Social Work DSW
UWM’s Doctor of Social Work (DSW) is a 39-credit, fully online, part-time practice doctorate designed for experienced social workers who want to deepen their expertise, advance their careers and become practitioner-scholars who create meaningful change in the profession.
Start Date: Fall 2027
Cost per credit: $775
Credits: 39
The online Doctor of Social Work program is the same price for students who reside in- or out-of-state. The cost per credit is $775.
Program Type
Doctoral
Program Format
Online
Why a DSW ?
The DSW is an emerging doctoral pathway for professionals who want to remain closely connected to practice while developing doctoral-level expertise.
Advance your social work practice through doctoral-level expertise
- Discover your identity as a scholar-practitioner
- Develop new areas of confidence and choose your area of research
- Strengthen your teaching skills
- Elevate your knowledge translating research into practice
In the UW-Milwaukee DSW program, you’re not just a number. You’ll get individualized attention and mentorship from faculty throughout the duration of the program.
Prepare to become a practitioner-scholar. You’ll learn how to use research, evidence and innovation to strengthen social work practice and improve outcomes for individuals, organizations and communities.
The DSW at UW-Milwaukee
Study in a Top-Tier Research Environment
Access the intellectual resources, research expertise and interdisciplinary connections of a major research university.
Build off our Strong Social Work Foundation
Leverage our established MSW program and build relationships with experienced social workers.
We excel in these focal areas essential to advanced social work practice and leadership:
- Teaching
- Leadership
- Implementation and intervention science
Receive Mentorship from Dedicated Faculty
Work closely with faculty who value their role as your mentor. Areas of expertise include:
- Applied gerontology
- Motivational interviewing
- Trauma-informed care
- Other specialty areas
Built for Working Professionals
- 100% Online: Complete the program without relocating to Milwaukee.
- Asynchronous: Engage with coursework when it works for your schedule.
- Part-Time Option: Balance doctoral study with your professional and personal responsibilities.
- 39 Credits: Advance your professional goals with a practice-focused doctorate.
- Timeline to degree: Three years (two classes each semester). Students complete seven semesters with one summer session.
DSW vs PhD
| DSW | PhD |
|---|---|
| Practice Doctorate | Research Doctorate |
| Applies knowledge to practice | Creates new knowledge through research |
| Practitioner-scholar | Research-scholar |
| Advanced practice and leadership | Research and academic scholarship |
| Applied doctoral project | Dissertation |
| Designed for experienced practitioners | Often oriented toward research careers |
Where Will a DSW Take You?
Demand for practitioners with advanced social work leadership and practice expertise is growing, along with the opportunity to increase your earning potential.
- Lead organizations
- Advance clinical and professional practice
- Teach and mentor future social workers
- Develop and evaluate programs
- Implement evidence-based interventions
- Influence policy and systems
- Consult and provide professional expertise
- Advance social work innovation
Curriculum Highlights
The UWM DSW curriculum is intentionally designed as a developmental leadership journey that prepares practitioner-scholars to translate knowledge into action and lead meaningful change across practice, organizations, systems, and the profession.
- Timeline to DSW degree completion is three years; students take two classes each semester.
- Students complete seven semesters with one summer session.
- Students complete a capstone project that addresses a clearly defined gap in the research-to-practice continuum.
Curriculum Overview
Coursework and content may be subject to change as the program is developed.
Year 1
| Semester | Course |
|---|---|
| Fall | SOC WRK 905 – Doctoral Foundations: Practitioner-Scholar Identity |
| Fall | SOC WRK 933 – Theory of Behavior & Systems Change |
| Spring | SOC WRK 955 – Research Synthesis for Evidenced-Based Practice |
| Spring | SOC WRK 917 – Public Health Mental Health Program Planning |
| Summer | IRB & Research Ethics/Grant writing workshop |
Year 2
| Semester | Course |
|---|---|
| Fall | SOC WRK 910 – Advanced Trauma Informed Practice |
| Fall | SOC WRK 965 – Evaluation, Implementation, and Intervention Science |
| Spring | SOC WRK 930 – Policy Leadership and Systems Transformation |
| Spring | SOC WRK 980 – Capstone Project I |
| Summer | SOC WRK 925 – Engaged Teaching and Learning |
Year 3
| Semester | Course |
|---|---|
| Fall | SOC WRK ____ – Advanced Social Work Practice |
| Fall | SOC WRK 935 – Professional Development and Supervision |
| Spring | SOC WRK 940 – Organizational Leadership and Management |
| Spring | SOC WRK 981 – Capstone Project II |
Course Descriptions
This foundational course prepares students for doctoral study in social work by supporting the transition to the role of practitioner-scholar, leader, educator, and generator of practice-relevant knowledge. Students examine the purpose, expectations, and rigor of doctoral education while exploring the evolving identity of the DSW-prepared professional across advanced social work practice, leadership, policy, education, and knowledge generation.
