Our program prepares students for leadership in the advancement of social welfare education, practice, policy development, and research. The program promotes social justice and global understanding through scholarly inquiry using indigenous and mixed method approaches. Emphasis is placed on knowledge development which enhances the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians and the diverse people and communities of Hawai‘i and the Asian-Pacific Region.The Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work PhD program prepares students for leadership in the advancement of social welfare education, practice, policy development, and research. The program promotes social justice and global understanding through scholarly inquiry using indigenous and mixed method approaches. Emphasis is placed on knowledge development which enhances the well-being of Native Hawaiians and the diverse people and communities of Hawai‘i and the Asian-Pacific Region.Provide students with the substantive and methodological competence requisite for scholarship and research in social policy and social work practice and in the field of social welfare,<br>Increase the number of social welfare professionals, especially in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region, who would be qualified to carry out social welfare research and program evaluations, to teach, and to foster knowledge development in all areas of social work,Increase the number of doctorally-educated social workers from under-represented ethnic minority groups.