PhD in Social Work: Full-Time Student Schedule

June 1, 2021
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Social Work PhD Course Planning Schedule

Program Schedule by Term

Year/Term

Fall

Winter

Spring

Year 1

Term 1

  • SK790
  • SK791
  • SK820(A)

Term 2

  • SK704
  • SK805
  • SK820(B)

Term 3

  • SK801
  • FSW PhD Elective*

Year 2

Term 4

  • SK894
  • FSW PhD Elective*

By the end of term 4, full-time students are expected to have:

  1. Their Comprehensive Examination Committee established and approved by PhD Program Committee; and
  2. Defended their Comprehensive Examination proposal.

Required form:

Term 5

  • SK893 (1 of 2 terms)

By term 5, full-time students are expected to begin SK893 and submit Paper 1.

Term 6

  • SK893 (2 of 2 terms)

By term 6, full-time students are expected to submit Paper 2 and defend both papers.

Required form:

Year 3

Term 7

  • SK899**

Following SK893, students register for SK899: Dissertation. It is recommended full-time students develop, submit, and defend their dissertation proposal within one term.

Required form:

Term 8

  • SK899**

Term 9

  • SK899**

Year 4

Term 10

  • SK899**

Term 11

  • SK899**

Term 12

  • SK899**

*Note: For their required elective, students may organize an independent studies/reading course with a faculty member (proposed syllabus and Directed or Independent Studies Form/Letter of Agreement form submitted to the Associate Dean). They may also complete a doctoral-level elective course within the FSW, an MSW course, or a masters or doctoral course offered outside of the FSW. Starting in the 2021/22 academic year, the FSW may offer one doctoral course as an elective per year. The course maybe scheduled for the Fall or Spring terms. If completing a masters-level course as an elective, some adjustments (e.g., an additional/alternate assignment) maybe required to reflect PhD program standards; Associate Dean approval required). During Year 1, part-time students are encouraged to prioritize completing required courses over elective courses.

**Note: SK899 begins with the student developing their dissertation proposal followed by defence. Once the proposal is defended (including submitting the Dissertation Proposal Approval form and electronic copy of proposal to FGPS), the student proceeds to the dissertation stage.

List of Required Courses / Course Codes

  • SK704: Applied Quantitative Research Methods
  • SK790: Social Work Thought and Theory Development
  • SK791: Epistemology and the Nature of Social Work Knowledge
  • SK801: Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis
  • SK805: Applied Qualitative Research Methods
  • SK820: Doctoral Seminar
  • SK894: Writing for Publication
  • SK893: Comprehensive Examination
  • SK899: PhD Dissertation

Relevant Academic Calendar Policies

Each course is 0.5 credit. Part-time students can take up to 1.0 credits per term.

Full-Time doctoral students will be required to complete the program requirements, including the dissertation defence, within 12 terms of acceptance from a master's degree. Three terms of part-time registration will be considered equal to one term of full-time registration for the purpose of calculating degree program time limits. (Therefore, part-time students can officially have up to 36 terms.)

Students who require an extension to their degree program time limits must petition to the Graduate Student Appeals Committee (Petition to Graduate Student Appeals Committee (GSAC) form to FGPS). If the petition is not approved or if a student fails to submit a petition, they will be withdrawn from the program and will have to apply for readmission.