[ Table of Contents | School of Social Work | Bulletins Homepage | Next Section ]





Doctor of Philosophy


  • Program Description
    Social work doctoral education prepares people for leadership roles in social work research, social work education, social policy, planning, and administration. The goal of the doctoral program of the School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, is to provide students with advanced research and policy analysis skills based on a foundation of social science theory and social welfare. The doctoral program is committed to the School's mission to address human dignity, social justice, and social equity for diverse populations. Program graduates will be able to conduct research that addresses social welfare and policy problems and to disseminate knowledge to researchers, social work practitioners, and policy makers.

    The University of Pittsburgh has one of the oldest social work doctoral programs in the United States, awarding its first DSW degrees in 1949. In 1963, the program's degree was changed to a PhD. (Information regarding the Doctor of Philosophy Program is available online at http://www.pitt.edu/~pittssw.)


  • Admission
    The doctoral program is open to: 1) persons who hold the Master of Social Work degree and have at least two years of post-master's practice experience, and 2) qualified persons whose master's degrees are in a related discipline or profession (e.g. sociology, social psychology, political science, economics, public health, public administration) and have at least two years of post-master's experience relevant to the field of social work. Students must show evidence of having the intellectual capacity and professional motivation to achieve the goals of the PhD program.

    The following information will be required to process the application:

    1. Completion of the Application for Study form.

    2. Copies (official) of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

    3. A general statement of the applicant's learning goals and future career goals. This statement should relate past and current experience to the applicant's educational and career objectives for the future.

    4. A short discussion of a social policy issue that the applicant views as important for the social welfare arena. This social problem analysis should focus on an issue that has current and future implications for the human services field. The discussion should be limited to three (3) double-spaced pages.

    5. Four letters of reference. These should be from four professionals who can evaluate the applicant's prior academic and/or professional activities and competence. The applicant should include some academic references from social work educators whenever possible and exclude references from persons who know the applicant only in a personal capacity.

    6. Application fee of $30 for U.S. citizens and $40 for international students.

    The following factors are considered in reviewing applications:

    1. Academic achievement in undergraduate and graduate work commensurate with the demands of doctoral study.

    2. Motivation for doctoral education and leadership roles as demonstrated in the application narrative, in educational goals and policy statements, and in work and life experiences.

    3. Knowledge of social work perspectives and activities.

    4. Career goals that are relevant to, and may be enhanced by, doctoral education. This assumes that the applicant's career goals relate to the goals of the program.

    5. Interest and/or prior experience in social policy analysis and research.

    6. Academic background in complementary knowledge areas.

    7. Recommendations by references.

    Applications are available from the:

    Office of Admissions
    School of Social Work
    Room 2104 Cathedral of Learning
    University of Pittsburgh
    Pittsburgh, PA 15260
    (412) 624-6302

    Applications should be received no later than March 1 of each year. Admission to the program is for the Fall Term only. The doctoral program is strongly committed to a policy of equal educational opportunity for people of all races, creeds, and ethnic origins.


  • Program Transfer Credits
    Students who have earned graduate-level credits at the University of Pittsburgh or at another accredited institution may be eligible for advanced standing. Advanced standing consists of awarding academic credit toward the degree for post-master's work completed when such work is evaluated as entirely comparable. Official transcripts certifying graduate course work completed in a degree-granting graduate program should be submitted at the time of application. The maximum number of credits that can be transferred and accepted for advanced standing is 12.

    Transfer credits will not be accepted for courses in which a grade lower than B (QPA=3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or its equivalent has been received. No credit can be granted for work completed in extension courses, correspondence courses, or in the off-campus center of another institution unless those credits are approved for equivalent graduate degrees at that institution and provided that the institution has an accredited program.


  • Curriculum Objectives
    The curriculum that has been developed for the doctoral program strongly emphasizes social problem areas as coordinating themes in theory, research methodology, and social policy courses. The overall goal is to integrate the acquisition of basic knowledge, methods of empirical testing, and application to real-world situations. Course materials draw heavily on several priority areas of social work concern, including aging, mental illness, income maintenance, women's issues, family policy, and issues related to diverse populations.

