DSW Online Courses

This course will introduce students to the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program at DSU. Students will be provided with an overview of the program and expectations for successful completion. They will review foundational social work theories, elevating their knowledge through doctoral-level analysis and documentation. DSW students will also be introduced to the PRIDE framework and develop understanding regarding why it is interwoven through the curriculum at DSU. They will be exposed to how reflection utilizing the PRIDE lens can add depth to an analysis. Finally, DSW students will be exposed to the Capstone process and broad expectations for their culminating project.

Students may select a social work elective from the following options: SCWK 816, SCWK 821, SCWK 822, SCWK 823, SCWK 825, SCWK 836, SCWK 837, SCWK 838

This course is designed to prepare doctoral students to provide effective leadership within organizations and communities. Theories, methods, and practices which influence individuals as change agents will be critically examined. Key leadership theories and cultural relevance will be explored as students identify their own leadership styles and apply theory to practice through qualitative interview and analysis.

The course is designed to prepare doctoral students in quantitative methods to understand multivariate analysis, interpret results, critically evaluate research-informed practice, and use suitable research designs for advanced quantitative studies. To that end, this course gives an overview of descriptive statistics, and focuses on analysis of variance, linear regression, assumptions of linear regression, model specification and analysis with multiple categorical independent variables. The course also covers analysis of binary outcome variables using logistic regression. Students will learn to use the SPSS program for analyses of data.

This doctoral level course focuses on developing advanced skills for conducting literature reviews relevant to areas of specialized social work practice. Students will learn to locate, critically assess, synthesize, and integrate literature relevant to social work practice and policy. Additionally, students will articulate gaps in current literature and make recommendations based on the literature review findings.

This course is designed to prepare doctoral students with knowledge of how to critically appraise and translate social work research. The course explores the history of evidence-based practice, the steps in the evidence-informed process, and prepares students to effectively assess experimental, quasi-experimental, non-experimental, and qualitative research designs. The course emphasizes the evaluation of research and practice interventions across multiple levels of social work practice including individuals, families, and communities. Special attention is given to the theoretical basis of the intervention and whether the intervention has been effectively studied among racially and ethnically diverse populations and communities. The course provides students with the opportunity to appraise current research based on their practice interests, which will support students in developing improved practice guidelines and design processes to further develop their personal research.

This doctoral seminar supports the development, approval, and initial implementation of the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Capstone Project. Students will synthesize theoretical, empirical, and practice knowledge developed throughout the DSW curriculum to design and implement a scholarly capstone project addressing a complex social work practice issue. Students will work closely with their Capstone Committee Chair to refine their research question, finalize their literature review, develop an applied research methodology, and complete a comprehensive Capstone Proposal. Following proposal approval, students will begin the initial stages of project implementation, which may include program development, data collection, evaluation activities, or intervention implementation. Throughout the course, students will critically examine how their project contributes to advancing social work practice and professional knowledge through the PRIDE framework (Power, Racism, Injustice, Disparity, Equity). Structured chair meetings, reflective logs, and peer learning sessions support scholarly development and leadership growth throughout the capstone process.

This doctoral seminar supports completion and dissemination of the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Capstone Project. Building upon the approved proposal and project implementation initiated in the prior capstone course, students will complete project implementation, analyze findings, synthesize results with the scholarly literature, and prepare a final capstone manuscript. Students will work closely with their Capstone Committee Chair to refine their analysis, strengthen scholarly writing, and prepare a professional presentation and defense of their capstone project. The course emphasizes scholarly dissemination, leadership in applied research, and the development of practice-relevant knowledge that advances social work practice. Students will also critically examine how their capstone findings contribute to addressing systemic inequities through the PRIDE framework (Power, Racism, Injustice, Disparity, Equity).

This course will introduce Doctor of Social Work (DSW) students to an in-depth, inclusive, exploration of social work history and the resulting knowledge and beliefs. The primary goal of this course is to facilitate students’ intellectual curiosity and critical thinking about the history of social work and the professionalization of the field. Specifically, dissecting issues of epistemology, power and justice in the formation of knowledge and shaping our history. This course will utilize the PRIDE lens and an African American perspective to examine the history, knowledge, and experiences of topics such as poverty, inequality, social welfare, and contemporary social policy as it affects marginalized, and oppressed people. This class will also explore sociocultural influences on thinking and the historical use of knowledge as an instrument of oppression.

