Current PhD Students

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After completing the required coursework and passing the Qualifying Examination, students begin work on the Dissertation: the final component of doctoral study.  The first step in completing the Dissertation is to form a Committee.

To ensure that the appointed Committee has the appropriate expertise, breadth within the discipline, and independence to ensure a fair assessment of the Dissertation, approval of the make-up of the Dissertation Committee rests with the Program Director.

Please complete and submit the Dissertation Committee Form to notify the Program of your progress toward completing the degree and to request a review of the composition of your Committee.

The PhD Dissertation Committee must meet the following criteria:

• Composed of five members
• The Chair and First Reader must be faculty from the PhD Program
• A majority of Committee members must be professorial faculty from Boston University

A Special Service Appointment is required for Committee members

• without a Boston University faculty appointment (including Visiting Professorship appointments), and
• for the exceptional case of a committee member from Boston University not of professorial rank.

Nominees for a Special Service Appointment must be active scholars and researchers in their discipline. When nominating a Committee member for a Special Service Appointment, please upload or provide a reference/hyperlink (in the “Comment” box below) to their Curriculum Vitae.

If you have taken an official Leave of Absence from BUSSW within the past five years and wish to return, you must indicate your interest in returning to the PhD Program by:

• September 15 for spring term
• January 15 for fall term

If you are currently on a Leave of Absence and are interested in returning to BUSSW, please submit the “Request for Return” form below.

If you are returning within 12 months of taking a LOA, you do not need to submit additional materials with the form.

If it has been one year or more since you began your LOA, please submit the following with the form:

• Transcripts for any courses completed since your LOA began
• List of any new paid and/or volunteer experience
• One new reference
• A personal biographical update: Please write a brief statement about education, work, and/or volunteer experiences you have had since your previous application. In what way have these experiences affected your interest in and knowledge of social work? Please limit this statement to one double-spaced, typed page.

Additionally, you must meet any special requirements prescribed at the time when you took a leave from BUSSW.

You must complete the program within 7 years of your original start date.

If you are not able to complete your program in this time frame, we encourage you to review the process of reapplying to SSW.

Please note: If you left BUSSW for reasons related to educational concerns noted at the time of your LOA, your material will be reviewed by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, who may request additional material and/or an interview. The Associate Dean will determine whether a status review should be convened to determine if you are allowed to re-enroll at BUSSW.

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