As a member of the SSA doctoral program, you will join a select group of outstanding students and scholars who advance an interdisciplinary approach to social work and social welfare scholarship. The program is designed to deepen students' mastery of both social science theory and research methods so that they are prepared to contribute to scholarly knowledge in innovative ways. The PhD in social work opens doors to university-level research and teaching positions and high-level policy research. In the doctoral program, you have the flexibility of designing your own course of study in tandem with related disciplines across the University of Chicago. What makes SSA different is that our students receive the theoretical training needed to become applied social scientists.
The University of Chicago is a magnet for the world's leading scholars in the social sciences. As a doctoral student, you can participate in original research alongside faculty advisors in any of our University-affiliated research centers and programs, including: