Social Work - PhD (Phd-SW)

SW 698. Structured Independent Study1-4 Units

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Director, Instructor/Advisor.

Description: Addresses content not covered in existing courses; provides for the development of content otherwise unavailable. Prescribed content is addressed in seminars, conferences and readings.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 729. Pro Seminar I: Foundations of Scholarly Writing1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work.

Description: This is the 1st of 2 Professional Seminar courses, which bookend the PhD coursework. This course is also aligned with SW 761: Advanced Scholarly Writing to Fund and Disseminate Research to Diverse Audiences, which it taken in the fall of your second year. The goals of this course are to improve your understanding of the process and mechanics of writing within academia and provide a foundation for you to become leaders in the social work profession as researchers, academicians, and advocates for social justice. Students will infuse aspects of anti-oppressive and anti-racist practices into their professional development plan and encouraged to frame the introduction of their manuscript from an equity lens.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 732. Theory I: Philosophy of Science & the Development and Application of Theory in Social Work Research3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work.

Description: This course explores the nature of knowledge and how it is generated and acquired. We will be focusing on the nature and role of theory in contemporary social welfare scholarship informed by a central commitment to social justice. This is the first of two theory classes that students will take and builds on the skills you will be introduced to in your methods courses. Doctoral students will be introduced to key constructs in the philosophy of social science and how various theories of knowledge inform our work as social scientists. We will explore the nature and role of theory in contemporary social science scholarship; examine a range of epistemologies through examples of associated research products; and evaluate issues of equity, antiracism, and social justice within these frames. The course provides a platform to understand underlying assumptions of research methods including analysis of "Big Data," randomized controlled trials (RCTs), ethnographies, and a variety of other methods.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 733. Foundation Research Methods3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: The goals of this course are to teach students: (1) to implement the most appropriate research strategies in the pursuit of knowledge pertinent to social work-relevant topics, (2) to understand and critically assess reports of experimental and observational research studies, (3) to develop methodological strategies for testing important hypotheses and answering salient social work research questions. The course examines the four types of experimental validity [statistical conclusion, internal, construct, and external] and how to minimize threats to each. Issues regarding the selection and evaluation of measures including the various types of reliability and validity, sampling strategies, experimental and quasi-experimental study designs (including their underlying assumptions), and subsequent data analysis strategies are discussed.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 734. Introduction to Social Statistics and Data Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: This is the first of two required PhD courses that focuses on quantitative data analysis. This course will focus on how to apply statistical approaches and ethical principles to all dimensions of diversity including ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender identity/gender expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation. At the end of this course, students will be able to apply univariate and bivariate statistics, as well as analysis of variance, to a social science data set. They will also learn how to choose appropriate statistical analyses that answer research questions and hypotheses, conduct these analyses using STATA, interpret their findings, and communicate their results clearly and effectively.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 741. Systemic Change: Identifying and Intervening in Issues of Social Justice3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: This course will allow students to learn and develop skills in effecting systems-level change to further anti-oppression, with a focus on anti-racism as an example to both illustrate system processes but also as core content needed to understand systemic oppression. Current manifestations of systematic change, such as the calls for reparations, police reform, and truth and reconciliation commissions for atrocities suffered by Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) will be covered. Students will also learn concrete strategies for engaging in anti-racism and de-centering Whiteness in teaching, research, and community collaboration and advocacy.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 742. Theory II: Theory-Driven Analysis of Social Problems to Inform Practice & Social Welfare Policy3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 732 Theory I: Philosophy of Science and the Development and Application of Theory in Social Work Research and Interventions.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work. SW 742 is the second of two theory courses in the program, building on the foundation provided in SW 732. The goal of this course is for students to obtain a theoretical and conceptual framework for analyzing and understanding social problems and their implications for macro social work practice and social policy. Students will examine what the empirical literature tells us about a social problem, and compare and contrast the contribution of sociological, sociocultural, philosophical, political, and economic theories to our understanding of it. Another goal is for students to learn how decentering whiteness and colonial perspectives enable an antiracist analysis of social problems and potential macro solutions which may promote equity. Students will analyze current social policy and macro practice designed to address social problems and propose alternatives based on the application of theory.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 743. Advanced Research Methods3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 733 Foundation Research Methods.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work. This course is the second of two courses focused on quantitative methods, compliments the two data analysis courses, and prepares students for future independent studies and advanced scholarly writing to fund and disseminate research to diverse audiences. The course focuses on applying research approaches and ethical principles to all dimensions of diversity including ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender identity/gender expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation. The major goals of this course are to teach students quantitative and mixed methods research designs, how each design addresses threats to validity, when each is most appropriate to answer various types of research questions, and how to execute each type of study ethically.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 744. Applied Regression Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 734 Introduction to Social Statistics and Data Analysis.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work. This is the second of two required PhD courses focusing on quantitative data analysis. This course covers and introduces a broad class of models often referred to as generalized linear models (GLM). We will discuss five major models within this class: models for continuous outcomes, binary outcomes, categorical outcomes, ordered outcomes, and count outcomes. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to: (a) read and evaluate published or presented research that uses regression techniques; (b) use STATA to create your own results from secondary data; (c) translate the results into more useful summaries through tables and figures of predicted outcomes; and (d) use statistics to evaluate practice and policy and promote social justice.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 750. Independent Study: Examination of Scholarly Literature3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: Student will focus in on a specific topic area for future research by conducting thorough literature reviews on the topics related to the area. The end result will be several tables summarizing the literature read and an integrative summary of the literature and potential gaps. This will set the student up to continue delving into the area over the next year so that by next summer, the topic is narrowed for the doctoral exams and the dissertation.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 751. Independent Study: Mentored Research Experirence3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: Helps students understand the basics of research and statistical procedures so they are prepared to move through the additional research and statistical procedures in the doctoral program. Course will be approached from a dual perspective of client outcomes and program evaluation.

