The Doctorate in Social Work Program is administered by the D.S.W. Steering Committee, which monitors the program, recommends changes in policies and procedures, and serves as the Admissions Committee. The D.S.W. Steering Committee is composed of two faculty, the Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Education, the Director of the D.S.W. Program, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Director of Admissions and Recruitment.

The D.SW. degree requires the completion of 14 credit units (CU's). For students transferring from another doctoral program, a maximum of two (2) units of academic credit can be transferred into the Program with the written approval of the D.S.W Program Director. Students must possess the Master of Social Work degree from an accredited institution before they may be accepted into the D.S.W. program.

Students must pass written preliminary examinations in research methods and clinical theory after completing the first four (4) required core courses. Failing these exams will automatically expel students from the program. There will be a chance for one make-up exam before such expulsions are final.

Immediately following the preliminary examinations, students must complete a core course in Applied Clinical Practice (Applied Clinical Practice I). This course is intended to test core clinical practice competency; a failing grade in either Applied Clinical Practice I will result in expulsion from the program.

Core Courses (7 cu’s)
The core curriculum consists of seven (7) cu’s:

• Clinical Social Work Theory I (1 cu)
• Clinical Social Work Theory II (1 cu)
• Foundations of Clinical Research (1 cu)
• Qualitative Research Methods (1 cu)
• Statistics (1 cu)
• Applied Clinical Practice I (.50 cu)
• Capstone Seminar (1 cu)

Dissertation Seminars (2 cu’s)
Beginning in the first year, students complete a series of dissertation seminars and tutorials that accompany their dissertation work.

Course Modules (5 cu)
There are twelve (12) modules that cover topics related to the practice and teaching of clinical social work.

 

Fall - Year 1 (2 CUs)

Courses
September - December
Clinical Social Work Theory (1 CU)
Foundations of Clinical Research (1 CU)

Dissertation
Consider Topic

Spring - Year 1 (2 CUs)

Courses
January - April
Clinical Social Work Theory (1 CU)
Qualitative Research Methods (1 CU)
Preliminary Exams

Summer - Year 1 (2 CUs)

Courses
May
Clinical Practice I (.50 CU)
Dissertation Workshop (.50 CU)
June/July
Clinical Practice II (.50 CU)
Module 1 (.50 CU) Evaluating Practice

Dissertation
Finalize topic, develop research questions, begin literature review

Fall - Year 2 (2 CUs)

Courses
September
Module 2 (.33 CU) Relational Processes
October
Prosem 1 (.166 CU)
Module 3 (.33 CU) ) Interventions w/ Youth
November
Prosem 2 (.166 CU)
Module 4 (.33 CU) Couples Therapy
December
Prosem 3 (.166 CU)
Module 5 (.33 CU)  Systemic Family Therapy
Prosem 4 (.166 CU)

Dissertation
Complete literature review, develop research design

Spring - Year 2 (2 CUs)

Courses
January
Applied Stats (.33 CU)
Prosem 5  (.166 CU) 
February
Applied Stats (.33 CU)
Prosem 6 (.166 CU)
March
Applied Stats (.33 CU)
Prosem 7 (.166 CU)
April
Module 6 (.33 CU)  Group Work
Prosem 8 (.166)

Dissertation
Complete and defend dissertation proposal

Summer - Year 2 (2 CUs)

Courses
May
Module 7 (.33 CU) Teaching Social Work Practice
Prosem 9 (1.66 CU)
June
Module 8 Trauma Theory & Interventions (.50 CU)
July
Module 9 Organizational Trauma (.50 CU)

Dissertation
Complete data collection

Fall - Year 3 (1 CU)

Courses
September
Module 10 (.33 CU) Ethics
October
Module 11 (.33 CU) (Topic to be determined with student input)
November
Module 12 (.33 CU) (Topic to be determined with students input)
December
Module 13 (.33 CU) (Topic to be determined with students input)

Dissertation
Complete data analysis, draft findings section

Spring - Year 3 (1CU)

Courses
January - April
Capstone Seminar (1 CU)

Dissertation
Finalize conclusions and recommendations, defend dissertation

 

In some cases students may apply to the program while a doctoral student in another program. If admitted, these students will receive credit for doctoral level courses taken elsewhere after consideration by th DSW Program Director. These students will then join the program at the appropriate stage. No more than two (2) courses can be transferred in from other doctoral programs.

