Doctor of Social Work 36 months PHD Programme By The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |TopUniversities
Programme Duration

36 monthsProgramme duration

Tuitionfee

17,398 USDTuition Fee/year

Application Deadline

30 Apr, 2026Application Deadline

Starting Month

SepStarting Month

Programme overview

Main Subject

Social Work

Degree

Other

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Programme Aims



The programme aims to provide first-rate education for social workers, welfare administrators and social work educators who have substantial professional experience and a commitment to pursuing a higher level of research and education and integrating this knowledge into their practice to further social betterment. 


The programme is specifically designed to cater to those who seek to develop and advance their academic, professional and reflective capabilities as practitioner-researcher-educators in a rapidly changing social setting. 


The programme also offers a platform for local–global dialogue on critical social work practices, helping those enrolled to use an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective to develop mastery of conceptual, methodological, analytical and practice skills. 


The programme will inspire students to adopt a reflexive perspective that emphasises critical reflections on current local and international wisdom and professional practices in social work. 


Programme Features


Practice Research and Practice Education


  • Develops leaders in social work practice and practice teaching
  • Integrates reflective practice, practice research and professional education


Integration of Theory and Practice


  • Integrating theory and practice leads to social work that is relevant, practical and attuned to specific social and governance settings
  • Embodies a reflective approach to theory–practice integration
  • Incorporates cutting-edge knowledge into innovative practice


Dialogue between International Perspective and Local Setting


  • Engages in a critical dialogue between the local and global communities
  • Applies a comparative perspective to local and international social and welfare issues
  • Explores culturally sensitive and appropriate social work practices for indigenous and international settings



Individual Concerns and Social Consideration


  • Recognises the complex external forces that impact professional practices
  • Adopts a cross-disciplinary, inter-professional and holistic approach to problem-solving in social work

Programme overview

Main Subject

Social Work

Degree

Other

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Programme Aims



The programme aims to provide first-rate education for social workers, welfare administrators and social work educators who have substantial professional experience and a commitment to pursuing a higher level of research and education and integrating this knowledge into their practice to further social betterment. 


The programme is specifically designed to cater to those who seek to develop and advance their academic, professional and reflective capabilities as practitioner-researcher-educators in a rapidly changing social setting. 


The programme also offers a platform for local–global dialogue on critical social work practices, helping those enrolled to use an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective to develop mastery of conceptual, methodological, analytical and practice skills. 


The programme will inspire students to adopt a reflexive perspective that emphasises critical reflections on current local and international wisdom and professional practices in social work. 


Programme Features


Practice Research and Practice Education


  • Develops leaders in social work practice and practice teaching
  • Integrates reflective practice, practice research and professional education


Integration of Theory and Practice


  • Integrating theory and practice leads to social work that is relevant, practical and attuned to specific social and governance settings
  • Embodies a reflective approach to theory–practice integration
  • Incorporates cutting-edge knowledge into innovative practice


Dialogue between International Perspective and Local Setting


  • Engages in a critical dialogue between the local and global communities
  • Applies a comparative perspective to local and international social and welfare issues
  • Explores culturally sensitive and appropriate social work practices for indigenous and international settings



Individual Concerns and Social Consideration


  • Recognises the complex external forces that impact professional practices
  • Adopts a cross-disciplinary, inter-professional and holistic approach to problem-solving in social work

Admission Requirements

6+
80+
  • MSW, MASW, MSocSc (Social Work) or a Master's degree in a related discipline.
  • For all applicants, 5 years of relevant work experience is preferred.
  • Applicants with a Master's degree in a discipline other than social work are required to take two additional subjects related to social work theory and practice (total: 6 credits) at the Master's level. Students are required to pay the additional credit fees.

If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.

30 Apr 2026
3 Years
Sep

Tuition fees

Domestic
17,398 USD
International
17,398 USD

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