DSW

The DSW degree requires the completion of 12 credit administered by the DSW Governance Committee, which monitors the program, recommends changes in policies and procedures, and serves as the Admissions Committee. The DSW Governance Committee is composed of three SP2 standing faculty members, the Director of the DSW Program (one of the faculty members), the DSW Fellow, and a representative from each of the current cohort of students. The Admissions Committee additionally comprises the Associate Dean of Inclusion and the Associate Dean for Enrollment Management.

In spring of the first year, two student representatives are elected from each cohort, and then they attend, along with the second- and third-year cohort representatives, the monthly DSW Governance meetings. Student representatives are expected to solicit input from their cohort and represent their views. At the SP2-level, there is a student governance committee with a representative from the DSW program, as well as all other SP2 programs.

The DSW degree requires the completion of 12 credit units (CU’s) and the dissertation. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for all courses applied to the degree. Failure to maintain a 3.0 will result in dismissal from the program.

Core Course

The School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) Doctorate in Clinical Social Work curriculum is designed to prepare advanced clinical practitioners who are equipped to enhance knowledge-building and deliver the most effective and efficient practices and interventions at individual, family, community, organizational, national, and global levels, working across disciplinary lines and cultures to meet the needs of persons, particularly the most vulnerable, in the context of their multi-layered environment. A fundamental foundation for our focus on preparing our students to serve as leaders in advanced clinical social work practice is the rigor of our curriculum.

Course materials are selected for their ability to expand and deepen students’ knowledge of theoretical frameworks underpinning their work. Assignments and discussions use these materials to challenge students to consider and apply advanced-level theory to their practice in innovative, more substantive, as well as nuanced ways. Students are asked in coursework and through readings, discussion, and case-based application to consider critically the impact of diversity and difference and how human rights and social justice are promoted in the problems and interventions they study and will disseminate. They are also taught how this is an important component of evaluating the evidence and whether and how it can be applied to a diversity of cultures. Students are further prepared for leadership in the educational arena by taking part in a course on teaching. They are prepared to consider pedagogical choices and deliver them in the classroom environment as a significant proportion of students are interested in pursuing careers in social work education. They are taught to be leaders in service environments by being knowledgeable in interpreting the data relevant to evidence-based practice and how quality improvement efforts can enhance services. Students consider the relationship of social work ethics and values to course material and how interventions are implemented and evaluated. They are asked to engage in an advanced level of ethical reasoning through a specialized module on ethics, so that they can become leading members of multi-disciplinary teams to promote human rights and social justice, as well as highly ethical practice. Ethics is further woven into the conduct of research in the quantitative and qualitative inquiry courses. Moreover, students learn how to protect human subjects’ rights in research coursework where they are required to take the CITI training. They subsequently are expected to navigate the University and other relevant partner IRB systems. They are further taught ethical considerations related to quality improvement efforts of services and service delivery systems.

The core curriculum consists of five courses:

• Clinical Social Work Theory I
• Clinical Social Work Theory II
• Foundations of Clinical Research
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Applied Statistics

Dissertation Seminars

In the first and third years, students complete a series of dissertation seminars that accompany their dissertation work. In the second year, students work individually with their dissertation advisors.

Course Modules

There are ten full-semester courses and six proseminars that cover topics related to the practice and teaching of clinical social work.

The dissertation is an original work of scholarship that makes a contribution to the clinical social work literature and knowledge base. The Dissertation Mentor is assigned at the end of the first year.

Academic Standing

Students must be in satisfactory academic standing.

The minimum standard for satisfactory work for students in the DSW Program is a B average in each academic semester. A student whose record falls below the B (3.0) average after any semester will be put on academic probation. If the cumulative GPA is not raised to above a 3.0 at the end of the subsequent semester, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Meet dissertation deadlines.

Important Dates

Be in close communication with your chair about these dates:

April of Year 1: Meet with DSW Director to discuss selection of your chair

By January 31 of Year 2: Preliminary draft of dissertation proposal submitted to chair

By March 31 of Year 2: Revised, final draft of dissertation proposal submitted to chair

By April 30 of Year 2: Dissertation proposal approved by dissertation committee.