    By the time the students have completed the program, they should have acquired the following:

    1. knowledge of relevant social science theory;

    2. advanced skills in research methodology and statistics;

    3. advanced knowledge of social welfare policy (historical and contemporary) and policy analysis;

    4. knowledge of relevant fields of practice, theoretical and policy perspectives, and research findings;

    5. exposure to an interdisciplinary frame of reference through mechanisms provided internally by the doctoral program and externally through access to other disciplines and professions in the wider University.

    To fulfill the program objectives, students entering the doctoral program must have passed a graduate course in introductory statistics. The first required statistics course in the program (SW3029) presumes knowledge of basic descriptive statistics, as regularly taught in departments of psychology, sociology, education, and others. Entering students who took introductory statistics more than five years ago may wish to take a refresher course before beginning the program.

    Although entering students are not required to have course or other experience relevant to computer literacy, possessing basic computer skills will be an asset to students beginning the program.


  • Requirements
    The doctoral program requires nine core courses, one policy elective, plus a minimum of six electives, which may be 2-, 3- or 4-credit courses. Most full-time students will spend two years, that is, the Fall and Spring Terms of two sequential years, to meet their course requirements. (Full-time is defined as nine or more credit hours per semester.) A rough timetable of the general flow of full-time students through the program is as follows:*

    Core curriculum plus electives (Fall and Spring Terms) First and second
    year
    Comprehensive Examination After completion of all courses
    Submit brief dissertation proposal
    		 After completion of comprehensive
    examination
    Defense of a Dissertation Overview After committee review of dissertation
    proposal
    Dissertation Defense Usually one year or more following
    Admission to Candidacy

    *Students who are able to take courses in other departments/schools and/or work on dissertations during the Spring and Summer Terms can sometimes shorten this timetable.


  • Program Flexibility and Individualization
    An individual student's program should reflect the student's career goals and personal interest. This program, therefore, maintains as much flexibility and individualization as possible. This individualization is built upon the core curriculum through planning for elective course work and enrichment experiences, including teaching and research assistantships.


  • Core Curriculum
    During the first two semesters in the program, full-time students are usually primarily involved in taking the required courses in the four essential areas of study: social welfare, social science theory, research methods, and social policy. Part-time students are required to select among these areas in the first year of course work. These core courses are provided by the doctoral program. A brief description of each area of study follows with a listing of credits awarded and sequencing or options. Where Roman numerals are attached to course names, this indicates that courses must be taken in sequence.

  • Social Welfare:
    SWWEL 3030 EVALUATION OF AMERICAN
    SOCIAL WELFARE HISTORY
    AND POLICY (3 crs.)     		Required (3 crs. total)

  • Social Science Theory:

    SWGEN 3053 MACRO SOCIAL SCIENCE
    THEORY (3 crs.)    		 No sequencing: both
    required (6 crs. total)
    SWGEN 3044 MICRO SOCIAL SCIENCE
    THEORY (3 crs.)

  • Research Methods:
    SWRES 3029 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS (3 crs.)
    (Fall)    		3020 and 3022 are taken
    in sequence, with inferential
    statistics (3029) taken along with
    or prior to the start of the sequence. (13 crs. total)
    SWRES 3020 RESEARCH METHODS I (3 crs.)
    (Fall)
    SWRES 3021 MULTIVARIATE METHODS (4 crs.)
    (Spring)
    SWRES 3022 RESEARCH METHODS II (3 crs.)
    (Fall of second year)

  • Social Policy:
    SWWEL 3037 SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS I (2 crs.) Two basic social policy analysis
    courses are required; One
    additional policy course is
    required; options for course
    choice are available (7 crs. total)
    SWWEL 3038 SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS II (2 crs.)


    Additional policy course (3 crs.)


  • Interdisciplinary Components
    The core requirement of the program involves 29 of the 42-47 minimum credits. The student is then usually able to use the remainder of his or her time in pursuing more specialized interests. Certain options available in the program, especially the Joint Public Health Master's/Social Work PhD option and the graduate certificate in Women's Studies, offer particular advantages but tend to restrict the number of electives open to students. Students are encouraged to take course work in other schools and departments of the University insofar as this is feasible within their program requirements. Many social welfare-related fields are open: sociology, economics, women's studies, social psychology, political science, law, urban affairs, public health, and others. The student can choose his or her courses from all graduate programs in the University. The student may take no more than two MSW courses for elective credit and no more than one independent study for credit.


