Curriculum Timeline
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Semester Curriculum Timeline Overview
The doctoral program consists of two years of full-time coursework, the candidacy exam, and the dissertation. Pursuing the degree full-time, most doctoral students complete the degree in four to five years.
First Year in the Doctoral Program
| Autumn | Spring | May &Summer (optional) | ||||||
| 8101 | Research and Professional Deveopment Seminar (socialization, beginning research career) | 1 | 8101 | Research and Professional Development Seminar (integrity and ethical conduct of research; becoming an educator) | 1 | 8502 | Social Work Pedagogy: Competence, Opportunities and Challenges | 3 |
| 8201 | Knowledge Building | 3 | 8402 | Methods for Research in Context I (qualitative) | 3 | Specialization, research or other elective | ||
| 8202 | Theories of Change for Social Problem Intervention | 3 | Specialization | 3 | ||||
| 8401 | Foundations for Translational/Intervention Research in Social Work (matching questions to methods/designs) | 3 | Specialization or Elective | 3 |
Second Year in the Doctoral Program
| Autumn | Spring | May & Summer (optional) | ||||||
| 8101 | Research and Professional Development Seminar (Grant Writing part 1) | 1 | 8101 | Research and Professsional Development Seminar (Grant Writing part 2) | 1 | 8405 | (optional) Quantitative Anlysis: Special Issues and Considerations | 2 |
| 8403 | Methods for Translational/Intervention Research in Social Work | 3 | 8404 | Methods for Research in Context II | 3 | Advanced Research/Statistics, specialization, elective | ||
| Specialization | 3 | 8406 | (optional) Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data | 3 | ||||
| Advanced Research/Statistics | 3 | Advanced Research/Statistics or Specialization | 3 |
Third Year in the Doctoral Program
| Autumn | Spring | May & Summer (optional) | ||||||
| 8101 | Research and Professional Development Seminar (job search, teaching, portfolios) | 1 | 8101 | Research and Professional Development Seminar (dissertation proposal writing) | 1 | 8999 | Research for Dissertation | |
| 8998 (or other course) | Candidacy Exam | 8999 | Research for Disseration | 2+ |
Fourth Year in the Doctoral Program
| Autumn | Spring | May & Summer (optional) | ||||||
| 8101 | (optional) Research and Professional Development Seminar (choice or job search, teaching, portfolios) | 1 | 8101 | (optional) Research and Professional Development Seminar (choice or job search, teaching, portfolios) | 1 | 8999 | (optional) Research for Dissertation | |
| 8999 | Research for Dissertation | 2+ | 8999 | Research for Dissertation | 2+ |
Note: Continuous enrollment is required beyond candidacy except for May and Summer terms.
Curriculum Overview
Degree Requirements
Doctoral Courses
Buckeye Link
Quarter Curriculum Timeline Overview
The Tables below provide an overview of how full-time PhD students progress through the program.
First Year of the PhD Program
| Autumn Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| SWK 910 - Introduction to Doctoral Studies | 1 | SWK 902.03 - Social Work Education | 5 | SWK 901.01 - Quantitative Methods | 4 |
| SWK 900.01 - Knowledge Building | 3 | SWK 902.04 or 902.01 - International or Clinical Practice Theory | 5 | SWK 900.02 Micro Theory | 3 |
| SWK 900.03 - Macro Theory | 3 | Proficiency, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ | SWK 902.02 - Policy Theory, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ |
| Proficiency, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ |
2nd year of the PhD Program
| Autumn Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| SWK 901.02 - Qualitative Methods | 3 | SWK 901.03 - Computer Literacy | 3 | SWK 903 - Proposal Development | 3 |
| Statistics choice, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ | SWK 902.04 or 902.01 - International or Clinical Practice Theory | 5 | Statistics choice, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ |
| Statistics choice, elective, or specialization course(s) | 3+ |
3rd year and beyond in the PhD Program
- Candidacy Examination
- Dissertation
- Graduation
