About PhD Social Work

PhD Social Work is a research-based program that lasts about 3 years but can last up to 5-6 years depending on how much effort students put into their dissertation. Candidates taking the course will be required to select a specialization area to undertake suitable research. The study will be based on real-life challenges that affect our society. The course falls under the umbrella of PhD course.

According to Wikipedia, "Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being." 

Eligibility Criteria for PhD Social Work

Students who wish to enrol in the PhD Social Work program must pass in their Master’s degree in Social Work from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% overall. Students with an M.Phil degree can also apply for the course. Students must pass the common entrance examinations in addition to meeting the standard PhD Social Work eligibility requirements. This course has no age limit.

How To Get Admission for PhD Social Work?

Admission to the PhD Social Work program is either merit-based or entirely based on the candidate's qualifying exam score. A candidate's performance on a National, State or College-level entrance exam determines their admittance to the course. Some colleges conduct their entrance exams for the admission process. Aspirants must also meet the minimal PhD Social Work eligibility requirements, which include a Master’s in Social Work and an entrance exam score. 

Though the PhD Social Work admission process varies from college to college, below are the steps that one should generally go through to get admission.

How to Apply?

In consideration of the COVID scenario, the majority of institutions are moving their admissions processes entirely online. Students must therefore go to the official websites of the colleges to which they are applying and begin the application process by submitting information. Students can also go to the college of their preference for offline enrollment and fill out an application form with all required documents. Students are admitted to distant learning colleges like IGNOU based on the IGNOU OPENMAT entrance exam. Every course has an application process that takes place twice a year. Candidates can apply whenever it is convenient for them.

Selection Process

In merit-based selection, candidates are chosen based on their academic performance during their Master’s degree. For entrance-based selection, students need to take the entrance test. Once the candidates are qualified, they become eligible for any further stage of PhD admission in Social Work. Further stages of admission vary from college to college. Generally, the college will require a final round of group discussion or a personal interview once the application has been approved before admission is confirmed.

PhD Social Work Syllabus

The program comprises both course and research work; the amount of coursework one should undergo depends on the candidates' past background and the research one is engaged in. Basically, the program includes:

1. Coursework
2. Pedagogy
3. Qualifying Examination
4. Preparation of Research Proposal
5. Thesis Work

The PhD Social Work course syllabus is based on the curriculum followed by colleges/universities in India. The syllabus may slightly differ based on the universities.

• Social Work – History and Ideologies
• Work with Individuals and Families
• Work with Groups
• Work with Communities
• Human Growth and Development
• Social Work Practicum – I
• Management of Developmental and Welfare Services
• Social Work Research and Statistics
• Social Work Practicum – II
• Social Work Practicum – III
• Communication and Counselling / or Gandhian Approach to Welfare and Development
• Personal and Professional Growth / or Population and Environment
• Human Resource Management
• Social Work Practicum – IV
• Social Work with Tribal and Rural Communities/ or Organisational Behaviour and Organisational Development
• Preventive and Social Medicine and Medical Social Work/ or Rehabilitation and Aftercare Services
• Social Policy, Planning, and Development / or Legal System In India
• Employee Relations and Legislation
• Mental Health and Psychiatric Social Work
• Major Project
• Social Work Practicum – V
• Social Work Practicum – VI
• Human Resource Development and Employee Wellness / or Case Studies

Why study PhD Social Work?

Prospective scholars, educators, or researchers, in social work generally go for social work PhD programs because of the following reasons:

PhD Social Work course teaches different services intended to help poor people and mature and to expand their welfare.

Social Work is both an expert and scholarly course whose region of study is planned for enhancing the personal satisfaction of an individual, group, or community having a place with a weaker segment.

PhD Social Work trains individuals who are now working or want to work in the Development and Welfare segments.

PhD helps a candidate to become a Social Worker and perform in different capacities. Social workers perform interventions by policy, research, direct practice, community organizing, and teaching.

PhD is especially for individuals who need to put in a couple of years more as an understudy. People who need to seek a career as a college professor or researcher in a field can enroll in any of the colleges or institutes offering a doctor of philosophy degree.

Admission Process of PhD Social Work 

Admission in most of the colleges/universities is based on the Entrance Exam conducted by the university. The exam is further followed by a personal interview including profile assessment, research work/proposal, and work experience.

Few universities/colleges, instead of conducting an entrance exam, also call the candidates directly for the interview on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying examination.

The distance learning institutes like IGNOU admit students based on the entrance exam known as IGNOU OPENMAT. The applications for the same are available twice a year for every course. Candidates can choose to apply according to their convenience.

Merit-Based Admission

Colleges like the University of Madras, Madras School of Social Work, etc. conduct admission based on merit i.e, the marks scored in the master’s degree programs.

