Doctor of Social Work

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Teaching Practicum: Despite most prospective DSW students having a primary goal of teaching, very few DSW programs focus on equipping students to be educational experts and leaders. Our education-focused courses and paid teaching practicum provides you with the experience and skills necessary to advance or launch your social work teaching career.

Intro to Doc Studies: Very few DSW programs offer an introductory course to equip students with key knowledge, perspectives, and support needed to be successful. Most DSW students return to school after many years in the field, and thus need more support than a brief orientation could provide in developing resources and habits to support online learning. This course also emphasizes sense of belonging, facilitating connections that will enhance the student experience.

Science of Self-Care Course: DSW students are working professionals juggling careers and families, and including self-care as a key component of our explicit curriculum showcases our commitment to student success and wellbeing. Additionally, a top reason prospective students pursue DSWs is to “grow personally,” and we believe this course’s emphasis on holistic wellness will be an attractive element in the curriculum to help you thrive here. No other existing DSW program offers a self-care course, giving UTA the opportunity to model our commitment to the ethics of self-care.

Social Work Entrepreneurship: We are the only DSW program offering an entrepreneurship class. This innovative approach meets student demand for practical skills in building their professional brand and diversifying income streams through avenues such as private practice, consulting, and social media.
Given the practice-oriented nature of the DSW, we expect that most successful applicants will hold current social work licensure.  Although licensure is strongly encouraged, it is not required. 
No, this online, asynchronous DSW is designed with busy working professionals in mind. There are no required weekly meetings, but we encourage you to engage in optional online synchronous opportunities. Our program breaks down geographic and scheduling barriers, combining the flexibility you need with ample opportunities to create a sense community with your cohort, be intellectually challenged, and build your confidence to take the next step in your career.

It depends! A PhD is a research doctorate, while a DSW is a practice doctorate. While a PhD prepares graduates to be competitive for tenure-earning positions at high research productivity universities, the DSW is also a common pathway to becoming a professor. DSWs are often hired as:

  • Adjunct faculty (part time)
  • Full-time faculty with titles such as Clinical Professor, Professor of Practice, Professor of Instruction, Instructor, or Lecturer
  • Tenure-earning/tenured faculty roles at universities with fewer research demands

We encourage you to speak further with a recruiter [link] to explore which degree best fits your career goals.

 
You can’t learn to ride a bicycle by simply reading about bicycles; you have to practice! The teaching practicum introduces DSW candidates to the social work instructor role through teaching a full in-person or online course. Students can be placed with the UTA School of Social Work for a paid Graduate Teaching Assistantship, or you may choose to teach at another pre-approved institution.

UTA’s DSW program is currently awaiting the final stages of approval, and we are excited to start as soon as possible. The first cohort is expected to launch in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, pending the timing of those final approvals.

The program is designed to foster an equitable and inclusive learning environment which produces scholar-practitioners who are equipped to:

  • Use and critically evaluate research and engage in scientific inquiry
  • Develop and maintain substantive expertise in one or more areas of social work practice
  • Advance practice through leadership and innovative approaches, particularly in the field of social work education
  • Develop and disseminate practice-relevant research-informed knowledge through a variety of channels
 

We are proud to be among the most affordable DSW programs in the nation. For an estimate of program costs, please use the UTA Tuition Estimator.

The University of Texas at Arlington offers affordable in-state tuition rates for students across Texas. Online out-of-state students may enroll under the Non- Resident Online Distance Education Program (NRODE).  In the NRODE program your tuition is lowered to about as much as an in-state student, allowing many students to save up to 50% in tuition. Scholarships are available and Texas resident may also be eligible for state grants.



Practicum 

The Doctor of Social Work program is comprised of 45-credit-hours giving students to complete the program in 3 years. Each year is specifically designed to ensure you thrive throughout your journey in the program, while ensuring you receive the skills and knowledge necessary to be an effective leader and practitioner in social work.

 

Capstone projects vary between DSW programs. At UTA, our capstone is designed to prepare you as an advanced scholar-practitioner who can effectively synthesize and contribute to the literature and translate research into impactful practices. The capstone process begins with a comprehensive capstone proposal, following by:

Capstone I: Systematic Literature Review

  • Guides students through the process of conducting a comprehensive and systematic review of the existing literature on a specific social work topic of the student’s choosing. The course focuses on data extraction, evaluating sources, synthesizing findings, and identifying research gaps. Students will produce a complete systematic literature review manuscript.

Capstone II: Applied Project

  • Focuses on the execution of an advanced, practice-based project that addresses a real-world social work issue in a clinical, leadership, or social work education setting. Students will apply research findings and theories from their Capstone I work to develop and implement a significant project within their practice setting. By the end, students will present their applied project in an online showcase, demonstrating mastery as a scholar-practitioner.
 

DSW graduates use the degree to advance in their current field or seek new opportunities. We are seeing an increase in the demand for social workers with the skills, knowledge, and professional credentials necessary to take on leadership roles. The UTA School of Social Work Doctor of Social Work program prepares students to answer the call and creates leaders who will help people and communities thrive. While those with DSW degrees leverage their expertise in a variety of settings, from clinical practice to community organizing, our program focuses on preparing students to teach and take on educational leadership roles.

A PhD in Social Work is research-oriented, while a DSW is more practice-oriented. Most DSWs focus on advanced clinical skills, leadership, teaching, or some combination of these. PhD students receive extensive training in research methodologies with the aim of contributing original research to the field as their primary career focus. DSW coursework focuses more on advanced practice with the aim of enhancing clinical social work and leadership skills.

Currently, the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) does not offer accreditation to any doctoral programs. UTA’s School of Social Work has two CSWE accredited programs, our Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Currently, CSWE only accredits these two types of programs in the United States. CSWE does provide recommended competencies and guidelines, which we follow as closely as possible. The UTA DSW program is well-positioned to pursue accreditation if and when CSWE begins offering DSW level accreditation.