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Ph.D. ProgramStudent Handbook2018-2019UNIVERITY OF MISSOURISCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK729 Clark HallColumbia, MO 652111 Page
GREETINGSThe faculty and staff of the University of Missouri’s School of Social Work PhDProgram would like to welcome you! Our program stands apart from other doctoraltraining programs in social work and social welfare for several reasons. First, ours isthe only PhD program in all of Missouri’s publicly funded institutions of highereducation. Second, given our standing amongst the Association of AmericanUniversities, and in the spirit of our land grant mission as Missouri’s flagshipinstitution of higher learning, our goal is to prepare social work scholars who cancompetently engage in all stages of the social prevention-intervention developmentand research cycle to better the lives of people. Third, we work alongside eachstudent to craft an individualized learning plan that promotes their interests andbuilds upon prior experiences as we teach them basic social scientific skills so theycan (a) expertly identify social problems; (b) design, implement, and rigorously testsocial interventions to alleviate those problems; and (c) contribute our collectivesocial science knowledge through effective analytical, writing, and teaching skills.Our former graduates work in a range of policy, practice, and academic settingswhere they successfully apply these skills. Our current students regularly contributeto ongoing research to advance progressive social programs and policies anddisseminate knowledge in journals, at conferences, and in trainings for social workprofessionals. Ultimately, it is expected that graduates with a PhD in Social Workfrom the University of Missouri will pursue scholarly careers in academic, research,or program/policy settings using basic and applied research skills we impart herein our program. It is also expected that the scholarly careers of our graduates willultimately enhance the lives of individual people and the social systems with whichthey interact.We are honored to have you here at the University of Missouri’s School of SocialWork PhD program for your training. Please take some time to get involved at ourschool with our top notch faculty and their current research interests. Key to a greatexperience in doctoral education is commitment to the path of becoming an expertand scholar in your area of interest. We are eager to assist you.Sincerely,The Faculty of the MU, School of Social Work Ph.D. Training Program2 Page
TABLE OF CONTENTS (revised August 2018)I. Purpose of the Handbook . 5II. The School of Social Work in the University Context . 5The University of Missouri (MU)TraditionHistoryThe Office of Graduate StudiesHistory of the MU School of Social WorkBSW ProgramMSW ProgramPhD ProgramIII. The PhD Program in Social Work . 6Mission StatementBasic Components of the PhD ProgramCourse WorkDissertationIV. PhD Program . 7Selection of AdvisorSelection of Dissertation CommitteeV. Admission Requirements . 8MU Office of Graduate Studies ApplicationTransfer of CreditVI. PhD Program Requirements . 10Progression through Doctoral ProgramQualifying ExaminationProgram InformationDegree FormsFull Time Enrollment StatusResidency RequirementsCredit-hour RequirementsPlan of StudyReasonable Rate of ProgressProgress ReviewVII. Course Requirements . 13Curriculum OverviewGradesDetailed Outline of the Research Application CourseTypical Plan of Study TablesVIII. The Comprehensive Examination . 19Comprehensive Examination ProcessDoctoral Candidacy and Continuous EnrollmentIX. The Dissertation. 193 Page
Dissertation and Dissertation DefenseDissertation CommitteeResearch Related TopicsProtection of Human SubjectsResearchIRB TrainingSchool of Social Work Authorship PolicyX. Special Advising .21PurposeInitiationComposition of Special Advising CommitteeProceduresXI. Dismissal and Appeals Process .22MU Office of Graduate Studies Dismissal and Appeals ProcessStudent Dismissal Policy StatementDecision to DismissSSW Doctoral Program Appeals ProcessInitial ProceduresHearing ProceduresProcess of Appeals to the Graduate Faculty SenateXII. The Office of Graduate Studies .27Governance of the Offices of Graduate StudiesOpportunities and Benefits for Graduate StudentsXIII. Financial Assistance .33Graduate AssistantshipsOther School Awarded AssistanceNeed-based Financial AidXIV. School of Social Work Resources for Students .34XV. MU Resources for Students .35XVI. Appendices .38A. School and University PoliciesB. Contact Information for the SSW Faculty and StaffStudents admitted to the School of Social Work DoctoralProgram and/or beginning study as of the Fall Semester 2018are subject to the regulations and requirements of this handbookwhich is the official policy of the program and supersedes allprevious published handbooks and policy statements.14 Page
I.PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOKThis handbook has been designed to supplement the University of Missouri (MU) website withdetails about the School of Social Work’s PhD Program, including expectations, policies andprocedures. The faculty and staff of the School of Social Work provide education, leadership,mentoring, and guidance to assist students in obtaining the maximum possible benefit fromgraduate education. For additional advice and/or clarification of policies and procedures, studentsshould consult with their assigned academic advisor, the PhD program chair, or program staff.II.THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN THE UNIVERSITY CONTEXTThe University of Missouri Tradition. The University of Missouri System—a land grantinstitution—has provided teaching, research and service to Missouri and the nation since 1839. TheUniversity of Missouri was the first publicly supported institution of higher education established inthe Louisiana Purchase territory. Its philosophy of education was shaped in accordance with theideals of Thomas Jefferson, who was an early proponent of public higher education. Today, theUniversity of Missouri System is one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious public researchuniversities, with nearly 70,000 students on four campuses and hundreds of thousands servedstatewide through