Doctor of Social Work

Overview

The professional doctorate in Social Work offered at Cardiff University is a part-time doctoral research degree. It is fully equivalent to the PhD, but substantially different from it in that it is strongly professionally oriented, focussing on 'applied' rather than 'pure' research.

While the PhD generally prepares candidates for a research-based career, the professional doctorate is a more in-service orientated degree, addressing the career needs of practising professionals, particularly those in or who aspire to senior positions within their professions. The linkages between research-based knowledge and its application in a wide range of professional settings are central to this doctorate.

Career Prospects

• Typically professional doctorate candidates are employed when they study with us, although current employment is not a condition of entry.
• Graduates are able to further their careers within their employment settings or move beyond these into, for example, Higher Education, policy and planning, and/or research development and management.

Programme Structure

Areas of research include:

• Science, technology and risk
• Crime, security and justice
• Knowledge, learning and pedagogy
• Culture, interaction and everyday life
• Children and young people
• Education, skills and labour markets
• Inequalities, division and diversity

Admission Requirements

Academic requirements

GPA: First Class

English requirements

TOEFL iBT: 100 (total score of 4 subjects: writing, listening, speaking, and reading, each subject range 0-30)

PTE Academic: 76 (total score ranges between 10 and 90)

IELTS: 7 (combined average score of 4 subjects: writing, listening, speaking, and reading)

General requirements

• You must possess a good first degree and usually have completed a master's degree. You should also have two or more years' professional experience in a field appropriate to your chosen pathway.
• Much of the module learning and associated assignments aim to support applied professional development and you are expected to have experience of - or current access to - professional settings in a field appropriate to your doctoral degree.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in AUD. Domestic students: 4,711 AUD / year (approximately 2,503 GBP / year).

Living costs

Cardiff, United Kingdom: 1,182-2,006 AUD / month. The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.