SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

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1 SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WELFARE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SOCIAL WORK Degree Requirements and Policy Handbook Spring, 2011 The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare 1545 Lilac Lane Lawrence, Kansas (785) Spring Ph.D. Handbook

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION... 7 A. Introduction ) Welcome From the Program Director ) Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures ) Handbook Use and Revisions ) Communication with the Doctoral Program Office ) Campus and Lawrence Resources for Graduate Students ) Student Rights and Responsibilities as Established by the University and Graduate Studies ) Student Petitions and Grievance Procedure a) Petitions b) Grievance Procedure B. Program Mission and Overview ) Mission and Strengths of the Program ) Required Curriculum ) Areas of Specialization or Emphasis C. Application, Admission, and Candidacy ) Application, Admission, and Candidacy ) Transfer Credit ) Non-Degree Seeking Status D. Program Time Constraints ) Minimum Tenure and Residence Requirement ) Full-Time/Half Time/Part-Time Status ) Maximum Tenure and Continuation in the Program ) Leave of Absence E. Administration of Program ) Graduate Studies of KU ) Program Director and PhD Program Committee ) Admissions Committee ) Doctoral Student Organization ) Advisement, Educational Planning and Enrollment a) Types of Advisors b) Changing Academic Advisor and Record Keeping c) Enrollment Procedure in Relation to Academic and Enrollment Advisors d) Progress Toward Degree e) Annual Evaluation of Student s File Spring Ph.D. Handbook

4 6) Academic Good Standing and Dismissal ) Doctoral Faculty Roles and Eligibility Requirements a) Graduate Faculty Status b) Membership in the Qualifying Paper Committee and Dissertation Committee c) Teaching in the Doctoral Program Criteria for Teaching SECTION II: COMPONENTS OF THE CURRICULUM.. 25 A. Purpose and Expectations B. Flow of the Curriculum Design ) Curriculum Design ) Tips for Efficient Progress C. Required Core Courses ) Core Courses ) Statistics Assessment ) Research Skill or Foreign Language Options D. Electives General Requirements ) Readings & Investigations (SW 875) ) Special Summer Readings and Investigations (SW 998) for GRA Enrollment ) Graduate Studies Writing Courses ) Electives Offered Within the KUSSW ) Study Abroad Courses for Social Workers ) MSW Electives Within the School E. The Qualifying Papers ) Qualifying Paper Process F. The Oral Comprehensive Examination G. Doctoral Dissertation ) Steps to the Dissertation and Dissertation Committee a) Eligibility b) Dissertation Committee ) Dissertation Proposal Defense (Oral Comprehensive Examination) a) Nature of the Proposal b) Grading of the Proposal Defense/Oral Comprehensive Examination c) The Final Dissertation Product Purpose Format and Style d) Other Dissertation Policies Dissertation Enrollment Policy on Multiple Dissertations from the Same Project Spring Ph.D. Handbook

5 e) Application for Degree When Planning Final Dissertation Defense f) School of Social Welfare Recognition and Graduate Studies Hooding for Doctoral Students H. Final Dissertation Defense ) Readiness ) Grading and Graduate Studies Evaluation I. Student Publication and University Affiliation SECTION III: DOCTORAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT, FUNDING AND ACADEMIC JOB SEEKING A. Introduction B. Tips for Doctoral Student Employment C. Teaching Assistantships and Preparation for Teaching ) Overview ) Policies and Procedures ) Preparation for Teaching ) Performance of Duties ) Evaluation D. Research Assistantships ) Overview ) Policies and Procedures E. Other Funding Opportunities ) Tips for Seeking Funding F. Seeking an Academic Position SECTION IV: APPENDICES Appendix I Academic Advisor Assignment Form Appendix II Academic Progress Report Form Appendix III Research Skills Elective Requirement Appendix IV SW 875 Readings and Investigations (R&I) Required Outline for Course Proposal Appendix V Qualifying Paper Procedures and Submission Form Appendix VI Grade Form Qualifying Paper Appendix VII Evaluation Form for Oral Examinations Spring Ph.D. Handbook

6 Appendix VIII Authorship, Ownership and Acknowledgment Appendix IX Doctoral Candidates Checklist Appendix X Doctoral Student Employment Options And Other Funding Sources Appendix XI Doctoral Assistantship Appointments Information Appendix XII Travel Fund/Paper Presenter Awards Appendix XIII Academic Job Searching Appendix XIV Suggestions for International Doctoral Students Spring Ph.D. Handbook

