Are DSW degrees fully funded? Here are the best-paid doctorate programs in social work.
Sometimes you might want a higher degree but can’t afford to pay for the program.
Students are often looking for ways they can access funding for their programs. While some people are fortunate to get scholarships, some have to fund their education by themselves.
Fully Funded PhD Programs in Social Work
With the cost of education climbing almost annually, it becomes daunting for students to pay for doctorate programs. While people can take student loans and use them to fund their education, that is not a park walk.
The ideal option for most people is to look for schools offering fully funded programs. They need to weigh the options and sign up for the program.
Yeah, that came out so easy when it may not be that easy. That notwithstanding, many schools are still offering fully funded programs for students who may be interested.
Interestingly, a doctorate in social work (DSW) is one such program that is fully funded.
What does it mean to have a fully Funded DSW Program?
The phrase “fully funded” may sound a bit ambiguous for some people. Let’s break it down a bit.
A fully funded DSW program means students admitted into the program get access to full tuition and sometimes get stipends to cover their living expenses for a certain period of their program.
The schools provide the student with tuition fees and extra finance to help them take care of themselves for a period during the program.
The school’s stipends often don’t cover the student’s living expenses throughout the program. In some cases, the stipends only last for the program’s first two to three years.
Getting a fully funded doctorate program isn’t always as easy as getting a fully-funded bachelor’s or master’s degree program. Many universities don’t offer fully funded doctorate programs.
Does Full-Funded DSW Program have a Different Curriculum?
Allen and Mike attend the same school and are in the same DSW program. While Allen is a fully-funded scholarship student, his buddy Mike pays for his tuition.
Does this mean Allen and Mike will not take the same classes? Will the school treat Allen’s coursework differently from Mike’s? Does being a scholarship student make the curriculum different?
Well, the answer to these questions is no. The curriculum for both students remains the same. Allen will not learn separately from his friend Mike because one is fully funded while the other is not.
They will learn and sit for the same examinations if their programs are similar. If we make their curriculum different, does that not mean segregation?
Doing that defeats the aim of the scholarship – equal access to education and educational services.
Schools Offering Fully Funded DSW Programs
Students interested in graduate research in social work can access schools with fully funded DSW programs.
University of Alabama, AL
The University of Alabama runs a fully-funded doctorate program in its school of social work. Here, the students receive training in scholarly research in social work and education.
The curriculum prepares students to be in academia and equips them with skills for social work research using theory and research methods. They also go through courses on critical evaluation of policies and practices in social work.
The University of Alabama is responsible for three years of funding for your doctorate program. During the three years, students will receive stipends to cover their living expenses, health insurance, and tuition.
The school of social works provides financial aid to the students through research assistance, fellowship or grants, and graduate teaching.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is one of the universities in the United States that offers students a fully-funded doctorate in social works program.
The school operates a curriculum designed to prepare students for leadership and administrative roles.
The social works program at Michigan State University also has an interdisciplinary curriculum. What does this mean? Students at Michigan State University don’t just focus on courses in social work.
They also take a course in social science or other disciplines.
Students have to complete these courses within five years. Interestingly, they get fully funded throughout the five years. One condition applies for fully funded during the five years – the student must remain in good academic records throughout the five years.
New York University, NY
The New York Silver School of Social Work is a fully-funded doctorate program at the New York University for all students that meet its requirements.
The program is designed to prepare students for research and education around social justice. It also focuses on the health and well-being of communities facing social injustice, systemic politico-social, and socio-economic marginalization.
Students that make it into the program get research fellowships.
The research fellowship includes full waivers for tuition and registration fees. They also get student health insurance and living expenses stipends for the period of their program.
Sometimes part-time students in the doctorate program also get support, but it is usually on a case-by-case basis.
University of Southern California
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is the faculty accredited to admit students into the social work program at the University of Southern California. The school offers a fully-funded DSW program for eligible students.
Students in this program receive financial support for their tuition and other fees. The total amount the school provides for admitted students in the fully-funded DSW program is at least $200,000.
Interestingly, students benefitting from the fully-funded DSW program at the University of Southern California may also qualify for fellowships, research support, teaching support, and grants.
The Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work courses is customizable to meet students’ interests.
The program is highly research-oriented, and only students in good academic standing will continue to benefit from its fully-funded program.
University of Michigan, MI
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has an accredited school of social works that provides a fully-funded doctorate social works program.
The school runs an interdisciplinary program that includes social work and social science. Students in this program get an interdisciplinary degree in social works and any of the program’s four social science fields.
The University of Michigan provides its fully-funded doctorate program in social work through fellowship awards, graduate student instructorships, and graduate student research positions.
The program runs for five years and is fully funded throughout the five years.
The university employs a curriculum that uses scientific, social, and behavioral research to address social challenges.
One exciting thing about the fully-funded doctorate in social work at the University of Michigan is that students enjoy different funding packages.
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh is one of the few universities in the US offering a fully-funded doctorate in social work.
The university has a limited number of students that can access its fully-funded doctorate programs. Only six to eight eligible students are admitted into the school for a fully-funded DSW program.
At the University of Pittsburgh, the curriculum aims at preparing students for leadership roles. The focus is on research, social policy, social work education, planning, and administration.
The program runs for four years. Students in their first, second, and third years at the University of Pittsburgh are employed by the school as teaching fellows or faculty assistants.
These students also get financial support every summer while in the program. The support the students in the fully-funded DSW program receive include full tuition and stipends for their living cost during the program.
Boston College, Massachusetts
The Boston College School of Social Work offers interested students a fully-funded, full-time doctorate program in Social Work.
The curriculum focuses on giving students research skills and getting them ready for the independent research for their dissertation. Students spend four years in the program, divided into two years for different years.
Students spend the first two years acquiring research skills, using the remaining two years for scholarly research. Students in this program are fully funded and get a doctoral fellowship worth more than $200,000 for the period of the program.
The school offers students annual living stipends. They also get health insurance during the program and also conference support.
Boston University
Boston University School of Social Work provides a multi-year funding package for up to five years for students admitted into the fully-funded DSW program.
The students get research assistantships, tuition scholarships, and teaching assistantships. Boston University provides these supports as stipends paid each academic year – usually eight months.
The university also provides other sources of funding for students, which they will have to apply for before they can access the funding.
University of South Carolina
Students that apply and are admitted into the University of South Carolina’s School of Social Work fully-funded program may get stipends, research assistantships, and tuition remission.
These financial supports usually run for up to three years of full-time study. The school also offers its fully-funded DSW program through fellowships and classroom and field teaching.
Individuals can also arrange for research assistantships with the faculty they want.
All students applying for a fully-funded DSW program in any of these universities must apply accordingly and submit their applications early before the deadline day.
Applying for a fully-funded DSW program in any available school does not automatically qualify you for the scholarship or grant. The schools reserve the right to reject or accept your application.
