Clinical Expertise: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

This course is part of Walden’s commitment to help prepare students to meet the university’s expectations for writing in courses at the doctoral level. In this course, students write a short academic essay that will be scored by a team of writing assessors. Based on the essay score, students will complete or be exempted from additional required writing support needed to meet writing proficiency standards. This required assessment course is free. Students will be enrolled automatically in it at the beginning of their doctoral program.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Through this course, students gain a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. Course assignments focus on practical application of writing and critical- thinking skills and promote professional and academic excellence. Major assignments include the preparation of the Professional Development Plan and Program of Study.

In this foundational doctoral course, students are provided with an overview of the ways of knowing diverse contemporary theories in social work and the social sciences. Students will be able to understand how the assumptions of various epistemological paradigms (i.e., ways of knowing) inform research.  Students will also explore how theories inform social work practice, policy, and research, and they will discuss the role of the social worker in social issues at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. In addition, there is an emphasis on the delivery of culturally sensitive and ethical services.

Doctoral students taking this first clinical seminar receive a comprehensive overview of the history, development, and evolution of clinical social work knowledge and practice with individual and family clients.  

This course is designed to prepare students to provide leadership to communities, institutions, employees, and agencies to address social justice, fairness, and equity for diverse, vulnerable, and marginalized populations. Students examine the intersections of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, ability, and socioeconomic status to understand individuals', communities', and families' experiences of oppression, power, access, and opportunity in society. In addition, students can engage in extensive self-awareness activities to address how their own values, attitudes, and beliefs will impact their ability to practice, advocate, and collaborate around social work, welfare, and policy.

How can students prepare for ethical leadership in social work practice, administration, and advocacy? In this course, students can enhance their understanding of the responsibility of social workers in advanced practice to foster social change for their community, clients, and profession through practice, policy, and advocacy. Students can use current research to analyze and evaluate policy and identify how community, national, and international issues affect the social work profession. In addition, students examine opportunities to learn how to influence policy as a response to the changing needs of a diverse population. Students also can gain an understanding of how to ethically initiate advocacy and social change processes.

Using models of evaluation derived from social science and social work theory and research, students can learn to apply research in social work to inform practice, future research, policy, and advocacy. Topics include the history and theory underlying program and practice evaluation, approaches to evaluation, selection of appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative models and techniques used to perform the evaluation, strategies for getting gatekeepers to be invested in the development of the research and in the outcomes, demonstration of program effectiveness, and dissemination of results to stakeholders. Students can gain an understanding of how to address dimensions of diversity (race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, etc.) in their program and practice evaluations in an effort to ensure equity and fairness in program delivery and advocacy.

This course is designed to explore the major conceptual approaches, methods, and techniques; evaluation; and ethical and legal issues related to clinical supervision for social workers and social workers in training. Throughout this course, students focus on strategies for working with supervisees representing diverse backgrounds as well as various developmental and learning styles. Students can analyze the purpose of supervision and the theoretical frameworks and models of supervision in social work.

Students in this course are introduced to theories, treatment intervention, and case management strategies for addiction counseling. Students are introduced to various models of treatment, recovery, relapse prevention, and continuing care for addictive disorders. In addition, students explore the treatment principles and philosophies of addiction-related programs. Students increase their self-awareness by understanding their own limitations as addiction counselors; recognizing when they need additional resources and support; and knowing when and where to refer clients when appropriate. In addition, students examine substance abuse policies and regulatory processes that influence service delivery in addiction counseling.

Students in this course are provided with the basic knowledge necessary to evaluate and subsequently treat many different forensic populations. Various forensic populations, such as sex offenders, substance abusers, and victims of crime, and employee assistance to law enforcement personnel will be covered. The use of traditional forms of intervention, such as individual and group psychotherapy, as well as recent developments in intervention, such as restorative justice, will be addressed.

In this research course, students are provided with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the graduate level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the role of theory, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research designs and data collection methods are introduced. The alignment of research components is emphasized. Students also explore ethical and social change implications of designing and conducting research. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing an annotated bibliography. RESI 8401.)

In this research course, students are provided with the opportunity to develop core knowledge and skills for designing and carrying out quantitative research at the doctoral level, including the application of statistical concepts and techniques. Students explore classical common statistical tests, the importance of the logic of inference, and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. Students approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to derive statistics from quantitative data and interpret and present results. RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110, and RESI 8401.)

Students in this research course are provided with the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills for conducting qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry, how theory and theoretical and conceptual frameworks uniquely apply to qualitative research, data collection procedures and analysis strategy, and how the role of the researcher is expressed in the ethical and rigorous conduct of qualitative research. Students practice collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting data, and they develop a detailed research topic for conducting a qualitative study. RSCH 8110 or RSCH 7110 or RSCH 6110, and RESI 8401.)

The purpose of this research forum is to assist and guide students in completing the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) capstone project study. Modules 1–3 are individual stages of the doctoral process that are a requirement for the completion of the capstone project. At the beginning of each quarter, students will submit a quarter plan that outlines a proposed schedule for completing the module and the final project. Within this forum, students will engage in regular scholarly discussions with the doctoral study committee and fellow doctoral students. This forum will include resources related to the capstone project, residencies, research, writing, and doctoral program expectations.