Note: approval granted from the Registrar's Office to re-use the catalog number for a new course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 752. Qualitative Methods: Design, Data Collection, and Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Summer Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: SW 752 examines the philosophical foundations and epistemological perspectives involved in qualitative research. This course is the first part of a two-part series in which students embark on an IRB approved qualitative study which culminates into an analytic memo, which is the beginning of a publishable paper. This course includes study of traditions and methods (e.g., narrative inquiry, case studies, phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography); scientific and ethical issues; and techniques of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Emphasis is given to the contribution of qualitative studies in expanding social work knowledge and anti-racist scholarship. Students will expand upon one of the five qualitative approaches by learning and applying Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) techniques to the analysis of data. This process will lead to the development of a conceptual formulation, analytic memos, and set the foundation for further analysis, interpretation, and writing.

Note: approval granted from the Registrar's Office to re-use the catalog number for a new course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 761. Advanced Scholarly Writing to Fund and Disseminate Research to Diverse Audience3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: Facilitates the student's completion of the dissertation prospectus and the dissertation itself. Students make formal presentations on their research plans addressing available literature, measurement and methodological issues, analysis of data, limitations, and the importance of investigation.

Note: Students who are taking the course and NOT in the PhD Social Work Program, should first consult with their program's advisor to ensure the course will count for credit toward their degree in their program, and then seek permission from the instructor of the course before they enroll.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 763. Teaching Practicum3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

Description: Experience in planning and teaching a social work course including classroom teaching and evaluation of students' work.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 764. Teaching in Social Work3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work.

Description: This course is the first of two designed to expose doctoral level students to teaching and social work education. The goals of this course are to assist students in: (1) examining and appraising theories of teaching and learning to develop their own teaching philosophy, (2) designing course materials and integrating evidence-supported teaching methods and strategies into their teaching practice, and (3) evaluating their own teaching practice. The course introduces students to social work curriculum standards; theoretical perspectives of adult learning, teaching, and curriculum development; and various teaching methods, tools, and technology to assist prospective teachers with designing and developing a course, teaching in both online and face-to-face formats, assessing student progress, and embracing anti-racist classroom practices that promote learning among diverse learners.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 765. Advanced Qualitative Research: Design, Data Collection, and Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 752.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the Phd Program in Social Work. Interpretive approaches to systematic inquiry that contrast with the natural science model of social research will be critically examined, focusing on classic and contemporary theories to understand and interpret the social world and the role of qualitative methods in the study and improvement of people's lives. The first part of the courses focuses on qualitative inquiry from the multiple disciplines' views, and the second part examines qualitative inquiry from the social work perspective.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 766. Doctoral Foundations1-3 Units

Grading Basis: Pass/Fail

Description: Preparation for entering SW doctoral students for two semesters of study of Advanced Research & Design and Analysis (ARDA I and ARDA II). A rigorous review of research conceptualization, design and sampling procedures will be a major focus of the class. Students will develop basic skills utilizing Predictive Analytics Software (PASW, formerly SPSS) and in addition to be compliant with school, university and federal standards for research by completing all required Institutional Review Board (IRB) trainings.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 780. Pro Seminar II: Comprehensive examination Preparation1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 729.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work. This is the 2nd part of the pro-seminar series. This course emphasizes preparation for the comprehensive exam process as well as knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the social work profession as researchers, academicians, and advocates for social justice.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 781. Teaching Practicum3 Units

Grading Basis: Pass/Fail

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SW 764; restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work.

Description: This teaching practicum seminar is a structured opportunity for students who are teaching to engage in dialogue, structured activities, and reflection focused on teaching topics. There are two requirements for this course: 1. Weekly co-teaching with teaching mentor: Students will be partnered with a teaching mentor to co-teach the assigned faculty member's course. 2. Teaching Practicum Seminar: Students will attend and participate in this bi-weekly 2.5-hour seminar while also teaching their undergraduate or graduate class, weekly, under the mentorship of a faculty member. Additional focus will be around the knowledge and skills to prepare one to work with students around anti-racism and whose teaching skills are anti-racist. Grading will be on a pass-fail basis.

Note: Formerly offered as SW 763.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 797. Independent Study3-12 Units

Description: Independent studies for doctoral students.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 798. Special Topics in Social Work1-6 Units

Prerequisite(s): Kent Doctoral Student, topic cleared by Director or Assistant Director.

Description: Exploration of one or more topics not covered in the regular course offerings. For students after they finish their core courses and are preparing for their comprehensive exam.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SW 799. Dissertation Preparation1-6 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Completion of coursework and submission of 'PhD Program Completed Coursework and Comprehensive Exam Committee/Schedule' form to PhD Social Work Program Coordinator.

Description: This section is restricted to students admitted to the PhD Program in Social Work. Research on dissertation project.Full-time students should take the course for 6 credit hours in a single semester, typically with no other courses. Credit hours may vary for part-time students. Connect with the PhD Program Director if there are questions regarding credit hour amount.

Note: Final Exams may be scheduled for and limited to the assigned time in any course type.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes