Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Science
University of Michigan,
School of Social Work
Address: 1080 South University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Phone: 734-764-3309
About the Department:
The objective of the University of Michigan School of Social Work is to create social change and promote social justice through excellence in research, education, and practice. The Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science is an interdepartmental program in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. In 1957, when the program launched, it was the first of its kind. The Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science awards a combined PhD degree in social work and one of five social science disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. 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. The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Purpose and Curriculum
The Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science is intended to prepare students for a teaching and research career emphasizing advancing knowledge about social problems, social change, social interventions, and social welfare. The curriculum integrates complete graduate training in a specific social science discipline with advanced studies and research in various areas of social work, permitting students to receive training and experience in many areas such as:
- Poverty and mental health
- Social policy, public policy
- Social work practice
- Gerontology and aging
- Youth issues and policy
- Domestic and school violence
- Evaluation research
- Prevention and action research
- Qualitative research, ethnographic methods
- Child welfare and child resiliency, family structure and relations
- Social psychology, personality psychology, developmental psychology
- Economic sociology and organizations, nonprofit organizations, organizational psychology
- Gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity
- Public law, comparative government
- Public finance, labor economics, health economics
- Sociocultural anthropology, anthropological praxis, linguistics
The Joint Program in Social Work and Social Science provides all incoming doctoral students with a multi-year funding package that overall most, if not all, expenses. Most students receive 5 years of funding through a combination of fellowship awards, graduate student research assistant positions, and graduate student instructorships. Students may also apply for other funding from sources within and outside of the University of Michigan.
Employment Prospects
According to the program description, graduates of the Joint Program are recruited nationally and internationally. The majority of graduates secure positions as professors in colleges and universities. Others complete postdoctoral fellowships and work in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Other Information for Applicants
- The MSW is not needed to apply. Accepted students earn the MSW in the process of completing the PhD
- A bachelor's degree in social work is not needed to apply.
- The program is full time and outside work is not permitted.
About the University of Michigan
Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan (U-M) has stood as the national model for the large public university for more than a century. Recognized as one of the world's premier research universities, U-M is a leader in undergraduate and graduate education, offering challenging academic programs at all levels.
About Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is known as "Tree Town" for it's tree-lined streets. There are over 20 museums of art, science, and history, about 150 parks and nature areas, annual music and art festivals, and world class entertainment venues. Ann Arbor is easily accessible by air, train, bus, and car. It's a 90-minute plane ride from New York, Boston, and Washington, DC; and a four-hour drive from Chicago and Toronto.
