About PhD Program,
The PhD program in Social Work is designed to prepare social workers for leadership positions in the profession as:
- Social work educators
- Researchers of social problems and social work intervention methods
- Planners, administrators, and evaluators of social service programs
- Policy makers and analysts
It emphasizes the development, analysis, and application of social work knowledge related to professional practice and research in selected settings and to social work education at the undergraduate and graduate levels in order to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the Social Work profession and the field of social welfare.
It is also interdisciplinary in nature, requiring course work in both social work and a particular social science, or across disciplines, while focusing on a selected area of study. This focused cognate is designed by the student and his/her Guidance Committee (a group of faculty chosen by the student that represents social work and the focused cognate area). Courses for the cognate may be taken from any department within the University, with appropriate approval, and are organized around a student’s specific area of scholarly interest.
In addition to the designated areas of course work, all students must satisfactorily complete a statistics sequence and a sequenced research internship. Finally, students must complete a comprehensive examination and a doctoral dissertation that reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the degree.
The doctoral program is a member of GADE, the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work.
Please refer to the PhD Student Handbook for a detailed program description.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- Experienced social workers who hold an MSW from an accredited program and show evidence of outstanding academic excellence, professional competence, research aptitude, and demonstrated career interests in social work research and education
- Recent graduates of MSW programs who, although limited in post-master’s experience, have outstanding academic records and the capacity to conceptualize and research issues that inform social work practice
PhD Funding Coverage,
The School is pleased to offer five years of graduate assistantship funding to all qualified incoming students; this funding is available to domestic and international students. See below for additional details. All student funding is contingent upon the student remaining in good academic standing.
Graduate Assistantships (Five Years)
Completion of the PhD typically takes five years. During the five years, support will be in the form of an assistantship each year: During years 1-3, students will have a research assistantship (RA), while during years 4 and/or 5, students may opt to also obtain teaching experience via a teaching assistantship (TA). RAs work with faculty members on their research projects 20 hours per week during the academic year and receive a tuition waiver, health benefits, and a stipend. For the RA, students are matched with faculty members based primarily on mutual interest and faculty availability. For the TA, once they have passed their comprehensive exam, students may be assigned a class to teach as the instructor of record; the stipend, tuition waiver, and health benefits are the same as described above. The PhD Program Director, in consultation with the PhD Program Admissions Committee, assigns the RAs each year, while the TA assignments are coordinated by the School Associate Director for Instruction in consultation with the PhD Program Director.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, the stipend is $1172 biweekly; there is typically a cost of living increase in the stipend each year. The tuition waiver, which covers nine credits in each of the fall and spring semesters, allows students to complete all of the required credits toward the degree at no cost, as long as they finish within five years (extending their time in the program beyond five years means having to pay for one dissertation credit during the semesters that they remain in the program beyond five years).
Doctoral students can also seek out other RA opportunities with faculty members who have funded research. In these cases, the duties and benefits of the graduate assistant are as described above, but the RA is funded via the faculty member’s research grant rather than the School. For more general information about graduate assistantships, see The Graduate School.
Application Requirement,
- Step 1 – Applying to the MSU School of Social Work PhD Program
- Step 2 – Application Uploads and Items to be Submitted Electronically
- Personal statement
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Two (2) samples of written work
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
- TOEFL scores (or Duolingo English Test, IELTS Indicator, or TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition) (required for international applicants only)
- Copy of passport (required for international applicants only)
- Affidavit of Support and financial proof (required for international applicants only)
- Step 3 – Submitting Official Transcripts
- Non-MSU students
- Current MSU students or MSU graduates
Application Deadline,
Dec 08, 2024
Application Fee,
Graduate Domestic $65.00
Graduate International $75.00