7 SECTION I General Information Spring Ph.D. Handbook

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9 A. Introduction 1) Welcome From the Program Director Welcome to the Ph.D. Program of the School of Social Welfare, The University of Kansas (KUSSW). This handbook is written for both students and faculty: it outlines how the program works, from admission to dissertation defense. It offers answers to many questions that arise as students progress through the program requirements. We are pleased that you, the student, have chosen our program over the many other quality PhD programs in the country. You can expect to be intellectually challenged in new ways, and your thinking, writing, and research skills will improve as a result. With your PhD in Social Work, you will be primed to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession and to educate future social workers. We are very proud of our PhD Program, which began in We are typically ranked by U.S. News & World Report as well as academic productivity studies within the top public social work programs nationally. We have had more than 80 graduates, and a recent alumni survey confirmed that they were very pleased with their educational experience. We usually have about students at various points in the program. Most students in the past few years have taken 4-6 years to complete the degree. However, the program is structured so that students who make this their full time commitment can finish in about years of intensive work. University of Kansas Graduate Studies sets a limit of 8 years unless an exception is granted. The faculty and staff of the KUSSW PhD Program are committed to your success. There are numerous supports in place, from faculty who take extra time, to peer mentors, to KU Writing Center staff. Do not hesitate to ask for help from administrators, staff, and other students. Former and continuing students, faculty and staff have provided some ideas about what it takes to be successful in the program: Get to know as many faculty, staff and continuing students as you can. Foster relations with fellow students that are collegial, respectful, and mutually supportive. Be sure that you are immersed in the life and work of the School, which means that during your residency year and other times you spend as much time on campus as possible and that you always keep in regular touch with the program. Doctoral work should be your primary professional commitment throughout your time in the program. Get caught up in the excitement of learning and in the process of developing new knowledge and new perspectives. Keep in touch with the Program Director. Be familiar with all the requirements, policies, and petition procedures in this Handbook and the Graduate Studies catalogue. Use your Academic Advisor to advantage by discussing your learning, any Spring Ph.D. Handbook

10 problems you may be having (and do this before they fester ), your plans and your visions about your scholarly goals. Use opportunities for mentoring from instructors, advisers, qualifying and dissertation committee members, supervisors of assistantships and other faculty. Realize that everyone stumbles a little at some time during the program and be gentle with yourself. Remember you are an adult learner. Don t forget why you are pursuing doctoral education. Don t forget to have fun and keep a balanced personal and family life. Our students, thanks to faculty support as well as students own talents, are very productive. Most of our students publish at least one article in a refereed journal, and many publish considerably more than that. Most of our students engage in teaching and assist faculty in research projects at some point in the program. Most students are supported by Graduate Research Assistantships based on more than $7 million in grant funding. Many do consultations for social welfare agencies and training for social work professionals. By the time our students graduate, they have very impressive resumes. Most of our graduates have taken academic and/or research positions. Some are in leadership positions of public, non-profit, or for-profit agencies. Again, welcome. I hope that you find this handbook helpful, and that your time spent here is challenging and rewarding. Chris Petr, MSW, PhD Director of the Doctoral Program 2) Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures The Ph.D. degree in social work is granted by Graduate Studies of The University of Kansas. Doctoral students and faculty must be familiar with policies and procedures of Graduate Studies. These can be identified in the most recent edition of the Graduate Studies Catalogue and Graduate Studies Handbook. Our Ph.D. in Social Work Program Handbook incorporates some of this information; however, additional information and changes to Graduate Studies policies and procedures must be obtained from Graduate Studies sources. NOTE: It is the student s responsibility to become thoroughly acquainted with all requirements for the degree, both the general requirements (of Graduate Studies) and those that are specific to our School of Social Welfare. Graduate Studies is a part of the KU Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Strong Hall, main location in room 222. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

11 3) Handbook Use and Revisions This publication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. This Spring, 2011 edition of the Handbook includes some important revisions from the 2008 edition. It is essential that doctoral students and faculty involved with the doctoral program are familiar with the content. If corrections or updating occur, the Doctoral Program Office will supply announcements via . 4) Communication with the Doctoral Program Office All doctoral students are required to provide the Doctoral Program Office with current and accurate contact information, including telephone and fax numbers, mailing address, and address. In particular, all doctoral students must arrange to have their address included on the automatic distribution list maintained by the KU Computing Services. Students are responsible to maintain regular contact with the Doctoral Office, the Program Director, and their Academic Advisor. The Doctoral Office, Program Director and other faculty may be contacted by phone at (785) and by fax at (785) The Doctoral Office address is admissionsw-phd@ku.edu. The mailing address for the Doctoral Office (and faculty) is: Doctoral Program Office (or faculty person s name) The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare 1545 Lilac Lane Lawrence, Kansas USA 5) Campus and Lawrence Resources for Graduate Students KU has numerous resources and supports, which can be found at See especially information on : Academic Achievement, Graduate, International, University Registrar, KU Libraries, Computing Resources, Day Care, Health and Safety, Living in Lawrence (including city resources, cultural/artistic events, student housing), KU Student Services, and Transportation. 6) Student Rights and Responsibilities as Established by the University and Graduate Studies The Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities describes exactly what its title implies protected rights of each and every student and responsibilities or expectations for student conduct. As such, it forms a significant part of the rules of the campus Spring Ph.D. Handbook

