Unequal and Underfunded: Incorporating Social Welfare Doctoral Education into the 40 Hour Work Week

The doctoral degree is conceived of as platform that students utilize to develop into the researchers and scholars of tomorrow. The paradigm that one must study full-time at the expense of all else is so entrenched in the system that some programs forbid students from working simultaneously, except on faculty research projects. We propose that studying and working full-time is a viable option to promote work-life balance, especially for students who have been historically marginalized within academia. This is particularly applicable for those enrolled in social welfare programs.

Due partly to unequal funding opportunities, attrition is high in doctoral programs, and there is interest in studying how to maintain work-life balance for full-time students (see Martinez, Ordu,Della Sala, & McFarlane, 2013). Social welfare programs are also impacted, yet little research exists on these students. In order to provide equal opportunity and equity in social work education, programs must integrate innovative solutions to deter attrition. Research has shown doctoral program attrition rates are disproportionately higher among students of color (Jaschik, 2014) and that those students benefit from peer-support (Gildersleeve, Croom, & Vasquez, 2011; Jairam, Kahl, 2012).

Social welfare frequently conducts applied research, yet the distance created by leaving work to enter the “ivory tower” can cloud this connection. Working while studying allows one to remain close to the field. Students are able to develop pragmatic critiques and create a new paradigm for scholarship that allows for the bridging of connections to occur while simultaneously strengthening perspectives between the field and academia. Our lived experiences are directly opposed to notions that working while studying is a distraction from serious scholarship.

This roundtable will discuss the strengths and limitations of melding studies with employment outside of adjunct teaching or research assisting. We will share our various perspectives from differing work experiences such as community youth programming, public health, medical settings and higher education. The perspective of working students also provides individuals with a healthy skepticism of academia while still being a part of it. Opportunities for discussion between participants to provide examples of their own lived experiences on the dissertation process and social work doctoral education in general. We aim to have a critical dialogue on policy implications for social work practice and education, including the notion of flexible research assistantships, balancing class and work schedules, the importance of sustained mentorship, the benefits of financial supports and access to professional development

References Gildersleeve, R.E., Croom, N.N., & Vasquez, P.L. (2011). “Am I going crazy?!”: A critical race analysis of doctoral education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 44(1), 93-114, doi: 10.1080/10665684.2011.539472 Jairam, D., & Kahl Jr, D. H. (2012). Navigating the doctoral experience: The role of social support in successful degree completion. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 7, 311-329. Martinez, E., Ordu, C., Della Sala, M. R., & McFarlane, A. (2013). Striving to obtain a school-work-life balance: The full-time doctoral student. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 8, 39–59