The College of Social Work DSW program is designed for MSSW/MSW graduates with significant clinical social work practice experience interested in earning an advanced clinical degree in social work.

• Integrate social work social and behavioral science with other disciplines as the basis for the highest level of evidence-based social work practice.
• Demonstrate professionalism, advocacy, ethical principles, and scientific integrity in advanced social work practice.
• Provide collaborative leadership in the development of social work evidence-based practice models and standards of care for diverse populations.
• Generate client, system and outcomes research and analyze other evidence to guide improvements in practice.
• Utilize information systems/technology to support and improve social work care and social and health care systems.

Campus Code

Distance Education

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Submit online application to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Meet requirements for admission to the Graduate School.
• Hold a Master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Applicants from international programs will be reviewed on an individual basis.
• Have two years of post-MSSW/MSW clinical practice experience.
• Have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for previous graduate work.
• Have achieved a competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination.
• Have TOEFL scores of at least 550 on the paper test or 80 on the internet-based test or a 6.5 overall band score on the IELTS, if native language is not English.
• Demonstrable information technology skills.

Academic Standards

• Special Requirements and Policies
  • Each student must hold personal professional liability insurance.
  • Students must adhere to ethical and professional standards.
  • Students will attend an annual week of on campus residency each summer devoted to intensive study and skills practice.
  • Any grade below a “B” in a required course is grounds for dismissal from the DSW program.”

Credit Hours Required

48 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• SOWK 607  
• SOWK 609  
• SOWK 615  
• SOWK 620  
• SOWK 610  
• SOWK 614  
• SOWK 611  
• SOWK 624   Research Project I
• SOWK 622  
• SOWK 617  
• SOWK 616  
• SOWK 619  
• SOWK 618  
• SOWK 621  
• SOWK 623  
• SOWK 625   Research Project II

Additional Course Requirements

• The residence for the Doctor of Social Work is defined as four consecutive semesters with a minimum of 6-credit hours of enrollment per semester.
• Students will be admitted to candidacy after completing the period of residence and successfully writing and defending the DSW Research Project I publishable paper. This tangible and deliverable academic product is derived from the student’s practice experience and immersion in the research literature.
  • Students must complete the courses listed above DSW Research Project I, before writing and defending the DSW Research Project I paper.
  • Students must complete all courses listed below the DSW Research Project I course before taking DSW Research Project II.
  • The DSW Research Project I paper is the comprehensive exam for the DSW program. It is reviewed and evaluated by the student’s academic committee. The academic committee for DSW Research Project I and DSW Research Project II is composed of a minimum of three doctorally-prepared faculty.

Non-Course Requirements

• The oral defense for both DSW Research Project I and DSW Research Project II may be conducted either via online, interactive video or during face-to-face meeting of the academic committee and the student.
  • In case of failure of either examination, the student may request a retake.
  • The result of the second examination is final.
• Advanced evidence-based practice in clinical social work is based on a dynamic and rapidly evolving theoretical, empirical and clinical practice literature. As such, DSW comprehensive exam must be taken within three years, and all requirements must be completed within five years, from the time of a student’s first enrollment in the DSW program.