DSW in Social Welfare

Adelphi’s New York-based DSW program is unique in its trauma-informed, anti-racist pedagogy. It was developed as a student-centered program with support through professional mentoring and community building, both in-person and online, to help students achieve their professional leadership and practice goals. We believe our hybrid model, small classes and intentionally designed curriculum will help students work towards these goals with strong community bonds and faculty support.

The admissions process for the DSW program is competitive. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited MSW program and have two full years of professional experience working in social work post-MSW.Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in their MSW program. 

Applicants will be reviewed on the strength of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and an essay (prompts are posted in the admissions portal).  Applicants who meet admissions criteria will be invited to participate in a transactional interview with two members of the DSW committee, after which an admissions decision will be rendered and candidates will be notified via email. There is a $60 application fee.

This is a three-year, nine-semester part-time program. Fall and spring semesters are 15 weeks long and students take two courses each semester. Summer classes are taken one at a time for a five-week intensive. There is a summer break over the month of August and through Labor Day weekend.

The entire Doctor of Social Welfare program is grounded in the theory, pedagogy and practice of trauma-informed, anti-oppressive social work. While we do not offer specializations or practice tracks, these two lenses will prepare both practitioners and agency leaders to engage in trauma-informed generalist practice or organizational change. Toward the end of the second year, students will choose an elective of either advanced clinical practice or nonprofit leadership management, based on their personal interests.

It is important to note that while we do offer one advanced clinical elective, our program is designed from an advanced generalist perspective and is not specifically a clinical doctorate program. 

• The PhD in Social Work emphasizes the creation of new research—historically qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods and theory, while the DSW focuses on practical application and leadership in social work practice. Research courses  taught in the DSW program are translational research, which focuses on translating practice questions and knowledge and applying it to improve the overall well-being of individuals, organizations and communities.
• Learning, skills and knowledge in the PhD social work program are assessed through a series of comprehensive exams, along with a dissertation which focuses on the creation of new knowledge, which occurs after coursework is completed. The DSW program involves a capstone project, which is worked on simultaneously while students are taking classes in the third year, and typically focuses on an area of practice interest.  
• DSW graduates typically focus on advanced practice post-degree, often holding leadership positions within their communities, agencies, social service agencies or in direct practice, while those with PhDs pursue tenure-track positions in academia and/or continue to generate research and publications.

Information on tuition and fees for the DSW program can be found through our One-Stop Student Services Center office: One-Stop Student Services Center | Adelphi University  

To complete the DSW, students take a total of 54 credits. We are pleased to offer some of the lowest tuition costs per credit in our geographic area. For 2025–2026, the DSW program costs $1250 per credit. Students typically fund their degrees through federal student loans as well as some limited scholarship opportunities available for alumni of Adelphi’s MSW program. Some agencies offer tuition remission to their employees andwe encourage interested applicants to speak with their place of employment about this option. After the first semester, students have the opportunity to apply to teach as an adjunct professor or to serve as a graduate assistant, however, it is important to note that these opportunities are limited and the application process is competitive. There are also outside grants for which students may qualify.

The Adelphi DSW is a hybrid degree, meaning that it is not fully online. There are monthly in-person classes (required) that are offered at our Poughkeepsie campus on Sunday afternoons, followed by one asynchronous week, one week on Zoom and one week asynchronous. 

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) will begin accrediting DSW programs in the fall of 2025. We plan to pursue accreditation at that time, and anticipate it to be completed by the time the first cohort graduates in 2028.

Admissions for the Fall 2025 cohort have now closed. We anticipate the admissions portal opening in October 2025, with virtual Open Houses taking place in the fall. In order to be considered for the September 2026 cohort, applications will be due by March 15, 2026.

If you received your MSW from Adelphi, you do qualify for an expedited application for your DSW. Once you begin your application in the portal, your $60 fee will be waived, along with your MSW transcript and two letters of recommendation. Some applicants may also have their bachelor’s degree transcripts waived—if they appear in our system. However,  in some cases, you may still need to request your undergraduate transcript from your prior institution(s). You will still need to complete the essay and interview.

Please explore our DSW and School of Social work web pages. We strongly encourage interested applicants to attend our virtual Open Houses, which are hosted in both fall and spring, to meet some of our current students as well as faculty and administrators. Submit your contact information on our Quick Request form to stay on our mailing list for announcements about when our admissions portal will open, and for our fall events schedule.