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PhD Degree Requirements

The curriculum reflects a balance between research and theory, and includes courses in social policy, social work practice theory, social justice, and social science knowledge. A minimum of 48 semester credit hours (SCH) is required for the Ph.D. degree: 39 hours in coursework and 9 hours in dissertation research.

Comprehensive examinations

Students are required to pass the comprehensive examinations after all required course work is completed.

Proposal and dissertation

After a student has successfully completed the comprehensive examinations and has demonstrated readiness to pursue independent research, s/he is responsible for organizing a Dissertation Committee, developing a dissertation proposal, and completing the dissertation.

The proposal must provide a comprehensive overview of the proposed dissertation. The focus of the dissertation must fall within the area of social welfare. Dissertation research is organized around one or more testable hypotheses or may be exploratory in nature. The proposed dissertation must also be feasible in terms of the candidate's qualifications to complete the study, the data available, the resources required for the study, and a reasonable timeline for completion.

Students are required to follow all UH timelines and policies. All dissertations must be completed within five years of passing the qualifying examination or students will be required to retake the examination. Students must finish their dissertation within 10 years of the date of their first enrollment in the Doctoral Program. It is recommended that students successfully complete their proposal defense no later than the fifth semester following their comprehensive examinations. This provides five semesters to complete the entire dissertation before the UH five-year deadline.

The Dissertation Chairperson is the student's major advisor in formulating the Dissertation proposal, conducting ongoing research, and preparing the final dissertation. The proposal must be successfully defended prior to registration for the Dissertation course.

Advisement

The Ph.D. Program Director serves as the Faculty Advisor for students until a Dissertation Chairperson is chosen. Students are urged to consult with a wide range of faculty members on matters related to substantive areas of their course of study.