The letter grade evaluation system of the D.S.W. Program is consistent with the system used by the M.A. and Ph.D. programs at the University. That system consists of grades of A, B, C, D, and F with pluses and minuses possible for A, B, or C. The mark of I is used to designate “incomplete.”

Overall GPA
Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are tabulated at the end of each semester and on a cumulative basis. The minimum standard for satisfactory work for students in the D.S.W. Program is a B average in each academic year. A student whose record falls below the B (3.0) average will be required to withdraw. Students will be given one opportunity to retake classes in which they received low grades before being required to withdraw.

Core Course Grades and GPA
A letter grade of less than B- in a core course (Research Methods, Qualitative Research, Clinical Theory I, Clinical Theory II, Statistics, Capstone Seminar), will constitute a failure in that course. Students receiving less than a B- in any core course, with the exception of Applied Clinical Practice I and II, will be placed on probationary status and required to repeat and pass the failed course. Students may repeat a failed core course once.

 

Students who owe tuition for a previous semester's work will not be permitted to register for the next semester unless special arrangements for payment have been made with the Student Financial Services Office of the University. Students who owe tuition or any other university related fees (such as library fees) will be excluded from graduation lists.

Evaluations of the student's work for the courses, dissertation seminars, or modules should be provided to the student at appropriate intervals during each term. Such evaluations should be made in relation to course content, clinical practice competency. and general performance at the doctoral level. Students whose work does not meet program expectations should be notified in writing at mid-term. Students whose performance is at a level below that acceptable for doctoral work should be so informed in writing as soon as possible. Faculty should indicate the areas of identified weakness and specify the requirements to satisfy course requirements. In such situations, a copy of this notification should be sent to the student’s academic advisor and the Director of the D.S.W. Program.

Upon entering the Program, each student is assigned a Dissertation Advisor who assists the student with all phases of dissertation work. This faculty member remains the student's advisor for the duration of the student’s time in the program (typically 3 years). The responsibilities of the Dissertation Advisor include mentoring the student through all phases of the dissertation work and advising the student on the selection of a dissertation committee.

Three milestone evaluations/examinations must be passed by all D.S.W. students:

Preliminary Examinations: The preliminary examination consists of two take-home exams on research methods and clinical social work theory. The exams are taken after the student has completed the first four (4) core courses (Clinical Theory I & II, Foundations of Clinical Research, and Qualitative Research Methods). Preliminary exams will be given in the 4th week of May. Students who fail any portion of the preliminary examination will be given one opportunity to retake that portion. The retake will occur no later than mid-August. Students who fail a retake will be terminated from the program.

Evaluation of Core Clinical Practice Competency: Immediately following the preliminary examinations (June and July of year one), students must complete a core course in Applied Clinical Practice (Applied Clinical Practice I). This course is intended to test core clinical practice competency through in-depth analysis of cases. A failing grade in either Applied Clinical Practice I will result in expulsion from the program.

Dissertation Defense: An oral examination on the contents of the doctoral dissertation.

 

In collaboration with their Dissertation Advisor, students begin developing a dissertation topic in the first semester of the D.S.W. program. The dissertation is an original work of research scholarship to advance knowledge in the field of clinical social work.

Dissertation Advisor and Committee Chair
With the help of the Dissertation Advisor, each student selects a dissertation chair from the standing faculty of the School of Social Policy & Practice. Students are encouraged to select a chair first and consult with that individual about other committee members.