12 community. Included are rights to free speech, expression, assembly, pursuit of educational goals, privacy, and due process. It outlines how student and campus organizations may operate. The Code also describes non-academic misconduct such as threats and violence against persons, theft, vandalism, hazing, carrying firearms, falsely reporting bomb threats, forgery, fake IDs, disrupting University classes and events, and hearings when violations occur. The complete text of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities as well as standards for academic integrity can be found in the KU Student Handbook ( handbook.ku.edu). 7) Student Petitions and Grievance Procedure a) Petitions Students have the right to petition to the Program Director and/or the Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee for exceptions to any policies and procedures of the program. However, exceptions will only be made in unusually compelling circumstances, based on strong rationale and supporting evidence. In all cases, our academic and ethical standards will be maintained. Petitions should include a letter of request with strong rationale and supporting evidence as well as a letter from the Academic Advisor. Petitions that require Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee decision are reviewed confidentially by faculty members of that committee. b) Grievance Procedure Students who have a grievance concerning their treatment in any aspect of the program should explore solutions, whenever possible, directly with the party concerned. The student may also seek advice and assistance from their Academic Advisor and/or the Program Director, as needed. When these attempts fail, the student may consider the School of Social Welfare s grievance procedure. Contact the chairperson of the Faculty Executive Committee for information and advice. In cases in which the student feels a need to go outside the School of Social Welfare for consultation regarding a grievance, she or he may contact the Ombuds Office via Spring Ph.D. Handbook

13 B. Program Mission and Overview 1) Mission and Strengths of the Program The mission of The University of Kansas Ph.D. Program in Social Work is to prepare students to become leaders nationally and internationally in advancing social work practice and policy through teaching, research and scholarship. The doctoral program reflects the mission and curriculum themes of the School of Social Welfare o o o o A focus on people's strengths An understanding of human diversity The promotion of social and economic justice The development of a critical perspective Our doctoral program is known nationally and internationally for its blend of these four themes and for its support for multiple ways of knowing and advanced research methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative empirical approaches, theoretical and conceptual analyses, and policy analysis. Faculty strengths are well matched to the program s purposes and curriculum structure. In , the KUSSW had 24 faculty persons who were active in many areas of research related to social work such as aging, child welfare and children s mental health, corrections, cultural diversity, domestic violence, health, international issues, adult mental health, philosophy of social welfare, poverty, social policy, and spiritual diversity. A community-based approach and the themes of the school inform much of this research. The program s strengths include its distinctive mission and themes as described above; the good fit between faculty qualifications and the themes and curriculum structure of the doctoral program; the extensive amount of research projects conducted by faculty and their mentoring of doctoral students as research assistants; numerous opportunities for doctoral students to gain experience in teaching with faculty supervision; a curriculum design that allows students to determine their own areas of specialization in terms of both research methods and fields of practice; and extensive investment of faculty in mentoring and supporting students. The KU School of Social Welfare has been ranked consistently in the top 10 or 15 public social work programs in the country, based largely on criteria related to reputation and scholarly publications that are strongly related to our doctoral program faculty and students. For example, in 2006, the Journal of Social Work Education, using 15 different scholarly productivity measures for graduate programs in social work, placed the KU School of Social Welfare 8 th among public universities and 14 th overall. A 2006 study published in the journal Social Work ranked schools of social work across the country in terms of their preparation of MSW students for practice. KU SSW placed 9 th in the nation overall (i.e. across public and private institutions) when ranked by practitioners in the field. In 2007,U.S. News and World Report placed the Spring Ph.D. Handbook

14 School at 8 th among public universities MSW programs. In 2007, our School had more than $7 million in external funding. 2) Required Curriculum The required curriculum consists of 8 core courses taken within the School of Social Welfare, and 4 elective courses (one of which must be an advanced research skills course) taken either within our school and/or from other KU departments. Electives help students further hone their research skills and knowledge according to their chosen area of specialization. Coursework can be completed in two years of full time study. Beyond coursework, students complete a Qualifying Paper, an Oral Comprehensive Exam (i.e., dissertation proposal defense), and a dissertation under the guidance of faculty committees. These will be explained in this Handbook. 3) Areas of Specialization or Emphasis Students may develop any specialization or emphasis of research methods and topics for inquiry as relevant to professional mission and values. We are especially interested in work that challenges and extends conventional thinking and knowledge. C. Application, Admission, and Candidacy 1) Application, Admission, and Candidacy A student seeking admission to the doctoral program makes application to Graduate Studies following the instructions provided on-line via the School of Social Welfare s Ph.D. website. The Admissions Committee, which meets soon after the February 1 application deadline, is composed of the faculty members of the PhD committee. Upon admission, the student is known as an aspirant for the degree and remains so designated until successful completion of the Oral Comprehensive Examination. After passing that exam the student is designated as a candidate for the degree. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

