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Program at a Glance

Program
Doctorate
College(s)
College of Community Innovation and Education
Department(s)
Public Administration, Schl of
U.S. News & World Report Best Grad Schools Public Affairs Badge

New admissions to this track have been suspended effective Fall 2021. Prospective students interested in this track are encouraged to apply directly to the Public Affairs PhD program. Students are able to select or create specializations that best align with their research interests.

The Social Work Track in the Public Affairs PhD program prepares students for university faculty and research positions, as well as leadership roles in public, non-profit and private human service, health and community-based agencies, drawing upon research and evaluation skills.

The Social Work Track in the Public Affairs PhD program prepares students for university faculty and research positions, as well as leadership roles in public, non-profit and private human service, health and community-based agencies, drawing upon research and evaluation skills. The track is designed to: (1) to develop student learning and competencies for social work scholarship and research, incorporating disciplinary knowledge in interdisciplinary contexts, and (2) to foster student learning in domains relevant to social work research in the 21st Century; namely through the understanding and application of concepts and tools in knowledge translation, evaluation, evidence-based research, the design of innovative social ventures, and the development and testing of interventions for improving social service practice, social welfare and social policy. Students applying to this track must have a Master of Social Work (MSW) for consideration.

Students must complete 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree distributed in the following manner:

  • a three-course, 9-credit required Public Affairs substantive core
  • a six-course, 18-credit required Public Affairs methodological and statistical core
  • a three-course, 9-credit required discipline-specific specialization
  • a two-course, 6-credit unrestricted elective requirement
  • one course, 3-credit required Public Affairs Community-based Research
  • 15 credit hours of dissertation minimum

Total Credit Hours Required: 60 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree


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