Best Online Doctorate in Social Work Programs

An online social work doctorate is a significant investment of time and money. Accordingly, asking yourself if it is worth it is essential preparation. Perhaps you have been educated as a social worker, have a campus based master's degree in social work or an online master's in social work and professional experience and wish to do more in the field. You may have been considering other public service positions such as a doctorate in public administration but want to remain focused on social work.

An online Ph.D. could be a useful way to pursue a doctoral program with the flexibility of online study. This could give you more choices of program if you are unable or uninterested in relocating. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 13% job growth for social workers between 2019-2029 so the job market appears very healthy and in need of advanced practitioners and researchers that an online Ph.D. social work program can create.

Not only will a social work doctorate require either an online bachelor's in social work or a campus-based bachelor's but they also typically require a master's degree in social work. You should have at least 2, sometimes up to 5, years of professional experience for a successful application. There may be a grade requirement for some programs and even the GRE.

A typical online application requires transcripts, a curriculum vitae, and three personal references from people who can speak to your academic and professional strengths. You will likely have to write a personal statement describing your strengths and professional goals, including what you would bring to a social work doctorate program and your future research interests. Some programs also require a scholarly writing sample to demonstrate your academic writing and research abilities.

Online doctoral programs in social work typically require at least 40 credits, which is around 14 or more classes over the entire program. Some programs require over 50 credits. Most programs allow you to take classes in the summer semester as well as fall and spring, with two to four classes each spring and fall semester. Expect seminars and lectures with extensive reading, writing, and discussion. Programs typically conclude with a dissertation or capstone practicum project.

How Long is an Online Doctoral Social Work Program?

Program length for an online Ph.D. in social work ranges from 3 to 5 years. This involves two or more years of coursework, with the last year at least typically devoted to researching and completing a dissertation. You can typically expect a professional practicum to allow you to apply what you have learned, perhaps a semester or more, in social work practice or teaching, depending on your professional focus.

There will be a variety of required and elective classes between programs but a great deal of overlap. You can typically expect to study various research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, and complex statistics to manage and evaluate your data. You will consider the history and theories of social work, as well as the complexity of social work practice. Depending on the program, you may find a focus on religion, social justice, or another theme across multiple classes. You will likely find at least one practicum, teaching or otherwise, as well as dissertation credits for your final work.

Quantitative Methods

Quantitative methods are essential to many forms of advanced research, and this class will teach you how to use them in your research as well as evaluate the methods of others. This will likely help you develop a mathematical and conceptual understanding of quantitative statistics in social work research, as well as how to develop hypotheses and models, keep your research valid, and work with large amounts of data.

Social Work Theory

Expect differing approaches to the theory of social work, from philosophy to epistemology, as you develop the ability to critically evaluate social science theories. Typically, this class covers the history of social work theory and the empirical basis of these theories and leads you to consider the validity of each theory for current research.

Policy Analysis

This class considers different frameworks for analyzing social welfare policy and typically asks you to develop the critical faculty to study how these policies are implemented and can be evaluated. Expect to study how the government in the United States plays a role in increasing social welfare and how it can be improved. Some programs may have an additional focus, such as religion or social justice.

Social Work Practice

How to turn theories and research into effective social work practice is the aim of this and similar classes. You typically learn to develop selected theories into coherent, ethical social work practice that follows practice models. Expect to critically evaluate theories and develop your own abilities to manage this process for your own research and real-world social work.

Some social work Ph.D. programs have a strong academic and research focus based on the interests of their faculty, and it is a good idea to ensure that these specializations match your own professional interests. Here are some possible social work doctoral specializations.

• Social justice - how can social work make the greatest impact on marginalized and underserved populations? How do you combine evidence-based scientific research with social justice practice to create social change? Expect some of your courses to consider these practical questions.
• Religion - how does faith and religion intersect with social work? This specialization considers how a person of faith will integrate their ethics and faith into social work.
• Teaching - some programs train future social work teachers, and their coursework may reflect that. You can typically expect coursework on social work pedagogy, and on the most effective way to teach future practitioners in a higher education setting.

In the last year of study, you typically begin the dissertation process, which can take from a year up to several to complete depending on the program and your own research. You will have a faculty mentor and likely a committee of scholars to advise you as you explore the research and refine your topic. This will likely take at least one semester of reading and writing in consultation with your advisor.

Typically you will then complete a comprehensive literature review as well as methods and theories of your proposed research. These will be the initial chapters of your doctoral dissertation. Once you have done this, you will defend your research proposal before a committee and if they accept, sometimes with minor or major changes, you can move to the study itself. When you have completed the research and have your data, you can then move onto writing your results. You typically consult with your advisor and committee, who may recommend changes to the dissertation, but once accepted you are usually entirely finished with your doctorate.