University of Missouri Extension and University of Missouri Health System.HistoryMissouri University (Mizzou), established in Columbia in 1839, is the oldest state university west ofthe Mississippi River. MU is the largest of the four campuses of the University of Missouri System.Other units in the system include The University of Missouri- St. Louis (UMSL), The University ofMissouri- Kansas City (UMKC) and the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MUST) inRolla MO.The Office of Graduate StudiesMU Master’s degrees were first awarded in 1846. The first doctor of philosophy degree wasawarded in 1899. MU is one of the most comprehensive and diverse universities in the UnitedStates. As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and a CarnegieFoundation Advancement of Teaching classified “Comprehensive Doctoral withMedical/Veterinary degrees,” MU is a premier provider of graduate and professional education.History of the MU School of Social WorkOur BSW and MSW programs are accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE),the national accrediting body for professional social work education. Our PhD program is the onlysocial work doctoral program available at a Missouri public institution of higher education.BSW Program. While sociology, psychology and related degrees provide generalizedpreparation for a number of careers, a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree provides youwith specific, targeted courses that train you in treating the whole person within thecontext of his or her environment. BSW students receive training in advocacy, assessment,case management, community outreach, crisis intervention, intake/referral, interviewing,problem solving, research and service planning.MSW Program. The University of Missouri’s MSW Program prepares competent,effective and ethical social work professional leaders for social change. The MSW Programemphasizes a commitment to enhancing human well-being by alleviating social problems,5 Page
embracing diversity and promoting social and economic justice with systems of all sizesthrough advanced clinical social work practice and policy planning and administrative socialwork practice.PhD Program. The Ph.D. program prepares researchers and scholars trained in an arrayof skills to competentlyengage in each stage of thesocial science preventionintervention continuum forover 12 years. Graduatesfrom our Ph.D. programare expected to work inacademic or socialpolicy/program settings andutilize these skills toimprove the lives of peopleand their interactions withsocial systems.III. THE PHD PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORKMission Statement. To prepare social work scholars who can competently engage in eachstage of the social prevention-intervention development and research cycle. Graduates ofthe MU SSW PhD program will be competent in the skills needed to: Identify malleable predictors/correlates of prominent social problemso Skills: the ability to competently engage in systematic literature reviews and metaanalyses, survey and needs assessments, epidemiological studiesDesign, develop, implement, and rigorously test innovative social interventions that leveragemalleable predictors/correlates that mitigate the development of prominent social problemso Skills: Quantitative and qualitative research methodology, analytical skills, and thecapacity to integrate scientifically supported practicesContribute to the knowledge base of the social work profession regarding scientificallysupported practices to altero Skills: the abilities to develop and teach courses in higher education, write researchproposals to fund innovative research questions; write manuscripts that disseminateinformation contributing to the development of scientifically supported social workpractice, and to present research findings verbally.Basic Components of the PhD ProgramThe PhD Program is comprised of course work, the qualifying and comprehensive examinations,conducting dissertation research and writing an integrated paper. The program is structuredconsecutively to prepare students to develop and conduct their research successfully.Course Work. Courses are taught by social work faculty, as well as faculty from otherdivisions and specialties.Courses in: Social Work 9100: Essential Social Work Knowledge6 Page
Social Work 9300: Research Methods Seminar (Research I)Social Work 9350: Advanced Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in SocialResearch (Research II) Social Work 9650: Pedagogical MethodsDissertation. Development of the dissertation is guided by an advisor and dissertationcommittee composed of four or more faculty members, three of whom must be SSWfaculty and one of whom must be a faculty member from another division of theUniversity.Dissertation Proposal: Proposal DefenseDissertation: Dissertation DefenseFallYear 1Spring9100 Knldg bldg3Elective39300 Res Meth &Des I 3QualitativeMethods39001 Topics:Stats3Adv. Stats3(non-SSW)9650PedagogicalMethods19090Research inSW110 credit hrs10 credit hrsIV.Year 2SummerElective3FallSpring9800 ResApplication I19890Diss. Sem.39350 Res Meth& Des II3Elective3SocialMeasurement3STATSCamp3 credit hrsAdv. Stat (NonSSW)310 credit hrsQualifyingExamYear 3 & BeyondFallSpring9900Diss9900Diss6 credithrs6 credithrsElective39850 ResApplication II110 credit hrsTHE PHD PROGRAMSelection of AdvisorThe doctoral program director and program coordinator will advise all new students until they areassigned to a faculty advisor in the first year of their studies. Faculty advisors and students will bepaired using several factors, including similar interests, work load and availability. However,students may switch faculty advisors if, in the course of their studies, the student and facultymember both agree it is mutually beneficial to do so. There is no expectation that the first yearadvisor will remain the advisor throughout the first two year of studies or become the dissertationchair. In the event that an advisor retires or leaves MU, he/she may continue to serve as astudent’s advisor. If an advisor is unable or unwilling to continue to serve, the program directorwill assist the student to find a replacement.7 Page
