School for Social Work > Academics > Doctoral Program

THE PH.D. IN SOCIAL WORK

Professors Joan Berzoff and Jim Drisko,
Doctoral Program Co-Directors

Established in 1964, the goal of the Doctoral program is to prepare advanced clinical scholars/practitioners to contribute to knowledge about clinical social work theory and practice. The Doctoral Program, which offers a Ph.D. in social work, is designed to train leaders in advanced clinical social work who will take positions as social work educators, as clinical supervisors and consultants, as researchers and scholars, and/or as advanced practitioners. The Doctoral Program, like the Master’s Program, is wholly concentrated on graduate education in clinical social work. Graduates of Smith’s Doctoral Program are well represented nationally on faculties of schools of social work, among leading clinical social work practitioners, and in a variety of other leadership roles in the profession.

Within the broad goal of preparing advanced clinical social work practitioners/scholars, the educational objectives of the Doctoral Program are:

1	to prepare fellows to contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge about clinical social work practice;
2	to advance the capacity of doctoral fellows for critical thinking in relation to the knowledge, values, and skills relevant to the practice of clinical social work;
3	to refine and further develop fellows’ clinical skills with the goal of helping them achieve and conceptualize an advanced level of clinical competence;
4	to prepare leaders to promote the social work profession’s values of commitment to serving vulnerable and oppressed populations and enhancing social justice; and
5	to recruit and support a culturally diverse community of scholars who advance the Doctoral Program’s objectives.

Like the Master's Program, the doctoral curriculum operates on a Block Plan of instruction in which periods of classroom study alternate with periods of clinical and research study in the field. The Doctoral Program includes two and one-half summers of on-campus intensive study and two intervening eight-month clinical practice internships. Academic courses are taken at Smith College between June and August. The required and elective courses advance knowledge about: clinical theory and practice with individuals, families, and small groups; psychological and social theories; the philosophical foundations of contemporary social work practice; social work education; critical thinking; social policy as related to clinical practice and mental health; and social work research, both qualitative and quantitative. All courses are offered on a full-time enrollment basis only.

The two eight-month clinical internship periods (September through April) take place after the first and second summers of on-campus study. The clinical internship affords the opportunity to study and apply advanced practice methods to a range of clients, and to study clinical theories and processes in depth as a laboratory for research on practice. Fellows also gain experience in clinical teaching and contribute to theory development. During the clinical internships, fellows are expected to spend three days in agency-based clinical practice. For those with private practices, two days of agency-based practice are required; one day of private practice may augment the two-day placement. Most fellows elect to develop work-study internships within their places of employment. These work-study internships serve as the two-year training site. Others develop fellowship opportunities at training centers or affiliate with agencies around the country.

Educational Plan

Curriculum

Course Descriptions

Exams & Dissertations

Dissertation
Titles

Academic Calendar

Admission to the
Doctoral Program