This multidisciplinary PhD Programme is focused on Social Work competences, that in Italy are included in the scientific field of General Sociology.

Social Work shares in a large part with Sociology both methodological frameworks and classical techniques of social research, but it differs in terms of disciplinary object and concrete situations that are studied.

On the one hand, Social Work Research covers issues related to life problems and vulnerabilies of individuals, families and local communities in their micro relational contexts. On the other hand, it studies the ability of caring professions (social workers in the first place) and of personal social services to provide individualised care for better protection, recovery, prevention or promotion of social well-being, in specific cases of need or risk.

The PhD Programme is aimed at developing skills in

analyzing dynamics of contemporary social and cultural changes
navigating the landscape of international social work literature
carrying out well-structured literature reviews
carrying out empirical social research, social work research, and studies for personal social services evaluation
developing Relational Social Work, both in theory and practice