By May 1st complete defense of dissertation; deposit final version of dissertation to Scholarly Commons following defense no later than May 15th

Dissertation Committee

Each student will be required to have a dissertation committee of at least two members with one member designated the chair of the committee.

Every committee must have a standing, lecturer, or associated faculty member from the University of Pennsylvania serving on the committee. Standing* or Associated** or Lecturer faculty of the University may serve as chair. The dissertation chair could also be a tenure-track/tenured faculty member at a college or university other than Penn, with prior approval from the DSW Program Director.

*Standing Faculty includes all University of Pennsylvania tenure-line faculty and clinician-educator faculty.

**Associated Faculty are those with Research, Adjunct, Clinical, or Visiting appointments at the University of Pennsylvania.

The other committee member(s) may be a scholar or practitioner/expert external to the University of Pennsylvania with a doctoral degree, i.e., must be a qualified individual but is not required to hold a faculty rank at a college or university. Students must receive approval from the committee chair before inviting external members to serve on their dissertation committee.

All dissertation committee members must approve the proposal and final dissertation.

Dissertation Preparation

In the first year, the cohort will meet four times (September, November, January, and May) to discuss possible types and formats of dissertations, formulating proposals, and information on the IRB process.

Dissertation Writers’ Workshop

This workshop for third-year students will provide support, guidelines, and tips for completion of the dissertation; will facilitate the problem-solving process for barriers to completion; and provide socialization to academic social work (the academic job market, publishing and presenting dissertation research). Four meetings will be held from September through December.

Possible Dissertation Approaches

Systematic/Scoping Reviews

A systematic review aims to comprehensively locate and synthesize all research on a particular topic, using an established protocol of organized, transparent, and replicable procedures with some method of synthesis of either the quantitative (ideally meta-analysis) or qualitative (meta-synthesis) research.

A scoping review is similar to a systematic review in aim and process but is used to determine the state of the research for a nascent topic.

Quantitative Intervention Studies: Pilot RCT or Quasi-Experimental Designs

A randomized control trial is an empirical study that collects numerical data to test hypotheses on the effectiveness of an intervention using random assignment to conditions. Pilots assess the feasibility and acceptability, as well as preliminary effectiveness of interventions.

A quasi-experimental study is an empirical study that collects numerical data to test hypotheses on the effectiveness of an intervention using methods other than random assignment to control threats to internal validity, including nonequivalent groups or times series designs.

Observational/Correlational Study

A quantitative study that examines the predictors/explicators (e.g., risk and protective factors) of a phenomenon.

Online survey: This is a method of data collection often used for correlational studies.

Treatment Manual Developed and/or Tested with the Use of Data

This format involves the development of a treatment or practice manual that provides specific guidelines for a planned, systematic intervention with a client population addressing a particular problem or issue. Data are collected as part of manual development and/or manual evaluation for acceptability, practicality, feasibility, cultural sensitivity, and/or preliminary effectiveness.

Qualitative Studies

An empirical study that makes use of language, words, and narrative as data and often involves focus groups and/or in-depth interviewing of people with the lived experience of a phenomenon.

Dissertation Formats

1. Traditional book length research-based project
2. Two related, publishable articles, at least one of which is empirical. There needs to be an introduction and conclusion that tie both articles together.

Empirical articles – reporting on the results of a research study

Conceptual/Commentary

Conceptual articles provide a “new theoretical perspectives or integrate existing theoretical views, address innovative—new or adapted—procedures or techniques, discuss current professional issues or professional development (position papers),” (Watts, 2011, p. 308).

Commentary: Social Work defines as an opportunity to present critical observation on a current professional issue, social problem, or policy matter, and/or offer well-reasoned reactions or responses to previously published articles.

Policies

The DSW program requires a research-based independent dissertation for completion, the only DSW program to our knowledge that has this requirement in the U.S. Academic mentoring is in the form of the dissertation team, involving at least two doctoral-level members, one of which is also a University of Pennsylvania faculty member.

