Dr. Patrice Jenkins
Interim Program Chair
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
Telephone: 601-979-8897
e-mail: phdssw@jsums.edu

Faculty

Dr. P. Hernandez, Associate Professor
Dr. P. Jenkins, Interim Ph.D. Program Chair, Associate Professor
Dr. J. Lee, Associate Professor
Dr. G. Prater, Professor, Dean Emerita
Dr. J. Schroeder, Professor
Dr. E. Yoon, Associate Professor
Dr. T. Brown, MSW Program Chair, Associate Professor

Mission

The mission of the program is to prepare students for leadership roles as scholars in social work education and research who will advance knowledge about social work and social welfare to assist in resolving urban and rural issues facing families, communities, and society in general.   

Objectives

The objectives of the program are consistent with the missions of the School, College, and University. Students are required to demonstrate the following:

• Knowledge of the history, philosophy, and organization of social work education, related contemporary issues, and design, implementation and assessment of social work/social welfare curricula;
• Knowledge of social work perspectives and behavioral and social science theories and skills to analyze and assess their application to social work research;
• Knowledge of social science and social work research/statistics and skills to conduct rigorous scientific inquiry;
• Knowledge and skills required to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate social problems and social welfare policies, with emphasis on populations facing discrimination and oppression in the global society;
• Knowledge regarding a substantive research area of interest.
• Knowledge of the characteristics of higher education and related issues and strategies to. enhance professional roles as scholars and educators.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must apply to the Division of Graduate Studies and the Ph.D. Program in Social Work. Please visit www.jsums.edu/graduateschool/ and submit your application and materials via AdmissionsPros. Please do not email materials. Admission to the program is highly selective and is determined by the following criteria:

• Master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or a master’s degree in a related discipline;
• Admission to the Division of Graduate Studies at Jackson State University; 
• 3.3 or above G.P.A.,
• Above average undergraduate G.P.A.
• Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) taken within the past five years;
• For international applicants, satisfactory performance on TOEFL by demonstrating oral and written proficiency;
• For applicants with the M. S. W. Degree, professional competence as evidenced by at least two years of post-M.S.W. experience preferred;
• Statement of purpose reflecting applicant's philosophy of social work and educational goals;
• Scholarly or professional paper demonstrating the applicant’s conceptual, analytical, or research ability;
• three letters of references (two academic and one professional);
• Curriculum vitae; and
• Interview with the Program Admissions Committee (contingent upon initial assessment).

Admission to the Ph.D. Program is granted every other year for the Fall Semester. For full consideration, applicants must submit all required material by March 1.

Transfer of Credits

A maximum of nine graduate credit hours, excluding credit applied toward previous degrees, may be transferred from graduate degree programs at Jackson State University or other accredited universities to fulfill the elective requirements.

The transfer of relevant graduate course work will only be considered if a grade of "B" or better, on a four-point scale, has been earned, and the course has been completed within the last five years.

Transfer credit for courses taken prior to entering the program must be approved during the first semester of enrollment by the advisor and program director. Transfer credit applied toward the doctoral degree after admission to the program must be approved prior to taking the course by the advisor and program director.

Academic Performance

The student must achieve a grade of "B" or better in all courses in the core curriculum. The student must maintain a "B" or better cumulative grade point average in all course work applied toward the degree.

Repeating Courses

Students may repeat only one course in the program. They must enroll in the course the next semester or term/session in which the course is offered. When a student repeats a course, both grades will show on the transcript and both will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average.

Probation

The probationary period in the program is defined as one subsequent semester of enrollment in the program after the cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00.

If a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00, the student will be placed on academic probation the subsequent semester of enrollment. The student will have until the end of the probationary period to raise the cumulative average to 3.0. If the student fails to achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 by the end of the probationary period, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Unsatisfactory Course Work and Dismissal

A student whose course work is unsatisfactory (below 3.0 cumulative grade point average) at the end of the probationary period, as defined in the program, will be dismissed from the program.

Residency Requirement

The minimum period of residency for the degree in social work is one year or the equivalent of enrollment for two consecutive semesters. The student must be full time and therefore must take at least nine credit hours each semester counted toward residency. The student must meet the minimum residency requirement prior to taking the comprehensive examination.

