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The School of Social Work requires full-time residency, defined as 10 or more credits per quarter, for the autumn, winter, and spring quarters of the first year in the program. The University of Washington Graduate School requires doctoral students to earn 90 credits, 60 of which must be taken at the University of Washington. Students are strongly advised to remain in residence while working on the dissertation. (See the Graduate School checklist for details.) Although students may register part-time in some quarters, they must ensure that they are registered for at least 10 credits in any quarter in which they hold a research or teaching assistantship (except for summer quarter; see section on assistantships).
The first year of the program is the most heavily prescribed, with required courses that must be taken in sequence and in combination. In the summer following the year 1, students take a comprehensive series of examinations covering the content of the first-year courses in methods, theory, and policy (approved by Social Welfare Faculty, May 2005).
During the second year, students have considerably more flexibility in selecting courses specifically related to their substantive and research interests. Students confer closely with advisors and members of their Supervisory Committees to choose courses relevant to their scholarly objectives. During this year students research and write the required Qualifying Scholarly paper that serves as the written portion of the General Examination (approved by Social Welfare Faculty, May 2005).
[Note: Students entering the PhD program prior to autumn 2005 are responsible for completing the Program of Study and General Examination requirements in effect at the time they entered the program. Thus, they do not complete the above qualifying paper.]
Once all course requirements are successfully completed and the Qualifying Scholarly Paper is approved by the Supervisory Committee, the Oral General Examination is scheduled, typically during the spring of the second year or autumn of the third year. After passing the Examination, the student is advanced to candidacy for the PhD and begins formally working on the dissertation. Completion and successful defense of the dissertation are required before the PhD is conferred.
|
Recommended |
Maximum |
First-Year Comprehensive Exam |
|
Written and Oral sections prior to start of Yr 2 |
Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) |
Spring/Summer Yr 1 |
End of Autumn Quarter Yr 2 |
Formation of Supervisory Committee |
Early Yr 2 |
End of Yr 2 |
General Examination (Qualifying Paper + Oral) |
End of Yr 2 |
End of Yr 3 |
Dissertation Prospectus |
Early Yr 3 |
End of Yr 6 |
| Dissertation Defense |
Yr 4 |
Yr 10 (Graduate School mandated maximum) |
Downloadable flow chart of major program components.
Consistent with the requirements for all courses offered in the School of Social Work (undergraduate, masters, and doctoral), all required PhD courses must contain content on diverse populations covering for example issues of race, color, gender, age, creed, ethnic or national origin, disability, political orientation, and sexual orientation. The specific type or nature of the content (e.g., readings, exemplars, exercises) and how it is introduced and integrated will likely differ across courses. In all cases, content on diversity must be in accord with course objectives and be visibly present in the course syllabus. (Approved by PhD Steering Committee, 02/1992)
For flow chart of course requirements, see the Year-by-Year Course Schedule file.
The following courses are required of all students in the program and must be taken on a graded basis unless only offered as Credit/No Credit (cannot be taken on a Satisfactory/Not-Satisfactory basis). Required courses are typically 3 credits or more reflecting a minimum weekly session time of 1 hour per credit.
(Restrictions apply for courses to qualify. If the student and advisor are uncertain about the eligibility of a specific course, contact the PhD Program Director. Students without significant prior research or statistical training are urged to take more than the minimum required courses.)
Experience indicates that social work students generally have good access to courses in other departments. It is best to contact the instructor directly (via email or phone) as early as possible both to seek entry and to get more detailed information about the course (such as a course outline). If access problems are encountered, get details about why (e.g., prerequisites). In some cases, students may have the equivalence of the prerequisite training and can negotiate entry. Do not hesitate to seek assistance from your advisor or the Program Director if you encounter barriers to access that seem unjustified.
| IMPORTANT REGISTRATION PROCEDURE: All SocWl special registration forms must be approved by the student, instructor, and Program Director before the student can register for the course. To avoid late charges, students need to undertake this registration process at least 2 weeks before the first week of classes. |
Students are expected to take advantage of courses in the University that bear on their scholarly areas of interest. Courses may be taken in any department or school of the University, including the School of Social Work, but should ordinarily be at the 500 level or above. Students are encouraged to consult their advisors, committee chair, or the Program Director for advice and assistance in arranging courses of study in other schools or departments.