Procedures

During the initial immersion experience, after students have been admitted, students meet SP2 Standing Faculty who present their work followed by question and answer for 30-minute slots. These faculty may be later able to serve as mentors. Also during the immersion, the dissertation seminar, which the Director facilitates, begins. In that seminar, the Director introduces students to formats for the dissertation so they understand the available possibilities in their area of expertise. Writing, in general, and literature reviews, including systematic reviews, in particular, are also covered in the seminar. The last session involves a presentation from SP2’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) representative, who details the process of seeking IRB approval for projects.

Over the course of the first year, the DSW Program Director learns about each student’s interest areas and preferences for a dissertation topic.  After discussions with each student, the Director consults with a variety of possible mentors, including our own Standing Faculty, to establish a goodness-of-fit between mentor and mentee. Once a possible chair is identified and their positive interest is expressed, the student meets with the potential chair. If there is a match, they proceed from there. If not, the Program Director seeks other options for a chair, and the process proceeds until a satisfactory match is found.  In consultation with the dissertation mentor, a doctoral-level reader is selected to contribute substantive and/or methodological expertise to the team.

During the third year, students attend a Fall semester dissertation workshop that ensures students are on track, problem-solving barriers to completion, detailing the process of writing up results and discussion, the defense, and dissemination of findings to professional conferences and journals. The dissertation mentor and reader work with the mentee, continuing through the third year and to completion of the dissertation with a formal defense. The dissertation committee also provides professional mentoring to the student. In many cases, this relationship will extend to publication or other way of disseminating the results of the dissertation after completion of the degree.

Two milestone evaluations must be passed by all DSW students:

1. Dissertation Proposal: All students are expected to submit the final dissertation proposal to the dissertation chair by March 31 of year two, for approval by the dissertation committee by April 30. Upon acceptance of the proposal, the student enters doctoral candidacy.
2. Dissertation Defense: An oral examination on the contents of the doctoral dissertation is required. Upon successful defense of the dissertation, completion of all other degree requirements and submitting the final dissertation manuscript to Scholarly Commons, the DSW degree is conferred.

Timeline for Completion Dissertation Proposal

• January 31 of Year 2: Submission of preliminary dissertation proposal draft to dissertation Chair.
• March 31 of Year 2: Final, revised draft of dissertation proposal submitted to chair.
• April 30 of Year 2: Full dissertation proposal approved by dissertation committee.

Students in the regular-length (14, 10, and 7-session) courses receive letter grades with shorter elective and seminar courses typically pass (P)/fail (F). The letter grade system consists of grades of A, B, C, D, and F, with pluses and minuses possible for A, B, or C. The mark of I is used to designate “incomplete.”

Overall GPA

Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are tabulated at the end of each semester of the first academic year and at the end of the first academic year on a cumulative basis. The minimum standard for satisfactory work for students in the DSW Program is a B average in each academic semester. A cumulative GPA below 3.0 after completion of the core courses is considered a lack of acceptable academic progress and may result in dismissal from the program.

Grade of Incomplete

If a student cannot complete the work for a course by the end of the semester due to medical reasons or a family emergency, they may request an Incomplete (‘I’) from the instructor by submitting a form, if the student’s work in the course is of passing quality up to that point. The grade of ‘I’ allows the student, with the permission of the professor, to finish a small amount of work that has not been done by the end of the semester. The instructor may permit an extension of up to one year for completion of the course; the instructor is not required to grant a one-year extension and may specify an earlier deadline.

If a student is unable to attend an immersion module due medical reasons or a family emergency, they may request an Incomplete (‘I’) from the instructor by submitting a form. The student will then join the module or immersion the following year to complete the coursework.

When a student takes an ‘I’, they must complete the work within the time specified by the instructor which will be submitted in the request form. It is the student’s responsibility to find out how much time the faculty member requires to review course work and submit a grade. Students must give the faculty member a minimum of three weeks to read late assignments and submit a grade. More time may be required by individual faculty members, particularly at the end of the semester. Faculty are not required to review student work during the summer unless a prior agreement has been reached between the student and the faculty member.

