Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work

Introduction

ICSW’s four-year doctoral program is a non-resident, full-time course of study arranged to avoid interruption of our students’ clinical employment. While many of the students who enroll in our Ph.D. program are licensed clinical social workers and licensed clinical professional counselors, this is not a requirement for admission. Classes meet at the Institute on Friday afternoons and all day Saturday on alternating weekends, from September to December and from January to June. Completion of the doctoral requirements results in the acquisition of the Ph.D. in clinical social work.

As they complete the Ph.D., students are prepared to extend their careers in a wide range of professional settings, including:

  • community-based mental-health services
  • the court system
  • child welfare
  • medical settings
  • primary, middle, and secondary schools
  • agencies serving marginalized populations
  • substance abuse treatment settings
  • private mental-health agencies
  • research
  • university-level teaching

Details and Requirements

  • Four years
  • 72 total credit hours (35 class credit hours, 18 clinical practicum credit hours, 19 research independent study credit hours)
  • Incorporates independent studies, clinical practica, and case consultations
  • Dissertation submission and defense required to graduate

Admissions Criteria

  • A master’s degree from an accredited graduate school of social work, counseling psychology, or a master’s degree in a closely related field
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA at all institutions of higher education
  • Mastery of written and spoken English
  • Personal therapy experience is not required as a prerequisite for admission, though such experience is favorably considered
  • Personal statement
  • Two letters of reference
  • In-person interview with ICSW faculty member
  • GRE is not required
  • ICSW application form

Sequences

The doctoral curriculum consists of three central sequences:

  • The Clinical Sequence: Ensures that students develop a comprehensive and well-reasoned framework for clinical practice.
  • The Research Sequence: Prepares students to engage in the brand of high-caliber scholarly research that defines and redefines the field.
  • The Conceptual Foundations Sequence: Provides students with a thorough theoretical foundation, as well as a bridge connecting theory and practice.

In addition, students have the opportunity to choose from elective courses that cover topics ranging from family therapy to forensics.

Specializations

Though not required, students may elect to enroll in one of the following doctoral specializations:

Sample Curriculum

First Year Fall Semester
Case Conference I
Clinical Process and Technique I
Development I
Psychodynamic Theory I
Research I

First Year Spring Semester
Case Conference II
Development II
Disorders of Adulthood I
Psychodynamic Theory II
Research II

Second Year Fall Semester
Case Conference III
Clinical Process and Technique II
Development III
Psychodynamic Theory III
Research III

Second Year Spring Semester
Case Conference IV
Development IV
Difference in Clinical Practice
Psychodynamic Theory IV
Research IV

Third Year Fall Semester
Case Conference V
Clinical Process and Technique III
Epistemology I
Psychodynamic Theory V
Research V

Third Year Spring Semester
Case Conference VI
Disorders of Adulthood II
Epistemology II
Psychodynamic Theory IV
Research VI

Fourth Year Fall Semester
Clinical Elective
Theory Elective

Fourth Year Spring Semester
Clinical Elective
Theory Elective
Research Elective