Committee Composition
Each student will be required to have a dissertation committee of at least three members with one member designated the chair of the committee. Only standing* or associated** faculty of the University may serve as chair and first reader. The third member may be a scholar external to the University of Pennsylvania with a doctoral degree, including a qualified individual who does not hold faculty rank at a college or university. To include an external member on their dissertation committee, students must receive approval from the committee chair. Every committee must have a standing faculty member from the School of Social Policy & Practice as either chair or first reader. A standing faculty member on the committee must approve the final dissertation.

*The phrase "Standing Faculty” includes all University of Pennsylvania tenure-line faculty and Clinician-Educator faculty.

**"Associated Faculty” are those with Research, Adjunct, Clinical (not clinician-educator, which is standing faculty), and Visiting appointment at the University of Pennsylvania.

Standards for the Dissertation
The dissertation must be rigorous, as defined by the following:

1. Grounded in the literature
1. Practice theory and/or other behavioral or social science theory
2. Empirical evidence
3. Peer reviewed sources
2. Conceptualization/framework/theory
1. Based on well developed conceptual framework with clear definition of concepts
3. Methods follow from literature and conceptualization
1. Methods are systematic and appropriate for methodology being proposed
4. Significant or new findings and/or contributions to the practice knowledge base
5. Publishable quality
6. Significant issue/question
7. Appropriate scale of work for methods used.

Acceptable Dissertation Formats/Methods

1. Empirical:
   An empirical study that uses quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods to answer a research question(s). Examples include: survey research, secondary analysis, intervention research, program evaluation, case study (including multiple cases), practice theory development grounded in research.
2. Historical:
   Historical research, including biography, that retrospectively addresses a subject over time.          
3. Theoretical/Conceptual:

• Critical review
  • Review, organization and critical analysis of the literature in a substantive area, demonstrating evidence of original thinking and scholarship. The critical review may include case examples.
• Practice theory development
  • Development of a theory that guides practice, based on a thorough critique, synthesis and integration of relevant existing practice knowledge, theory and research.

4. Educational/Curriculum Development:
   In-depth design of an educational or training curriculum for clinical social work education.
5. Treatment/Practice Manual Development:
   Development of treatment or practice manual that provides specific guidelines for planned, systematic intervention with a client population addressing a particular problem or issue.
6. Intervention Development or Adaptation of Existing Intervention:
   The design of a practice intervention or the adaptation of an existing intervention that addresses a gap in clinical practice. The intervention developed or adapted must derive from relevant knowledge, theory and research, and take into consideration the literature on best practices and evidence-based treatment protocols.

Proposal Defense
Students develop a dissertation proposal through collaborations with the members of their dissertation committee and their Dissertation Advisor. The student must submit a copy of the final draft of the proposal to the Director of the D.S.W. Program 15 work days before the proposed defense date. This includes an abstract to be circulated electronically to the school community.

The proposal defense is a discourse on scholarship between the candidate and his or her committee that may include other faculty and students from the university community. The proposal should demonstrate a high level of scholarship and research competence to substantiate the implementation of the planned proposal. The dissertation research proposal defense is commonly characterized by four components, (1) a brief meeting between the chair and other committee members prior to the student’s presentation, (2) the student’s presentation and discussion, (3) voting by the Chair and committee members, and (4) feedback by the Chair and Committee members to the student. Other faculty and doctoral students may attend the presentation and participate in the discussion segment of the defense. After the presentation and discussion of the proposed plan, the committee formally votes in private on the acceptability of the proposal. Following the vote, the Chair of the Committee with other members of the committee presents the decision to the candidate in a closed meeting. A successful proposal defense admits the student to candidacy for the doctoral degree.

Proposal Content
The dissertation proposal is a succinctly written summary of the research project you plan to undertake. Typical length is 20-30 pages. It should include the introduction of the topic and your rationale for studying it, the research question(s), how the question/topic is related to existing literature/theory/research, and the research design (how the question will be answered). A successful proposal is informed by existing literature, theory and research; clearly written; convincing in its logic; and compelling in its rationale.