Graduate Tutorials in Social Welfare: Generally taken during the second year (Soc WL 600, 1-3 credits, to be arranged by student and faculty; credit/no credit only). These tutorials are usually under the tutelage of faculty members who serve on a student’s Supervisory Committee or other appropriate faculty members. The primary focus is to pursue depth and training in scholarly areas relevant to the student's learning objectives.
| The tutorial course registration form must include a contract specifying the amount of weekly contact with the instructor, reading expectations, and a brief outline of the written product (or other product) that will show achievement of the learning goals. The written product will be used to evaluate student effort and performance, and effort toward published work is strongly encouraged. (Registration form: PhD Program Online Forms.) |
Time and effort for tutorials is expected to be the same as those of a typical graduate class. Students need to register for tutorials by the end of the first week of the quarter, and the tutorials must be authorized by the PhD Program Director before the student can register for the course. Tutorials for more than 3 credits require specification of need and specific plans for increasing faculty and student time and learning goals in proportion to the assigned credit hours.
Rationale
The goal of the Statistics Track in the Social Welfare PhD program is
to help students develop advanced expertise and prepare to be educated
readers and producers of the Social Work research that builds on rigorous
quantitative and statistical methodology. It is important to plan a coherent
personalized pathway early in your graduate career to make the best use
of statistical and quantitative skills in your dissertation research and
in your professional life after the graduate school.
Description
The track is largely built around a curriculum developed by the Center
for Statistics and the Social Sciences (CSSS). Students who complete the
Statistics Track in Social Work will have an advanced training in statistics
for social science research relevant to their own area of specialization.
The CSSS will provide a document certifying that the student completed
the Statistics Track.
Click here for information and instructions
for completing the Statistics Track.
The purpose of the first year Comprehensive Examination is to assess
the student's ability to understand, explicate, and integrate the first-year
course materials. Questions are designed to elicit mastery and analysis
of the first-year content and, where applicable, to apply that analysis
to current social welfare issues.
Students may not take the Comprehensive Exam until all first-year coursework
is completed.
The Comprehensive Examination tests students on the content of the following first year courses:
1. Introduction to Advanced Research Methods and Design (Quantitative Research Methods, SocWL 580, and Qualitative Research Methods, Soc WL581).
2. Research Issues and Priorities in Social Welfare (SocWL 598-599).
3. Policy Courses: Seminar in Contemporary Social Welfare Policy (SocWL
553).
Global and International Social Welfare Policy (SocWL 554).
The instructors for these courses prepare the questions, evaluate the
written sections of the examination, and conduct the oral portion of the
examination in collaboration with members of the PhD Steering Committee.
Note: Each section of the examination covers content from more than one
first year course. Instructors will provide questions relevant to their
individual courses; the instructors in each area collectively determine
the overall structure of the exam. Although the statistics classes are
not included in the Comprehensive Examination, students may be asked to
show an understanding of relevant statistical methods in their responses
in other areas (e.g., in quantitative research methods).
During spring quarter the 1-credit doctoral seminar will review the structure of the Year 1 Comprehensive Examination. Students will also have opportunities to meet with first-year instructors to review course content and prepare for the written exams.
Written examination sections take place during the summer following the first year of the program (exams will typically be scheduled at the end of August). The oral examination section takes place before the beginning of autumn quarter of the second year).
Written exams: Three sections comprise the written examination: one for each main area of the first-year curriculum: Methods, Theory, Policy. The written exams are take-home, open-book exams, using a web-based format. Each exam can be accessed for 24 hours; however, once opened students must work on it for a maximum of 8 hours. The exams are spaced such that students will have at least one day between each exam.
Oral exam: Before the beginning of autumn quarter, each student will complete an individual one-hour oral examination. The oral exam will be conducted by three faculty members, representing the three sections of the written exam and drawn from the first-year instructors and from members of the PhD Steering Committee.
The overall Comprehensive Exam is graded pass/fail. The grade is based on performance in both the written and oral sections of the exam.
Written exams: The written exams are evaluated by the first-year
instructors, who each provide written feedback to the oral examiners and
to the student on the questions pertaining to their individual course.