  • Computer Access
    By virtue of their registration status, which requires a computer network fee, students have access to University computer services.


  • Joint Social Work-Public Health Program
    This joint program option provides a unique opportunity to combine the attainment of a master's degree in Public Health (MPH) and a PhD in Social Work. Since 12 credits can be applied to both degrees simultaneously, and since advising is arranged for all joint students, it is usually feasible for joint students to complete both degrees within the general timetable outlined for the doctoral program, although the number of electives necessarily becomes very restricted.

  • Joint MSW-PhD Program
    Each year, a small number of entering PhD students come into the doctoral program in social work with a master's degree in a field other than social work: e.g., sociology, psychology, urban affairs. Such students may be interested in earning a master's degree in social work for any number of reasons, such as:

  • the desire to develop a richer background in social work practice than can be obtained solely in the doctoral program;

  • an interest in gaining some practice experience in social work, coupled with the theoretical underpinnings of substantive and skills-oriented courses, in preparation for a position in social work administration;

  • a career goal in social work research, wherein the researcher needs to be knowledgeable about and identified with the social work enterprise;

  • a career goal in social work education: teaching on the undergraduate or graduate level in social work.

    To accommodate these needs, a joint-degree MSW/PhD program has been created. Information regarding the requirements and processes for this joint program can be obtained by contacting the School of Social Work Admissions Office.

  • CSWE Requirements for School of Social Work Faculty Positions
    If you are interested in a faculty position in a school of social work after completing your PhD, be advised that the Council on Social Work Education, the accrediting body for social work undergraduate and master's programs, requires that social work practice courses be taught by faculty with the MSW plus two years of post-master's experience. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that any student entering the doctoral program without an MSW who desires an academic position in a school of social work should consider the option of our joint MSW-PhD program.


  • Faculty Adviser
    At the beginning of the first semester, students are assigned to a faculty adviser. However, students are free to change faculty advisers if they so desire. The student and adviser develop an agreed-upon curriculum that will best serve the student. When the chairperson of the dissertation committee is selected, that person becomes the student's adviser.


  • Other Regulations Governing Graduate Study
    Students should be aware that policies stated in "Regulations Governing Graduate Study at the University of Pittsburgh" must be followed.


  • Annual Student Review
    Each fall, the adviser meets with the student to assess the student's achievement in core courses and electives or to assess progress toward completion of the program. The adviser reports strengths and concerns to the director. The director gives a written report to each student.


  • Comprehensive Examination
    Admission to PhD candidacy is accomplished through the successful completion of a comprehensive examination. This examination is required and will be taken at a time when all course requirements are completed. The examination is written and focuses on the four core curricular areas, namely, social welfare, social policy, research, and social science theory. The comprehensive examination is designed to assess student's mastery of the field of social work with particular emphasis on the core curriculum areas within the doctoral program and their interrelationships. The exam is given twice a year late August and early January.


  • Doctoral Dissertation
    The doctoral dissertation should represent a creative effort to build knowledge and theory in the field of social welfare. The first step in the dissertation effort is the preparation and submission of a brief proposal to the chairperson and the doctoral program director. Once this brief proposal is approved, the student begins preparation for the overview by forming a committee of faculty willing to assist and advise in the process of completing the dissertation. This committee must be composed of a minimum of four faculty persons, three of whom must be School of Social Work faculty and one who must be a faculty member from outside the School. The majority of the committee, including the chair, must be full or adjunct members of the graduate faculty. Additional persons may be appointed as suitable. Meetings of the doctoral candidate and his/her dissertation committee must occur at least annually to discuss objectives for the following year. The student then works with his or her committee, especially the chairperson, to prepare a dissertation overview, which consists of all the chapters of the dissertation up through methodology and plans for analysis of data. This overview must be defended orally in a meeting of the full dissertation committee. After acceptance of the overview by the dissertation committee, the candidate may proceed to the final stage of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. A second oral defense is held at the completion of a full dissertation. Full details on dissertation requirements are available upon request.


