Online Social Work Degree: Doctorate (DSW)

Become a Scholar-Practitioner in Social Work & a Leader in Your Community

The post-MSW/MSSW Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in clinical practice program is for experienced mental health practice social workers interested in advancing their clinical knowledge and becoming scholar-practitioners. Scholar-practitioners are research-literate, innovative translators of research into practice and serve as strategic social service leaders in their communities.

DSW Program Goals:

1. The program will train students to understand and critically apply knowledge from neurobehavioral science and research informed advanced clinical practice to address the socio-emotional and physical health of the community, with particular focus on including under-resourced groups.
2. The program will mentor students to demonstrate the evidence-based practice process through designing and executing a research project, with particular consideration of conducting anti-oppressive research.
3. The program will instill in students the ability to translate research evidence into anti-oppressive advanced clinical and leadership practice settings.

The curriculum is focused on advanced clinical practice, clinical research, and advanced practice leadership. The DSW Program is designed to prepare students who are experienced master’s level social workers for advanced clinical practice and advanced practice leadership. The DSW Program also has some pedagogical components that support practitioners interested in academic careers, but it is not intended to prepare students for academic careers as researchers. Geared toward working professionals, the DSW is an intensive accelerated program that enables students to satisfy all degree requirements in three years without career disruption. The program is designed for maximum flexibility and allows for the development of advanced clinical skills in a student’s current area of practice, including mental health, trauma, substance abuse, gerontology, child welfare, developmental and physical disabilities, military and veteran’s social work practice, and emerging areas of clinical social work practice.