Selection of Dissertation CommitteeThe Doctoral Dissertation Committee must be recommended by the student’s advisor andapproved by the doctoral program director and the Office of Graduate Studies after the successfulcompletion of the qualifying exam.The Doctoral Dissertation Committee shall be composed of a minimum of four members of theMU graduate faculty of which at least three members shall be from the School of Social Work(including the advisor) and one outside member from another MU program. Of the THREESchool of Social Work members, at least two must be doctoral faculty including the chair andone other graduate faculty member. Additional committee members with specialized expertisewho do not meet the criteria for the MU graduate faculty or doctoral faculty may serve on adoctoral committee as a fifth or sixth member, at the request of the dissertation committee’s chairand with special permission of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies.All members of the dissertation committee must be intimately involved and will actively participatein the activities of the doctoral student involving their dissertation’s preparation and defense.Dissertation committee members may call for a meeting of the full committee at any time todiscuss the student’s progress.V.ADMISSION REQUIREMENTSAdmission to the PhD program is limited and determined on a competitive basis. The doctoralfaculty of the School, sitting as a committee as a whole, makes admission decisions. Applicationdeadline is January 15th. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply earlier for admission to takefull advantage of available scholarship funds and assistantship positions.Criteria used in assessing an applicant’s qualifications include all of the following:1. Presently hold a master’s degree. Applicants who have a master’s degree, but not an MSWdegree from a CSWE accredited program will be required to take up to 12 credit hours ofMSW elective courses while completing their doctoral degree. Non-MSW degree holdersare strongly advised to consider entering the Masters of Social Work (MSW) Degreeprogram or the Combined MSW/PhD program.2. Current curriculum vita. A minimum of two years’ postmasters practice experience ispreferred.3. Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 forthe final 60 hours of the baccalaureate degree generally will be required. A minimum of 3.5GPA for graduate work is recommended. Have taken research methods and statistics witha grade of at least a B.4. Three letters of recommendation. Two letters from professors who have known theapplicant in an academic capacity are recommended. Please do not include personal,pastoral and relative references.5. A writing sample. Submit sample of writing (e.g., previous publication, book chapter,master’s thesis, unpublished research paper, etc.).6. A personal statement of interest (double-spaced, 12-point font, 6 pages maximum) isrequired addressing the following prompts;8 PageoWhat is your area of research interest or focus?oWhat is your motivation for obtaining a doctoral degree in social work?
oWhy the achievement of a PhD in social work is important to your professional development?oWhat specifically attracts you to the University of Missouri Social Work PhD program?oWhat practice experience in social work have you had?oWhat is your career goal? What position do you plan to seek after completing the degree?7. A personal interview may be required, and if possible, will be arranged at MU. Atelephone/online interview may be utilized in some cases.8. Application fees to Office of Graduate Studies.For International Students:The TOEFL is required for international students who have English as a second language.All non-native English speaking applicants must submit either a TOEFL with a minimum totalscore of 550 on a paper-based test (PBT) or 80 (out of 120) on an internet-based test (IBT), or, anIELTS (academic version) with a minimum total score of 6.5 prior to admission. In addition, it isexpected that applicants will achieve subsection minimums of no less than 20 on IBT, 54 on PBTor 6.0 on IELTS (subsections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing). Please note thatInstitutional TOEFL (TOEFL ITP) results from schools or institutions other than the Universityof Missouri are not acceptable.Admitted Students will have completed the admission process before acceptance into the program.MU Office of Graduate Studies Application. The Office of Graduate Studies uses an onlineapplication. Our degree programs have instant access to review applications that have beensubmitted. Application fee. No action will be taken on your application until you have paid yourapplication fee.Transcripts or mark sheets. As part of the submission process, applicants are requiredto upload unofficial copies of all transcripts to the online application. If you are acceptedby an academic program, you will then be required to submit official transcripts. Afteracceptance, official transcripts must be sent directly from each university or college youhave attended. (Note that certain international institutions issue transcripts in officially-sealed envelopesonly to their students; if this is the case, MU accepts those sealed official documents when mailed to MU bythe applicant.) Transcripts/mark sheets for all baccalaureate degrees or equivalents and anyadditional degrees must be sent in both English and the native language. Institutions mustmail official transcripts and marks sheets directly to Graduate Admissions, University ofMissouri, 210 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-1160.Please note: The Office of Graduate Studies has additional requirements for internationalapplicants. Students who are veterans can learn about benefits or can visit in the MU VeteransCenter on campus. There you can receive G.I. Bill information and certification for eligibleveterans, dependents and vocational rehabilitation veterans. The office also furnishes informationon military service educational assistance programs.Transfer of CreditThe doctoral program committee m
The faculty and staff of the University of Missouri’s School of Social Work PhD Program would like to welcome you! Our program stands apart from other doctoral training programs in social work and social welfare for several reasons. First, ours is the only PhD program in all of Mis
