicants to the Master of Social Work program at Fairfield University must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. A GPA of 3.0 is preferred. 

Advanced Standing Priority Deadline: February 15 Final Deadline: April 15 (students may be considered after this deadline if space permits)

Two-Year Program Priority Deadline for Fall admission: May 15 Final Deadline for Fall admission: August 1

Priority Deadline for Spring admission: November 15 Final Deadline for Spring admission: December 1

• A completed online application .
• A non-refundable $65 application fee paid by credit card. Application fee is waived for current Fairfield students and for those who attend an information session.
• A professional resume. Applicants are required to submit a current resume that includes employment and education history (submit online).
• A personal statement. Students should submit a 1–2-page statement describing why they want to undertake graduate studies in social work (submit online).
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an approved evaluating service.
• Two recommendation forms and letters , one of which, preferably, from a current employer or supervisor. Recommendations are completed online. At the time of application, candidates must provide the email addresses and names of their two recommenders.

Start Your Application

Want details on courses, schedules, and financial aid? We’re here to help.

Send us a few details and our admission team will follow up with more information.

Related Programs

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

Marriage and Family Therapy

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

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University of Michigan School of Social Work

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• Phone 1 (734) 764-3309 Fax 1 (734) 936-1961
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University of Michigan School of Social Work 1080 South University Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106

• Faculty, Staff & PhD Directory » Building Hours & Maps

Sarah Mandelbaum

Clinical social work/therapist , phd , lsw , lmsw (she, her).

My Practice at a Glance

Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

Teaneck, NJ 07666

• Individual Sessions $185
• Sliding scale: apply if you may be eligible
• Pay by Cash, Check, Venmo, Zelle

Qualifications

• Verified by Psychology Today Licensed by State of New Jersey / 44SL06353400 Sarah Mandelbaum
• In Practice for 7 Years
• Degree/Diploma from New York University MSW / 2017
• Attended Yeshiva University , PhD , Graduated 2024

Specialties and Expertise

Top specialties.

• School Issues
• Coping Skills
• Behavioral Issues
• Career Counseling
• Education and Learning Disabilities
• Family Conflict
• Life Coaching
• Life Transitions
• Mood Disorders
• Peer Relationships
• Personality Disorders
• Relationship Issues
• Self Esteem
• Spirituality

Client Focus

Participants, treatment approach, types of therapy.

• Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
• Attachment-based
• Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Interpersonal
• Intervention
• Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)
• Motivational Interviewing
• Person-Centered
• Positive Psychology
• Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
• Strength-Based

Primary Location

Additional location, nearby areas.

• Fair Lawn, NJ
• Livingston, NJ
• Passaic, NJ
• Teaneck, NJ