Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

Ph.D. Social Work

In addition to the required courses listed below, all students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours outside the School of Social Work related to their area of specialization. An advanced course in measurement and statistics is also required and is typically taken as part of the student’s area of specializa­tion. All students must enroll for 6 elective credits, which may be taken within or outside the School of Social Work with the approval of the student’s advisory committee.

• SWK-S 710 Social Work Theories of Human and Social Behavior (3 cr.) This seminar focuses on the converging forces that have shaped the development, dissemination, and utilization of the human-behavior knowledge base of social work. It specifically examines the social and behavioral science theory and research that provide the foundation for social work practice across a variety of system levels.

• SWK-S 712 International Social Development in a Global Context (3 cr.) This course is an advanced seminar for graduate students interested in developing an in-depth understanding of complex social problems in a global world. Students will have the op­portunity to learn theories of development; critically analyze international agreements; and to explore and appropriately use social development models.

• SWK-S 718 Intermediate Statistics for Social Workers (3 cr.) Students will learn selected parametric and nonparametric statistics to examine research problems. Included in the learning process are hand computations of statistics development of skills in us­ing a comprehensive computer statistics package and selection of statistical techniques based on levels of measurement and analyses of the assumptions of statistics.

• SWK-S 720 Philosophy of Science and Social Work (3 cr.) This course examines the nature and sources of social work knowledge and considers a range of epistemological issues involved in the selection, development, evaluation, and use of knowledge for social work.

• SWK-S 721 Preparing to Publish: Seminar in Advanced Scholarship Skills (3 cr.) This course prepares doctoral students for academ­ic scholarship. Topics include expectations and standards for scholarly discourse, critical and analytical thinking skills, logical argument, scholarly writing and publication, and developing a research agenda. Web-based peer and instructor review of suc­cessive drafts of writing assignments culminate in a synthesized review of literature.

• SWK-S 724 Theory, Practice, and Assessment of Social Work Teach­ing (3 cr.) This course prepares doctoral students to effectively and competently teach social work courses. Content includes teaching philosophies; curriculum and syllabus development; teaching methods; technology related to teaching; assessment, testing, evaluation of students; and research related to teach­ing. Students will learn accreditation standards for bachelor’s and master’s social work education. Course goals will be ac­complished using readings, written assignments, guest speak­ers, demonstrations of teaching, and class discussion.

• SWK-S 725 Social Work Research Internship (3 cr.) P: S720, S726, S727, or a foundation statistics course, and at least one of the following: S710, S730, or S740. This supervised field internship provides practical experience in conducting research relevant to social work practice. Students participate in a new or ongo­ing, faculty-supervised research project involving the design and implementation of a study, including the collection and analysis of data, and the development of appropriate research reports. Internship may be registered for up to three times.

• SWK-S 726 Advanced Social Work Research: Qualitative Methods (3 cr.) P: S720 and foundation statistics course. This course pro­vides an opportunity for students to initiate a research project using qualitative research methods. Topics covered will include developing the research question, exploring the literature, writ­ing an interview guide, interviewing, analyzing data, computer analysis, writing reports, subjectivity and bias, ethics, role of theory, trustworthiness, and audits.

• SWK-S 727 Advanced Social Work Research: Quantitative Methods (3 cr.) P: S720 and foundation statistics course. This advanced quantitative research methods course prepares students with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively engage in independent research, including: literature review, theory de­velopment, hypothesis testing, research design, data analysis, and report writing. It includes related computer applications and use of online data sources.

• SWK-S 728 Advanced Statistics for Social Work (3 cr.) P: S600 Inter­mediate Statistics for Social Work. Students in this course learn how to evaluate statistical assumptions and select, compute, and substantively interpret a variety of multivariate statistics, using SPSS to analyze actual social work research data. Online resources, Web-based materials, and model applications of the statistics support students’ learning.

• SWK-S 730 Proseminar on Social Work Policy Analysis (3 cr.) This seminar focuses on the development and application of analyti­cal tools necessary to critically examine and evaluate social policy theory and research germane to social work, includ­ing the values and ideologies that undergird social problem construction, social policy creation, and social program design. Specific attention is devoted to the application of these sche­mata for diverse populations.

• SWK-S 736 Advanced Social Work Research:  Qualitative Methods II (3 cr.) P: S726.  Qualitative Methods II is the second of a two-course sequence designed to develop students’ knowledge and skills in design, methods, strategies, and the challenges of qualitative research.  The purpose of this course is to apply the knowledge of theory and qualitative methods to the development of a research question.  Students will choose a theoretical approach for a qualitative study, a method of data collection, evaluate the appropriate literature, collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative data.

• SWK-S 737 Advanced Social Work Research: Quantitative Methods II (3 cr.) P: S727. Quantitative Methods II is the second course in the research sequence designed to further develop students’ knowledge, skills, and application of research methods.  Based on their research proposal developed in the first sequence class, students will conduct their own research project and learn data collection and management, statistical analysis, interpretation of data, and writing a research report. Their learning will be facilitated through demonstrations and hands-on sessions in the computer lab as well as careful examination of application of research procedures in their own project.

• SWK-S 790 Special Topics in Social Work Practice, Theory, and Research Independent Studies (1-3 cr.) P: Approval by appropriate instructor. This course provides students with an opportunity to engage in focused study of a substantive area of social work practice di­rectly related to the student’s identified area of theoretical and research interest. It is completed with the approval and under the guidance of a member of the Ph.D. faculty.

• SWK-S 791 Integrative Seminar I (1.5 cr.) This course acquaints incoming doctoral students with campus resources for gradu­ate students and with the expectations for doctoral education, including the policies, procedures, and academic standards of the Graduate School and of the School of Social Work. Students register for this seminar in their first semester.

• SWK-S 792 Integrative Seminar II (1.5 cr.) This course is intended to support Ph.D. students as they finish up doctoral coursework and prepare for their qualifying paper, dissertation, and subse­quent professional career. Students register for this seminar in their last semester of coursework.

• SWK-S 800 Dissertation Research (12 credits)  Students must be continually registered for dissertation credits every Fall and Spring semester once they are admitted to candidacy up to a total of 12 credits of S800. Students do not need to register for dissertation credits in the summer unless they graduate in the summer.  You are considered graduated when you deposit your final bound dissertation with the Graduate School.

• SWK-S 805 Select Topics in Social Work (1-5 cr.)

• G901 PhD Dissertation Research