What are social work practice doctorate programs?
Practice doctorate programs in social work prepare graduates to advance practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels as well as in higher education and/or professional leadership. Individual programs determine their own degree designation but most of these programs designate “DSW” as the degree awarded.
These doctorate programs educate master’s-level social work practitioners who are graduates of CSWE-accredited programs as doctoral level practitioner-scholars who will develop, translate, and advance social work practice knowledge; engage in systematic inquiry; and apply and disseminate research-informed knowledge, values, ethics, and skills in social work through practice, professional leadership, and teaching.
Information for prospective practice doctorate program students
The accreditation of practice doctorate programs has just been piloted and it will be quite some time before accreditation of these programs is the norm. Piloting accreditation processes is standard practice among accreditors and is required by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. All stakeholders, including licensing boards, are aware of and understand that this is a standard and intentionally incremental process.
Students should be aware that, until accreditation of practice doctorate programs is fully implemented, and all existing practice doctorate programs have had a chance to seek accreditation, a practice doctorate program’s CSWE-accredited status should not be a determining factor in selecting which professional practice doctorate program to apply to. Prospective students should select a program that matches their professional and personal goals. Please review the CSWE/GADE Report on the Current Landscape of Doctoral Education in Social Work for examples of employment opportunities obtained by recent practice doctorate program graduates. Prospective programs may be able to provide more detailed information on the specific types of employment opportunities obtained by their graduates.
Information for current or former practice doctorate program students
Piloting accreditation processes is standard practice among accreditors and is required by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Stakeholders, including licensing boards, are aware of, and understand, that this is a standard and intentionally incremental process.
Only degrees earned after accreditation of practice doctorate programs is fully implemented and all existing practice doctorate programs have had a chance to seek accreditation, can a non-accredited status carry any significance. Any potential barriers to practice due to doctorate program accreditation status are not anticipated until well into the future.
Once practice doctorate programs receive initial accreditation, their accreditation status cannot retroactively cover or grandfather previous students. The accreditation status obtained at initial accreditation covers the components that were reviewed during the accreditation review process. Therefore, the accredited status applies to those students who started the program in the academic year during which candidacy is granted and beyond. For example, if a program is granted candidacy in Spring 2023, students who started the program in Fall 2022 or later will have graduated from an accredited program, if/when the program receives initial accreditation. See policy 1.6 in the Accreditation Policy Handbook for more details. Accreditation status will not be retroactively effective to previous students and curricula.
Information for the public regarding the pilot
From 2021-2025 the BOA began piloted the accreditation process for practice doctorate programs in social work. Individual programs determine their own degree designation but most of these programs designate “DSW” as the degree awarded.
Piloting is an intentionally incremental process. Only once accreditation of practice doctorate programs is fully implemented, and all existing practice doctorate programs have had a chance to seek accreditation, should a practice doctorate program’s CSWE- accredited status be considered when evaluating the qualifications of future practice doctorate program graduates. The CSWE-accredited status of practice doctorate programs for graduates that complete these programs before accreditation is readily available to programs should not be considered.
Additionally, once practice doctorate programs receive initial accreditation, a program’s accreditation status cannot retroactively cover or grandfather previous students. The accreditation status obtained at initial accreditation covers the components that were reviewed during the accreditation review process. See policy 1.6 in the Accreditation Policy Handbook for more details. Accreditation status will not be retroactively effective to previous students and curricula.
What does practice doctorate program accreditation mean for practice?
The number of practice doctorate programs has grown in recent years. In response to questions in the field about how practice doctorate program graduates fit within the education continuum, BOA partnered with programs, social work educators and leaders, doctorate students, and other constituents to conduct an environmental scan, gather data and feedback, and create accreditation standards. Accreditation standards set a minimum threshold for recognizing practice doctorate programs as having a level of performance, integrity, and quality expected by the educational community and the constituents the programs serve.
Baccalaureate social work programs (accredited by CSWE’s BOA since 1974) and master’s social work programs (accredited by CSWE’s BOA since 1952, and its predecessor since 1919) maintain their significant and vital place in the continuum of social work education in preparing students for competent social work practice across all system levels (micro, mezzo, and macro) and with diverse clients and constituencies. Bachelor’s programs prepare students for generalist practice while master’s programs prepare students for generalist and specialized practice. Practice doctorate programs prepare graduates to advance practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels as well as in higher education and/or professional leadership. You can learn more about the landscape of doctorate education in social work here.
Neither CSWE, nor its Board of Accreditation (BOA), address / designate a terminal degree for social work education or practice. For information regarding faculty preparation or regional accreditation requirements for faculty qualifications / credentials, please contact the program’s accreditation specialist for your currently accredited baccalaureate and master’s social work program. The BOA and EPAS clearly continue to emphasize the value of master’s level social work preparation for faculty in accredited social work programs as well as for post-degree social work practice.
Professional social work licensure post-degree is under the authority of a designated board within each individual state government. Your state government is responsible for regulating licensure and setting criteria required to become a licensed professional social worker. Requirements may differ by state. Contact information for individual state licensing boards can be found on the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) website or through an internet search for a licensing board for a particular state. Questions regarding licensure and professional practice should be directed to the board in your state. Questions regarding the national social work licensing exams should be directed to the ASWB, the body that publishes and administers the exams.