Navigating the Doctoral Program

1. Navigating the Doctoral Program University of Maryland School of Social Work Baltimore, MD

2. Core Phase • Complete eighteen core curriculum credits • Core Courses: • SOWK 800 Social Welfare Policy • SOWK 804 Research Methods I • SOWK 805 Statistics I

3. Core Phase • SOWK 806 Research Methods II • SOWK 807 Statistics II • SOWK 808 Social Work Knowledge & Theory

4. Core Phase • Complete registration forms each semester* (must be signed by doctoral program director) • Remove all incomplete grades (must have at least a 3.0 grade average)

5. Core Phase • Complete all provisional admission requirements (if any) • Pass Qualifying Exam * Submitted to School of Social Work

6. Practicum and Specialization Phase • Complete Practicum I (SOWK 810) & II (SOWK 811) and five elective courses • If taking course in another school program or on another campus, complete application for interinstitutional enrollment • *Submitted to the School of Social Work

7. Practicum and Specialization Phase • If taking independent study, complete independent study application*, and get approval of doctoral program committee • Select Advisor (including submission of “Selection of Advisor”form*) * Submit to the School of Social Work

8. Pre-Candidacy Phase • Maintain continuous enrollment (take 899 credits if you are not taking courses) • Meet with committee chair and doctoral program director to discuss committee composition

9. Pre-Candidacy Phase • Complete “Nomination of Committee” form and submit to doctoral program director (must have three regular faculty and one outside faculty) • At least two weeks (ten working days) before defense is scheduled, submit “Certification of Proposal Readiness for Defense”form* to the doctoral program (also give copy of proposal to doctoral program director)

10. Pre-Candidacy Phase • Successfully defend dissertation proposal • “Dissertation Proposal Defense Report”form* to doctoral program director

11. Pre-Candidacy Phase • Submit the graduate school forms to the School of Social Work: • Application for Candidacy Status* • Graduate School Record form* • Nomination of Member for Final Doctoral Examination Committee form*(must be submitted at least six months before the final dissertation defense)

12. Pre-Candidacy Phase • Designate two readers for dissertation and include vita for your outside member • You must attain candidacy within five years of entering the doctoral program *Submit to the School of Social Work- Doctoral Program Director

13. Candidacy Phase (Dissertation) • Take at least eight credits of SOWK 899 (dissertation research) and maintain continuous enrollment • Write dissertation

14. Candidacy Phase (Dissertation) • “Application for Diploma” form** submitted by application deadline during the semester you will graduate • You must be admitted to candidacy at least two full semesters prior to the date the degree is conferred

15. Candidacy Phase (Dissertation) • Dissertation must be successfully defended and filed within four years of candidacy • Submit “Certification of Completion of Doctoral Dissertation” form** (signed by chair and two readers) two weeks before final defense.

16. Candidacy Phase (Dissertation) • Submit“Announcement of PhD Dissertation Defense”form**(abstract) ten days to two weeks before the final defense • Defend dissertation • Submit “Report of Examining Committee”form**

17. Candidacy Phase (Dissertation) • Submit final copies of dissertation (an original and one copy to the graduate school; one copy to the School of Social Work) • All incomplete grades, including those given for SOWK 899, must be changed to grades by dissertation chair • Graduation! ** Submit to graduate school