Also as per the UGC Regulations 2016, those who have qualified UGC-NET / UGC-CSIR NET/ SLET / GATE/teacher fellowship holder (KSET, SET, etc.) or have passed M.Phil Programme shall be exempted from the Entrance Examination. These candidates should take only a Research Skill Assessment Test along with their Personal Interview.

Entrance Based Admission

Some of the top institutes like TISS Mumbai, Delhi University, Loyola College, and Christ University offer admission on the basis of Entrance Tests. The exams are usually conducted at the university level or they select on the basis of State/ National Level Entrance Exams. Here are the steps of the admission process through entrances.

• Step 1: The candidates will have to apply for the entrance exam by filling up the application form, uploading the documents, and paying the application fees.
• Step 2: The candidates can download the admit card and sit in the entrance exam.
• Step 3: The results will be declared and the institutes accepting the particular exam will release their cut-off list.
• Step 4: Candidates who cleared the cut-off, can apply to the institutes.
• Step 5: The institute will call the candidate for a personal interview.
• Step 6: Candidates who were able to clear the interview, can enroll after document verification.

PhD Social Work Entrance Exams

Research entrance exams are being conducted by various colleges/universities in India for PhD Social Work. Students are granted admission based on the score obtained in the entrance exams or qualifying exam, followed by an interview. Dates of some universities are as follows:

UGC NET: The National Testing Agency on behalf of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will be conducting UGC NET after June to determine the eligibility for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for a Lectureship (LS) / Assistant Professorship’ in Indian universities and colleges.

TISS RAT: The Research Aptitude Test, conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences - TISS, Mumbai, for admission into all the 4 TISS campuses.

DUET: The entrance exam conducted by Delhi University mid-year, for admission in PG and Research programs.

Loyola College PhD Test: The Research Admission Test conducted by Loyola College, Chennai in the month of July.

Christ University PhD Exam: The Research Admission Test conducted by Christ University, Bangalore in the month of June.

How to prepare for PhD Social Work entrance exams?

To start the preparation for PhD Social Work entrance exam, the candidates should be aware of the syllabus and the exam pattern and then prepare according to it.

Exam Pattern: Various universities have different exam patterns but the most common one has been divided into two papers i,e. Paper 1 and 2. The syllabus of Paper 1 is common for all the subjects whereas the Paper 2 syllabus will be based on the subject that the candidate chooses.

Important Topics: The syllabus may differ for various exams but knowing the common topic that is usually included for PhD Social Work exams may help the candidates to prepare for various exams. Some of the common topics are:

1. Nature and Development of Social Work
2. Society, Human Behavior and Communities
3. Social Work with Individuals and Groups
4. Social Work with Communities and Social Action
5. Research in Social Work: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches
6. Administration, Welfare and Development Services
7. Social Policy, Planning and Social Development
8. Indian Constitution, Social Justice, Human Rights, and Social Work Practice
9. Areas of Social Work Practice

PhD Social Work Job Profiles & Career Prospects

The field of social work has over various career options. It totally depends on the area the candidate wants to work. The jobs are usually in the sectors where the need of development and improvement is highly required.

They can work as government employees and work for the betterment of society. Such jobs may include identifying issues at macro and micro levels and finding solutions to solve them. The issues include poverty, addiction, physical and mental health problems, and family issues.

The graduates can also work for NGOs and work to solve a specific issue.

They can work for private companies. Private companies usually hire such graduates to manage their CSR programs.

They can do jobs as a Lecturer/ Professor, Social and Community Worker, Researcher, Social Activist, Writer/ Editor, Journalist, Philosophical Journalist, Scientist, etc.

1. Social and Community Service Managers
2. School and Career Counsellors
3. Social and Human Service Assistants
4. Health Educators and Community Health Workers
5. Researchers

PhD Social Work Scope

The working area for social workers is very vast. They work with populations from newborns to elderly people. They serve their services to individuals, families, and communities.

The social worker can work in different areas like Hospitals, Clinics, the Health Industry, the Education Sector, NGOs, Human Rights Agencies, Old Age Homes, Disaster Management Departments, etc.

Nowadays social care centers are opening every year at various places, thus the demand for social workers is also increasing. The PhD holders can get employed where the need for a child and family social worker is needed.

Social Workers can also find job opportunities in international organizations like UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO, and other organizations with similar working strategies. These organizations look for social workers for their projects and developmental projects and they also pay well for social workers.

As for government jobs, professionals in the field of social work can find job opportunities in government community development projects. Government organizations in India offer job opportunities to social workers in tribal welfare, women welfare, and child welfare programs and these professionals can find job opportunities in other government sector organizations as well.