ABSTRACT
Doctoral programs in social work prepare students to generate and disseminate new knowledge that will serve to guide the social work enterprise. They
are also the major source of faculty members for bachelor’s and master’s degree social work programs. Graduates seek to apply their doctoral studies in various ways-as academic scholars, independent researchers, organizational leaders, policymakers, and advocates (Anastas, 2012a; Jenson, 2008; Valentine et al., 1998). However, the extent to which social work doctoral programs prepare students to support the larger contemporary needs of the profession still remains an unanswered question and is a topic of considerable discussion and debate (Abell & Wolf, 2003; Anastas, 2006; Anastas & Kuerbis, 2009; Fong, 2012, 2014; Jenson, 2008; Johnson & Munch, 2010; Mayadas, Smith, & Elliott, 2001; Ortega & Busch-Armendariz, 2014; Pollio, 2012; Reisch, 2002, 2013; Valentine et al., 1998; Zastrow & Bremner, 2004). Much of this debate centers on the preparation of doctoral students to navigate social work’s dual emphasis on direct practice and social reform in their roles as research scientists and teachers.
