Overview

Education

Upon completion of the Ph.D. program, students will be able to:

Demonstrate expert knowledge in a focused substantive area relevant to social work.

Conduct independent and original scientific research that advances knowledge in a substantive area.

Communicate scientific findings in an effective way to a range of audiences (from lay persons to other scientists).

Secure funding for a substantive research agenda.

Teach students the knowledge, skills, and values they need to be proficient social workers in a substantive area.

The courses are available only in Knoxville. Students and their committees can develop a plan for completing their research in Nashville based on the availability of dissertation resources. Students have the opportunity to work in the Center for Behavioral Health Research as part of their training.

The center focuses on services to children who have experienced mental health problems associated with abuse, neglect, violence and a variety of psychosocial problems. The Social Work program is offered by the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Programme Structure

The curriculum of the PhD program consists of foundation course work, electives, and dissertation research. The foundation curriculum consists of course work in research methodology and statistics, critical thinking, grant writing, and pedagogy.

Upon this foundation, students and their academic committees develop a plan of study consisting of course work in social work and other departments of the university.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-15 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-05-17 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-08-16 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-15 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

34 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Knoxville, United States

Disciplines

Social Work View 76 other PhDs in Social Work in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

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IELTS

6.5

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Other requirements

General requirements

The PhD program is designed for students who have completed a master’s degree in an accredited school of social work and have post-master’s social work/social welfare experience.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements, but believe they have equivalent credentials should contact the director of PhD program for further information regarding admissions criteria.

Submit online application to the Graduate Admissions Office.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32288 USD / year

≈ 32288 USD / year
Out-of-State

32288 USD / year

≈ 32288 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

13784 USD / year

≈ 13784 USD / year

Living costs

Knoxville

United States

885 - 1454 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Social Work.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Education

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Knoxville

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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