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Regents grant doctoral program for School of Social Work for 2011

Oct. 27, 2009

Megan Keyser
Staff Writer

Seven years after its proposal to the Board of Regents, the School of Social Work was granted a doctoral program Friday.

The program will accept its first students in fall 2011, said Dr. Diana Garland, dean of the School of Social Work.

The school proposed the program to regents, who were supportive of it, in 2002. However, Garland said raising funds for the program proved to be an obstacle in getting the program started.

Because of the school's young age, the school has often had trouble with funding, said Dr. Gaynor Yancey, associate dean of baccalaureate studies in the School of Social Work.

A bachelor in social work has been offered for 40 years, the graduate program was established in 1999 and the School of Social Work was made an independent school four years ago.

Despite the obstacles, Yancey said the school does well in fundraising and receiving grants.

Since the proposal, the school has received funding for two faculty chairs, who will be installed in spring 2010 before the program begins, Garland said. During this time, the school will also finalize the program's curriculum and select a program director.

Garland said the addition of the program is a natural step for the school.

"For us to add a Ph.D. program fits," Garland said.

With Baylor's current goals in research, the research and higher-level educators that will come out of the School of Social Work's new program will be a positive addition.

"It will really help our program," said Dr. Dennis Myers, associate dean of graduate studies and interim director of the Center for Gerontological Studies.

Although some doctoral students continue on to practice, Garland said most focus on research or teaching.

"The focus of this program is research and scholarship," Garland said. The doctorate program will train and turn out individuals who will lead the program.

"We want to train future leaders and future educators in university and college settings," Yancey said.

Because of the school's desire for doctoral students to have field experience, the program will consist of simultaneous work and study.

"This will be a hybrid doctoral program," Yancey said. Students pursuing the degree will be in a job concurrently as they complete their studies.

Although the School of Social Work is a young school at Baylor, Yancey said it is evolving quickly and with great focus.

"I think we've actually grown up," Yancey said. "We know we are a unique school of social work."

Yancey said the school is moving in a positive direction.

"We are moving forward in very intentional ways," he said.

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