Our Ph.D. program prepares advanced clinical scholars and practitioners to contribute to knowledge about clinical social work theory and practice and research.

Our students are trained to be leaders in education, research and scholarship, as well as clinical supervisors, consultants and advanced practitioners.

You will find graduates of our Ph.D. program among the faculty of social work schools across the U.S. and abroad. They are some of today's leading clinical social work practitioners and scholars.

In our Ph.D. program, you will:

• Prepare to contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge about clinical social work practice that is committed to greater justice and anti-racism.
• Learn to design and undertake research and scholarship on clinical practice.
• Advance your 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 that is committed to social justice.
• Refine and further develop your clinical skills in order to achieve and conceptualize an advanced level of clinical and research competence.
• Hone leadership skills that will help you promote the social work profession’s commitment to social justice and to serving diverse, vulnerable and historically marginalized populations.
• Develop your pedagogical knowledge and skills and gain mentored experience in teaching clinical social work courses.

Ph.D. Curriculum

The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work requires 105 quarter hour credits as well as successful completion of the Oral and Written clinical exams, Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation to be eligible to graduate. Credits are required as:

69 quarter hours of core courses 
30 quarter hours of clinical internship
6 quarter hours of research and dissertation

Core Courses (beginning summer 2022)

Plan of Study Grid

First Summer		Hours
SOCW 801	Clinical Practice I	2
SOCW 802	Clinical Practice II	2
SOCW 805	Intersectionality: Clinical Social Work with Historically Marginalized Populations	2
SOCW 810	Clinical Theories I	2
SOCW 811	Clinical Theories II	2
SOCW 820	Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods	3
SOCW 821	Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis	3
SOCW 823	Qualitative Research and Inquiry I – Premises and Methods Overview	3
SOCW 824	Qualitative Research and Inquiry II – Content Analysis and Thematic Analyses	3
SOCW 828	Metaperspectives on Clinical Social Work: Paradigms for Social Work Practice	2
	Hours	24
Second Summer
SOCW 836	Neurobiology of Behavior: Essentials for Social Work	2
SOCW 837	Contemporary Trauma Theory and Practice	2
SOCW 843	Relational Theory in Practice: Roots & Emergence of a Dialogue that led to a “Turn” in Psychodynamic	2
SOCW 847	Qualitative Research and Inquiry III – Grounded Theory, Participatory Action Research and Mixed Methods Research	3
SOCW 848	Qualitative Inquiry: Photovoice, Autoethnography and Performance Inquiry	3
SOCW 852	The “Relational Turn” in Psychoanalysis: Emergence & Evolving Concepts in Social & Cultural Context	2
SOCW 855	Health Disparities:  Policies and Their Impact on Practice	2
SOCW 857	Research Focused Seminar I	2
SOCW 858	Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis I	3
SOCW 859	Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis II	3
	Hours	24
Third Summer
SOCW 832	Supervision, Faculty Field Advising and Consultation in Social Work Education	2
SOCW 864	Perspectives on Teaching & Learning in Social Work Education	2
SOCW 865	Senior Seminar in Clinical Social Work Theory and Practice: Uses of Self in Intersubjective Practice	2
SOCW 867	Research Focused Seminar II	2
SOCW 868	The Science of Clinical Practice for Social Workers	2
SOCW 870	Dissertation Design Seminar	2
SOCW 873	Perspectives of Social Work Education: Focus on Andragogy	2
SOCW 877	Research Focused Seminar III	2
SOCW 878	Capstone Course: Integrating Psychoanalytic Theory, Research and Clinical Practice	2
SOCW 879	Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis	3
	Hours	21
	Total Hours	69

Clinical Internship

• First Winter SOCW 830; Second Winter SOCW 860

Research and Dissertation

• Research Internship SOCW 890
• Dissertation SOCW 899