PhD Student Handbook

Basic Requirements

A minimum of 20 credit units (CU's) are required by the University for the Ph.D. degree. Of this number, a minimum of four (4) CU’S of pre-program credits will be granted to applicants with an appropriate master's degree in social work, related professions, or allied disciplines. For students transferring from another doctoral program, a maximum of eight (8) units of academic credit beyond that granted for a Master’s Degree can be transferred into the Program with the written approval of the Graduate Group Chair.

Students must pass written preliminary examinations in research methods and statistics, social welfare history and policy, and social theory after completing the first six (6) 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. All required and elective course work must be completed before students defend their dissertation proposal. Successful defense of the dissertation proposal admits the student to candidacy.

Students not possessing the MSW degree, but with a comparable master's level professional degree or a master’s degree in a related social or behavioral science discipline, may choose to complete the MSW as well.

All students in the Program are responsible for the successful completion of both the "core" and the "advanced" components (as listed below) of the curriculum in Social Welfare.

Core Component (8 cu’s)
The core curriculum consists of eight (8) cu’s including:

  • One course in the history and philosophy of social welfare (SWRK 803)
  • Two courses in research methods (SWRK 852/855).
  • Two courses in advanced statistics (for example, SOC 535/536).
  • One course in the economics of social welfare (SWRK 968)
  • One course in advanced social theory (SWRK 811)
  • One course in policy analysis (SWRK 861)

Advanced Component (8 cu’s)
The advanced curriculum consists of:

  • An advanced research methods elective course (in addition to SWRK 852/855).
  • A minimum of five (5) elective courses.
  • A two-semester integrative seminar (SWRK903/904) taken during the last year of course work.

At least four (4) of the elective courses in the advanced curriculum must be taken in departments and units of the University other than the School of Social Policy and Practice. Students are encouraged to use electives to develop an “expertise” in their area of research. These courses must relate to the substantive content that students select for their individualized program of study, and must be listed at the 500 level or above. In some cases students are allowed to take graduate level courses in other universities. The student's advisor will guide the student in the selection of elective courses.