School of Social Work PhD

Student Program Manual and Advising

Your passion for research and education will find good support in our PhD program, which prepares graduates to advance the social work knowledge base by engaging in meaningful and innovative research to address social problems.
Attend an Info Session

All doctoral students must be registered for the long semester (Fall/Spring) and must make an appointment with the Graduate Advisor prior to registration each semester.  All students not registered during the long semesters are required to complete a Leave of Absence (LOA) form.

About

Thank you for your interest in the PhD Program in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington! Your passion for research and education will find good support in our PhD program, which prepares graduates to advance the social work knowledge base by engaging in meaningful and innovative research to address social problems. Our graduates become faculty members in universities around the world and take the lead in research, policy, and social work education for the purpose of promoting a just society.
PhD Program Manual 2026-2028

Did you Know?

  • Our PhD students are from different countries and regions and exemplify diversity in their education and practice backgrounds.
  • Our students have extensive opportunities of having hands-on research experience in faculty’s research projects, such as those funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the National Institute for Transportation and Communities. 
  • Our students publish in professional journals, present at academic conferences, and assist with the submission of external grants through a well-developed mentoring, training, and advising system.
  • Students are supported through a variety of development programs such as individual mentoring, writing and publication workshops, and teaching assistance workshops.
PhD students' profile

Meet the PhD Program Staff

Rachel Voth Schrag, PhD, LCSW

PhD Program Director and Associate Professor

Personal Pronouns: She/Her

IPVE Taskforce Development Subcommittee Chair

rachel.vothschrag@uta.edu

Rachel Voth Schrag

Research Interests: Violence Against Women, Trauma and Mental Health, Convergence of Poverty and Interpersonal Trauma, Violence Against Women in Diverse Educational Settings; Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Intervention

Monisa Caldwell

Program Coordinator

monisa.caldwell@uta.edu

Monisa Caldwell

Phone #: 817-272-3921

PhD Advisors

Rachel Voth Schrag, PhD, LCSW
PhD Program Director
Associate Professor
rachel.vothschrag@uta.edu

Monisa Caldwell
Program Coordinator
monisa.caldwell@uta.edu