Practice Doctorate Accreditation Toolkit

2025 Practice Doctorate Accreditation Toolkit 

This toolkit encompasses the accreditation materials for the 2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs. Additional toolkit items will be released mid-late 2025. 

CSWE News Updates:

April 2025 | Update on CSWE Accreditation for DSW Programs

Standards and Resources for Practice Doctorate Programs:

• 2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs
  • Advance copy - version of document with graphic design forthcoming. 
• Memo to the Social Work Profession
• ADEI Resources, Guidance, and FAQs
  • Accessible to members and primary contacts through the membership portal
• Practice Doctorate Candidacy Fees and Related Expenses(Opens in a new window)
  • Programs interested in applying may pay the Candidacy Eligibility Fee at this time, if desired. Please note this does not place the program in the review queue. The queue will open with the submission of completed program documents in August 2025 (pending CHEA review and expansion of the BOA's accreditation scope).

Accreditation Pathways:

Practice doctorate programs will be able to seek accreditation via two distinct pathways:

1. Traditional Pathway: for new and developing practice doctorate programs (3-year developmental model)

2. Temporary Alternative Pathway: one-year initial accreditation process for existing practice doctorate programs 

The Temporary Alternative Pathway was developed in recognition that practice doctorate programs have longstanding operational history and pilot participation was limited by design. Therefore, this pathway allows existing practice doctorate programs an expedited candidacy and initial accreditation option, while the traditional candidacy benchmarking process is developmental and designed to build a new educational program. 

For Traditional Pathway Applicants:

IMPORTANT: These are DRAFT READ-ONLY documents in development for use by practice doctorate programs. It is anticipated that programs will be able to seek accreditation in August 2025. The timeline is subject to change pending Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)(Opens in a new window) review and expansion of the BOA’s accreditation scope. These documents are provided publicly for informational and planning purposes only and subject to change. 

• Candidacy Eligibility Application(Opens in a new window) 

• Benchmark Grid

• Initial Accreditation Eligibility Application(Opens in a new window)

New Applicant Process: 

• Submission of Candidacy Eligibility Application(Opens in a new window) 

• Submission of Benchmark 1 materials

• Program granted pre-candidacy upon staff approval of Benchmark 1 materials

Candidacy Process: current candidacy process

For Temporary Alternative Pathway Applicants:

IMPORTANT: These are DRAFT READ-ONLY documents in development for use by practice doctorate programs. It is anticipated that programs will be able to seek accreditation in August 2025. The timeline is subject to change pending Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)(Opens in a new window) review and expansion of the BOA’s accreditation scope. These documents are provided publicly for informational and planning purposes only and subject to change. 

• Temporary Alternative Pathway Application(Opens in a new window)

Process:

• See Temporary Alternative Pathway Application(Opens in a new window) to determine eligibility

• Submission of Temporary Alternative Pathway Application(Opens in a new window) (including Initial Accreditation Self-Study)

• Program granted pre-candidacy upon staff approval of Temporary Alternative Pathway Application

• Candidacy decision by BOA

• Candidacy Visit 3

  • Benchmark 3/Initial Accreditation Self-Study submitted for BOA review 30 days prior to the visit

  • Program invoiced for Candidacy Visit 3 Fee

• Candidacy Visit Report produced

• Program Response to the Candidacy Visit Report

• Initial Accreditation Decision by BOA

Programs interested in seeking accreditation post-pilot are encouraged to complete the Practice Doctorate Program Record Audit Form. This will allow CSWE to maintain accurate records to communicate important updates as they become available.