PhD Requirements

From Student to Scholar:  Coursework, Candidacy Exam, and Dissertation

The doctoral program moves students from classroom learning to independent research and scholarship and consists of three phases:  coursework, the candidacy exam, and the dissertation. Coursework provides the foundation. The candidacy exam demonstrates your mastery of the foundations and preparedness for beginning the dissertation. The dissertation is an independent, yet faculty committee mentored, major research project culminating in a book-length thesis.

Basic Credit Hour Summary

The following summarizes the hours required to complete the doctoral program.

03 hours - Research and Professional Development
18 hours - Required/Core PhD Courses
09 hours - Statistics and Advanced Research Methods - may be taken in outside departments
09 hours - Specialization - must include two courses outside Social Work
05 hours - Electives and/or Candidacy Preparation - may be taken in outside departments
06 hours - Dissertations

50 hours - Subtotal = Actual required hours in the doctoral program

30 hours - The Graduate School will apply 30 hours to acknowledge an earned Master's degree.
                    These hours will be applied at the time of initial enrollment or completion of a Master's degree.

80 hours - Grand Total required hours (50 doctoral program hours + 30 for acknowleding the Master's degree)

Curriculum Overview
Doctoral Coures 
Curriculum Timeline 
Graduate School