Doctor of Philosophy

The NYU Silver School of Social Work PhD program is committed to preparing stewards of the discipline for leadership positions at the national and global levels.

Our specific aim is to competitively position graduates for top-tier academic and research opportunities—such as faculty positions at leading research universities—and to cultivate the next wave of independent investigators, scholars, and social work leaders. The Silver School immerses its PhD students in cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative research, providing them with the rigorous methodological, conceptual, and statistical research training critical for next-level success. 

We enrich students through more than our advanced coursework. Silver School PhD students are paired from day one with a research mentor as part of our personalized mentoring program, helping them develop competencies in core research, scholarship, and teaching areas.

The Silver School’s outstanding faculty are renowned for their expertise in several key research areas, including poverty studies, mental health services research, and children and family research. We offer an unparalleled research environment and platform for study. Silver School PhD students impact and are impacted by the diversity, dynamism, and richness of New York City, while NYU’s Global Network University initiative provides global opportunities to address critical social welfare issues through research and direct service abroad.

Victoria Stanhope, PhD, MSW 
Associate Professor of Social Work and PhD Program Director