Student Spotlights: Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program
Video: KU DSW students share why they chose the program. Video editing by Katie Schowe.
Gaining leadership experience, applying research to their day-to-day work, and building advocacy skills are some of the reasons KU DSW students give for joining the program.
Now in its second year, the fully online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program at the University of Kansas aims to train expert practitioner-scholars, focusing on leadership, management, teaching, and implementation science.
The 19 new students in the fall 2024 DSW entering class come from nine states and hold Master of Social Work degrees from 13 universities, including five students who earned their MSW from KU.
Their work experience covers a broad range of social work areas, including school social work, behavioral health, therapy, and medical social work.
DSW students have at least three years of social work practice experience beyond their Master of Social Work degree. The fall 2024 KU DSW cohort comes into the program with over 202 years of combined social work practice experience.
Jennifer Hoskins, a second-year DSW student who works as a family consultant with the Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon, said her classmates bring career experience and passion for the communities they serve to the online classroom.
“It’s a very different graduate experience than when you haven’t started your career and you’re theorizing what it might be like,” Hoskins said.
Kristen Rawls, a second-year DSW student who owns a private therapy practice based in Baldwin City, said the program has helped connect social work research to his social work practice.
“The DSW is providing me with the information and the skills to empower me to push these things forward that I’m working on, as well as giving me great knowledge on not just the topic that I’m researching, but on researching and scholarly work,” Rawls said.
Watch video interviews with DSW students about why they enrolled in the Doctor of Social Work program.
More video interviews with KU DSW students:
About the KU DSW program
The Doctor of Social Work (DSW) is a fully online doctoral degree program, offered by the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and supported through Jayhawk Global.
The Doctor of Social Work program aims to train expert practitioner-scholars who will go on to teach, mentor, and supervise social workers; assume leadership roles in social work practice settings; and generate and disseminate knowledge about multi-level social work practice.
The first cohort of KU DSW students started the program in fall 2023. A second cohort joined in fall 2024, bringing the total enrollment to 40 students. Several DSW students will complete their capstone projects and graduate in August 2025.
KU DSW application deadline: Feb. 3, 2025
The DSW application deadline for fall 2025 is Feb. 3, 2025. Register for a virtual DSW information session to learn more about the curriculum, admissions requirements and application process.