CSWE CONNECT SESSION:

Accreditation of Practice Doctoral

Programs in Social Work
Update & Feedback Sessions
Dr. Debra McPhee, Chair, Commission on Educational Policy
Dr. Andy Safyer, Chair, Commission on Accreditation
Dr. Jo Ann Regan, CSWE Vice President of Education
Dr. Stacey Borasky, CSWE Director of Accreditation

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 Agenda
• Background and Context
• CSWE Board Decision
• Practice Doctorate Committee Activities
• Draft 1 of Accreditation Standards for Practice Doctoral Programs
• Core Expertise & Skills
• Mission and Goals
• Explicit Curriculum
• Implicit Curriculum
• Assessment
ASK QUESTIONS AND HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK!
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 Practice Doctorate Committee Members

 COEP Representatives
o Dr. Debra McPhee, Dean, Fordham University, COEP Chair
o Dr. Robert Kersting, Social Work Department Chair, Westfield State University
o Dr. Christopher Mitchell, University of Illinois at Chicago
o Dr. Larry Ortiz, Professor and Director, PhD Program in Social Policy and Social
Research, Loma Linda University
 COA Representatives
o Dr. Andy Safyer, Dean, Adelphi University, COA Chair
o Dr. Beverly Black, Professor and former PhD Program Director, University of Texas at
Arlington
o Dr. Tom Gregoire, Dean, The Ohio State University
 CSWE Staff:
o Dr. Jo Ann Regan, CSWE Vice President of Education, COEP Staff Liaison
o Dr. Stacey Borasky, CSWE Director of Social Work Accreditation, COA Staff Liaison

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 Practice Doctorate Committee Members

DSW Program Directors/Representatives

 Brian Christenson, Capella University
 Michael C. LaSala, Rutgers, the State
University of New Jersey
 Debora S. Rice, Walden University
 David A. Patterson, The University of
Tennessee
 Bill Rowe, Southern Connecticut University
 Sharon Lyter, Kutztown University
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 INFORMATION

• Email went out last week to all CSWE program and individual
members about how to submit written feedback on Draft 1 of the
standards
• See https://cswe.org/Accreditation/Information/Feedback-for-Pra
ctice-Doctorate-Program
• Framework document and Draft 1 of Standards
• Timeline-2 year process of feedback and comment on
standards and process
• Fall 2019-CSWE’s COA begins to accept applications for pilot
reviews #APM18
 PROCESS

• A practice doctorate committee of both commissions and

current DSW program directors have been actively working
to conceptualize and create accreditation standards that will
ensure that practice doctoral programs can differ in their
goals, curricula, and competencies of their graduates.
• The COEP, COA and practice doctorate committee are
committed to developing an appropriate structure and
process that will be transparent, inclusive, and responsive to
CSWE members and other stakeholders’ feedback.

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 Background and Context

• In March 2016, the CSWE Board of Directors voted

for COEP and COA to move forward with developing
a process for the accreditation of practice doctoral
programs in social work following a careful analysis
of the recommendations from a number of groups
and activities since 2010 that examined the role of
the advanced practice doctorate in social work and
its implications for the social work profession.
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Rationale for Accreditation

• Accreditation of practice doctoral programs

for the protection and enhancement of the
preparation of social work practitioners in
specialized social work practice.
• This aligns us with the accreditation
processes of other professions
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 Core Expertise & Skills

Practice doctoral programs, regardless of focus, should

prepare doctoral practitioners to:
• engage in systematic inquiry that adheres to scholarly conventions;
• use and critically evaluate advanced-level evidence-based practice;
• develop and disseminate practice-relevant knowledge through a
variety of channels, such as teaching, scholarship, professional
presentations, mentoring, and administration;
• demonstrate leadership in social work practice and education; and
• develop and maintain substantive expertise in one or more areas of
social work practice.

