Sacred Heart University Offers PhD in Social Work

Sacred Heart University’s School of Social Work announces it is offering a doctoral social work program.

The part-time PhD program suits social work professionals currently working in community or governmental organizations and higher education institutions. It will prepare candidates for careers in academia, social work research, community-based leadership, grant writing, and program evaluation. Upon completion, students will have new opportunities to advance issues of social and racial justice, develop their pedagogical approach, and fill gaps within social work research in their communities and globally.

“Traditional PhD programs often present barriers for social work professionals,” says Jennifer Wilson, PhD, LCSW, a clinical assistant professor at Sacred Heart University. “The full time, place-based requirement of most PhD programs is out of reach for social workers in the field or working in higher education.” A flexible, part-time program offered online makes a doctoral degree possible, she adds.

Students can expect to finish the program’s online coursework in two years, followed by their dissertation, which can take anywhere from one to five years. Online delivery will include a combination of asynchronous coursework and synchronous meetings. Courses emphasize social and racial justice and integrated practice, which are aligned with the university’s mission. Students can look forward to graduate teaching assistantship opportunities and the possibility to conduct research across disciplines or abroad at one of Sacred Heart University’s international campuses.

An annual required week-long, on-campus, summer residency enables students to meet faculty face-to-face and learn about the Sacred Heart community and other resources available to them, Wilson says. The program also includes plans to offer a for-credit writers’ retreat on campus.

To learn more and to apply to the program, visit www.sacredheart.edu/majors--programs/social-work---phd/.

— Source: Sacred Heart University

ASWB Examination Writers Sought

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is recruiting licensed social workers to write questions for the licensing exams used in the United States and Canada. The deadline for applications is December 31, 2020.

Practicing social workers—item writers—write all the questions on the ASWB social work licensing exams. These writers are selected for their social work expertise and balanced to reflect diversity in practice area, geography, and demographics. Item writers work on a contract basis and are paid $1,500 for 30 questions approved for review by the ASWB Examination Committee. ASWB needs social workers from all categories of licensure with a variety of backgrounds in education and experience.

Applicants must have a degree in social work; hold a valid social work license; be currently practicing social work (teaching social work courses is also considered practice); attend a mandatory online training to be held August 20-22, 2021; work remotely with ASWB staff and consultants; and be able to produce 30 multiple choice questions that meet ASWB standards within six to eight months of completing training.

To apply, applicants must complete the screening application (PDF), write a letter of interest (which must be either a PDF or Microsoft Word document), provide a résumé (which must be either a PDF or Microsoft Word document), and complete the item writer questionnaire. Upon completion, applicants will be prompted to upload the three documents. Applicants will be notified of their status in the spring of 2021.

Questions about the program may be emailed to iwrecruitment@aswb.org.

— Source: Association of Social Work Boards