Online PhD in Social Work Programs

Typical Admissions Requirements for Online PhD Programs in Social Work

Every institution reserves the right to hold its own program admissions requirements and may choose to go beyond the standard set of qualifications. While those interested in a specific institution should take care to study the requirements set forth for that particular program, a few baseline requirements will likely apply across universities:

• A completed bachelor’s degree in social work or closely related field
• A completed master’s degree in social work (MSW)
• Transcripts showing coursework completed and cumulative grade point average
• Application fee
• Letters of recommendation
• Application letter

For some programs, a job history of at least two years in social work must also be considered for admittance, though many institutions deal with this requirement on a case-by-case basis. For example, the PhD in social work program offered by Arizona State University does not strictly require a specific amount of work experience, but it does factor the amount and quality of work experience of an applicant into its decision process. ASU also requires the completion of an essay on a social program through which it can better evaluate the applicant.

Courses in Online Social Work PhD Programs

While every program will have its own emphases, influenced by the philosophy of the institution as well as the faculty members in its employ, the following courses can be found in the curricula of most schools:

• Qualitative research methods
• Quantitative research methods
• History of social work
• Substance abuse issues
• Working with vulnerable populations
• Legal frameworks and requirements of social work

Practicum and Dissertation Requirements for Online PhD Programs in Social Work

Those who qualify for a PhD program in social work will already have completed the rigorous field requirements that are a part of nearly every bachelor’s and master’s program. However, most programs will require the completion of a certain amount of supervised research hours, which are vital to preparing students for the academic work of studying methods and outcomes in the field. 

The biggest task new PhD students will need to surmount is the writing and successful defense of a dissertation, which is the cumulative effort of their time in the program. Dissertations, as opposed to research papers, reach book-length and are sometimes published as such in slightly altered variations. They are completed under the close supervision of an academic advisor, who guides, critiques, and encourages the research and writing process. 

In the so-called “defense,” prospective program graduates are asked to present their findings and are expected to explain and defend their findings to a body of PhD holders from their department. Upon successfully defending their work, students are awarded their degrees and officially allowed to add “Dr.” to their names.

Program Accreditation for Online Social Work PhD Programs

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the only organization that can award accreditation to bachelor’s and master’s programs in social work. However, the CSWE does not accredit PhD programs, mainly because this degree is not tied to any qualifications that allow an individual to work in social work. Instead, PhD programs will be accredited through the same regional bodies that award it to the universities that host the respective programs. In the US, those bodies are the following:

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

Featured Online PhD in Social Work Programs

Our Lady of the Lake University

Our Lady of the Lake is a private catholic university whose main campus can be found in San Antonio, Texas. OLL also has two satellite campuses, one in Houston and another in South Texas. 

The school offers a PhD in social work program that can be completed entirely online, except a single week that students spend in residency at the main campus in San Antonio. The program runs over four years and requires the completion of 54 credit hours. It uses a cohort model, in which PhD aspirants are grouped and encouraged to share their progress. 

• Location: San Antonio, Texas
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Baylor University

Baylor University’s main campus is located in Waco, Texas, not far from Our Lady of the Lake. Baylor offers a fully online PhD program in social work taught synchronously, meaning that students are expected to attend online seminars with the rest of their cohort. Baylor is considered a competitive university and requires a high academic standard from its applicants to the program.

• Location: Waco, Texas
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges 

Simmons University

Simmons University is a private university founded in 1899 and located in Boston, Massachusetts. Although the coursework for Simmons’ PhD program can be completed online, the institution encourages all PhD students to engage in person on campus, where they may participate in research projects, meet their cohort, or even teach courses themselves. 

The curriculum emphasizes research methods and data collection and may be a good fit for those looking for a program that can prepare them for a career in academia.  

• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania, also known as Penn, is the oldest university in the US and is a private institution. With its main campus in Philadelphia, Penn has recently expanded its online course offerings to include a PhD in social work. The program is taught entirely online, except two five-day residencies, the first of which is completed at the beginning of the program. 

A unique selling point of the University of Pennsylvania’s offering is its accelerated pace, in which students complete their PhDs in an average of three years rather than the typical four. This is possible because aspiring PhD holders at Penn complete their dissertations and coursework simultaneously, allowing them to work on both on a parallel track. 

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Duration: Three years
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

University of Utah

The University of Utah is a public research university with its main campus in Salt Lake City. UU’s online PhD program is administered synchronously, meaning prospective students must ensure that their schedules align with their courses. 

The University also uses the cohort model to facilitate engagement between PhD students and faculty, emphasizing learning and research as a group. While the rest of the program is administered through distance learning, students are expected to spend the first week of every semester on the campus in Salt Lake City.

• Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Saybrook University

Saybrook University is a small private institution located in Pasadena, California. It emphasizes areas of study such as psychology, sociology, and social work. Its PhD program is fully online and requires no in-person visits to campus to complete successfully. Unique to Saybrook is that new PhD students must choose from three specializations: integrative community studies, integrative gerontology studies, or legal studies. An education from Saybrook may well serve prospective students with a strong interest in one of these fields. 

• Location: Pasadena, California
• Duration: 3.5 to four years
• Accreditation: Senior Commission of Western Association of Schools and Colleges

What Can I Do With a PhD in Social Work?

Social work has a job growth rate roughly double the average of all other professions, and individuals who attain the highest qualification in this field through a PhD should have stable employment prospects. Because of the prestige of a PhD, successful graduates may have the pick of the litter when it comes to many of the job openings they find. Below are a few of the positions that they may qualify for: 

Institutional or Organizational Leadership

PhDs in social work can often be found at the top of the organizations that work in this field. Many directors of welfare agencies and nonprofit organizations hold this qualification. The deep knowledge imparted to graduates of PhD programs makes them ideally qualified to lead planning efforts or supervise large-scale organizational changes. Executive leadership of a non-governmental organization or government agency is a common career outcome for PhDs in social work. 

Academic Research and Instruction

Many individuals pursuing a PhD in social work have significant experience working in the field and choose a PhD as a stepping stone into academia. The combination of real-world experience coupled with a working knowledge of theoretical frameworks that many of these people bring to the field makes them an excellent fit for roles in which they research the outcomes and effects of social work or impart their knowledge and experience on to the next generation of social workers.