Degree Requirements
- Credit Hours: The minimum total credits required are 53, with 41 total course credits and a minimum of 12 dissertation research credits.
- Grade Point Average: Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in courses applied to the degree.
- Graduation Requirements: In addition to coursework requirements, students must successfully defend their comprehensive exam and dissertation in order to graduate.
- Comprehensive Examination: The Comprehensive Exam, in the form of a dissertation proposal (written and oral components), is approved by the student's dissertation committee. The exam (proposal) accesses students' knowledge of their area of study and demonstrates their ability to develop and engage in independent research in this area.
- Dissertation: The WVU School of Social Work PhD program will use a three-article dissertation format. the dissertation is a coherent body of work. It will consist of three articles suitable for publication in peer-reviewed journals, an introduction chapter, and a conclusion chapter.
- Benchmarks: Please see the degree progress tab.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 14 | |
| Philosophy and Theories of Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Social Work Practice Theories | ||
| Advanced Social Policy and Programs | ||
| Issues in Social Work Education | ||
SOWK 690 | Teaching Practicum | |
| Research Methods | 12 | |
| Advanced Social Work Research Methods | ||
| Community Focused Research | ||
| Research Practicum 1 | ||
| Research Practicum 2 | ||
| Data Analysis | 6 | |
| Statistics & Data Analysis 1 | ||
| Statistics & Data Analysis 2 | ||
| Electives | 6 | |
With graduate advisor, select a course in a related discipline at the 600 level or above * | ||
| Integrative Research Seminar | 3 | |
| Integrative Research Seminar | ||
| Research | 12 | |
SOWK 797 | Research | |
| Total Hours | 53 | |
- *
Excludes the following: 695, 697, 698, 699, 795, 797, 798, 799
Major Learning Outcomes
Social Work
1.Students will demonstrate expert knowledge in their chosen content area and explain how their work fits within the intellectual landscape of social work, including its relevance to social policy and social justice.
2.Students will design and implement independent research that is guided by theory and addresses significant, meaningful, and relevant social work research questions.
3.Students will conduct a broad range of methodological and statistical techniques appropriate to the research question(s) posed.
4.Students will clearly communicate and disseminate results of their research, both through professional oral presentations and written manuscripts.
5.Students will abide by social work values and ethics in the implementation of research and knowledge development.
6.Students will demonstrate effective teaching skills, including the implementation of theories of adult learning and instructional strategies that are appropriate for diverse populations and learning styles.