Hiring priorities for BSW/MSW programs in the United States: Informing doctoral programs about current needs

Abstract

Summary

This study was designed to identify the hiring needs of social work programs across the United States. The study used a national survey of social work programs, including closed questions for quantitative analysis and an open question for qualitative comments.

Findings

Of the 226 MSW and BSW programs participating in this study, 95% stated that they expected to hire additional faculty in the next 5 years. The vast majority reported plans to hire at the assistant professor level. Although a PhD is a preferred degree for many programs, 62% suggested they would consider a DSW as equivalent to a PhD. Respondents suggested the most important factors influencing hiring decisions would be the candidate’s interpersonal skills, refereed publications, filling a diversity need, and supporting social work ethics. The most commonly sought areas of expertise sought include generalist practice, research/evaluation, policy, community practice, and diversity.

Applications

This study has implications for doctoral programs and for social workers seeking post-graduate education in the United States. One of the most interesting findings was the expressed desire for candidates with practical and practice-oriented experience. Social work departments offering research-oriented PhD degrees may want to supplement their programs by providing courses and practical experiences that prepare graduates for teaching. Departments offering DSW degrees may design their programs to fill perceived gaps in qualifications among the current pool of candidates for tenure and non-tenure positions (e.g. teaching generalist social work, advanced clinical social work, and administration). Similarly, social workers wishing to pursue academic careers should consider which types of education and experience are in greatest need. Social workers seeking academic appointments should also note that the emphasis on teaching versus research varies across institutions.

Keywords

Social work careers curriculum doctoral education hiring research

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alessi

E. J.

Martin

J. I.

(2010) Conducting an internet-based survey: Benefits, pitfalls, and lessons learned. Social Work Research 34(2): 122–128.

Anastas

J. W.

(2006) Employment opportunities in social work education: A study of jobs for doctoral graduates. Journal of Social Work Education 42(2): 195–209.

Anastas

J. W.

(2012) Doctoral education in social work, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Anastas

J. W.

Kuerbis

A. N.

(2009) Doctoral education in social work: What we know and what we need to know. Social Work 54(1): 71–81.

Barrios

Villarroya

Borrego

Olle

(2011) Response rates and data quality in web and mail surveys administered to PhD holders. Social Science Computer Review 29(2): 208–220.

Biegel

D. E.

Hokenstad

Singer

M. I.

Shenyang

(2006) One school’s experience in reconceptualizing part-time doctoral education in social work. Journal of Social Work Education 42(2): 231–247.

Brown, P. M., Rice, A. H., Angell, G. B., & Kurz, B. (2000). Faculty hiring practices in social work education: A national survey. Critical Social Work, 1(2). Retrieved from http://www.uwindsor.ca/criticalsocialwork/2000-volume-1-no-2.

Brownstein

C. D.

(1985) The social work educator: Social worker and professor? Social Service Review 59(3): 496–504.

Bywaters, P., Dominelli, L., Holloway, M., Manthorpe, J., Marsh, P., Orme, J., … Stevens, M. (2006). A social work research strategy in higher education. The Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee (JUC SWEC), York. Retrieved from http://www.swap.ac.uk/docs/strategy_JUCSWEC.pdf.

10.

Catholic University of America. (2009). History of the school of social service. Retrieved from http://ncsss.cua.edu/home/History.cfm.

11.

Columbia University School of Social Work. (2011). About the school. Retrieved from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/about/index.html.

12.

Cook

Heath

Thompson

R. L.

(2000) A meta-analysis of response rates in Web- or Internet-based surveys. Educational and Psychological Measurement 60(6): 821–836.

13.

Council on Social Work Education. (2001). Educational policy and accreditation standards (2004 revision). Retrieved from http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id = 14115.

14.

Council on Social Work Education. (2008). Educational policy and accreditation standards (2010 revision). Retrieved from http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id = 13780.

15.

Council on Social Work Education. (2011). 2010 statistics on social work education in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.cswe.org/CentersInitiatives/DataStatistics/ProgramData.aspx.

16.

Damron-Rodriguez

(2008) Developing competence for nurses and social workers. Journal of Social Work Education 44(3): 27–37.

17.

Denzin

N. K.

Lincoln

Y. S.

(2011) The SAGE handbook of qualitative research, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

18.

Edwards, R. L. (2011). The Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) degree: Emergence of a new practice doctorate. Report of the Task Force on the DSW degree, Convened by the Social Work Leadership Forum. Unpublished report.

19.

Fagan-Wilen

Springer

Ambrosino

White

(2006) The support of adjunct faculty: An academic imperative. Social Work Education 25(1): 39–51.

20.