15 NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: As explained in the full application materials, international applicants must comply with visa requirements and requirements of the International Student Services and Applied English Center. Be sure to coordinate your application with policies and procedures of the Applied English Center and the Office for International Students. If you are admitted, you should report to the Applied English Center and Office for International Students (Strong Hall) when you arrive in Lawrence as soon as possible. Regarding the Applied English Center (204 Lippincott Hall), you must make an appointment for an English proficiency evaluation. If this evaluation indicates that you are not prepared sufficiently for study at KU, you may be required to take English language courses prior to enrolling in our doctoral courses. In order to decrease the possibility of this delay, our Doctoral Program admission requirements for English proficiency test scores (e.g. TOEFL) are higher than the Graduate Studies minimum requirement. Schedule for Admission to the Ph.D. Program Admission to the program ordinarily begins Fall Semester (August). February 1 is the deadline for receiving applications for admission in the following Fall Semester. The Admissions Committee meets soon after this deadline and applicants are informed about decisions in early March. Applications received between February 1 and May 1 will be reviewed on a space available basis only. 2) Transfer Credit According to Graduate Studies policy, credits may not be transferred to a KU doctoral program from another institution or from a prior graduate degree from KU. In exceptional cases in which the applicant has already completed doctoral level coursework at another institution, the applicant may plan to petition for a waiver of credits required for completion of the social work Ph.D. degree at KU. Admission to our doctoral program does not guarantee that such a request will be granted. 3) Non-Degree Seeking Status Persons may apply to Graduate Studies to take KU courses as a non-degree seeking student. Nondegree seeking students must meet the admission standards of Regular Spring Ph.D. Handbook

16 admission status for both the School of Social Welfare and Graduate Studies Such courses do not count toward Doctoral Program requirements. If a former non-degree seeking student is admitted to the Doctoral Program, she or he may petition the Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee to request counting non-degree KU courses for doctoral credit. There is no guarantee that the request will be granted. Contact the Program Director and see the Graduate Studies Handbook for information. D. Program Time Constraints NOTE: See the Graduate Studies Catalogue and Handbook for further details. 1) Minimum Tenure and Residence Requirement The student must spend two semesters in doctoral resident study at this university. These two semesters need not be consecutive and may include one summer session. During this period, the student must be involved full time in academic pursuits, which may include a teaching or research appointments in this university. Typically, the residence requirement is satisfied by taking six credit hours of course work and engaging in research or teaching assistantship activities each of the required semesters. It is also satisfied by enrollment in 9 credit hours of coursework in each of two semesters with no assistantship. 2) Full-Time/Half Time/Part-Time Status Some scholarships, fellowships, and other financial aid require certification of enrollment status. Students are responsible to review all Graduate Studies policies and financial aid certification requirements. International Students should also meet the requirements of their visa status. They must consult with the Office for International Students in order to determine these requirements. 3) Maximum Tenure and Continuation in the Program Once admitted, by Graduate Studies policy, a doctoral student must complete all requirements for the degree within eight years. In cases in which compelling reasons recommend an extension of the normal eight year limit, the Ph.D. Committee of this School has authority to grant extensions on the written advice of the student s chairperson of the Qualifying or Dissertation Committees. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

17 Unless the student petitions the Ph.D. Program Committee for such an extension prior to the limit, he or she will be automatically dismissed from the program, regardless of the student s progress or the status of his or her doctoral work. In addition, students entering beginning Fall 2005 and after will have a 5 th year review in support of their progress. Petitions for extensions in the program are considered very carefully and stringently by the Program Director and Doctoral Committee. Extensions are not granted routinely. Requests for repeated extensions are given even closer scrutiny and are granted only in exceptional cases. The Program Director cautions students about the severe risk of failing to complete within 8 years. 4) Leave of Absence Graduate Studies and the Doctoral Program discourage extended leaves of absence. A student may petition the Program Director for a leave of absence to pursue full-time professional activities related to the student s doctoral program and long-range professional goals. A leave of absence may also be granted because of illness or other emergency. A leave of absence may be granted for up to one year, with the possibility of an extension upon request. After an absence of five years, however, a doctoral aspirant or candidate automatically loses status as such and, in order to continue, must apply for readmission to the program. Note that for students who do not enroll but have not been granted a leave of absence, time continues to be depleted toward the eight year limit for completion. Leave of absence is granted by a letter from the Program Director, given to the student and placed in his or her file. Leaves of absence are not granted merely for pursuit of employment or vacation. Students on leave of absence are not eligible for Graduate Research or Teaching Assistantships or financial aid. Time during a leave of absence is not counted toward maximum tenure within the program. E. Administration of Program 1) Graduate Studies of KU The Ph.D. degree in Social Work is granted by Graduate Studies of The University of Kansas. Most policies and procedures of our Doctoral Program are determined internally. However, our Doctoral Program is governed by Graduate Studies. Graduate Studies policies and procedures supersede those of our program if there are any discrepancies. Also, Graduate Studies has policies and procedures that are not covered in this handbook. Doctoral students and faculty must be familiar with these. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

