School of Social Work Handbook - PhD Students

The School of Social Work offers two tracks for PhD studies, the regular track and the direct track.

A student seeking admission to either track should approach the school's research student committee. This committee recommends students to the PhD program and submits its recommendations to the department research student committee. The department committee is responsible for determining the academic program and approving the advisor/s.

 

Registration

Students may register from March to July of the academic year that begins in the following fall.

Candidates accepted to the PhD program will receive course registration forms by e-mail, to be filled out and returned as explained.

Once the registration period has ended, the student must check his or her academic program as it appears in the computer. Correct entry of the information serves as the basis for registration and calculations for tuition.

The student alone is responsible for assembling the curriculum, checking the course registration, and completing all obligations.

Admission to the Regular Track

Terms of admission: An MA thesis with a minimal grade of 90; a minimal final grade average of 90 in the MA degree; submission of a preliminary research proposal, approved by an advisor and an additional reader; agreement of a faculty member from the School of Social Work to act as advisor; and recommendations from two senior lecturers.

Admission to the Direct Track

Terms of admission: Completion of the first year of MA studies in the thesis track; completion of at least one half of all course requirements for the MA degree in the first year of studies with a minimum grade average of 93; a minimum grade average of 93 in research courses completed in the first year of the MA program; agreement of an advisor from the school to act as advisor; submission of a preliminary research proposal, approved by an advisor and an additional reader; and recommendations from two senior lecturers, and a recommendation from the lecturer in the thesis workshop course.

 

Two Stages of Studies for the PhD degree

Stage 1

Completion of all course requirements, submission of research proposal for approval by the judges and by the division research student committee.

Stage 2

Participation in a workshop for research students, completion of research (data gathering and analysis, writing), submission of thesis to judges and approval by judges and division committee, and by university research student committee.

The school committee is responsible for admission to stage 1, submission of the research proposal, admission to stage 2, and the final process of preparing the thesis for final submission to the division committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The division committee examines the school committee's recommendations and if there are no objections, the recommendations are approved. The division committee is responsible for final approval of the research paper.

The university research student committee sends official acceptance and eligibility notices at the different stages of studies, and decides, based on the recommendations of the division committee, on conferment of the PhD degree. 

 

Admissions Stage 1 Regular Track

1. MA graduates with a minimum grade average of 90 and a minimum grade of 90 on their final paper may apply for PhD studies.

2. In cases of outstanding academic achievements or special research, the committee has the right to waive the grade requirements as listed in article 1.1, contingent on approval of the university committee.

3. To apply for the PhD program, candidates must attain the agreement of a faculty member, a qualified PhD advisor, to act as his or her advisor (an active senior faculty member in the regular track). The candidate must also submit two recommendations from two senior faculty members. Click here for the list of advisors [https://socialwork.tau.ac.il/advisors-doc].

 

4. The candidate must submit a preliminary research proposal in accordance with the format available from the research student office. The preliminary proposal will be submitted to a senior faculty member for evaluation before the meeting to discuss the candidate's application.

 

5. The candidate must prove that he or she has studied research methods and statistics. The committee reserves the right to require that the candidate complete supplementary courses in the field during the first year of studies.

 

6. A student who complies with PhD admissions requirements, and has completed his or her BA in Social Work and his or her MA in a different field may be accepted to the PhD program in Social Work. Should the advisor deem it necessary that the student complete content or methodology courses from the MA program, the advisor will notify the student and the program secretary. The student will be required to complete these courses in the first year of PhD studies (stage 1). The student must complete these supplementary courses with a minimum grade of 85.

A student who complies with PhD admissions conditions who does not have a degree in Social Work but does have a degree in a related field will be required to complete a cluster of supplementary studies from the courses offered in the School of Social Work. These courses will be decided as per the recommendations of the school research student committee, following consultation with the student's designated advisor. These supplementary studies must be completed before the student is accepted to the PhD program. The content and number of hours will be determined by the research student committee on an individual basis, and will include at least three courses. The student must complete all of these courses with a minimum grade of 85.

