The Doctorate of Social Work Program at Stephen F. Austin State University: Preparing Scholars to Meet Community Needs

Authors

• Jose Carbajal, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityFollow
• Stephanie WashingtonFollow
• Emmerentie OliphantFollow
• Rigaud JosephFollow
• Mohit Prodhan, Texas A & M University - TexarkanaFollow
• Freddie L. Avant Ph.D., LMSW-AP, ACSW, C-SSWS, Stephen F Austin State UniversityFollow

Abstract

The Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree has experienced substantial growth in recent years, accompanied by renewed discussion regarding its role, rigor, and distinction from the PhD in social work. This conceptual paper examines the evolution of DSW education and highlights the DSW program at Stephen F. Austin State University as a model of scholar-practitioner preparation designed to address complex community needs, particularly in rural and underserved regions. The paper first reviews the historical development of DSW programs in the United States and the changing expectations surrounding practice doctorates. It then describes the rationale, structure, and capstone framework of the DSW program at Stephen F. Austin State University, emphasizing its focus on leadership, advanced practice, teaching, and intervention research. Finally, the paper presents selected capstone projects from the program’s inaugural cohort to illustrate how students translate research into innovative, evidence-informed interventions that address maternal burnout, spirituality in social work practice, school-based mental health services, and Black maternal health disparities. These projects demonstrate the capacity of DSW students to generate meaningful scholarship while developing practical solutions to pressing social challenges. Findings suggest that the scholar-practitioner model fosters advanced competencies in leadership, teaching, research utilization, and community engagement. The experiences of the inaugural cohort provide evidence that DSW education can achieve substantial academic rigor while maintaining strong connections to professional practice. As DSW programs continue to expand nationally, the SFA model offers an example of how practice doctorates can prepare social work leaders, educators, and advanced practitioners to advance the profession and improve outcomes in diverse communities.

Recommended Citation

Carbajal, Jose; Washington, Stephanie; Oliphant, Emmerentie; Joseph, Rigaud; Prodhan, Mohit; and Avant, Freddie L. Ph.D., LMSW-AP, ACSW, C-SSWS (2026) "The Doctorate of Social Work Program at Stephen F. Austin State University: Preparing Scholars to Meet Community Needs," Journal for Social Work Scholar-Practitioners: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/jswsp/vol1/iss1/3