18 2) Program Director and PhD Program Committee PROGRAM DIRECTOR The PhD Program Director has primary administrative responsibility. The PhD director is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Dean, and coordinates with the School s Associate Dean for Academics and Associate Dean for Research, as well as the Dean of KU Graduate Studies. The Director s administrative performance is reviewed by the Dean every year. Although there is no regular limit on the Director s term, the Doctoral Program Committee recommends that the Director serve between five and seven years. Ideally, the last year of service can include transition and orientation for an incoming Director. PH.D PROGRAM CURRICULUM COMMITTEE This committee addresses questions of curriculum, procedure and policy, and acts on student petitions. In cases requiring major curriculum changes, all faculty vote on such matters after the changes have been approved by the Doctoral Committee. Elected student members have voting rights on all but confidential personnel matters and student petitions. The Director of the Ph.D. Program serves as the chair of the Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee. The membership of the committee consists of 6 faculty members and 3 students. The six faculty members of the Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee include: the Ph.D. Program Director, 3 faculty elected for 2 year terms by the faculty as a whole, and 2 faculty appointed by the Dean in consultation with the Program Director. Faculty may serve consecutive terms. Faculty serving on the Doctoral Committee who take leave are placed on inactive status during the absence. During the member s absence, the Program Director appoints a temporary replacement. The three elected student members of the Ph.D. Program Curriculum Committee include one enrolled representative from each of the following three cohorts: the entering class; students who have completed their first two semesters but have not yet finished coursework; students who have completed all coursework. Student representatives terms are for one year and may be consecutive. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

19 Elected student members may vote on any issues other than student petitions and other confidential personnel matters. Elected student members represent their cohort s views and interests, as well as their own. They may request items to be added to meeting agendas. Elected student members as well as other students who choose to attend may contribute to committee discussions. The student member of the Curriculum Committee with most seniority is invited to attend full Faculty Meetings as a doctoral student representative. 3) Admissions Committee The Admissions Committee is composed of the 6 faculty members of the PhD Program Curriculum Committee. It meets soon after the February 1 deadline, ranks the applicants, and makes admission decisions. Graduate Studies offers admission based on recommendation from our Admissions Committee. 4) Doctoral Student Organization The Social Work Doctoral Student Organization is a formal organization within the Doctoral Program. It provides forums for student discussions and invited presentations pertinent to any student interests and also may voice their concerns and suggestions as recommend topics for discussion to the student representatives on the Doctoral Committee, the Program Director, Dean, and others. The student members of the PhD Program Curriculum Committee will be responsible for continuing it year to year. 5) Advisement, Educational Planning and Enrollment The primary purpose of the advising system is to provide advice, support, mentoring, and evaluation for students by faculty. The Doctoral Program Office also keeps a database for tracking student progress to help students and faculty to evaluate and guide students educational planning and progress. a) Types of Advisors There are two types of advisors: Enrollment Advisor and Academic Advisor. The Enrollment Advisor helps the student to schedule classes, assures compliance with school and university regulations for scheduling, and gives enrollment permission. The Enrollment Advisor is the Director of the Doctoral Program for all students until they have formed a Qualifying Papers Committee. The Academic Advisor provides advice, support, evaluative, and monitoring for the student. The Academic Advisor is responsible to notify the Program Director whenever serious academic difficulty is identified for an advisee, so that appropriate supports and responses can be devised. The Program Director serves as Academic Advisor to incoming students. The Spring Ph.D. Handbook

