Doctor of Philosophy Program Information
Curriculum
The curriculum emphasizes theory and method rather than substantive specialization. Faculty members teach both behavioral and social theory and quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. While specialization is achieved through the dissertation and elective courses, required courses are designed to ensure that successful graduates leave Bryn Mawr with the range and depth of preparation essential to a successful career as a scholar and/or college or university teacher. While graduates sometimes use the degree to pursue research positions, agency administration, program planning, or clinical practice, the curriculum is oriented toward reproducing the professoriate, a critical issue in social work and social welfare education at this point in time. The Ph.D. program affords supervised teaching opportunities in the M.S.S. program for qualified, advanced doctoral students interested in a teaching career.
Course Requirements
The Ph.D. at Bryn Mawr is awarded by the College, not by individual departments or schools. Therefore, each student must meet certain general requirements as well as specific School requirements for the degree. A minimum of four semesters of class work is required for the degree. In the School of Social Work and Social Research this means 12 courses, 7 of which are required for each student, plus 5 carefully chosen electives. There is no foreign language requirement.
The 7 required courses are:
501 Introduction to the History of American Social Welfare and Social Reform
526 Behavioral Theory or
531 Social Theory
540 Data Analysis I
541 Data Analysis II
551 Research Methodology I
552 Research Methodology II
An advanced statistics or methods course
Required courses are taken within the School. Electives may be taken as formal seminars or tutorials in the School, but may also be selected from courses offered in the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, with which Bryn Mawr has a reciprocal tuition arrangement.
Housing
Doctoral students usually live in nearby communities or in Philadelphia . The School is easily accessible from center-city Philadelphia by automobile or commuter rail. Assistance can be obtained by contacting the Office of Residential Life at 610-526-7331.