An ‘I’ that is not finished by the deadline specified by the instructor automatically becomes an ‘F’. The instructor may change the ‘F’ to another grade when the work is finished.

If a student has an ‘I’ for a course that is a prerequisite for a subsequent class, the ‘I’ must be changed to an acceptable letter grade before the start date of the subsequent class.

To continue in the following semester, a student cannot have more than one incomplete from the previous semester.

Timelines

Students are expected to complete coursework and dissertation in three years. The maximum time allowed for completing all degree requirements is five years. Students who do not successfully complete all course work and the dissertation within five years will be withdrawn from the program unless they have requested and received an extension from the DSW Program Director.

Late Registration and Absence

Neither late registration nor absence during the term shall entitle the student to a reduction in fees.

Voluntary Academic Leaves

Students must be continuously registered every fall and spring terms until all degree requirements have been met. Students who wish to suspend their studies for a period of time for any reason must submit a request for a leave of absence using the online form. Leaves of absence are normally approved for up to one year. The grant of a leave of absence does not automatically change the time limit for degree completion.

Leave of Absence Request Process:

• Meet with your Director, Doctorate in Clinical Social Work to discuss the reasons for taking a leave.
• Submit the online request form; you will receive email confirmation when the form is sent.
• Review all items on the LOA checklist (below) and follow up with the appropriate offices as necessary.
• The SP2 Registrar will email you with confirmation once the leave has been processed.
• DSW students approved for a leave of absence will not have access to the Penn Library system while on leave.

All requirements for the degree must be completed within five years of the date when the student first registered for the degree. Students are responsible for tuition charges and other financial obligations to the University incurred before the effective date of the leave. Students may not earn credit for courses taken at another institution while on leave of absence.

Leave of Absence Checklist

Tuition – if the leave is requested before the end of Add/Drop as posted on the SP2 Academic Calendar, students will receive a full refund of tuition and fees. If the leave occurs after Add/Drop, partial refunds may apply. Leaves processed after the 6th week of classes are not eligible for any tuition refund.

Student Bills/Financial Aid – check your student account; any outstanding balance will result in late fees and your account will be placed on hold. Students who have borrowed from the Federal Loan Program must complete the online exit loan counseling session – http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/loans/loans-exit-interview.htm. Please note that depending on the length of the leave, students may be required to begin repayment of loans before returning to Penn.

Return from Voluntary Leave of Absence

Students notify the SP2 Registrar with the request to return to their studies.

For a fall semester return, requests should be made before the end of March. For a spring semester return, requests should be made in September.

Students must contact the Director, Doctorate in Clinical Social Work prior to registering for courses.

Withdrawals

Students are considered to have withdrawn from the program when, in accordance with a written request prepared by them and accepted by the Director of the DSW Program, a request to terminate active status is granted. A student who has withdrawn may reapply for active status. If the application is accepted, previously completed work shall be evaluated, and the student will be expected to fulfill all requirements in effect for active students at the time of re-admission.

Terminations

Students will be terminated from “candidate” status for the doctoral degree if any of the following occur: (1) they do not meet the required course GPA; (2) they do not complete the dissertation requirements within 5 years of entrance into the program; or (3) they are dropped from the Program for other reasons (such as plagiarism, unethical or criminal behavior).

In addition, students may terminate their connection with the Program by requesting such action on their own initiative, in writing, and their request is granted.

A student who has been terminated may apply for re-admission. The student must complete all application requirements. If re-admitted, previous work completed will be considered for credit, in light of course requirements at the time of the student’s re-admission and time since completion. Those applying five years after termination will have to retake all courses.

The University of Pennsylvania has a well-articulated set of policies and procedures pertaining to the academic and professional conduct of graduate students. These policies and procedures are published biennially in the University’s Graduate Academic Bulletin, available online, at the Office of University Relations, and the Bookstore. Doctoral students are required to obtain a copy of the Graduate Academic Bulletin. Violations or infractions of these policies, including violations of the Code of Academic Integrity, will be processed in accordance with these policies and procedures by the Graduate Group Chair and the Committee on Academic Standing. Students who are found to violate the Code of Academic Integrity may be terminated from the program.