20 Director also helps students to identify an ongoing Academic Advisor during their first year, based on matching common interests between the student and relevant faculty. A student may change Academic Advisor at any time, by following the procedures described below. Once a student has formed a Qualifying Papers Committee, the chair of that committee serves in the capacities of both enrollment and Academic Advisor. Once a student has formed a Doctoral Dissertation Committee, the chair of that committee serves in the capacities of both Enrollment and Academic Advisor. b) Changing Academic Advisor and Record Keeping Each time an Academic Advisor is assigned or changed, the Academic Advisor Form must be updated and placed in the student s file in the Doctoral Program Office. (See Appendix I, Academic Advisor Assignment Form.) A student may request a change of Academic Advisor at any time. A faculty member may also choose to discontinue as Academic Advisor at any time. c) Enrollment Procedure in Relation to Academic and Enrollment Advisors Enrollment is completed online, and is the responsibility of the student. The Doctoral Program Office is not responsible for completing students enrollment procedures. Before enrolling, the student must consult with the Academic Advisor and Enrollment Advisor to confirm that the enrollment plan is consistent with university and doctoral program policies and procedures and that it supports the student s academic goals. d) Progress Toward Degree Students must comply with Graduate Studies policies for continuous enrollment. (See the Graduate Studies Catalogue.) Students who are not continuously enrolled may be discontinued from the doctoral program pending Program Director or Doctoral Committee review. Students who do not plan to enroll for a regular semester must apply for a leave of absence as explained in previous section D. Program Time Constraints. Students who are Graduate Research Assistants during a summer must maintain at least one credit hour of enrollment to reflect the educational feature of the GRA. This can be fulfilled by a special one credit hour Readings and Investigation (R&I) course (see the Handbook section on R&I elective coursework) or enrollment in some other course at one or more credit hours as needed. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

21 Students and their Academic Advisors meet once per year to identify and address any concerns. Even if there are no concerns, the Academic Advisor and student must update the Academic Progress Report Form at least once per year, and provide it to the Doctoral Program Office. (See Appendix II). If an evaluation reveals problems that appear difficult to resolve, and if the Program Director has been consulted and no resolution has been found, then the matter is brought before the Doctoral Committee (faculty members only). The Committee makes a recommendation to the student, advisor and Program Director, who, together, decide how to act upon the recommendation. e) Annual Evaluation of Student s File The annual evaluation of the student s file, conducted by the Program Director, serves two basic purposes: 1) ensure accuracy of each student file (courses completed, grades received, Qualifying Papers passed, etc.), 2) identify academic problems and develop strategies with the student and Academic Advisor to resolve difficulties if necessary. 6) Academic Good Standing and Dismissal A student must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). NOTE: For this purpose, GPA is computed using the 24 credit hours comprising the core social work courses only. If the GPA falls below that standard, the student is placed on probation for the following semester. The student is notified in writing that the GPA must improve to at least the 3.0 minimum by the conclusion of the probationary semester or the student faces possible dismissal from the program. Working closely with the Academic Advisor and the Program Director, as well as appropriate faculty, a student should develop a plan to return to academic good standing within the time limit. If this is not achieved, the Doctoral Program Committee will determine if the student may continue for an additional semester. Dismissal from the Program is made by the Dean, upon recommendation of the Program Director. Grounds for dismissal include failure to maintain the minimum GPA requirement, failure of the Qualifying Paper process, failure of the Oral Comprehensive Exam or Final Dissertation Defense, failure to maintain continuous enrollment, failure to adhere to the profession s Code of Ethics, or engaging in any conduct which does not comply with School of Social Welfare, Graduate Studies, and University standards, policies and procedures. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

22 7) Doctoral Faculty Roles and Eligibility Requirements a) Graduate Faculty Status According to Graduate Studies policy, all faculty hired in tenure track positions are automatically designated members of the graduate faculty. In our School of Social Welfare, all graduate faculty persons with a doctoral degree may teach, advise, serve on committees, and perform other functions in the doctoral program as long as they also meet other eligibility requirements that pertain to a specific role. Qualified scholars who are not KU graduate faculty may apply to Graduate Studies via the Social Work Doctoral Program Office for special permission to teach or serve on Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation Committees. This includes retired former KU faculty. b) Membership in the Qualifying Paper Committee and Dissertation Committee All graduate faculty at the KUSSW are eligible to be members of Qualifying paper and Dissertation Committees. All graduate faculty may chair Qualifying Paper Committees, but to be eligible to chair a Dissertation Committee, the faculty must demonstrate continuing activity commensurate with being an established scholar in his or her field and involvement in the graduate education program as evidenced by graduate advising, teaching, and thesis and dissertation committee membership. Faculty who wish to seek dissertation chair status must apply to Graduate Studies via our Program Director. Check with the Doctoral Program Office for a current list of faculty approved to be Dissertation Chairs. c) Teaching in the Doctoral Program Criteria for Teaching Faculty are assigned to teach in the PhD Program by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, in consultation with the PhD Program Director and PhD Committee. General recommendations of PhD Committee regarding eligibility criteria for doctoral teaching: (1) graduate faculty status; (2) experience teaching content relevant to the particular course; (3) record of scholarly publications related to the course to be taught within the past five years; (4) average C&I evaluation scores in overall teaching effectiveness across all courses at or above the school mean for the past three years, if available; (5) familiarity with the content and teachings methods of the particular course, including discussion with the current instructor and participation in class sessions. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