  • Editorial Assistance
    A student preparing a dissertation or other written work as part of academic requirements may, when appropriate, use the assistance of professional editors, provided (1) that he/she receives the approval of the research adviser or professor of the course in which written work is being submitted, (2) that editorial assistance provided be limited to use of language and not to subject matter content or meaning, and (3) that all editorial assistance be described and acknowledged in the report.


  • Grades in Course Work
    It is required that students will maintain an average grade of 3.00 or better in all course work. If a student receives a grade lower than B- in a required course, the course will have to be repeated. Whether the courses are required or elected, more than one grade of C+ or lower will be the basis for formal Academic Review.


  • Administration of Doctoral Program
    The doctoral program is administered by the director who is appointed by the Dean of the School. Academic policies, including admissions, curricular review and development, and implementation of the program, are set by the doctoral program committee. Students are welcome to participate in doctoral committee meetings and may yearly elect a student from each class on campus to represent students at the faculty meetings. Matters that involve performance of individual students or decisions on applicants to the program exclude student participation since this would necessitate sitting in judgment on current or prospective peers. In all other respects, meetings are fully open to student representatives.


  • Support for the Doctoral Program
    The doctoral program in the School of Social Work makes every effort to assist full-time students who are United States citizens or have permanent resident status both through funds awarded by the School and with information about funds awarded elsewhere. Most funding covers two semesters (one academic year). There are a number of types of funding available, including teaching assistantships, graduate student assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships, and other special awards. Students applying for loans from outside sources apply at the Student Aid Office, 2nd floor Bruce Hall; phone number is (412) 624-7488.

    Students are admitted to the doctoral program on the basis of their merits as doctoral students. Funding is awarded on the basis of need, which is verified by a form entitled "Application for Student Aid." This is available only for full-time students who are United States citizens or have permanent resident status. This form is obtained from the Office of Admissions, completed and returned to the office, and then reviewed by the doctoral program director, dean, and associate dean for allocation of funds as available.


  • Course Descriptions
    SWRES *3020 RESEARCH METHODS I 3 crs.
    Course explores the basic concepts and principles of empirical research as a method of seeking answers to issues relevant to social work practice and policy. We focus first on the goals and methods of research, and the decisions that researchers make in shaping their research design.

    SWRES *3021 MULTIVARIATE METHODS 4 crs.
    Introduces students to methods of data analysis that allow researchers to explore the relationships among larger sets of variables. Among the techniques discussed are multiple regression and path analysis, analysis of variance, and factor analysis. Emphasis will be on the use of computerized statistics for obtaining and interpretation of data, and assignments are designed to allow students to practice these skills.

    SWRES *3022 RESEARCH METHODS II 3 crs.
    Course is designed as a laboratory for the design, implementation, statistical analysis, and write-up of group research projects. Each student will develop a testable hypothesis derived from a theoretical model and collaborate with other students in the design and data-gathering needs for their research. This experiential course allows students to apply the research and statistical skills acquired in the previous research course in this sequence.

    SWRES 3026 EVALUATIVE RESEARCH 3 crs.
    Focuses on the methodological and practical problems arising from efforts to design and implement evaluative research of social service programs. Explores the difficulties inherent in program evaluation efforts and strategies for overcoming them. This course assumes solid knowledge of basic research methods and design. Open to advanced social work doctoral students; permission of instructor is required for others.

    SWGEN 3028 DIRECTED STUDY IN TEACHING 3 crs.
    An elective offered for students who wish to have an experience in teaching. The experience includes mentoring by a current teacher in the program in a course of the student's selection and development of an educational plan including bibliography and readings.

    SWRES *3029 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS 3 crs.
    Course places inferential statistical principles in the framework of social science and social work research. The statistical principles and procedures are demonstrated and carried out, using computer programs, primarily the SPSS package.

    SWWEL *3030 EVALUATION OF AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE
    HISTORY AND POLICY    		 3 crs.
    Emphasizes a conceptual and analytical approach to the study of American social welfare. Extending from the Elizabethan Poor Laws to the present, it deals with social welfare in relation to a number of central themes in American society, including the interaction among the ideologies of individualism, voluntarism, and collectivism; the conflict between opportunity-mobility and security objectives; the nature of the social reform and social control processes in a pluralistic society; and the impact of welfare policies on women and diverse populations.