For each area within the exam, this feedback includes the following summative
assessment: Pass (student’s knowledge of the subject area is acceptable);
Marginal Pass (exam is uneven and student will need to elaborate or correct
areas in the oral exam to achieve an overall Pass); Fail (student has
failed to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the subject area and must
retake the exam). In addition, the instructors will provide qualitative
feedback regarding areas done well, areas that are not fully or accurately
addressed, and areas that in the instructors’ view the student should
be prepared to address in the oral examination. Instructors will also
be encouraged to note where performance on the written exams is exemplary.
Students will receive feedback in writing on the written examination sections
no later than one week before the oral examination. Students who fail
any part of the written exams (a section or sections overall, or content
within section/s) may not proceed to the oral examination until all areas
of the written exams have been completed successfully (see section below
on retakes).
Oral exam: The purpose of this examination is to provide students with the opportunity to respond to gaps in content or inaccuracies in their written exams, to elaborate on their answers, and to demonstrate verbally their ability to integrate and articulate the content of the first-year courses. The oral examination committee judges the oral as pass or fail. If a student has received a marginal pass on any portion of the written exam, the oral examiners decide whether the elaborations and/or corrections the student presents during the oral are sufficient for a pass.
Retakes: Students who in the opinion of the grading faculty have failed a section or sections of the written exam may not proceed to the oral examination until they have retaken and passed the written exam/s. Students are allowed one retake for each section of the written examination.
Students who are asked to retake all or part of the written exams will meet with the PhD Director and their Faculty Advisor to set up a contract for addressing areas of concern and retaking the exams. Retakes must be completed by finals week of autumn quarter, with the oral exam following not later than the beginning of the first week of winter quarter of year 2.
Students must pass these first-year examinations in order to continue with the program. Failure to pass all sections prior to the beginning of winter quarter of the second year will result in a hold being placed on the student's registration and mandatory review of the student’s progress by the PhD Steering Committee.
If a student believes that she/he has already mastered material contained in a specific required course, she/he may petition the PhD Steering Committee for exemption of that course and plan for substitution with another relevant course.
Under exceptional circumstances in which a student must take a leave of absence during the first year in the program, the student may petition the PhD Steering Committee for a special individualized set of examinations on the content of the first-year coursework at the time the courses are completed.
If a student takes and successfully passes the Oral General Examination no later than the second week of a quarter, the student may register for SocWL 800 during that quarter and have it count towards the 3 required quarters. A formal request for this exception must be made in a memo from the student and her/his chair to the Director. Under these circumstances, if the student receives approval from their Chair and the Program Director, the student may register for SocWL 800 before the date of the scheduled Oral Exam. If the committee feels the student needs to do more work to pass the Oral Exam, the student must drop SocWL 800 and register for SocWL 600. The student is liable for any change fees assessed by the University.
Social Welfare students are encouraged to audit courses in other departments, subject to approval of the instructor.
A student who has finished her/his General Examination and is not actively working on the dissertation with the school may wish to go on leave for a period of time. Applications for on-leave status are available in Student Services, SWS Room 23, at the main Registrar in Schmitz Hall, and at the Graduate School (Communications Building). The PhD Program Director must sign all applications. Students may go on-leave prior to a quarter or, if not registered, may go on-leave through the first week of the quarter. One application is good for up to four consecutive quarters.
Once students are in the program, they must either be registered full- or part-time, or obtain official on-leave status. Non-registration is considered withdrawal from the University.
Former PhD students who are not enrolled and who do not maintain a current
“on leave” status must contact the PhD Program Director regarding
the possibility of formal re-entry into the PhD Program. A formal re-entry
petition must be sent to the Director and Steering Committee stating:
1. the request for re-entry,
2. the reason for the lapse in on-leave standing,
3. a specific plan for completion of the program, and
4. a statement from the Faculty Advisor/ Supervisory Committee Chair concurring
with the petition and plan and conveying her/his willingness to work with
the student to complete the program.
The petition must be signed by the student and Faculty Advisor/Supervisory Committee Chair. The Steering Committee has final authority to re-admit upon the recommendation of the Director.
Students who successfully petition their departments for re-admission after a lapsed on-leave status provide the Graduate School with a letter from their department endorsing their readmission. A student who has left the University without obtaining official on-leave status but who wishes later to resume studies must file an application in person or by mail for re-admission to the Graduate School by the regularly published closing dates. An application for re-admission carries no preference and is treated in the same manner as an application for initial admission, including the payment of the application fee. If the student is readmitted, registration will occur during the usual registration period. If the student has attended any other institution during the period when not registered at the University of Washington, official transcripts of the student's work must be submitted.