Non-Academic Performance Policies

Students are expected to comply with University policies and regulations outlined in the PennBook, the University Code of Student Conduct, the Code of Academic Integrity, and the Master’s Student Handbook. Students are expected to incorporate the highest standard of ethics in every element of their work and to manifest in their behaviors and demonstrate knowledge, skills, maturity, and emotional stability necessary to function as a professional.

Examples of non-academic performance and conduct that will subject the student to disciplinary action or dismissal from the program include:

• Violations of the University Code of Academic Integrity (e.g., plagiarism).
• Behavior determined to be a violation of University or School policies or regulations.
• Behavior determined to be a violation of the profession’s ethics (e.g., NASW Code of Ethics in the case of social work).
• Inability to secure, sustain, or perform satisfactorily in a field placement.
• Behaviors that do not meet professional expectations and standards, which include generally accepted standards of professional conduct, personal integrity, or emotional stability for professional practice.
• Behaviors determined to be unprofessional conduct towards colleagues, faculty, or staff.

Standards and procedures for student non-academic performance are particular to specific professional standards or academic programs. Therefore, additional procedures that operationalize these standards and action steps in response to violations can be found in the policies for specific programs.

Alleged violations of the University’s Code of Student Conduct, Code of Academic Integrity, and other applicable policies regarding student behavior may be referred to the Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CCSA). The CCSA is responsible for acting on behalf of the University in matters of student discipline. The CCSA deals with alleged instances of academic dishonesty and other student misconduct, in order to determine how best to resolve these allegations consistent with the goals and mission of the University as an educational and intellectual community. For more information on the CCSA see: https://csa.upenn.edu/.

SP2 Social Media Guidelines

The purpose of the social media policy is to provide guidance on how SP2 students can engage with social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, or other social media or networking sites, and not jeopardize their good standing as graduate students or violate the professional code of ethics specifically related to students enrolled in the Master of Social Work program or for students who are professional social workers enrolled in a doctoral program.                   

As students at the University, we expect you to abide by our Principle of Responsible Conduct. These principles extend to students’ use of social medial platforms. Therefore, SP2 students are encouraged to carefully consider the possible impact and consequences before posting material about students, colleagues, internships, practicums, or field agency and not post anything that implies schools, the University or other professional contacts, and School of Social Policy & Practice staff and faculty that could be construed as defamatory, threatening, harassing, hateful, or humiliating.

As a rule, SP2 students should not post anything on social media that refers to or discloses information about other people, especially clients, without first gaining appropriate consent and carefully considering the possible impact and consequences of doing so.

Do not post any client information, including photographs or videos, on social media, without first gaining appropriate consent from the client(s) and when appropriate, the agency setting. Breaching client confidentiality and/or privacy may: 1) cause harm to the client(s); 2) violate professional ethics, agency policy, or law and 3) result in professional or legal sanction. Simply removing a person’s name does not render that information de-identified.

SP2 students should use personal email addresses, not Penn email addresses, in personal online postings.

*Note that pseudonymous email addresses or online identities can be traced, so their use does not protect you from responsibility or liabilities for your online postings.

*Please see the University’s Policy on Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources for additional rules related to the use of email and other electronic resources.

Policy on Ethical Behavior in the Electronic Information Environment

The University by its very nature values openness and promotes access to a wide range of information. Campus information systems have been designated to be as open as possible and as such the University insists on responsible use of these systems. Computers, electronic information, and computer networks are essential for information and research, instruction, and administration within the academic community. Because the electronic environment is easily disrupted and electronic information is readily reproduced, respect for the work and rights of others is especially important. Any intentional behavior with respect to the electronic environment that interferes with the missions or activities of the University or members of the University community will be regarded as unethical and may lead to disciplinary action under standard University rules for misconduct and existing judicial, disciplinary or personnel processes.

