College of Health and Urban Affairs

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Brief Description of the Program:

        The Ph.D. Program in Social Welfare aims to prepare students for careers in research, university teaching, and leadership in social welfare. Through a combination of courses, seminars, individual and collaborative study and research, as well as opportunities to teach, students are assisted to develop and strengthen their skills in methods of scientific inquiry, to deepen their understanding and analysis of social problems and public issues, and to contribute to the knowledge base of social welfare by evaluating the effects of social welfare interventions at all levels.

        The majority of applicants to the Ph.D. Program are social work practitioners, although the Ph.D. degree is not a "clinical" degree meant for those seeking primarily to improve their intervention skills. It is first and foremost a research degree. At minimum, its graduates have demonstrated advanced knowledge of a social problem/social issue/social theory, an intervention level/practice model, and research methodology via the conduct and defense of an original dissertation. Most graduates of this program have obtained positions as faculty members in schools of social work across the country.

        The School of Social Work is part of FIU’s College of Health and Urban Affairs (CHUA), which also houses the School of Policy and Management (including the Criminal Justice, Health Services Administration, and Public Administration programs), the School of Health (including programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Dietetics and Nutrition, Health Information management, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Public health), and the School of Nursing. Thus, several opportunities exist for interdisciplinary collaborations.

        In the present Ph.D. curriculum, 50% of required courses are core social welfare courses, 25% are taken with students in other Ph.D. programs offered in CHUA, and the remaining 25% are graduate electives or individually supervised research or independent study courses.

        The Ph.D. Program is a full-time program requiring a significant investment of time from students. Most students complete the program in three to four years.

Application Requirements:

• A Master’s degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited school of social work or a Master’s degree in a related field.
• Students without the MSW may be required to take selected social work courses, such as Introduction to Social Welfare, Social Policy, and Social Work Practice Methods. These applicants should contact the Doctoral Program Coordinator.
• Prior social work experience is highly desired.
• Evidence of superior academic achievement in undergraduate education, including at least a 3.00 (upper division) undergraduate GPA and at least a 3.5 graduate GPA.
• For students wishing to be considered for financial aid, a combined quantitative and verbal score of at least 1120 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• For students not needing financial aid, the GRE score should be at least 1000.
• Successful completion (with a grade “B” or better) of one or more graduate-level courses in research methodology or statistics, as documented in the official academic transcripts.
• Three letters of reference from academic and/or professional sources.
• Two samples of writing (e.g., published articles, research reports, book reviews, manuscripts submitted for publication, or papers prepared specifically for admission to the Ph.D. Program).
• A personal statement describing applicants’ reasons for wishing to pursue doctoral studies at this time, their background and experience, their doctoral research and specialization interests (important), and their career goals following receipt of their Ph.D.
• Applicants who do not meet all admission requirements but demonstrate outstanding abilities or accomplishments may also be considered; however, exemption from particular requirements may need to be requested from the University Graduate School.
• An admission interview may be requested.

Additional Requirements for International Students:

• For students for whom English is a second language, a TOEFL score of 550 or more.