PhD in Social Welfare or Psychology?

[ConfusedClinician]

I am currently an associate level clinical social worker working in an inpatient hospital as a DBT/RO-DBT therapist. I still have about two more years until I become an LCSW in my state. I graduated with my BSW at GMU (3.89 GPA) and MSW at UW (3.98 GPA) with one co-authored publication from my bachelors around dementia care using music interventions. I am currently in a professional training program to become a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist on top of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. My question is would I benefit more from a PhD in Psychology or Social Welfare/Social Work?

My long-term goals are to open up an expressive arts therapy center catering primarily towards immigrants, first-gen, and international students that overall provides affordable mental health services for these populations as well as provide a space for social work students to develop themselves clinically as a practicum placement. I would also like to become a social work professor to teach and do research back in the DC area on top of working towards opening up a therapeutic center. Although these goals are ambitious, my main priority is to become a professor after getting my LCSW and REAT.

My primary research interests would be revolving around parentification, mood & personality disorders, over-controlled coping mechanisms, culture shock, social withdrawal (hikikomori), and creating new interventions around expressive arts therapy. 

I am only 23 and a first-gen student, so a PhD sounds daunting, but I believe that is my next goal I would like to work towards after I obtain my licenses. I am just unsure if there are any true advantages for getting a PhD in Psychology compared to Social Work. I love social work's social justice foundation, but I believe psychology would help me develop a stronger clinical perspective. I was also considering University of Michigan's Joint PhD in Social Work and Psychology.

[doctormelody]

I have no advice to give, but you seem like a great applicant. Why not go for the joint PhD? 

I am not trying to be dismissive, but I think you will figure this out. If you aren't certain, you could apply to PhD programs in Social Work and in Psychology and see what your offers are/what schools best suit your interests. 

[optimisticSW]

If you want to teach in SW you don't need a PhD, unless you want to teach research based courses or theory. Even then, many MSW programs hire practitioners for clinical theory courses- I began teaching at R1 MSW programs as an MSW. The same goes for your private practice/ center. A Clinical Psych PhD would be the degree that would afford you the opportunity to research your specialization and be an "expert" on it; however, it is not necessary to open a practice by any means. In fact many of my colleagues would lose close to half a million dollars of income if they went back to school to pursue a DSW. There are MANY thriving and lucrative practices run by LCSWs, esp if you're willing to run a group practice and take ASWs or MFTIs. A DSW would be helpful after years of work in the field. It's largely a practitioner's degree-- Most reputable programs I know of are essentially "executive" degrees and targets established leaders in the field. Other programs will accept anyone who is willing to pay for their tuition. 

What courses would you be interested in teaching? Do those courses require a PhD?

[ConfusedClinician]

On 10/11/2020 at 9:12 PM, optimisticSW said:

If you want to teach in SW you don't need a PhD, unless you want to teach research based courses or theory. Even then, many MSW programs hire practitioners for clinical theory courses- I began teaching at R1 MSW programs as an MSW. The same goes for your private practice/ center. A Clinical Psych PhD would be the degree that would afford you the opportunity to research your specialization and be an "expert" on it; however, it is not necessary to open a practice by any means. In fact many of my colleagues would lose close to half a million dollars of income if they went back to school to pursue a DSW. There are MANY thriving and lucrative practices run by LCSWs, esp if you're willing to run a group practice and take ASWs or MFTIs. A DSW would be helpful after years of work in the field. It's largely a practitioner's degree-- Most reputable programs I know of are essentially "executive" degrees and targets established leaders in the field. Other programs will accept anyone who is willing to pay for their tuition. 

What courses would you be interested in teaching? Do those courses require a PhD?

I am interested in teaching both undergraduate and masters level clinical courses. My undergraduate had electives on expressive arts which I would love to teach as well since I am training to become a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. However, I do have interest in also becoming a research faculty in a social work research lab. The research lab I was a part of as an undergraduate, all of the faculty had PhDs. I would love to be a social work researcher/professor, but also still have a private practice on the side.