This course presents frameworks and methods through which to analyze contemporary social welfare policies and programs and form advocacy plans. Theoretical and methodological approaches will be utilized to analyze policy development, implementation, management, and impact on historically oppressed populations. Theoretical and methodological approaches will be utilized to formulate policy solutions and shape advocacy plans. The course follows an intersectional approach to examine current trends, debates, and research developments in US social welfare policy. Students will apply critical thinking skills to analyze the political strategies, organizational tools, systemic oppression, and social work values affecting social change. Throughout the course, special attention is given to policy implications for diverse population groups, including, but not limited to, groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin.

Social work has historically focused on social justice and increased support for marginalized communities. As society’s ideologies have shifted and demographic identity evolves, there is a need to transcend foundational frameworks to explore modern theories focused on addressing systemic bias and discrimination. DSW students will complete an in-depth analysis of Critical Race Theory, Feminism Theory, and Queer Theory to expand their social justice perspectives. They will be challenged to rethink how they conceptualize current social ails and confront systematic inequalities. Students will improve their ability to comprehensively assess their target population and how they are continuously impacted.

This course is designed to prepare doctoral students to understand, interpret, evaluate, and design qualitative research and to develop the ability to select and use appropriate research methods. This course integrates the major concepts and practices of qualitative research methodology and introduces students to the field. This course focuses on the development and application of research for the purpose of writing for publication. Topics addressed in this course include choice of research methods, developing a problem statement and proposal, preparing interview guides, conducting research, and reaching conclusions from qualitative data. Additionally, this course includes readings on methodology, lectures, discussions, presentations, and in-class exercises that are designed to highlight various issues.

This course is designed to prepare doctoral students to assess the social significance of race by examining the reality of racial stratification, the reality of the experience of race and the nationality of those who study racial dynamics and processes. Students will review the origins of the concept of race and the historical science used to justify racial thinking. We will investigate the ways in which race has been socially and historically constructed. We will think critically about the sociological dimensions of race, ethnicity and their influence on identity, racial categorization, and interlocking systems of oppression. The course engages historical and contemporary theories of race and racism with a primary focus on the United States, however we also incorporate international perspectives and experiences. Furthermore, we will focus on identifying the factors that influence the development of an individual’s, group’s, and society’s cultural perspectives on sexuality. The class will take an experiential approach to training students to be critical consumers of research and theory, and to become culturally competent practitioners of spirituality, sexuality education, counseling/therapy, and/or research.

This course will introduce Doctor of Social Work (DSW) students to several theories of change as well as histories of change. The primary goal of this course is to guide students towards a justified belief that change is possible when a solution is planned, and the problem is targeted. Specifically, students will use logic modeling and other research-based concepts of change, including empowerment, network, and diffusion theories to critically examine possibilities of change in organizational and community settings. Program Theory, Theory X, Theory Y, as well as models such as Kotter and ADKAR will be utilized to construct a detailed plan of action addressing the need for impactful change. In the final presentation, students will combine learned theories, the PRIDE lens and the African American perspective to propose realistic change within a community.

This doctoral-level course critically examines the dynamics, consequences, and systemic implications of unethical leadership within human service organizations, communities, and broader sociopolitical contexts. Grounded in advanced leadership theory and the program’s PRIDE framework (Power, Racism, Injustice, Disparity, Equity), the course engages scholar-practitioners in reflective analysis of how leadership decisions shape organizational culture, professional identity, and outcomes for marginalized populations. Through historical and contemporary case studies, students interrogate the mechanisms through which unethical leadership practices emerge, persist, and influence followers, systems, and service delivery. Emphasizing applied doctoral learning, the course integrates critical self-reflection, ethical reasoning, and praxis-focused inquiry to strengthen clinicians’ and social work leaders’ capacity for responsible leadership. Assignments center on the application of leadership theories to real-world scenarios, requiring students to propose alternative strategies grounded in equity-focused leadership principles and implementation-oriented thinking. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to recognize warning signs of unethical leadership and enact ethically grounded leadership approaches that advance social justice, accountability, and transformative change in complex practice environments.