Social Work Ph.D. in Social Work

Admission Requirements

The full-time and part-time programs start in Fall 2019.

Applicants must have the following:

• Master’s degree in social work (MSW) or an allied discipline from an accredited institution
• A completed Statistics course within two years prior to admission

Note: We will give preference to applicants who have an MSW. Further preference will be given to applicants who have an MSW and at least 2 full years of post-MSW professional practice experience.

Required Application Materials:
To be uploaded to the Graduate School’s online application during the application period:

• Resume
• Official transcripts from each post-high school institution attended. To be official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to CSU. If the transcripts are in a language other than English, we require that certified translations accompany the transcripts. (Exception: Colorado State University transcripts do not need to be sent).
• Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a former professor and speak to the applicant’s ability to succeed in the Ph.D. program. The letters must be uploaded directly from the person recommending you to the Graduate School application site. You provide CSU with the email addresses of those submitting recommendations, and CSU then sends those people instructions on submitting the recommendation.
• Personal Statement that addresses your practice background, your reason for pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work, your research interests, your interests in CSU’s School of Social Work, and your future goals. It should be between 3-5 pages double-spaced.

Also, please note:

• International students are required to score a minimum of 90 on the internet-based TOEFL exam. We do not accept the IELTS.
• WICHE/WRPG If you live in the Western United States Region outside of Colorado, and would like to apply for in-state tuition with WICHE/WRPG, please complete and send the WRGP Application Supplement Residency Form(PDF) directly to the department during the application period.

Please note: application requirements may be subject to change by our department, the Graduate School, and/or the CSU Office of Admissions.

The curriculum leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work combines a core curriculum in social work with outside coursework drawn from related disciplines, and includes thorough training in research methodology and data analysis. The curriculum allows the student reasonable flexibility in tailoring programs of study to his or her special area(s) of interest under the guidance of their advisor and committee.

Program of Study (Full-time)

Subject to Change Depending on Course Availability

*May be taken in either fall or spring during year 2 of the program (for full-time study)

The program includes 50 hours of post-Masters credit, including 15 credits in social work, 14 credits in research courses, 9 elective credits (with one 3-credit course required to be an additional research course), and at least 12 dissertation hours. This schedule does not account for summer courses but students may choose to complete required electives in the summer.

Social Work Courses

SOWK 701: Contemporary Issues in Social Work

Issues and trends currently impacting social work research, professional education, and practice.

SOWK 702: Social Welfare Policy

Social policy analysis and impact on social welfare systems and programs.

SOWK 703: Pedagogical Approaches in Social Work

Pedagogy and practices for teaching social work curriculum.

SOWK 704: Theory for Applied Social Sciences

Nature and processes of theory building in social sciences. Issues of epistemology, logic, political and moral philosophy.

SOWK 705: Systematic Research for Scientific Inquiry

Systematic research in areas of interest that summarizes findings from available studies and provides a critique of the current body of evidence in this area.

EDRM 600: Introduction to Research Methods  

Methods of research, scientific methods, problem identification, research design, preparation and evaluation of research reports.

STAT 511: Design and Data Analysis for Researchers I

Course Description: Statistical methods for experimenters/researchers emphasizing design and analysis.

EDRM 704: Qualitative Research 

Course Description: Examination of qualitative research theory, methods, and applications to education and the social sciences.

STAT 512: Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II  

Course Description: Advanced statistical methods for experimenters and researchers emphasizing design and analysis.

Three additional 3-Credit Elective Courses are Required

Interdisciplinary electives can stem from the following departments: Economics, Education, Human Development and Family Studies, Psychology, Sociology, and Political Science. At least one of these electives must be an additional research methods course. Research courses may be in the School of Education or elsewhere in the University as approved by your advisor. Please note EDRM courses are subject to change; make sure to check the course catalog for availability. Research methods examples include:

EDRM 701
Applied Linear Models

EDRM 702
Foundations of Educational Research

EDRM 703
Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis

EDRM 705
Qualitative Data Analysis

EDRM 706
Analysis of Relationships

EDRM 707
Quantitative Data Collection Methods/Analysis

EDRM 708
Narrative Inquiry

EDRM 711
Ethnographic Research

Each student should have completed course work or demonstrate competence in research methods. A statistics course is required within the two years prior to admission. If the graduate committee determines the student does not have a sufficient background in certain areas, the committee may prescribe additional course work. Courses taken to meet these prerequisite requirements cannot be used to meet program requirements.

The prerequisite statistics course should be taken from an accredited university. Online courses are acceptable. It should be geared towards behavioral sciences. It does not need to be a graduate level course. An example of an appropriate class is STAT 311 offered through CSU and CSU Online. Please see the CSU course catalog for details of the course or contact the Ph.D. office if you have questions.

Are there any prerequisites?

A master’s degree in social work or an allied discipline from an accredited institution is required. We will give preference to applicants who have an MSW. Further preference will be given to applicants who have an MSW and at least two full years of post-MSW professional practice experience. In addition, you must have taken a basic statistics course within the last two years prior to the beginning of your first term. The purpose of this requirement is to reacquaint you with the language used in research and statistics prior to beginning your Ph.D. program.