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 Mission & Goals

Proposed Accreditation Standards for 1.0:

AS 1.0.1: The program submits its mission statement that includes the program focus and explains
how it is consistent with the profession’s purpose and values.

AS 1.0.2 : The program explains how its mission is consistent with the institutional mission and
the program’s context.

AS 1.0.3: The program identifies its program goals and how they are derived from the program’s
mission. The program explains how program goals are consistent with the core expertise and skills
for doctoral practitioners.
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 EXPLICIT CURRICULUM

• Committee decided not to prescribe

competencies given that current practice doctoral
programs in social work are differ in their goals,
curricula, and competencies of their graduates.
• The program instead must demonstrates how its
curriculum content implements the core expertise
and skills for doctoral practitioners.

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 EXPLICIT CURRICULUM

Proposed Accreditation Standards for 2.0

• AS 2.0.1: The program identifies its curriculum content and academic product(s) required
for the program and provides a rationale for the logical structure, timeframe, and
progression of the curriculum.
• AS 2.0.2: The program explains how its curriculum is consistent with the program's mission
and goals.
• AS 2.0.3: The program explains how the program focus for the curriculum prepares
students for substantive expertise in an area or areas of social work practice.
• AS 2.0.4: The program explains how its curriculum prepares students to be doctoral leaders
in an area or areas of social work practice.
• AS 2.0.5: The program demonstrates how its curriculum content implements the core
expertise and skills for doctoral practitioners.
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 IMPLICIT CURRICULUM

• The implicit curriculum refers to the learning environment in

which the explicit curriculum is presented and includes areas
such as:
• the program’s commitment to diversity
• admissions policies and procedures
• advisement and mentoring policies
• student participation in governance
• faculty
• administrative structure
• resources
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 IMPLICIT CURRICULUM

12 Standards
• AS 3.0.2: The program identifies the criteria it uses for admission to the social work program. The
criteria for admission to the program must include an earned master’s degree in social work from a
CSWE-accredited program and at least two-year’s post-master’s experience.
• AS 3.0.8: The program identifies each full- and part-time social work faculty member and discusses his
or her qualifications, competence, expertise in social work education and practice, and years of service
to the program. The program will document that all faculty members who teach in the program have
doctoral degrees and the majority have master’s degrees in social work from a CSWE-accredited
program.
• AS 3.0.9: The program describes the practice doctoral program director’s leadership ability through
teaching, scholarship, curriculum development, administrative experience, and other academic and
professional activities in social work. The program documents that the program director has a doctoral
degree, preferably in social work, and a master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited
program.

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 ASSESSMENT

Proposed Accreditation Standards for 4.0

• AS 4.0.1: The program presents its plan and rationale for the assessment of the core
expertise and skills of its graduates. At a minimum, the plan should include
• procedures related to when, where, and how each core expertise and skill
is assessed, including assessment measures; and
• a description of how the program uses this data for continuous quality
improvement.

• AS 4.0.2: The program provides data on retention and graduation rates, time to completion
of degree, and job placement rates and demonstrates how this data is used for continuous
quality program improvement.

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 FEEDBACK PROCESS

• The intent of the practice doctorate committee is to solicit feedback from as many
constituents as possible in as many ways as possible.
• CSWE invites and encourages all individual and program members and interested
organizations/groups to provide feedback on the draft standards proposed for the
accreditation of practice doctoral programs.
• Feedback can be submitted as a group or individually in one or more of the following
ways:
• Submit feedback online as an individual and/or program member of CSWE group or organization online
by December 31, 2018.

Submit a feedback letter directly to CSWE at Office of Educational Initiatives and Research, 1701 Duke
Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314 or email pracdocprograms@cswe.org by December 31, 2018.

Participate in an online feedback session on December 5, 2018. More information to follow.

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 THANK YOU!!!!
If you have any questions about the
feedback process or experience any
technical problems with the online
feedback system, please contact
the CSWE Department of Education
Initiatives and Research at
pracdocprograms@cswe.org.
#APM18