    SWWEL *3037 and *3038 SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS I AND II 2 crs. ea.
    These courses will attempt to provide students with a theoretical and conceptual framework for understanding public social policy. Aspects of social policy to be considered include perspectives of the scope and function of social policy, nature of social problems, rationale for social policy development, national priorities and social welfare, issues in social policy implementation, and issues in social policy assessment.

    SWWEL 3039 SOCIAL POLICY AND GERONTOLOGY 3 crs.
    Designed to examine the dynamics and procedural steps in social policy making and implementationfirst in a general context and then more specifically in relation to the older population. The last half of the course is devoted to the identification of major issues in social policy for the aged and intensive analysis of selected policy decisions. Students will be expected to participate in discussions throughout the course. They will each make a brief oral presentation that represents a summary of the more detailed written paper, which also will be submitted at the end of the course. Paper topics will be selected by the students in consultation with the instructors and will require independent library research on the selected area. For this reason, required readings for all students are confined to the first half of the course.

    SWRES 3042 (HS ADM 2590) EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
    OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS    		 2 crs.
    Examines the classical host, agent, environment epidemiological model and its applicability in the analysis of psychosocial rather than physical disease problems. The essentials of the model are presented in detail. Modifications necessary to its application to social problems are discussed. Following the application of the model, preventive interventions (primary, secondary, and tertiary) impinging on the agent, the host, and the environment are considered. Examples of problems analyzed include drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, violence, and adolescent pregnancy. Guest lectures in infectious disease and psychiatric epidemiology are included.

    SWGEN *3044 MICRO SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORY 3 crs.
    The objectives are: (1) to gain a general understanding of the nature of micro theory and its development; (2) to understand the factors relevant to applied micro theory; (3) to examine a range of theoretical frameworks in micro theory in order to assess their theoretical, research, and action implications for application to social issues and problems and to social work practice; (4) to explore the interrelationship of theory, research, and action; and (5) to provide students with the experience of applying micro theory to social problem analysis and to selected aspects of social work practice.

    SWRES 3045 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 3 crs.
    Offered through the MSW program. Introduces students to selected methods of qualitative research. These methods are applicable to investigating questions that arise in social work practice situations and can be used to evaluate interpersonal practice. Qualitative designs, data acquisition strategies, and analytic techniques, including the use of computers, will be examined through both formal descriptions and studies that exemplify their use.

    SWRES 3047 COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 3 crs.
    Course is offered through the MSW program. It is designed to acquaint students with the knowledge and skills of research techniques commonly used in community organization. The variety of survey methods available to conduct community needs assessmentfocus groups, in-person interviews, telephone and mail surveyswill be discussed. In addition, students learn techniques for field observation and analysis of data archives. Emphasis is placed on assessing the utility of these approaches for the evaluation of social work practice in community settings. Issues of sampling, instrumentation, study implementation, and utilization are explored. Students gain practical experience in the use of computers, data management, and analysis. Students are expected to complete a research project that demonstrates their competence in applying the methods described in this course.

    SWGEN *3053 MACRO SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORY 3 crs.
    Course examines and assesses macro social science theories and identifies how these theories have been applied to topics in social welfare and social work. Issues of race, gender, class, organizations, and communities receive special attention. Implications for social work research, practice, and education are considered.

    SWWEL 3057 MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC POLICY 3 crs.
    Offered through the MSW program. Students are introduced to the historical development of mental health policies and to the structure of the mental health delivery system and the policies and the legal base that guide it. Students analyze a specific policy or policy problem.

    SWWEL 3061 POLITICS AND ECONOMICS IN PUBLIC
    SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY    		 3 crs.
    This is a period of critical shifts in the basic aspects of our economic life. The nature of economic and technological change and its impact on social welfare policy will be reviewed and analyzed from a number of different perspectives. Specific issues include shifts in the labor force, industrial policy in social welfare, and the consequences for the delivery systems of health and human services.

    SWGEN 3066 SEMINAR IN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION 3 crs.
    History of social work education, accreditation, and design of foundation curriculum. Selecting educational objectives, teaching methods, evaluation of student performance, and careers in social work education.

    *Courses marked with an asterisk are required/core courses. (Students must choose a third policy course to complete their core requirements.)
    [ Table of Contents | School of Social Work | Bulletins Homepage | Next Section ]