The following timelines for the completion of major program phases are suggested as a guide for students. Failure to complete requirements in the maximum time allowed will result in a Steering Committee review of a student's progress, and the student may be placed on probation and ultimately dropped from the PhD Program.
In the following guidelines, the year limits include time taken for leaves of absence. Academic goals of excellence are balanced with timely progress. Thus, decisions at each point should be based on realistic assessments of what rigorous, high quality learning and performance entail.
Continuing students must be in good academic standing and making appropriate and timely progress toward degree completion to be considered for financial aid and RA/TA positions.
Year-1 Comprehensive Examinations
Formally Constituting the Supervisory Committee
Qualifying Scholarly Paper
Oral General Examination
Dissertation Prospectus
Dissertation Defense
The Graduate School requires that students maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all numerically graded courses numbered 500 and above and in approved 400-level courses accepted as part of the major. In addition, the Social Welfare Faculty requires that the student acquire at least a 3.0 in each of the following courses: Social Welfare 580-581, 552-553, 559, 598-599, 587-588 (or equivalent), and the additional research methods courses and social science courses the student selects. A student whose grade for any of the classes is below 3.0 will be placed on probationary status. To be removed from probation, the student must complete one of the following alternatives.
The PhD Steering Committee will not approve the appointment of a Supervisory Committee or allow the taking of the Oral General Examination while a student is on probation because of a low-grade status. It is a requirement of the Graduate School that all incompletes on required courses be removed before the General Examination is taken. Also, the Graduate School requires that any incomplete be removed within 2 years, or the course must be retaken.
NOTE: Some departments may have stricter guidelines than those of the Graduate School.
Graduate grades are entered as numbers, the possible values being in tenths from 4.0 through 1.7 is reached. Grades below 1.7 are recorded as 0.0 by the Registrar and do not count toward residency, total credit count, or grade and credit requirements. A minimum of 2.7 is required in each course that is counted toward a graduate degree. A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation.
| Numeric grade-point equivalent |
Letter grade | Numeric grade-point equivalent | Letter grade |
| 4.0 | A | 2.8 | B- |
| 3.9 | 2.7 | ||
| 3.8 | A- | 2.6 | |
| 3.7 | 2.5 | ||
| 3.6 | 2.4 | C+ | |
| 3.5 | 2.3 | ||
| 3.4 | B+ | 2.2 | |
| 3.3 | 2.1 | ||
| 3.2 | 2.0 | C | |
| 3.1 | 1.9 | ||
| 3.0 | B | 1.8 | |
| 2.9 | 1.7 | ||
| 1.6 -0.0 | E |
Graduate students may repeat any course. Both the first and second grades will be included in the cumulative GPA. Subsequent grades will not be included, but will appear on the permanent record. The number of credits earned in the course will apply toward degree requirements only once.
The following conditions constitute grounds for possible alteration of a student's standing and will result in review of the student with the possibility of probationary action ultimately leading to possible dismissal from the PhD Program:
Conditions only for students entering program prior to 2005-06
When a student fails to meet the academic standards noted above, the Program Director will send a memo to the student noting the deficiency(ies), the expectations for resolution, and the time limit. If the expectations are not met within the timeline defined, the procedures outlined in Graduate School Memorandum 16 will be followed through Warning, Probation, Final Probation, and Dismissal. Students may appeal the change of status through a Graduate School process outlined in Graduate School Memorandum 33.
In cases involving failure to maintain standards for essential abilities and attributes, the first step is for the student and her/his advisor or Committee Chair or the PhD Program Chair to develop a written collective plan of action with a determined time frame for achieving the goals/objectives of the plan. This step construes a warning within the Graduate School Memorandum 16 guidelines. If the action plan is not fulfilled by the end of the time period, the PhD Steering Committee (SC) will review the issue(s) and make recommendations for probation or other appropriate action; this step typically will result in an SC designed probation plan. Alternatively, the SC may forward the issue to the Committee on Students for further review and action.
[Note: see sections above for on-leave and reinstatement procedures for students who have gone on leave or withdrawn from the program.]