The Benefits of Earning a PhD in Social Work

You chose a career in social work to change lives and make a meaningful difference. That calling has led to fulfilling work and now you’re ready to deepen your impact. This could be the perfect time to consider advancing your college education by earning PhD in Social Work.

There are two types of social work doctoral degrees: the PhD and a Doctor of Social Work (DSW). Both degree programs have benefits and provide advanced learning experiences that you can use to shape your social work practice. But if you want a doctoral program that prepares you for a future centered on research and teaching, a PhD program may be the better fit.

Why get a PhD? Let’s explore some of the benefits of earning a social work PhD online.

Do What You Love. The Benefits of a PhD in Social Work.

As a doctoral candidate, you’ll conduct in-depth research and complete a dissertation in the area of social work practice that interests you. Conducting doctoral research is an excellent way to delve deeper into your topic and to explore real-life solutions that could potentially change the field of social work.

In some PhD degree programs, you can tailor your doctoral studies to your interests and career goals. For instance, in Walden University’s PhD in Social Work online degree program, you can choose one of three specializations: Advanced Clinical Practice and Supervision, Impact Leadership in Social Work Administration, or Social Work Education.

What kind of research do PhD candidates conduct? One example from Walden’s online library of dissertations and doctoral studies is “Professional Social Work Supervision: The Relationship With Social Worker Retention and Self-Efficacy.”

Expand Potential Opportunities

You may choose to apply what you learn in your doctoral program to seek opportunities in postgraduate teaching, social work administration, policymaking, agency leadership, or research at accredited universities or think tanks.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) shares these insights about some social work careers:

• Research Social Work: “Researchers collect data and research-based knowledge to help predict outcomes of successful social work practice,” NASW writes on its website. “They determine whether a certain program or practice style is effective in making social change.”¹
• Politics: “There is a natural progression in the careers of many social workers from activism to leadership. Increasingly social workers are holding elective offices from school boards to city and county governments, from state legislatures all the way to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Social workers also play leadership roles in local, state, and federal agencies,” NASW says.²

People with social work PhDs may choose to pursue careers in higher education as college professors. If teaching is your passion, you may be entering a field with faster-than-average job growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects overall employment of postsecondary teachers to grow 8% from 2023 to 2033.³

“I knew I wanted to attain a PhD so that I could teach at the university level,” a graduate of Walden’s PhD in Social Work online degree program says. “I have a passion for forming competent and informed social workers.”

Stand Out in Your Field

In a doctoral degree program, you can gain the knowledge and expertise to help address complex social work issues and effect system-wide change. The work you do may earn recognition and respect from peers, employers, public officials, policymakers, clients, and students.

Those who earn social work PhDs make vital contributions in areas that include aging, behavioral health, child welfare, clinical social work, ethnicity and race, health, and schools. Others stand out for their work in social and economic justice and peace, social work ethics, and LGBTQ+ support.

“I decided to earn my PhD in Social Work because I want to make an impact at all levels—agency, community, county, and state,” a child protective services social worker and Walden online doctoral graduate said of her Walden program. She said earning her degree would instill confidence, and “others will trust my recommendations for improving child welfare because it will be supported by research.”

Gain Transferrable Skills

You may be earning a social work PhD, but in doing so you’re developing in-demand, high-level skills that you can apply to other career fields.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report, employers’ most-desired skills include: ⁴

• Analytical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Resilience, flexibility, and agility
• Leadership and social influence
• Motivation and self-awareness
• Curiosity and lifelong learning
• Technological literacy
• Dependability and attention to detail
• Empathy and active listening

These are among the skills you may draw on and build as you conduct research, analyze data, and contribute new knowledge to the social work field.

Enhance Your Network

Enhancing your professional network is another benefit of an online PhD program. When you earn this terminal degree, your educational cohort will include working professionals from across the U.S. Throughout your doctoral program, you’ll have opportunities to connect with classmates, faculty, and alumni and build a network of professional contacts.

The connections you make may help you tap into potential job opportunities. Your classmates also can become resources and sounding boards. Another PhD in Social Work graduate may already have dealt with a challenge you’re facing. Learning how others have handled similar situations may help you find solutions.

Should You Earn a PhD Online?

Whether you want to teach, conduct research, or improve social work policies, earning a PhD in Social Work degree online at Walden University can help you gain skills and specialized knowledge you can apply to those and other career goals.

Walden’s PhD in Social Work degree program is designed for working professionals who want to earn a degree while staying active in their personal and professional activities. The accredited university’s flexible online learning platform lets you study on your own schedule, wherever you have an internet connection.

As a doctoral candidate, you’ll have rigorous support throughout your online PhD degree program. Walden’s comprehensive student support services include academic residencies and the Doctoral Degree Coach™, an interactive planning and progress-tracking tool.

Are you still wondering, should I get a PhD? If you are, you can learn more about what Walden has to offer. And when you’re ready to reap the benefits of a PhD, take the next step toward becoming a social work professional who is changing lives and creating positive social change within communities.

Walden University is an HLC-accredited institution offering online certificate programs and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.socialworkers.org/Portals/0/Images/_News/sw-month/2020-SWM/infographic-research.jpg
²Source: www.socialworkers.org/news/facts/types-of-social-work
³Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
⁴Source: https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.