Time Limit

Students must complete all degree requirements within seven years from the time of admission into the program. The average length of time for completion of doctoral programs in social work is 4.5 years. The actual amount of time required for completion will vary according to factors such as clarity of objectives upon entering the program and while moving through the process, prior preparation for research and knowledge building endeavors, and time for self-directed learning.

Leave of Absence/Re-admission

Any student who is in good standing may request a leave of absence for a period of up to one year. The request must be submitted in writing to the program director for the time period in which the student plans to be absent from the program. The request must outline the reason(s) for the leave and the time period involved.

Students must apply for re-admission to the program if more than 12 consecutive months have elapsed since enrollment. An application for re-admission requires the submission of all material required by the program at the time the applicant requests re-admission. Applications for re-admission will be considered with the other new applications.

Degree Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core
SW 700	DOCTORAL PROSEMINAR	3
SW 705	SOCIAL WELFARE HISTORY & PHILS	3
SW 710	MACRO THEORY	3
SW 711	MICRO THEORY	3
SW 714	SW EDU SEM: ISSUES & KNOWLED P	3
SW 720	RESEARCH METHODOLOGY	3
SW 722	STATISTICAL METHODS I	3
SW 721	RESEARCH METHODS II	3
SW 723	STATISTICAL METHODS II	3
SW 724	POL & PRAC ISS IN FAM & CHILD	3
SW 725	STATS MTHDS III: ADV QUNTV ME	3
SW 742	QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS	3
SW 760	RESEARCH PRACTICUM (in Family and Children Studies)	3
PHS 700		3
Total Hours		42

Electives

Students may select, in consultation with the advisor, a total of 9 credit hours of courses offerings in social work and a related discipline in the Graduate School at Jackson State University or at other colleges or universities. 

Dissertation Hours

Following admission to candidacy, students must continuously register for a minimum of one-to-three dissertation hours per semester, for two consecutive semesters.  Students must complete a minimum of four dissertation credits in order to complete the program/dissertation.

Curriculum

The curriculum is built upon the knowledge base of the social work profession and its values and principles. It also draws upon theoretical and empirical knowledge from related disciplines that are helpful in the formulation, analysis, and solution of social problems. Particular instruction focuses on theory building and assessment, research methods, social work education, critical analysis and assessment of social problems, social welfare policy and social work practice models/perspectives, and knowledge development in a substantive area of interest.

The curriculum consists of a minimum of 51 credit hours, excluding the dissertation hours. It is organized around three major components: core curriculum, electives, and dissertation.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum consists of 42 credit hours. The courses focus on the history and philosophy of social welfare, social welfare policy, with emphasis children and their families, social work behavioral and social science theory, research methods, statistics, and social work education. 

Electives

The elective courses offer students an array of subject-specific content to develop a substantive area of interest that complements the core curriculum and supports the dissertation work.  Students may select, in consultation with the advisor, a total of 9 credit hours of courses offerings in social work and a related discipline in the Graduate School at Jackson State University or at other universities

Comprehensive Examination

Students take the comprehensive examination upon successful completion of the core curriculum. The examination places emphasis on a comprehensive synthesis of material covered in the core courses, with special attention to the student's ability to conceptualize, integrate, and communicate knowledge.  In case of failure, the student may be permitted only one additional opportunity to take the examination.

Admission to Candidacy

The student enters candidacy for the degree after passing the comprehensive examination, which is administered after completion of the core courses.

Certification of Dissertation Proposal

Candidates must submit a dissertation proposal to their dissertation committee for approval prior to implementing the research.

The proposal must be approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) whenever human subjects are proposed for use in the dissertation research. In cases where animal subjects will be used in the study, the research protocol must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Dissertation

Candidates for the degree are required to complete a dissertation that demonstrates their ability to conduct rigorous scientific inquiry. The dissertation topic should emanate from the candidate's interest in a problem or issue relevant to social work or social welfare. The dissertation is expected to represent a substantial contribution to social work knowledge.

Oral Defense

Upon completion of the dissertation, an oral examination is required. The purpose of the examination is to assess the candidate’s ability to present and defend a conceptually and methodologically rigorous dissertation that contributes to social work knowledge. No student is permitted to defend the dissertation unless all requirements of the Ph.D. Program in Social Work, the School of Social Work, the College of Public Service, and the Division of Graduate Studies have been satisfied.

The student passes the oral defense when all dissertation committee members indicate agreement by signing the appropriate form.