Doctorate in Social Work Programs 2023

Adelphi University

Adelphi University offers full-time and part-time options for students in its doctorate in social work program. Each enrollee must complete a 48-credit curriculum with a 3.3 grade point average. Part-time learners can take two courses per semester.

After completing 24 credits, each student must take a qualifying examination before proceeding with the remaining 24 credits and their dissertation. To complete the doctoral program, all enrollees must have an accepted dissertation proposal within two years of completing their coursework and 10 years to successfully defend their dissertation.

Application for the fall semester closes on April 15. An applicant must have an MSW and 2-3 years of work experience. Each candidate must submit three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and writing sample, along with a cover letter, resume, and personal essay. International students from non-native English-speaking countries are required to submit additional information.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Work
• Campus: Garden City, New York
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Tuition: $1,575/credit

Boston University

Boston University's Ph.D. social work degree is a full-time, 63-credit program typically completed in two years. Each student must complete 27 credit hours in research, 16 credit hours in core courses, and 12 credit hours in a specialization.

Enrollees identify specific populations or social problems as specializations and must take three courses in that area. Graduates must also take teaching sequence coursework that introduces them to practical aspects of teaching social work.

After the fourth semester, each enrollee takes a qualifying examination that includes areas of core social work knowledge, research, and questions in their specialization. After passing the qualifying exam, they have three years to complete the dissertation requirements.

Each applicant must submit a personal statement, writing sample, resume, and three letters of recommendation. Students must also submit transcripts, including candidates who graduated from schools outside the United States.

• Program: Doctor of Social Work
• Campus: Boston, Massachusetts
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
• Tuition: $38,596/program

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr College is an all-women's school that graduated the first U.S. class of Ph.D. students in social work in 1920. The doctorate in social work program discourages competition among students, instead supporting a collaborative and supportive community of close-knit cohorts who work with each other and faculty to meet their goals.

Candidates can attend full time, taking three courses a semester, or part-time with two courses a semester. Each enrollee must meet a minimum of four semesters of class work and complete 12 courses to balance theoretical training in data collection and analysis. Students have a maximum of eight years to finish the program, including coursework, comprehensive exams, and finalizing their dissertations.

Each candidate must have an MSW and submit an online application. The school requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and a graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher. Each applicant should complete at least two years of post-MSW work experience and submit a personal statement, writing samples, three letters of recommendation, and official transcripts.

• Program: Doctor of Social Work
• Campus: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Tuition: $6,700/semester

CUNY Graduate Center

CUNY Graduate Center offers a Ph.D. in social welfare, where students work with faculty on research that addresses social work practice and policy. The program includes required and elective courses, a first and second examination, and a dissertation.

The first examination evaluates foundational knowledge, and the second tests students' ability to develop a research proposal. After passing the second examination, the candidate must submit a dissertation proposal and defend it.

To qualify, a candidate must hold an MSW with a minimum of three years of post-master's experience and demonstrate the capacity for doctoral studies. Application requirements include a personal statement, three scholarly papers, a writing sample, and two recommendations.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Welfare
• Campus: New York, NY
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Tuition: $965/credit

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University offers a research-driven Ph.D. in social welfare with full-time and part-time on-campus options. The part-time program accommodates working professionals and allows them three years to complete their coursework.

The school allows students to get involved with faculty-led research projects, participate in seminars on teaching, and serve as adjunct faculty in the master's degree program.

Each applicant must have a master's degree from an accredited school, practical experience, and letters of reference, along with competency in written and spoken English. A candidate must also submit transcripts, one writing sample, a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation. It's highly recommended that the applicant completes a phone or in-person interview and a site visit to meet with faculty and current doctoral students.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Welfare
• Campus: Cleveland, OH
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition: $2,119/credit

Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University features a doctorate in social work that implements teaching and learning experiences to create motivated leaders. The program aims to increase the number of African-American and other ethnic minority leaders at the doctoral level, enhancing research and developing seamless partnerships with governmental agencies.

Each enrollee must complete 64 credit hours of core and elective courses, along with qualifying examinations, before proposing and defending a dissertation. The first and second years cover core courses, while the third comprises cognate and elective courses. Learners complete dissertation research and consultation in their fourth year.

Applicants are only admitted in the fall after two years of professional experience in social work. They must have MSWs from accredited schools and GPAs of 3.3 GPA or higher. Students must also have taken the Graduate Record Examination within the last five years and submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities they attended. Finally, the application must include a personal statement, writing sample, curriculum vitae, and three references.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Work
• Campus: Atlanta, Georgia
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $951/credit

Colorado State University

Colorado State University offers Ph.D. candidates an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary training and collaborative opportunities across local and global community systems. The program offers full-time and part-time programs that enrollees can develop with advisors.

The program considers the students' background and experience to tailor the program to fit their research and career interests. Each enrollee completes 38 credits before their 12-credit dissertation. The admission process opens every other year.

Each candidate must have an MSW from an accredited institution and at least one statistics course within two years before admission. In addition to these requirements, the online application requires a resume, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. International students and those who live outside of Colorado but in the Western United States Region who would like in-state tuition must submit additional documentation.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Work
• Campus: Fort Collins, Colorado
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition: $620/credit (in state); $1,520/credit (out of state)

Columbia University

Columbia University offers a doctorate in social work through its Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The program prepares applicants to pursue careers as scholars, educators, and researchers. Doctoral students can choose from concentrations in social policy and policy analysis, social policy and administration, and advanced practice.

Each enrollee must complete two years of full-time coursework and a scholarly dissertation. All students must also work in collaboration with a current faculty research project. The program typically has 40 students, most of whom accept research or teaching positions.

An applicant must have an MSW from an accredited institution or a related discipline to qualify. The application process includes submitting undergraduate and graduate academic records. Each candidate applying to the advanced practice concentration must have a minimum two years of experience.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Work
• Campus: New York, NY
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Tuition: $60,000/year

Florida International University

The Florida International University Ph.D. program develops students' investigative abilities through industry-standard techniques and methodologies. The school boasts one of the highest retention rates in social work Ph.D. programs.

Students may complete the program in as little as three years. The first year includes intensive coursework and close collaboration with experienced faculty. The school emphasizes minority health disparities, and graduates are sought after for postdoctoral positions and in government institutes.

Each applicant must hold an MSW or a related degree from an accredited institution. A candidate entering the doctoral program with the desire to teach or work in direct clinical practice must have two years of post-MSW practice experience.

An applicant must provide transcripts from prior colleges and universities with at least a 3.5 graduate GPA, quantitative and verbal scores on the GRE, and completion of courses in research methodology or statistics. Each candidate must also provide three letters of reference, two writing samples, and a personal statement.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Welfare
• Campus: Miami, Florida
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $4,100/semester (in state); $9,000/semester (out of state)

Florida State University

Florida State University‘s doctorate in social work offers an emphasis in research and teaching. The curriculum nurtures success and offers hands-on experience with faculty advisors. The school stresses small class sizes and available mentorships to help students collaborate and develop ongoing professional relationships.

The two-year program provides a foundation in research during the first year and gives the students the opportunity to apply what they've learned during the second year. The school works with students to match fieldwork placements with their interests and career goals.

Each applicant must hold an MSW degree with a grade point average of at least 3.0 from an institution accredited by the Council of Social Work Education. In addition, candidates must submit GRE scores from the past five years. International applicants must pass English language proficiency requirements. The doctoral program operates under a rolling admission.

• Program: Ph.D. in Social Work
• Campus: Tallahassee, Florida
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $444/credit (in state); $625/credit (out of state)