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Earn Your Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Online
The University of Texas at Arlington will soon offer a DSW program focused on teaching and educational leadership.
The DSW program has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board!
DSW admissions are projected to open in May.
Please check back soon for updates.
Affordable
Affordable in-state options and out-of-state students save up to 50% on tuition costs.
Complete in 3 Years
Complete your 45-credit-hour degree in 3 years, if enrolled in 6 credit hours per full semester and 3 hours in the summers.
DSW Program Overview
The demand for advanced level social work leaders rises each year, and the increasingly popular DSW offers a pathway to heighten your skills and advance your career. During your time as a DSW student, you will work with leading scholar-practitioners who are dedicated to ensuring you learn the practical skills and knowledge that will allow you to make a direct impact and thrive, personally and professionally.
Our DSW is designed to equip social work professionals to elevate their impact through effective leadership and andragogical (teaching) expertise. With coursework including self-care, research, program management, supervision, social work entrepreneurship and education, this 100% online program is a great choice for seasoned practitioners looking to teach and lead future social workers.
This online, asynchronous, part-time DSW is designed with busy working professionals in mind. Our program breaks down geographic and scheduling barriers, combining the flexibility you need with ample opportunities to create a sense of community with your cohort, be intellectually challenged, and build your confidence to take the next step in your career.
DSW Program Goals
- Scholar-Practitioners: Foster the ability to apply advanced research and evidence-based practices.
- Leadership and Innovation: Cultivate leadership skills for driving ethical innovation in social work practice, policy, and education.
- Impactful Teaching: Equip students with strategies to effectively educate and mentor future social workers in academic and professional settings.
FAQs
DSW graduates use the degree to advance in their current field or seek new opportunities. We are seeing an increase in the demand for social workers with the skills, knowledge, and professional credentials necessary to take on leadership roles. The UTA School of Social Work Doctor of Social Work program prepares students to answer the call and creates leaders who will help people and communities thrive. While those with DSW degrees leverage their expertise in a variety of settings, from clinical practice to community organizing, our program focuses on preparing students to teach and take on educational leadership roles.
A PhD in Social Work is research-oriented, while a DSW is more practice-oriented. Most DSWs focus on advanced clinical skills, leadership, teaching, or some combination of these. PhD students receive extensive training in research methodologies with the aim of contributing original research to the field as their primary career focus. DSW coursework focuses more on advanced practice with the aim of enhancing clinical social work and leadership skills.
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The University of Texas at Arlington is accredited by our regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The DSW Program is currently pending approval SACSCOC. UTA’s School of Social Work (SSW) has two Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited programs, our Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Historically, CSWE has not accredited any doctoral programs. They still do not accredit PhDs, but as of 2025, CSWE began awarding accreditation to existing DSW programs.
Existing DSW programs now have the option to pursue CSWE accreditation, although CSWE accreditation is currently not required for financial aid, licensure, teacher credentialing, or employment eligibility. CSWE has clarified in their Memo to the Profession that, given the evolving nature of practice doctorate accreditation, the accreditation status of a DSW program should not affect how graduates are evaluated.
Seeking CSWE program accreditation is a multi-year process, and UTA will not be eligible to begin the process until Summer 2026. Our best estimate for receiving "retroactive" accreditation is Fall 2027, meaning that only students who begin the program in Fall 2027 or later will be considered to have graduated from a CSWE-accredited DSW program. CSWE does provide recommended competencies and guidelines, which the UTA SSW follows closely. We have also aligned our curriculum with CSWE's practice doctorate accreditation guidelines.
DSW Admissions Process
Our DSW program accepts the best and brightest students with an MSW or MSSW from a CSWE accredited institution and three or more years of post-MSW graduation practice experience, and meet the following criteria:
Submit the Following to UTA Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration:
- All official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0+ in the last approximately 60 hours of university level credits
- Master’s GPA of 3.4+
- Completed Application Form
UTA School of Social Work's DSW program also requests the following application materials:
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Statement of academic and career goals
- TOEFL iBT total score if applicable
- GRE not required
Learn more about Our DSW Program
We are excited to see how you will further the social work knowledge across the world, and we hope you will choose the UTA School of Social Work’s DSW program to further your educational and career goals. If you would like to learn more about our DSW program, we invite you to get in contact with our SSW Graduate Admissions Office. They can help answer your questions and help get you started.