Our full-time online PhD program is now accepting applications for Fall 2026 entry. Download the application package here.
Our objective is to prepare students for careers in academia, policy development, or administration. There are three features of this program that make it unique:
- We focus on an intersection of all three of the critical components of academic work and employment at an advanced level: research, education/pedagogy, and leadership in community and workplace settings.
- We value a range of epistemological and research approaches (including mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative) and how they apply to all stages of the research, education, and the leadership processes.
- We strive to be more access-oriented by providing students from local and geographically distant communities the opportunity to complete coursework online, while also offering annual in-person educationally focused connections with peers and faculty.
To learn more about our online program and how to apply, please visit the FAQ page.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the School of Social Work is to promote social justice through quality professional education, advocacy, community partnerships, and the development and dissemination of knowledge through enquiry.
OUR PROGRAM OFFERS
- Broad epistemological paradigms that promote critical thinking and inquiry
- Development of diverse and rigorous research methods to address current practice and policy issues
- Mastery of a substantive area of social work and effective knowledge translation
- Opportunities for research collaboration with faculty scholars and community partners
WHY CHOOSE PHD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR?
- The School of Social Work at the University of Windsor is a dynamic and progressive leader in social work education
- Committed to creating partnerships toward the development of knowledge for the betterment of society.
- Online programming offers accessibility while not compromising quality education.
- Opportunities for teaching and research assistantships.
- Learn from prominent scholars who are internationally known and value mentoring the next generation of scholars.
- Overarching framework prepares students to make significant contributions as leaders in academia, research, practice, social policy, or administration
The University of Windsor sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations people in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex peninsula and the straits – les détroits – of Detroit.