Fenge

(2009) Professional doctorates—A better route for researching professionals? Social Work Education 28(2): 165–176.

21.

Fowler

(2009) Survey research methods, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

22.

Golde

C. M.

(2006) Preparing stewards of the discipline. In: Golde

C. M.

Walker

G. E.

(eds) Envisioning the future of doctoral education: Preparing stewards of the discipline – Carnegie essays on the doctorate, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, pp. 3–20.

23.

Grinnell

R. M.

Unrau

Y. A.

(2011) Social work research and evaluation: Foundations of evidence-based practice, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

24.

Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE). (2013). Membership directory. Retrieved from http://gadephd.org/Membership.aspx.

25.

Harold, R. (April, 2003). Tradition, continuity, legacy: The role of doctoral programs in social work education and the profession. In The Fifteenth national symposium on doctoral research in social work, Columbus, OH. Retrieved from https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/36970/15_Harold_paper.pdf;jsessionid = DAD1462EE0AF6BDF68895C3CE02386FA?sequence = 1.

26.

Holley

L. C.

Young

D. S.

(2005) Career decisions and experiences of social work faculty: A gender comparison. Journal of Social Work Education 41(2): 297–313.

27.

Johnson

Y. M.

Munch

(2010) Faculty with practice experience: The new dinosaurs in the social work academy? Journal of Social Work Education 46(1): 57–66.

28.

Kagehiro

D. K.

(2010) Doctoral graduates by employment status, Washington, DC: Council on Social Work Education. Unpublished data.

29.

Karger

Stoesz

(2003) The growth of social work education programs, 1985–1999: Its impact on economic and educational factors related to the profession of social work. Journal of Social Work Education 39(2): 279–295.

30.

Khinduka

(2002) Musings on doctoral education in social work. Research on Social Work Practice 12(5): 684–694.

31.

Leung

(2009) A culturally sensitive interview guide for social work faculty searches. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work 18(1/2): 89–109.

32.

Mackie, P. F. (2013). Hiring social work faculty: An analysis of employment announcements. Journal of Social Work Education, 49, 733--747. doi: 10.1080/10437797.2013.812906.

33.

National Association of Social Workers. (2011). Social work history. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/features/general/history.asp.

34.

Pryce

Ainbinder

Werner-Lin

Browne

Smithgall

(2011) Teaching future teachers: A model workshop for doctoral education in social work. Journal of Teaching in Social Work 31: 457–469.

35.

Richardson

(2006) Stewards of a field, stewards of an enterprise: The doctorate in education. In: Golde

C. M.

Walker

G. E.

(eds) Envisioning the future of doctoral education: Preparing stewards of the discipline - Carnegie essays on the doctorate, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, pp. 251–267.

36.

Rittner

(March, 2010) Doctoral graduates: Training and ambitions (PowerPoint presentation based on unpublished research by the Group for Doctoral Education). Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Conference, , Atlanta, GA.

37.

Schilling

Morrish

Liu

(2008) Demographic trends in social work over a quarter-century in an increasingly female profession. Social Work 53(2): 103–114.

38.

Seidl

F. W.

(2000) Should licensure be required for faculty who teach direct practice courses? No! [Point/Counterpoint]. Journal of Social Work Education 36(2): 190–197.

39.

Society for Social Work and Research. (2010). National research capacity building initiative. Retrieved from http://www.sswr.org/nrcbi.php.

40.

Thurgood, L., Golladay, M. J., & Hill, S. T. (2006). U.S. doctorates in the 20th century: Special report. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resource Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf06319/pdf/nsf06319.pdf.

41.

Thyer

B. A.

(2000) Should licensure be required for faculty who teach direct practice courses? Yes! [Point/Counterpoint]. Journal of Social Work Education 36(2): 187–189.

42.

Thyer

B. A.

(2002) Social work doctoral education in the United States. Journal of Comparative Social Welfare 18(1): 153–167.

43.

Tucker

D. J.

(2008) Interdisciplinarity in doctoral social work education: Does it make a difference? Journal of Social Work Education 44(3): 115–138.

44.

Valentine

D. P.

Edwards

Gohagan

Huff

Pereira

Wilson

(1998) Preparing social work doctoral students for teaching: Report of a survey. Journal of Social Work Education 34(2): 273–273.

45.

Watkins

J. M.

Pierce

(2005) Social work education: A future or strength of peril. Advances in Social Work 6(1): 17–23.

46.

Zastrow

Bremner

(2004) Social work education responds to the shortage of persons with both a doctorate and a professional social work degree. Journal of Social Work Education 40(2): 351–358.

47.

Zieger

S. J.

(2010) Career reflections of social work educators, Chicago, IL: Lyceum.