UC Berkeley Social Welfare’s doctoral program develops scholars who make significant contributions to social work and social welfare teaching, research, policy, community engagement, and administration. The program is designed to inspire independence and originality of thought in pursuit of knowledge.
Our doctoral students are trained and equipped with the knowledge of professional practices, policies and programs required to address a wide range of contemporary societal problems. In addition to providing the educational climate conducive to creating innovative research scholars, we also train future educators who can inspire the next generation of social work practitioners and researchers.
Nationally and internationally recognized as leaders in their fields, our pre-eminent faculty conducts cutting-edge research on major issues facing California, the U.S. and the world. UC Berkeley Social Welfare has more faculty fellows of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare than any other school.
Doctoral Studies in Social Welfare
Doctoral students work alongside their mentors to design and pursue an individualized program of work tailored to their intellectual interests. Each student’s work is aligned with specialized research areas of faculty mentors and supervisors from UC Berkeley Social Welfare, along with additional distinguished departments across the Berkeley campus.
Doctoral coursework includes seminars in research methods, statistics, theory and other related areas. Required courses for doctoral students focus primarily on research methodology. In addition, students enroll in elective courses, seminars, and independent tutorials useful for mastering selected fields of study, preparing for the qualifying examination, and developing competence in research methods. For specific degree requirements and descriptions of courses offered, please see the UC Berkeley Graduate Catalog page on the PhD in Social Welfare.
Students are also encouraged to select courses from the rich and varied offerings in other University departments. Doctoral students at Berkeley are required to include faculty from outside their major discipline on qualifying and dissertation committees. For this, Social Welfare PhD students have access to world-class Berkeley faculty in top-ranked programs.
In Social Welfare, it is expected that all doctoral students will complete the PhD degree within ten semesters, having taken the Qualifying Exam by the end of the third year and filed the dissertation by the end of the fifth year.
Admission to the PhD Program
UC Berkeley Social Welfare prefers applicants to doctoral study who hold a master's degree in social work or social welfare, or have comparable preparation in a closely related field, and who show evidence of intellectual and other qualifications essential to successful doctoral study. In reviewing applications we seek to determine whether the applicant's particular objectives can be met in our doctoral program at Berkeley.
For complete admission requirements and application instructions, please visit PhD Admissions.
Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid
Berkeley PhD students are assessed UC Berkeley Graduate Academic Fees. For current rates please visit the Office of the Registrar's Fee Schedule
UC Berkeley offers a competitive funding package for newly admitted doctoral students. Doctoral funding packages typically support a student for five total years, including payment of tuition and fees, student health insurance, and an annual allowance for living expense support. The first four years include a combination of departmental support from Social Welfare, Academic Student Employee (ASE) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) employment, and Graduate Division or external fellowships or awards. Students can access an additional year of support from the Graduate Division Doctoral Completion Fellowship, which becomes available after advancement to candidacy and meeting other eligibility criteria
For more information about fees, fellowships and financial support for doctoral students, please see Graduate Division’s Doctoral Funding Support Page and the Graduate Award Guide
