Social Work (Ph.D. Program)
Our Ph.D. program prepares advanced clinical scholars and practitioners to contribute to knowledge about clinical social work theory, practice and research.
Our students are trained to be leaders in education, research and scholarship, as well as clinical supervisors, consultants and advanced practitioners.
Graduates of our Ph.D. program are 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.
Requirements
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
Coursework
| 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 | |
| First Winter | ||
| SOCW 830 | Clinical Internship in Casework & Research | 15 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 39 | |
| Second Summer | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SOCW 836 | Neurobiology of Behavior: Essentials for Social Work | 2 |
| SOCW 837 | Contemporary Trauma Theory and Practice | 2 |
| SOCW 847 | Qualitative Research and Inquiry III – Grounded Theory, Participatory Action Research and Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| SOCW 855 | Health Disparities: Policies and Their Impact on Practice | 2 |
| SOCW 858 | Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis I | 3 |
| SOCW 843 | Relational Theory in Practice: Roots & Emergence of a Dialogue that led to a “Turn” in Psychodynamic | 2 |
| 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 857 | Research Focused Seminar I | 2 |
| SOCW 859 | Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis II | 3 |
| Hours | 24 | |
| Second Winter | ||
| SOCW 860 | Clinical Internship in Casework & Research | 15 |
| SOCW 891 | Comprehensive Exam | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
| Third Summer | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SOCW 865 | Senior Seminar in Clinical Social Work Theory and Practice: Uses of Self in Intersubjective Practice | 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 832 | Supervision, Faculty Practicum Advising and Consultation in Social Work Education | 2 |
| SOCW 864 | Perspectives on Teaching & Learning in Social Work Education | 4 |
| SOCW 867 | Research Focused Seminar II | 2 |
| SOCW 878 | Capstone Course: Integrating Psychoanalytic Theory, Research and Clinical Practice | 2 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Comprehensive Examination
A written paper to be developed during the 2nd year of clinical internship, which integrates students' learning. It consists of a final publication-quality manuscript based on original work.
Research and Dissertation
The Smith College School for Social Work Ph.D. program is committed to recruiting, teaching, mentoring, and graduating students with a strong commitment to advancing professional knowledge, awareness, values, and skills of clinical social work practice and research with an anti-racism lens. The aim of the SSW Ph.D. Program is consistent with the Quality guidelines of Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE). The broad goal of the program is to educate practitioner-scholars through the development of knowledge, values, and skills to inform and transform clinical social work research, education, and practice. SSW is committed to continuously developing resources to ensure that the PhD program recruits a culturally diverse community of scholars, is nationally competitive, and contributes to leadership in the social work profession.
By completing the SSW Ph.D. program, students will be able to:
- Create new knowledge through research and practice at the culmination of their training and education
- Discuss and appraise the history of the social work profession, current issues and debates within the profession
- Critically analyze theories, practices, policies, and research
- Demonstrate advanced levels of competence as clinicians, supervisors, educators and researchers
- Infuse an anti-racism perspective and social work values of social justice into all areas of their professional work
- Articulate a detailed research agenda that addresses issues relevant to clinical social work and/or the social work profession
- Develop research and funding proposals both independently and in collaboration with others
- Conceptualize, design, and implement advanced research on issues related to clinical social work practice
- Disseminate knowledge that contributes to the advancement of social work research, practice, and policy
- Demonstrate their teaching philosophy through courses that they teach as social work educators