PhD in Social Work

The Doctor of Social Work in Leadership in Community Practices is an accelerated doctorate designed for working professionals who want to keep their careers moving while they study. It builds advanced skills, centers on justice and prepares graduates to drive social change at every system level. Students move through the program as a cohort with a low-residency format. Instruction is fully online and mixes live sessions with work done on a flexible schedule, and the degree can be finished in two years. The program totals 50 credit hours and ends with a student-directed capstone project that each learner tailors to personal professional interests and goals. Spalding is based in Louisville, Kentucky, but the online delivery lets students join from elsewhere. The cohort approach gives participants a steady peer group of fellow experienced practitioners throughout the program.