We prepare students to independently conduct and disseminate scholarship that contributes to policy or practice, and to prepare students to educate future social workers. Our PhD program will allow you to develop a coherent program of study with opportunities to pursue your own scholarly interests. These interests are pursued through a core social work curriculum, a minor discipline (sociology, psychology or public health) and a social work focal area (e.g., family violence). Students may take focal area courses in any college or department at the University of Iowa. The median time to degree is four years. In the table, below, we provide an example of a student’s course schedule by year. You can find detailed information about our curriculum, by going to our Current Students page and CLICKING on the PhD Handbook.
Courses by Year (Example)
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Total Credits |
| 1 |
|
|
|
23 |
| 2 |
|
|
|
18 |
| 3 |
|
|
9 | |
| 4 |
|
|
6 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 56 | |||
