collagePhD Social Work is a 2-3 year doctorate course in Social Work. This course is specially designed for professionals for advancement in their profession and in their careers. This is a research-based course where the candidates usually work in a specific area. They conduct their own research on the problems residing in our society.
The course usually covers topics like Quantitative Scientific Methods, Survey of Research Methods in Social & Behavioral Science, Integrating Public Policy Issues, Outcomes into Social Work Research, Doctoral Teaching Practicum, and Dissertation direction. Candidates opting for the course should have a passion for research and aspire to present at conferences or publish their findings in respected journals
The duration of the program varies depending upon the institution. The minimum duration is 2-3 years from the date of registration and the maximum is 5-6 years. The minimum eligibility is a master’s degree in Social Work from a recognized college or university or its equivalent exam.
PhD Social Work: Key Highlights
- Full-Form: Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
- Duration: 3-6 years.
- Minimum Eligibility: Post Graduation / M.Phil in the relevant field.
- Admission Process: Entrance Exam/ Merit-based
- Top Entrance Exams: Joint CSIR UGC NET, CSIR JRF through GATE, SLETs, University Research Aptitude Tests.
- Top Institutes: TISS, Delhi University, Madra School of Social Work, Loyola College, Christ University, etc.
- Average Course Fees: INR 1,000 – INR 2 Lacs.
- Distance Education: Available
- Distance Education Institutes: IGNOU, Christ University, Venkateshwara Open University, etc.
- Job Roles: Lecturer & Professor, Social and Community Service Manager, School and Career Counsellor, Social and Human Service Assistant, Health Educator and Community Health Workers, Teachers and Researchers, etc.
- Average Annual Salary: INR 4.5 LPA
- Top Recruiters: Educational Institutes, Human Services Industry, Publishing Houses, Newspapers, Magazines, Philosophical Journals, Research Institutes, Consultancy Services, Law Firms, etc.
PhD Social Work Admission Process
- Admission in most of the colleges/universities is based on the Entrance Exam conducted by the university. The exam is further followed by a personal interview including profile assessment, research work/proposal, and work experience.
- Few universities/colleges, instead of conducting an entrance exam, also call the candidates directly for the interview on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying examination.
- The distance learning institutes like IGNOU admit students based on the entrance exam known as IGNOU OPENMAT. The applications for the same are available twice a year for every course. Candidates can choose to apply according to their convenience.
Merit-Based Admission
- Colleges like the University of Madras, Madras School of Social Work, etc. conduct admission based on merit i.e, the marks scored in the master’s degree programs.
- Also as per the UGC Regulations 2016, those who have qualified UGC-NET / UGC-CSIR NET/ SLET / GATE/teacher fellowship holder (KSET, SET, etc.) or have passed M.Phil Programme shall be exempted from the Entrance Examination. These candidates should take only a Research Skill Assessment Test along with their Personal Interview.
Entrance Based Admission
Some of the top institutes like TISS Mumbai, Delhi University, Loyola College, and Christ University offer admission on the basis of Entrance Tests. The exams are usually conducted at the university level or they select on the basis of State/ National Level Entrance Exams. Here are the steps of the admission process through entrances.
collage