Components of the Proposal

RESEARCH QUESTION:

1. Clearly written research question.
2. Brief review of the theory relevant to the study of the identified question and underlying problem or clinical issue.
3. Brief review of the literature and research relevant to the study of the question and underlying issue.
4. The research question(s).
5. Description of the significance of the study for social work practice.

RESEARCH METHOD: What information/data will be used to answer you question and how this information/data will be collected.

IMPLICATIONS: A discussion of the implications of the research for social work practice.

TIMETABLE: As part of this section, provide a tentative sequence or timetable for the project.

HUMAN SUBJECTS: This is a thorough discussion of ethical issues in the proposed research, including plans for protection of human participants in the research. This includes consent, confidentiality, and protection from harm. Students must secure approval of the Institutional Review Board of the Office of Regulatory Affairs to assure compliance with Federal and University regulations regarding human participants in research before contact is made with human participants.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: A list of literature cited in the proposal, presented in the most current APA format.

General Procedures for Submitting the Dissertation
The candidate is required to submit a copy of the final draft of the dissertation to the Doctoral Program Coordinator 15 days prior to the date of the dissertation defense. At the time of submitting a copy of the final draft the candidate must provide the following information to announce the defense of the dissertation to the Administrative Coordinator of the Doctoral Program: an abstract (not exceeding 120 words) providing a comprehensive summary of the dissertation; a sentence verifying that a copy of the final draft of the dissertation is available for reading through the Office of the Administrative Coordinator of the Doctoral Program; and information providing the date, time, and room location of the defense.

Defending the Dissertation
The dissertation defense is a scholarly discourse between the candidate and his/her Dissertation Committee on the substantive work, evidencing publishable scholarly work and the individual’s mastery of his/her chosen subject and research method. Members of the School and University community, including faculty and doctoral students, are invited to attend. The Chair and committee members are responsibility for conducting the defense proceedings.

The dissertation defense, similar to the dissertation proposal defense, is commonly characterized by four components: (1) a brief prefatory meeting of the Chair or Dissertation Chairperson and Committee members, (2) the presentation by the degree candidate that is followed by discussion, (3) voting by the chair and committee members, and (4) reporting of the decision on acceptance by the Chair or Dissertation Chair to the degree candidate.

Decisions on acceptance are based on majority vote of the Dissertation Committee. Voting is conducted in a closed meeting of the committee. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee reports the results of the vote to the candidate immediately following the voting.

 

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Failure to Pay
All University bills for tuition and fees are due before or during the registration period each term, as specified. The University reserves the right to withhold registration material, transcripts, and all other information regarding the record of any student who is in arrears in the payment of tuition, fees, or other charges, including student loans, and to exclude such a student from classes and examinations. The student will be held accountable for all absences resulting from the operation of this rule. For continued delinquency in the payment of debts to the University, the student may be permanently dropped from the University. The enforcement of this penalty shall not relieve the student from the obligation to pay outstanding fees and charges, including those for the term to which the penalty applies.

Withdrawal or Graduation
No one shall be granted a certificate of withdrawal or be recommended for a degree who has not paid in full all his or her financial obligations.

Refund of Tuition
A student who withdraws (or who is requested to withdraw for failure to maintain a satisfactory scholastic standard) or who is granted a leave of absence from a full-time division of the University during either term of the academic year will be eligible for a refund of tuition general fee in accordance with the conditions set forth below. The effective date of separation from the University is the date on which the student files a request for withdrawal or leave of absence in the Office of the Dean. The amount of refund allowable is as follows:

Separation occurring within:
the first two weeks of class.. .....75%
third and fourth weeks of class....50%
weeks thereafter...............……......0%

A student who is required to withdraw because of violation of University regulation shall receive no refund by reason of such a withdrawal.