23 The PhD committee also recommends that 5 years be the standard expectation for any one course, contingent on satisfactory performance, in order to provide wide opportunity for faculty to teach at the PhD level. The Committee also recommends that no faculty teach more than one PhD course per year, and that the Program Director teach one course per year to maintain familiarity with the program and the students. NOTE TO STUDENTS: Doctoral Faculty are on nine month contracts with regard to curriculum activities. If you wish to work with faculty during the summer or their sabbatical leaves, please clarify their availability ahead of time. If a faculty person with whom you work plans to enter phased or full retirement, be sure to plan accordingly. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

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25 SECTION II Components of the Curriculum Spring Ph.D. Handbook

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27 A. Purpose and Expectations Coursework, the Qualifying Paper, the Oral Comprehensive Exam (i.e. Dissertation Proposal Defense), and the Dissertation prepare students to become knowledgeable about relevant concepts, methods, traditions, and intellectual skills necessary for a successful career as a scholar in social work. In , the School conducted a thorough review of the PhD program that included student, faculty, and alumni surveys; several open meetings; and a site visit and written report from two external consultants. This review resulted in the faculty of the School voting to implement improvements to several areas, including coursework and the qualifying paper process. B. Flow of the Curriculum Design 1) Curriculum Design The curriculum is designed to provide standard core content for all students and also to give flexibility for students to develop particular expertise in chosen areas of inquiry and research methods. Required social work doctoral courses provide a common base of knowledge and skills. Electives, the Qualifying Paper, the oral comprehensive exam, and the dissertation allow greater focus and specialization. The cumulative effect of coursework and the Qualifying Paper should be to create a clear area of specialization or emphasis. The dissertation involves detailed scholarly investigation within this area. Students are not required to use the same or similar topic and methodology developed in the Qualifying Paper for the dissertation. However, doing so is the most efficient way to proceed through the program. It is realistic to expect that the PhD Program can be completed in 4 years, whether taking 3 or 2 courses per semester. Students must plan carefully with their advisors, because core courses are offered only once per year, and electives from within the School are generally offered every other year. The following chart depicts the schedule for completion of the program in the minimal amount of time. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

28 FULL TIME (3 course) SCHEDULE, TIME TO COMPLETION, 3.5 to 4 years YEAR 1 Fall Spring Summer SW980 History and Philosophy of SW SW978 Research Design/Methods SW 982 Social Welfare Policy SW981 Quantitative Research I SW 984 SW Practice SW 985 Theory for Research Elective (3 hours) YEAR 2 Fall Spring Summer SW983 Quantitative Research 2 Research Skills Elective (3 hours)** Elective (3 hours) YEAR 3 SW 979 Qualitative research Elective (3 hours) Form Qualifying Paper Committee and submit QP proposal Begin work on Qualifying Paper Enroll in Research Hours as needed Fall Spring Summer Submit Qualifying Paper for grading Form Dissertation Committee If possible, Defend Dissertation Proposal (Oral Comprehensive Exam) Enroll in Dissertation Hours as needed Defend Dissertation Proposal (Comprehensive Oral Examination) Begin dissertation Research Continue dissertation research. Defend dissertation in Fall or Spring of Year 4 PART TIME (2 course) SCHEDULE, COMPLETION IN 4 YEARS The FULL TIME option would require complete focus on doctoral study and a rapid pace of dissertation work. Usually students are engaged in assistantships and/or other commitments, and more time consuming dissertations, which make this schedule unrealistic. Given these outside time commitments, many students opt to take two courses a semester rather than three. If electives are taken in the summers, this 2 course per semester option is JUST AS FAST as the 3 course option for completion of the Spring Ph.D. Handbook

29 program. The difference is that elective coursework extends to the Fall of year 3, but the Qualifying Paper and the dissertation are not necessarily delayed. Also, NOTE that the first semester MUST include SW 978, the prerequisite for the other research courses. The following chart shows an example of this timeline. YEAR 1 (See course titles above) SW 978 (mandatory) SW 980 OR SW 982 YEAR 2 SW 983 SW 980 OR SW 982 YEAR 3 Fall Spring Summer SW 981 (mandatory) SW 985 OR SW 984 Elective (3 hours) Fall Spring Summer SW 979 SW 985 OR SW984 Form QP Committee and submit QP proposal Continue work on Qualifying Paper Elective Elective Fall Spring Summer Submit QP for grading Form Dissertation Committee If possible, defend Dissertation proposal Enroll in Research Hours as needed Elective Same as FULL TIME above Same as FULL TIME above. NOTE: Due to employment or other obligations, some students take as few as one course in some semesters. These students need to assess their plan to graduation carefully with their advisors. 2) Tips for Efficient Progress Sometimes students ask how one can finish the program most quickly. So here are some tips for completing the program most efficiently and quickly, for those who wish to do so. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