How many courses will I take each semester?

Your schedule will depend on the availability of courses and your own needs and constraints. There is no minimum or maximum course load for each semester. Generally, the most a student will take is 9 credit hours per semester and the average tends to be 6 credits per semester.

How long will it take to complete my Ph.D.?

There is no standard time frame in which students complete their Ph.D.s. The quickest it has been done is 3.5 years, but 5 years is more typical. You have up to ten years to complete the degree.

Do I need to have my research topic chosen before I begin the program?

No, you will have the opportunity to choose a topic with the help of coursework, literature review, and consultation with faculty members.

Is there funding available?

There is potential funding depending on several variables. There may be graduate assistant positions available through grants written by faculty members. In addition, the School of Social Work will offer one to two graduate assistantship positions. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Application to the doctoral program will serve as the required materials to be considered for the School of Social Work assistantships. Assistantships funded by grants may require additional materials as determined by the faculty members.

Financial aid and scholarships are also available for doctoral students. Please visit the Funding Opportunities for Graduate School page of this site for more information. Note many of these scholarships require the common scholarship application that is due each year by March first.

How many students are accepted each year?

The program accepts under a cohort model. Between 5‐7 students will be accepted for the Fall semester of odd numbered years.

Is there a possibility to complete my degree online?

At this time the Social Work Ph.D. courses are only available in‐person, on‐campus. There is a possibility that some Research courses and Electives may be taken online. It is expected that you will be able to attend courses on CSU’s campus.

Students have the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary research centers, including:

• Social Work Research Center—impacting children, youth, and families through data-driven decision-making, cross-system collaboration, and inclusive research.
• Prevention Research Center—promoting health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
• Center for Healthy Aging—promoting research, education, and community engagement around cutting-edge issues involved in healthy and successful aging.
• Center for the Study of Crime and Justice—focusing on criminological and criminal justice education, and engagement and research at the international, national, state, and local levels.
• Regional Economic Development Institute—aiming to understand, analyze, and inform economic development strategies in struggling rural and urban areas through engaged research.
• Institute for Research in the Social Sciences—aiming to connect and support social scientists with other researchers, as well as university, community, and industry partners.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information

There is potential funding depending on several variables. There may be graduate assistant positions available through grants written by faculty members. In addition, the School of Social Work will offer one to two graduate assistantship positions. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Application to the doctoral program will serve as the required materials to be considered for the School of Social Work assistantships. Assistantships funded by grants may require additional materials as determined by the faculty members.

Financial aid and scholarships are also available for doctoral students. Please visit the Funding Opportunities for Graduate School page of this site for more information. Note many of these scholarships require the common scholarship application that is due each year by March first.

WICHE/WRPG Tuition Program

The Ph.D. program is also part of the WICHE/WRPG program that allows western state region applicants to apply for Colorado in-state tuition rates. Please see the links below for more information about the WICHE/WRPG program and for a CSU WICHE/WRPG application form to be sent with your Graduate School application.

• Information on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s Western Regional Graduate Program
• Resident application form for the Western Regional Graduate Program (pdf)

GADE Program Scholarships

The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) offers several scholarships for Ph.D. students in social work. Information for these can be found at GADE’s site.

As full members of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE), the School of Social Work believes the purpose of the Ph.D. in social work is to prepare students to be scholars who function as “stewards of the discipline.” The Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate articulated that a steward of the discipline is one who generates and critically evaluates new knowledge, conserves the most important ideas and findings that are the legacy of the discipline, understands how knowledge is transforming the discipline and the larger world, and communicates their knowledge responsibly to others (Walker et al., 2008).

Ph.D. Program Director and Associate Professor Dr. Anne Williford’s research focuses on identifying effective strategies to prevent bullying, violence, and peer victimization, and promote positive behavioral health outcomes among children and adolescents. Her recent research has investigated the impact of universal and targeted prevention strategies for youth violence in school, juvenile justice, and community settings. Read more about Dr. Williford’s work to bridge the gap between bullying prevention legislation and effective K-12 policies.

Dr. Rebecca Orsi’s research interests include outcomes for child welfare populations, including adopted children and children with special health needs. She also studies child maltreatment risk and protective factors at the community level from an ecological perspective. Through a partnership development grant, she is currently working to provide better trauma-informed training for parents of adopted and fostered children. Read more about Dr. Orsi’s research to investigate mindfulness for adoptive and fostering families.

Dr. Shannon Hughes studies critical perspectives in mental health and advances social work leadership in psychopharmacology. Through a Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care grant, she is piloting an innovative program to build social connections among young adults experiencing depression and anxiety. She is also collaborating on the development, delivery, and evaluation of a curriculum for child welfare workers on psychotropic medications with youth in foster care. Read more about Dr. Hughes’ leadership in conducting a drug-free mental health care study to evaluate a new approach to mood-related distress.