Would graduates of this program have two doctorate degrees or PhDs?
Your PhD degree would be one degree, listed as an Interdisciplinary PhD in Social Work and ________.
Would choosing a discipline in psychology qualify graduates to sit for the psychology state clinical licenses?
Due to the research nature of our program, typically graduates would not be qualified for licensure, but for specific information, please refer to the Department of Psychology at [email protected].
While not my chief goal, if going into Clinical Science, is there a path to licensure either through social work or psychology?
Graduates are required to complete the MSW degree, and can become licensed. Social Work and Clinical Psychology graduates are not eligible for clinical psychology license due to the research based nature of the PhD program. Please reach out to the Department of Psychology for verification.
How are faculty selected to work with you?
Admitted students are assigned an advisor in SW and also in their Social Science. Faculty match is determined based on availability as well as the student preference. Faculty research interests by discipline are listed here:
What is the average size of the cohort in the program?
Typically we accept 7-8 students and place a few on the waitlist to yield a cohort size of approximately 5-8.
Please see the answers below pertaining to receiving an MSW from an international institution without knowing their accreditation status.
International applicants with a social work or social welfare degree are required to apply as Pre-MSW. Upon offer of admission, the Joint PhD Program will request syllabus information from the degree granting institution for submission to CSWE (Council on Social Work Education). If the MSW degree is equivalent to one earned from an accredited US institution, the admitted student will then be considered Post-MSW.
Do I need my official transcripts? Can I send my official transcripts later?
Unofficial transcripts from degree granting institutions only are necessary for submitting an application. Official transcripts will be required once an offer of admission is made. Admission will be contingent upon receipt of of official transcripts. Failure to submit could result in revocation of admission offer.
What is the "Joint" PhD program?
The Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science is an interdepartmental program in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan. It awards a joint PhD in social work and one of three social sciences: anthropology, psychology, or sociology. This means that when students apply to and are accepted into the Joint Program, they take courses and complete requirements in social work as well as in the discipline in which they have decided to specialize. Further, when they graduate they are awarded a joint PhD in social work and social science.
What requirements need to be fulfilled before I can advance to candidacy in the Joint PhD Program?
Students must have completed their coursework in both social work and their social science, including cognate courses, completed their research internship, passed their social science prelim and defended their social work prelim proposal. The dates for requirements to be completed can be found on the Rackham website. Additional forms to be completed are listed below:
What forms are required for the Joint PhD Program social work prelim defense?
Students must read the Guidelines for the Social Work Preliminary Examination, found in the Doctoral Guidelines and submit the following forms: Social Work Preliminary Examination Proposal Approval Form, Social Work Preliminary Examination Checklist, and Social Work Preliminary Confirmation Form. All forms can be found on the School of Social Work website under the Doctoral Guidelines page and the specific forms from your entry year should be the ones to be submitted to the Doctoral Office.