 A field is defined as related to Social Work by the research student committee. These fields will generally be from the Social Sciences and from the therapeutic-counselling fields. However, other fields close to social work from a variety of spheres will be considered. A candidate in this category will be required to submit a preliminary research proposal and receive approval before beginning supplementary studies. Admission to the PhD program will be contingent on successful completion of the supplementary courses.

A student who complies with PhD admissions requirements who does not have a degree in Social Work and whose MA is from a field not related to Social Work, will be asked to complete supplementary courses from the courses offered in this framework in the School of Social Work. These courses will be decided as per the recommendations of the school research student committee, following consultation with the student's designated advisor. These supplementary studies must be completed before the student is accepted to the PhD program. The content and number of hours will be determined by the research student committee on an individual basis, and will include at least eleven courses. The student must complete all of these courses with a minimum grade of 85.

 

Requirements, Regular Track

During the first year of studies, the student is required to:

1. Students conducting qualitative research must complete four mandatory courses.

     A. Advanced Research Methods

     B. Introduction to Qualitative Research (from the MA curriculum)

     C. Advanced Data Processing Methods

     D. Critical Reading and Writing

  

     Students conducting quantitative research must complete four mandatory courses.

     A. Advanced Research Methods

     B. Introduction to Qualitative Research (from the MA curriculum)

     C. Advanced Data Processing Methods (students must pass an exam in statistics during the semester break as a prerequisite to this course)

     D. Critical Reading and Writing

 

 Students must complete all courses with a minimum grade of 85.

If one of the required courses is only offered once every other year, the student may be accepted to stage 2 without completing the course, providing he or she has completed all other courses. The student will be required to complete the course the following year.

 

2. To fully participate in a research student seminar, in which students will present proposals and research at different stages of progress. The timetable will be distributed to the students at the start of the academic year.

 

3. To submit a research proposal, approved and signed by an advisor.

 

4. To submit an approved progress report at the beginning of every year.

A research student who fails to comply with all academic requirements will not be entitled to submit a research proposal for evaluation.

Research students must observe the timetable determined by Tel Aviv University as it appears in the regulations for research students of the Faculty of Social Sciences as well as in the university regulations.

This timetable requires students to submit their research proposal within one year of acceptance to the PhD program. (In special cases the division committee will award an extension of one additional year, on recommendation of the school committee.) Corrections based on judges' comments must be submitted within four months of receiving them, and the final thesis paper must be submitted no later than five years after beginning the PhD program.

5. Presenting the PhD thesis at a conference

Any deviation from this timetable must be approved by the division research student committee.

Academic Program for the PhD Degree in the Regular Track

 

Advanced Research Methods	2
Introduction to Qualitative Research (from the MA curriculum)	2
Advanced Qualitative Data Processing Methods (from the MA curriculum)	2
Advanced Quantitative Data Processing Methods (from the MA curriculum)	2
Critical Reading and Writing	2
PhD Seminar (not included in the credits required to complete the degree, required for the duration of studies until thesis is submitted for evaluation)	2

 

 

 

 

Provisional Admission to Stage 1 in the Direct Track

 

Outstanding MA students in the thesis track who comply with the following may approach the division committee, through the school committee, to apply for admission to the direct track:

1. In the first year of MA studies the student successfully completed at least half of all course requirements for this degree, including all research courses offered in this academic year.

2. A minimum grade average of 93

3. A minimum grade average of 93 in all research courses in the first year of studies.

4. Agreement of an advisor from the School of Social Work to accompany the research process. Click here for the list of advisors [https://socialwork.tau.ac.il/advisors-doc].

5. Submitted a preliminary research proposal in accordance with the format available from the research student office. The preliminary proposal will be approved by the intended advisor and one senior faculty member.