When choosing an online doctoral program in social work there are several factors to consider. Firstly, consider if the focus of the program is one you wish to pursue. Some social work Ph.D.s may have a strong social justice feature, another religion, so review their program of study thoroughly to ensure that it is a good fit for you. Secondly, you will work closely with faculty on research, so be sure to find a member of faculty whose research interests overlap with yours and who can act as an advisor during your dissertation. Thirdly, review the program's website for professional outcomes of their previous students and ask yourself certain questions. What percent of students graduated with a Ph.D.? Are they properly accredited? What jobs do their graduates have, and is there any salary information available?

Consider also the cost of the program. This information is available through the department website. Private university tuition can be significantly more than public, and in-state public tuition can be far cheaper than out-of-state public tuition. Consider your possible future salary against tuition cost and possible financial aid.

Accreditation is how you, as a student and future social work professional, can be sure that your future employers will take your doctorate seriously. Accreditation of universities is done by the federal Department of Education through one of seven regional organizations. Universities submit all required information to attempt to meet the required standards and gain accreditation. Be sure to confirm that the university has been accredited by one of these organizations.

Social work departments that offer bachelor's and master's degrees in social work can earn an additional accreditation from the No InterWiki reference defined in properties for Wiki called "Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) https"!. The CSWE does not currently accredit Ph.D.s in social work. Still it may be useful to check if a department has accreditation for its lower degrees before pursuing a doctorate in their program.

Social work positions can be found in many professional areas, from social work positions in the military, to population-specific areas such as elderly social work to other alternative social work careers. A doctorate can create even more opportunities for social work professionals by adding higher education, research, and administration as possibilities. Your chosen profession may likely be shaped by your choice of program, by any electives you may choose, any studies and research you may do during your doctoral program, and by your choice of dissertation topic.

Social Work Professor

Social work faculty typically have a Ph.D., and with one of your own, you too could move into higher education teaching. Professors commonly have a full teaching load, as well as committee responsibilities within the university at large. They may teach undergraduates, graduates, or both, depending on the academic institution. Many higher education professors also have research requirements, where they can pursue their own research interests while teaching. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a May 2020 median salary of $71,570 per year with a wide variation based on location. The BLS also projects a general job growth of 9% for post-secondary teachers.

Social Worker Manager

A Ph.D. may allow you to pursue management-level jobs in social work. This typically involves managing a staff of social workers and taking responsibility for their supervision and training. Depending on the organization, it may involve departmental planning and finance responsibilities, possibly working with graduate students in training, some committee work, and being the administrative face of the department. You may evaluate social workers annually and monitor research and grant funding. Salary.com finds a median salary of $88,916 per year with a strong regional variation.

Social Work Researcher

One option is to focus exclusively on social work research as a profession. This is typically in a research social work organization with a thematic focus (children, social justice, elderly). You can typically expect to be responsible for funding your research through federal, private, and state grants, and they will likely look for a history of published scholarship. Researchers need to excel at research methods, study design, data management, and other research necessities, as well as being good collaborators. Some researchers may also have clinical responsibilities in some settings, but original research will remain the focus. Salaries will vary depending on location and organization but Salary.com reports a researcher average of $57,987 per year.

The first step for any graduate student is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a single form that applies for a number of federal finance options. This includes possible scholarships, grants, work-study or teaching assistant funding, federal loans, and other opportunities.

After this, your next step is to review the department's website and inquire about their possible funding. There may be teaching assistantship funding available, or need-based financial aid in the form of tuition remission or similar assistance.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Foundation has possible funding opportunities for Ph.D. students. The NASW currently has seven available doctoral fellowships with excellent funding that will also grant considerable professional prestige.

Finally, there are other funding opportunities from private and public organizations that are not specific to social work. The Ph.D. project makes a lengthy list of these available. These include funding specific to demographic groups such as women or minority doctoral candidates.

A doctor of social work (D.S.W.) qualification is distinct from a Ph.D. in social work, although there may be overlap in positions of graduates with either degree. A D.S.W. is typically more practitioner-oriented, training experienced social workers to be administrators. It is less research-focused and more likely to involve human resources and budget training for future managers.

A Ph.D. has a strong research focus, with methods and statistics primary in the required coursework, as well as a dissertation, all geared toward a professional life of research and scholarship. The D.S.W. is the newer degree, introduced to bring more practical advanced training to social work education. Neither yet have accreditation through the CSWE. Before you apply to either consider if you want an education and career-focused more in social work education and research, or in managing other social workers as an administrator or advanced clinician.