Late Registration and Absence
Neither late registration nor absence during the term shall entitle the student to a reduction in fees.

Leaves of Absence, Doctoral Program
A student who wishes a leave of absence must submit a written request to the Director of the D.S.W. Program for approval. The grant of a leave of absence does not automatically change the time limit.

A student who has reached "General Dissertation Tuition" status will not be granted a leave of absence, except for medical reasons.

Leave of Absence
Continuous registration as a graduate student is required unless a formal leave of absence is granted by the Director of the D.S.W Program. Doctoral candidates who desire a leave of absence must submit a written request to the D.S.W. Program Director. A leave of absence may not exceed one year (two consecutive semesters). Decisions of the D.S.W Program Director regarding leaves of absence may be appealed to the Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Education of the School of Social Policy and Practice.

Withdrawals
A student is considered to have withdrawn from the program when, in accordance with a written request prepared by her/him and accepted by the Director of the D.S.W Program, a request to terminate active status is granted. A student who has withdrawn may re-apply for active status. If the application is accepted, previously completed work shall be evaluated, and the student will be expected to fulfill all requirements in effect for active students at the time of re-admission.

Terminations
A student will be terminated from being a “candidate” for the doctoral degree if any of the following occur: (1) he or she does not meet the required course GPA; (2) he or she fails the preliminary examination and the one time make-up opportunity; (3) he or she fails either the Applied Clinical Practice I course, or the Applied Clinical Practice II course; (4) does not complete the dissertation requirements in a timely fashion; or (5) he or she is dropped from the Program for other reasons (such as plagiarism, unethical behavior or criminal behavior).

In addition, the student may terminate her/his connection with the Program by requesting such action on her/his own initiative, in writing, and her/his request is granted.

A student who has been terminated may apply for re-admission. The student must complete all application requirements. If re-admitted, previous work completed will be considered for credit, in light of course requirements at the time of the student’s re-admission and time since completion. Those applying five years after termination will have to retake all courses.

 

It is expected that students and faculty will use their normal contacts in class and individual conferences to resolve any differences that may arise in their work together. Where faculty or students find such normal channels fail to resolve differences that will affect the status of the student, either or both may ask for consideration of such differences by the Director of the D.S.W Program. The decision of the D.S.W. Director shall stand, unless either or both parties wish to appeal the decision further. If there is such an appeal, the following policies and procedures will prevail:

A written appeal of the D.S.W. Director’s decision may be made through the Director to the Dean of the School of Social Policy and Practice who will determine if a review by the Committee on Academic Standing is warranted. If dissatisfied with the decision of the Dean or the Academic Standing Committee, the student may then appeal a decision to the Provost of the University.

When differences between a student and Advisor, Chairperson, or Committee are such as to require consideration by the Committee on Academic Standing, the aggrieved student may select a student representative to present the student's case to the committee and to speak or intervene on her/his behalf during the appeals process. The representative will be free to intervene on the student's behalf at any point in the appeals process. The representative will only attend meetings of the committee if explicitly requested to do so by the appealing student. It will be the appealing student's full responsibility to request the services of the representative. The representative will serve only in an advisory and advocacy role and will not vote on the final committee decision.

The Graduate Group Chair may not vote on a committee decision if he/she is a member of the appealing student's Dissertation Committee.

 

The University of Pennsylvania has a well-articulated set of policies and procedures pertaining to the academic and professional conduct of graduate students. These policies and procedures are published biennially in the University's Graduate Academic Bulletin, available online, at the Office of University Relations, and the Bookstore. Doctoral students are required to obtain a copy of the Graduate Academic Bulletin. Violations or infractions of these policies, including violations of the Code of Academic Integrity, will be processed in accordance with these policies and procedures by the Graduate Group Chair and the Committee on Academic Standing. Students who are found to violate the Code of Academic Integrity may be terminated from the program.