6. Submitted a letter of recommendation from the thesis workshop teacher and two recommendations from senior faculty members. Preferably one of the recommendations will be from the intended advisor. Should the thesis workshop teacher be a senior faculty member, this recommendation will be considered one of the two required recommendations from a senior lecturer.

 

The division committee may approve or reject a request for admission to the direct track, at their discretion.

 

Requirements for Students in the Direct Track

The student must:

1. Reach exemption level in statistics at the beginning of the first year of MA studies.

2. Complete at least two thirds (20 credit hours) of the MA academic program in the thesis track, but need not write the thesis.

3. Complete the MA academic program within two years from start of studies (one year from start of studies in the direct track).

4. Participate in the course Philosophy of Science, if not previously completed.

5. Participate in a PhD workshop. Students present their research proposals in this workshop, helping the student in the preparation of his or her proposal.

6. Pass a qualification exam toward the end of the first year of studies. The exam allows the school committee to examine the student's achievements and qualifications to conduct PhD research. The qualification exam includes the submission of the preliminary research proposal and an oral examination on the proposal. The qualification exam assesses the student's ability to conduct research, and his or her knowledge of the designated field of research. The committee will approve the student's continued work in the direct track based on the student's outstanding academic performance in the MA program and success in the qualification exam.

7. Students conducting qualitative research must complete four required courses: Advanced Research Methods; Introduction to Qualitative Research (from the MA curriculum); Advanced Data Processing Methods; Critical Reading and Writing. The student must pass each of the courses with a minimum grade of 85.

Students conducting quantitative research must complete four required courses: Advanced Research Methods; Introduction to Qualitative Research (from the MA curriculum); Advanced Data Processing Methods (students must pass an exam in statistics during the semester break as a prerequisite to this course); Critical Reading and Writing. The student must pass each of the courses with a minimum grade of 85. If one of the required courses is only offered once every other year, the student may be accepted to stage 2 without completing the course, providing he or she has completed all other courses.The student will be required to complete the course the following year.  

8. Submit a research proposal signed by the advisor within one year of beginning studies in the direct track.

9. Submit a progress report at the beginning of every year, approved by the advisor. Research students must observe the timetable determined by Tel Aviv University as it appears in the regulations for research students of the Faculty of Social Sciences as well as in the university regulations.

This timetable requires students to submit their research proposal within one year of acceptance to the direct track. Corrections based on judges' comments must be submitted within four months of receiving them, and the final thesis paper must be submitted no later than five years after beginning the PhD program.

Any deviation from this timetable must be approved by the division research student committee.

10. Presenting the PhD thesis at a conference.

Curriculum in Direct Track

 

Courses	Credit Hours	The student is required to complete all courses for the PhD as specified in the table that appears above for the regular track in the same year.
Course in the field of public policy or course from cluster 1B, approved by the advisor	2
2 courses from the cluster "Theories, Problem Areas, and Models of Intervention: A Second Look" from the MA program	4
A Critical Look at The Practice of Social Work	2
2 methodology courses as recommend by the advisor (exemption based on first year MA studies) (Thesis workshop II in first year of MA studies with a grade will count as a methodology course)	4
PhD workshop	2
Research paradigms and intervention result assessment (exemption based on first year MA studies)	2
3 elective courses based on the research topic	6
Philosophy of Science (for students who have not completed the course during undergraduate studies) Not calculated in the credits required for the degree. Library Orientation (exemption based on first year MA studies)

 

 

Receipt of MA Degree in the Direct Track

Receipt of MA degree without a thesis and without a final grade

The school grants the MA degree without a thesis and without a final grade during studies in the direct track to students who:

1. Complete at least two thirds of the credits required for MA students in the thesis track (22 credit hours)

2. Successfully complete of the qualification exam.

3. Receive approval of the research proposal by the division research student committee.

 

Receipt of MA Degree

Students who received their MA during studies in the direct track and later decided not to complete their PhD studies but do wish to complete their MA studies with a final grade will be required to compete their MA studies as required of all MA students, as determined for that academic year by the MA pedagogical committee.