The course emphasizes the development of doctoral-level competencies in critical thinking, scholarly writing, evidence evaluation, professional communication, and applied problem-solving. Students engage with the CSWE DSW Core Expertise and Skills, critically examine the social work profession and its future, and begin developing a research-informed capstone concept by identifying a meaningful practice, policy, leadership, or educational problem and proposing an innovative direction for doctoral-level inquiry and practice advancement.
This 3-credit course explores interdisciplinary theories and perspectives related to human development, behavior change, and social systems change at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels, with emphasis on applying theory and evidence to advanced social work practice, leadership, and policy across diverse settings and populations. Throughout the course, students learn to examine the assumptions and evidence behind a theory, not just its claims, so they can judge when, where, and for whom it applies in practice.
Capstone Courses
Capstone Project I initiates the development of the student’s scholarly project. Students identify a practice-relevant issue, gap, or opportunity for innovation within social work practice, leadership, policy, education, research, or organizational systems; conduct a comprehensive review of the scholarly and professional literature; develop a conceptual framework; and prepare a scholarly proposal that establishes the foundation for the implementation and evaluation of their scholarly project.
Capstone Project II represents the culminating scholarly experience of the DSW program. Students complete, evaluate, and disseminate their scholarly project through the integration of research, implementation, evaluation, and knowledge translation. The course culminates in a scholarly manuscript, oral presentation, and professional product that demonstrate doctoral-level expertise and contribute to the advancement of social work practice, leadership, policy, education, research, or organizational and systems innovation.
DSW Transfer Credit Policy
The UWM Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program considers requests for transfer credit on a case-by-case basis. Transfer credit is not guaranteed and will be approved only when prior doctoral-level coursework is determined to be substantially equivalent in content, rigor, scope, and learning outcomes to coursework required within the UWM DSW curriculum.
Applicants requesting transfer credit must submit a formal written request to the DSW program director at the time of application or upon admission. Requests should include an official transcript, course syllabus and description, learning outcomes or objectives, and, when requested, assignments, assessment methods, or other documentation necessary to evaluate course equivalency.
The DSW Program Director, or designated faculty reviewer, will evaluate each request individually to determine the applicability of prior coursework to the student’s DSW program of study. Consideration will include the doctoral-level rigor of the coursework, alignment with the DSW curriculum and program outcomes, and the extent to which the coursework supports successful progression through the program.
Following review, the applicant will be notified of the transfer credit decision. Transfer credit will not be granted for life experience or professional work experience. All approved transfer credit remains subject to applicable UWM Graduate School policies and requirements.
This program admits students for the fall semester only. The application is an automated process through the UW-Milwaukee Graduate School.
- Reference Instructions for the DSW Application
- Narrative Statement and Writing Sample Instructions for the DSW Application
What do I need to apply?
DSW Application Requirements
- Master of Social Work (MSW or MSSW) Degree
- An MSW/MSSW degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Resume and Professional Experience
- Submit a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume that documents your professional social work experience, leadership roles, professional activities, and accomplishments. Applicants must have a minimum of two years of post-MSW professional social work experience prior to beginning the program.
- Academic Achievement
- A minimum cumulative Graduate School grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Official Transcripts
- Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was earned. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted for institutions attended where no degree was conferred. Official transcripts will be required upon admission.
- Personal Narrative
- A personal narrative addressing the required prompts that demonstrates the applicant’s professional journey, motivation for doctoral education, practitioner-scholar vision, and readiness for doctoral study.
- Writing Sample
- A sole-authored or first authored scholarly writing sample demonstrating the applicant’s ability to think critically, synthesize evidence, and communicate through professional scholarly writing.
- Letters of Recommendation
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s professional practice, leadership potential, and readiness for doctoral-level study.
International Students
All additional requirements must be completed for international applicants. Refer to the Center for International Education website or contact them directly at isss@uwm.edu or 414-229-4846. If applicable, documentation of English proficiency as defined by the Center for International Education.
Pre-candidacy status indicates that the institution submitted an application to be reviewed for candidacy and received approval of its Benchmark 1 from CSWE Accreditation Staff to move forward for a candidacy review within 1-year.
A program that has attained pre-candidacy status has not yet been reviewed by the BOA nor verified to be compliant with the accreditation standards.
Students that are admitted to pre-candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining pre-candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain candidacy and initial accreditation.
Pre-candidacy applies to all program options, which include locations and delivery methods.
Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Review our program’s pre-candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation at accreditation@cswe.org.
- Associate Teaching Professor, Social Work
- DSW Program Director, Social Work