2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is pleased to announce the approval and release of the 2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs. The accreditation standards were developed and approved by the Board of Accreditation (BOA) on February 6, 2025.
2025 Practice Doctorate Accreditation Standards*(Opens in a new window)
2025 Practice Doctorate Accreditation Toolkit(Opens in a new window)
*Advance copy - version of document with graphic design forthcoming.
Implementation Timeline
As of August 1, 2025: all practice doctorate programs seeking accreditation via traditional pathway or temporary alternative pathway will use the 2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs for the duration of the candidacy process.
As of July 1, 2027: All accredited practice doctorate programs are expected to operate under the 2025 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctorate Social Work Programs.
Social Work Education Continuum
Programs Accredited by the CSWE Board of Accreditation | Accredited by Institutional Accreditors* | ||
Baccalaureate Social Work Degree Generalist Practice
Competency-based | Master's Social Work Degree Specialized Practice
Competency-based | Practice Doctorate Social Work Degree Doctoral Practice
Practitioner-Scholar | Research Doctorate Degree | PhD |
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Source: 2023 GADE Quality Guidelines for PhD Programs in Social Work(Opens in a new window) |
*Research doctorate degrees are not programmatically accredited across health professions
Standards Development Process
In 2023 a Practice Doctorate Program (PDP) Standards Revision Committee, consisting of BOA and Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) representatives, was established to revise the 2020 Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctoral Programs in Social Work which were used for the practice doctorate accreditation pilot(Opens in a new window). For more information visit the PDP Timeline of Activities, which documents the process from 2010-2025.
BOA representatives: Randy Magen, Chair, (Yeshiva University); César Abarca (New Mexico Highlands University); Antoinette Farmer (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), Tom Gregoire, BOA Chair, (The Ohio State University); Emmerentie Oliphant (Stephen F Austin University); Larry Ortiz (Loma Linda University); Katherine Perone (Western Illinois University); James Herbert Williams (Arizona State University)
COEP representatives: Mike Daley, (Texas A&M University-Central Texas), Shirley Gatenio-Gabel, (Fordham University); Karen Rice (Millersville University)
CSWE staff: Shanéa Thomas, Executive Director of Accreditation; Kat Gibson-Ledl, Director of Accreditation Services; Marilyn Gentner, Director of Accreditation Operations; Megan Fujita, Vice President of Education