The following activities are examples, but not an exhaustive list, of unethical behaviors with respect to the electronic environment:

• intentionally damaging or destroying the integrity of electronic information;
• intentionally compromising the privacy of electronic networks or information systems;
• intentionally disrupting the use of electronic networks or information systems;
• intentionally infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others in computer programs or electronic information, including plagiarism and unauthorized use of reproduction; or
• wasting resources (human or electronic) through such actions.

In some cases students may apply to the program while a doctoral student in another program. If admitted, these students will receive credit for doctoral level courses taken elsewhere after consideration by the DSW Program Director. These students will then join the program at the appropriate stage. No more than two (2) courses can be transferred in from other doctoral programs.

The Faculty Director, Jacqueline Corcoran, serves as each student’s advisor until the program is completed. If she is not available for dual role or other reasons, then the DSW Fellow Phyllis Solomon assumes this role.

Evaluations of the student’s work for the courses and dissertation seminars will be provided to the student at appropriate intervals during each term. Such evaluations will be made in relation to course content, clinical practice competency, and general performance at the doctoral level. Students whose work does not meet program expectations will be notified in writing as soon as possible. Faculty should indicate the areas of identified weakness and specify the requirements to satisfy course/program requirements. In such situations, a copy of this notification will be sent to the Director of the DSW Program.

The minimum standard for satisfactory work for students in the DSW Program is a B average in each academic semester. A student whose record falls below the B (3.0) average after any semester will be put on academic probation. If the cumulative GPA is not raised to at least 3.0 at the end of the subsequent semester, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Registration & Billing

The SP2 Registrar will register students in the DSW program for the appropriate courses prior to the beginning of each term. Students can check their registration and their academic record on Path@Penn (PennKey and password required).

Billing is managed through the University’s Office of Student Financial Services. Please consult their website on Billing and Payment to view payment options.

Students who owe tuition for a previous semester’s work and are placed on financial hold will not be registered for the next semester unless special arrangements for payment have been made with the Student Financial Services. Students who owe tuition or any other university related fees (such as library fees) will be excluded from graduation lists.

Please contact the SP2 Registrar with any questions regarding registration and billing.

Failure to Pay

All University bills for tuition and fees are due before or during the registration period each term, as specified. The University reserves the right to withhold registration material, transcripts, and all other information regarding the record of any student who is in arrears in the payment of tuition, fees, or other charges, including student loans, and to exclude such a student from classes and examinations. The student will be held accountable for all absences resulting from the operation of this rule. For continued delinquency in the payment of debts, the student may be permanently dropped from the University. The enforcement of this penalty shall not relieve the student from the obligation to pay outstanding fees and charges, including those for the term to which the penalty applies.

Refund of Tuition

A student who withdraws (or who is requested to withdraw for failure to maintain a satisfactory scholastic standard) or who is granted a leave of absence from a full-time division of the University during either term of the academic year will be eligible for a refund of tuition general fee in accordance with the conditions set forth below. The effective date of separation from the University is the date on which the student files a request for withdrawal or leave of absence in the Office of the Dean. The amount of refund allowable is as follows:

Course withdrawal time………………percent refund of tuition and fees
Within the Add/Drop period…………………………………100%
Up to two weeks after the Add/Drop period…………………50%
More than three weeks after the Add/drop period ………………0%

A student who is required to withdraw because of violation of University regulation shall receive no refund by reason of such a withdrawal.

Tuition & Fees

View current tuition & fee information here.

It is expected that students and faculty will use their normal contacts in class and individual conferences to resolve any differences that may arise in their work together. Where faculty or students find such normal channels fail to resolve differences that will affect the status of the student, either or both may ask for consideration of such differences by the Director of the DSW Program. The decision of the DSW Director shall stand, unless either or both parties wish to appeal the decision further. If there is such an appeal, the following policies and procedures will prevail.

A written appeal of the DSW Director’s decision may be made through the Director to the Dean of the School of Social Policy and Practice who will determine if a review by the Committee on Academic Standing or the Grievance Committee is warranted.