We also want to help our students become conversant with some of the excitement and turmoil in the epistemology of the profession-how professionals come to know what they know and how they put it into practice, with what effects on consumers. The school has a strong commitment to the pursuit of social justice and to the development and use of knowledge to combat social, political, and economic oppression. The Curriculum Courses prepare students to function with conceptual and methodological sophistication. Proseminars focus on the intellectual history and current status of social work ideas and ideologies and on developing a critique and revision of that knowledge. In the research sequence, students learn both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, designs and advanced modes of analysis, and to apply them in actual situations.
Students critically consider human problems and strategies for change and transformation.
The Ph.D. program contributes significantly to the model of community-based research, service, and education developed by the school. Many faculty members and doctoral students conduct research, teach, and practice with underserved populations, people of color, and status minorities. Under the direction of a faculty member, some Ph.D. students help with research projects and at the same time may serve as field instructors for M.S.W. students who are providing services in the community where the research is being conducted. The program requires a minimum of 54 credit hours. To fulfill elective hours, students may take graduate-level courses in any substantive area or research technique necessary for successful completion of the doctoral program.