The total number of credits required for graduation is 96. Students receive 32 hours of credit toward that total for the MSW and, thereafter, at least 64 additional credits are required for graduation. These additional credits include required courses within Jane Addams College, successful completion of a qualifying examination, required coursework outside the college, elective coursework and dissertation credits.
Required coursework within Jane Addams College includes:
SocW 508: Models of Social Work Scholarship & Knowledge Development I – 3 credit hours
SocW 509: Models of Social Work Scholarship & Knowledge Development II, – 3 credit hours
SocW 578: Qualitative Methods in Social Work Research – 3 credit hours
SocW 590: Analysis of Social Work Practice Approaches – 3 credit hours
SocW 591: Social Welfare Policy Analysis and Development – 3 credit hours
SocW 593: Quantitative Methods in Social Work Research (or equivalent) – 3 credit hours
SocW 594:Dissertation Proseminar in Social Work – 3 credit hours
SocW 597: Proseminar: Advanced Statistics – 3 credit hours
Required elective coursework:
Students must complete courses totaling at least 18 hours of graduate level credit. At least 3 must be in research methods and at least 9 must be in a single substantive area that is supportive of planned dissertation work. A statement describing the identified focus of study, signed by the adviser, must be placed in the student’s file prior to the proposal hearing.
Qualifying Examination:
Students demonstrate basic knowledge and competence to pursue their dissertation research by successfully passing qualifying examinations. All students take a research examination and select a second examination in either social policy or social work practice. The examinations are administered as a take-home format during the summer. Students take the examinations once they have completed SocW 508, 509, 590, 591, 593, and 597. Students may not register for SocW 594 if they have not passed the qualifying examinations. More information about the examinations is provided in the Doctoral Student Handbook.
Dissertation research hours:
Students who are working on their proposals or dissertations will enroll in SocW 599 (dissertation research). Students must register for at least 22 hours of dissertation research credit prior to graduation. Following completion of all credit requirements and the proposal hearing, students may petition to register for zero hours through the doctoral office. The petition, which must also be approved by the graduate college, must be submitted prior to the beginning of the term in which zero hours registration is desired
Doctoral Program Typical Timeline
The doctoral program usually involves a minimum of three years of study. The major emphasis in each year is summarized below and presented in detail in the sections that follow:
Year 1
• Complete required social work courses except SocW 594 Dissertation Proseminar (full-time students)
• Complete Qualifying Examinations in summer before 2nd year coursework (full-time students)
• Complete 12 credit hours of required social work courses (part-time students)
Year 2
• Complete coursework (full-time students)
• Complete 12 credit hours of coursework (part-time students)
• Complete Qualifying Examinations in summer before 3rd year coursework (part-time students)
Year 3-4
• Proposal hearing and dissertation research (full-time students)
• Complete coursework and proposal hearing (part-time students)
Year 5-6
• Completion of research and dissertation defense (all students)
Year 7 (if necessary)
• Completion of research and dissertation defense (all students)
More information is available on the Current PhD Students page.