30 Throughout all phases of the doctoral program, keep doctoral study as your full time work (meaning 40 hours per week, not just full time enrolled student ) and primary commitment. If you engage in Teaching or Research Assistantships or other forms of employment, make sure that your total workload in all activities is realistic and that doctoral education does not suffer. Assistantships should enhance your educational experience. Pay attention to your well-being in personal life and find ways for the doctoral program to enhance your personal growth and satisfaction. Use the Qualifying Paper to develop toward a dissertation idea Continue to utilize some members of the Qualifying Paper Committee on the Oral Comprehensive Exam Committees when forming the Dissertation Committee. Choose a dissertation topic that is focused and do-able. Complete the Dissertation Proposal and defend it as soon as possible after the Qualifying Paper is completed. Keep the dissertation study plan focused on a well-developed and realistic timeline. Throughout the dissertation process, make this your full time work and primary commitment. Think about how your doctoral study can contribute to your long-term scholarly career and personal life. C. Required Core Courses 1) Core Courses The eight core social work courses (see abstracts below) are designed to prepare students to become leaders nationally and internationally in advancing social work practice and policy through research and scholarship. The courses expand students intellectual and writing abilities, preparing them to make contributions to the social work knowledge base through qualitative and quantitative research, theoretical and conceptual scholarship, best practices critiques and advancements, and policy analysis. SW978: Research Design and Methods This class is an in-depth introduction to the process of conducting research. This introduction provides the essential context for the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research courses. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

31 SW 979: Methods of Qualitative Inquiry This course provides a detailed overview of knowledge and skills in qualitative inquiry. It examines issues in the philosophy of science and paradigms for qualitative inquiry in social work. It emphasizes principles and procedures for qualitative inquiry design, including an introduction to data collection, analysis, report writing, while attending to criteria for establishing trustworthiness. Social Welfare 980: History and Philosophy of Social Work This course is designed to provide students with opportunities to examine the underlying conceptual frameworks of social work practice their history and present manifestations. This course rests on the definition of social work practice that includes the interaction of knowledge, value, and skill around professional purpose and in the context of professional sanction. SW 981: Advanced Quantitative Research Methods I This course, which includes a lab, focuses on quantitative research methodology and related inferential statistics, emphasizing mastery of specific methodological and statistical knowledge and skills. The course will address the following topics: the framing of research questions; the selection of appropriate research methods and designs; the selection of appropriate statistics for data analysis; the principles of analysis; interpretation of findings; and the presentation of results. SW 982: Social Welfare Policy This seminar helps doctoral students learn to analyze social welfare policies and programs. After comparing and contrasting various policy analysis frameworks, students learn to analyze the ways in which social conditions, values, and ideologies shape the definitions of social problems as well as the development, implementation, and evaluation of social welfare policies that impact those problems. SW983: Advanced Research Methods II The purpose of this advanced research methods course is to help equip professionals to design and carry out research with direct implications for social work practice and social welfare policy. Building on the experience in SW 978 and SW 981, this course will focus on more advanced topics in research design and both experimental and correlational statistical analyses. Spring Ph.D. Handbook

32 SW 984: Social Work Practice: Identifying and Improving Best Practices The main focus of this seminar is on developing skills for conducting multidimensional, value critical inquiry about best practices relevant to social work practice, and applying the results of that inquiry toward extending and improving current best practices. SW 985: Theory for Research This course provides an introduction to interdisciplinary theory for applied social research, focusing on: (1) the roles and uses of theory in social inquiry (2) theory building and theory testing (3) induction and deduction (4) the articulation of common or related theoretical traditions in various social science disciplines. 2) Statistics Assessment To help prepare students for the first two quantitative research courses (SW 981 and SW 983), incoming students may be asked to complete a statistics assessment prior to or at the beginning of entering SW 981. This is a self-administered and graded assessment designed to give the student a sense of readiness to take the quantitative courses. If the assessment suggests that further preparation is needed, the student will meet with the Program Director and a faculty member to discuss options. The purpose of these steps is to ensure success for all students. 3) Research Skill or Foreign Language Options Before completing the Oral Comprehensive Examination for the Ph.D., the student consults with the Academic Advisor and must satisfy one of the following options: Option 1: Research Skills Elective In consultation with the student s Academic Advisor, develop competency in one area of research skill relevant to social work research but not routinely required. A student may choose from a variety of approved options, including but not limited to advanced statistics, computer language, historical method, ethnographic methods, psychometrics, advanced data management techniques, and content analysis. Such a course is usually taken in another department and must be approved by the Director of the Doctoral Program based on written statement of support from the student s Academic Advisor. Approval is automatic if the course has been previously approved by the Program Director. See Appendix III for a list of research skills elective courses that have previously been approved (but others are possible as well). Students in this option must take at least one research skills elective (3 hours credit) as part of the 12 elective hours required. Spring Ph.D. Handbook