Alternative Program Name
Doctor of Social Work (Clinical Leadership)
Special Notification
- Please see the bottom of this page for information about the cost of attendance.
- No application fee required.
- DSW applicants must hold U.S. citizenship. Preference will be given to residents of California. Applicants from other approved states will be considered as space permits. See this page for the list of approved states.
- The DSW program is an online program. Courses use a combined synchronous and asynchronous format.
Program Description
The online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree is an 79-quarter unit, 3-year program designed to meet the needs of post-master's social work professionals desiring to advance their careers in the areas of clinical leadership and practice innovation. Loma Linda University's internationally and nationally recognized faculty will guide experienced and accomplished social work practitioners to become scholar-practitioners, capable of advancing clinical social work practice knowledge and innovation through applied scholarship, leadership, education, and the promotion of social justice in support of whole person care in an increasingly diverse and global practice environment.
Program Length
3 years (11 quarters)
Possible Careers
Clinical leadership; upper administration in large public and community-based non-profit agencies; behavioral health research and evaluation; health care administration.
Admissions Requirements
• An MSW (or equivalent e.g., MSSW) from a program that is accredited by the CSWE.
• A minimum of four years' professional social work experience post receipt of the MSW degree.
• A minimum MSW GPA of 3.3.
• License to practice clinical social work is preferred.
• Structured essay.
• Structured oral interview with program.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Three letters of recommendation (academic and professional).
Please note: The GRE and/or first author publication requirement has been eliminated and is no longer required. This change will be noted in the next catalog update.
Prerequisites
An MSW from a CSWE-accredited university and a minimum of four years’ experience post-MSW.
Discipline Accrediting Agency
The Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) is presently drafting accreditation policies and standards for DSW programs. LLU faculty are participating in the development of this criteria, and have designed the DSW program at LLU to meet forthcoming accreditation policies and standards for DSW programs.
State Accrediting Agency
Loma Linda University is regionally accredited by the WSCUC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges [WASC] Senior College and University Commission).Notes
No quarterly enrollment fees for online students.- Estimated amounts are for the academic year specified only. Amounts are based on full-time attendance for the number of months enrolled per academic year. International students need to calculate 12 months of living expenses based on these amounts.
- Amounts are expected to increase each year consistent with inflation in the professional education sector.
- To qualify for financial aid, most students must be enrolled at least half time in an aid eligible program and be taking degree requirements. Half time is 6 units in a quarter for undergraduate programs and 4 units in a quarter for graduate programs.