Social Work (PhD)

Society needs researchers who have a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and who are prepared to address inequality and promote social justice.

Supported by world-class faculty, students undertake ground-breaking research that fosters social justice and promotes new understandings of social issues affecting individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

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Program Highlights

  • The country’s only Indigenized PhD in Social Work offering. Following a successful pilot in 2018, the program was implemented again in 2022.
  • Small class sizes foster a strong sense of community among students and enable faculty to provide individual support and mentorship.
  • 56% of students who graduated between 2016 and 2021 hold full-time faculty positions.
  • For the 2023/24 academic year, 10 of our students were awarded external funding to support their research from either the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada or the Ontario Graduate Scholarship.
  • One of our students was the recipient of the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship.

Program Details

Offerings

The PhD program includes two offerings: a general offering and Indigenous offering. Each offering involves the same program structure and milestones. Students complete seven required courses and one elective course, with an optional elective available. They then complete the comprehensive examination followed by the dissertation.

The Social Work PhD comprehensive examination is an important stepping-stone in students’ dissertation research. It provides students with the opportunity to develop deep knowledge of the theory and knowledge/research related to their area of interest, which both informs and frames their dissertation research.

Field Learning Option

Students for whom field experience in a particular setting is necessary to advance their ability to conduct their research may request permission to enrol in the Field Learning Option. The student identifies the setting, negotiates the details of the role, and submits a written proposal for the Field Learning Option to the associate dean of the PhD program and the PhD committee for approval. If taken, the field learning option would fulfil an elective.

Program Structure

Research

Faculty Research

Our faculty members pursue a range of research interests across the micro-macro practice spectrum from the local to global contexts. They use various research methodologies, including critical, feminist, and Indigenous methods.

Our research centres, programs, and chairs include the Centre for Indigegogy, Manulife Centre for Community Health Research, the Social Innovation Research Group, Walls to Bridges, Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Global Adversity and Wellbeing, and the Lyle S. Hallman Chair in Child and Family Welfare.

Core Research Areas

Aligned with social work’s mission and values, faculty’s research addresses these core areas:

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"The PhD program provided opportunities for me to build lifelong relationships with colleagues and friends. I am thankful for the care put into fostering these opportunities to connect and the mentors that helped guide my journey". 

Christine Mayor (PhD ’22)

Admissions

Take the first step in your graduate education and apply to one of our graduate programs. Follow our three-step admission process — we’ll walk you through how to apply and prepare for your first day as a graduate student.

  • Start: Fall (September)
  • Format: Full-time or part-time
  • Application deadline: Extended to Jan. 31

Your Next Steps

Questions? Contact Michael Woodford, associate dean of the PhD program, at mwoodford@wlu.ca.

"The collegiality of peers, staff, and faculty was a valuable and cherished part of my experience. The physical spaces for students to work and engage with each other created a great extension to classroom learning. My advisor’s commitment guidance and support were essential in creating an intellectually stimulating experience that challenged me and deepened my critical thinking."

Bibi Baksh (PhD '22)

Kitchener Location

This program is available at the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work in the heart of downtown Kitchener. This fully renovated historic building houses seven classrooms (including a unique circular classroom), a computer lab, a 2,000 square foot library, an interview-viewing room, a large conference/lecture hall, a community meeting space, a student lounge, and a spiritual room.

Close to 300 graduate students are based in Kitchener, just minutes away from Laurier’s Waterloo campus where they can access a full range of student supports and a variety of campus amenities.

Learn more about Laurier's campuses.

Tuition and Funding

Full-time domestic students will benefit from bursary and teaching assistantship opportunities at the university. 

All full-time domestic students receive the PhD minimum guaranteed funding (MGF) package of two teaching assistantships and a scholarship.

The Faculty of Social Work welcomes international students to the PhD Program. International students who have confirmed funding from a third-party, such as their employer or a scholarship program in their home country, will be considered for admission beginning in the 2024/25 admission year.

Learn more about admission requirements for international applicants.

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Careers

In addition to becoming faculty members, our graduates assume research, policy analysis, and leadership roles in human service organizations.

Your Path to Post-Degree Success

ASPIRE is Laurier's professional skills development training program for graduate students. The program helps you craft an individualized, extracurricular learning plan tailored to your professional journey and entry to the workplace.

Contact Us

If you are looking for more information about this program, have questions, or want to set up a meeting, contact a member of our team. 

Program Inquiries 

If you are looking for more information about the program or want to discuss next steps, you can email Michael Woodford, associate dean at mwoodford@wlu.ca.

Learn About Our Faculty

To contact other members of our team, or learn more about the interests of our faculty members, visit our contacts page.