Doctor of Social Work

Frequently Asked Questions
(Pending final approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the first cohort will be in Summer 2026.)

The DSW Degree

A Doctor of Social Work (DSW) is a practice-focused doctoral degree designed for experienced social workers who want to advance their expertise in leadership, education, policy, clinical practice, or organizational change. The DSW follows a practitioner-scholar model, applying existing research and advanced skills to solve complex, real-world problems.

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.

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
 

Curriculum

UTA’s DSW program is focused on preparing seasoned social work practitioners to teach and lead in university contexts, though the skills you’ll gain are also applicable to other contexts such as clinical practice. Explore our curriculum here.

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: 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, ethics of self-care and equipping DSW to lead self-care initiatives at the organizational level.
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.

Capstone projects vary between DSW programs. At UTA, our capstone is designed to prepare you as an advanced practitioner-scholar 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.
 
UTA’s School of Social Work has two CSWE accredited programs, our Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Historically, the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) has not accredited any doctoral programs. They still do not accredit PhDs, but as of March 2025, CSWE began awarding accreditation to the first three DSW programs who went through a special pilot program which was not offered to all schools. CSWE does provide recommended competencies and guidelines, which we follow closely. We have also been working to align our curriculum with the latest draft DSW accreditation guidelines. The UTA DSW program is well-positioned to pursue accreditation when CSWE begins offering DSW level accreditation to all DSW programs, likely in late fall 2025.

Online Learning

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.

Admissions

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 2026, pending the timing of those final approvals. We will communicate the start date to those on the interest list as soon as it is finalized.

Three years post-MSW social work practice experience is calculated in relation to the total number of hours of full-time and equivalent professional practice experience (roughly 6,000 hours). Social work practice experience is defined as providing social work services to individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities. Social work services can include work in professional social work auspices under the supervision of professional social work supervisors, volunteer practice experience in a social service agency, and paid experience as a consultant in the areas of the individual’s practice expertise. It does not include academic appointments. The clock begins after graduating from an MSW program. Applicants who do not yet have three years of practice experience at the time of applying, but will by the start of the DSW program, will be considered.

Given the practical and applied nature of the DSW curriculum, it’s critical to have ample practice experience as a Masters or Clinical level practitioner to be successful in the program. This requirement also aligns our program to Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation standards, and we cannot offer exceptions. As you continue to gain experience, we encourage you to prepare for a DSW by pursuing opportunities to develop expertise in your field, engage with research where possible, hone your writing, take on leadership roles, solidify your career goals (if you want to teach, that's a great fit for our program!), consider a capstone focus, and identify references who can speak to your professionalism, academic aptitude, and social work skills.

Given the practice-oriented nature of the DSW, we expect that many successful applicants will hold current social work licensure. Although licensure is encouraged, it is not required. 

Equivalent coursework completed at other recognized doctoral program in good standing may be transferred to the UTA DSW program after evaluation and approval. The number of transfer hours is limited to 25% percent of the total program hours (maximum of 11 credit hours). Transfer credit will be accepted only for organized courses in which the student received a letter grade of B or higher and an official transcript showing the course(s) and grade(s) is required. All work submitted for transfer credit must have been completed no more than six years before completion of the DSW degree program at UT Arlington.  To evaluate transfer credit, please send unofficial transcripts, course descriptions and course syllabi to the DSW program director.

Finances

We are proud to be among the most affordable DSW programs in the nation. UTA’s tuition estimator can help give you an idea of anticipated rates, though tuition may vary slightly from year to year. To use the estimator, select Graduate, Resident (with our Non- Resident Online Distance Education Program (NRODE), in-state and out of state rates are similar), Traditional, Regular, and then under Assign Credit Hours, select School of Social Work and either 6 (Fall/Spring) or 3 (Summer) to help you estimate costs.

All DSW students who successfully complete the Teaching Practicum will receive a $3,5000 Graduate Teaching Assistantship.

Although we cannot confirm UTA scholarships for DSW students at this time, this may be a possibility in the future.  Additionally, you are welcome to pursue other funding sources such as outside (e.g. national, cause-based) scholarships, student loans, veteran benefits, employer reimbursement programs, etc. The UTA Office of Financial Aid and Military & Veteran Services can provide more information.

Career Advancement

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.

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 to explore which degree best fits your career goals.