The Department of Social Welfare is a vibrant institute with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Our education aims to help students enhance intellectual capacities, professional abilities, and the transferable skills which will support students in their career development. We provide a structured and supportive environment in which the faculty nurtures the students with enthusiasm about diverse subjects, and students can be active learners and gain stimulating and enjoyable experiences.

Our undergraduate program focuses on basic principles and tools of social welfare. We aim to help students develop subject specific skills in social welfare, social science, welfare services and social administrative management. Students are required to complete 128 credits of coursework, including 88 credits of required courses and 40 credits of electives. Among the 40 elective credits, 18 of them have to be in one of the two modules: “social policy and institutions” and “welfare services and management”. Electives are offered to showcase faculty members’ specialties and to provide students with greatest flexibility.

The master’s program provides a comprehensive training in theory and practice of social policy and welfare programs, and offers students the experience and skills needed for research concerning social policy and practice of social administration and decision-making. Our graduates work in governmental sectors, research institutes, universities, national and local social service and social care organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Our master’s program is one of the largest and best regarded in Taiwan. Courses covering aspects of social policy, social welfare theories, social security, welfare services, community and nonprofit organizations, as well as training on analytical skills. The graduation requirement of the master’s program is 30 credits, including 13 credits of required courses and 17 credits of electives according to students’ area of specialization, and study interest. The program is concluded by the submission of a thesis.

The Ph.D program requires students to undertake dissertation research work, for which students need to acquire a comprehensive knowledge base of social welfare theories and both quantitative and qualitative methods of investigation, and to study substantive issues of social institutions at the local, national or global level within both the practical and academic fields. The graduation requirement for the Ph.D program is 30 credits of coursework, including 13 credits of required courses and 17 credits of electives. Students are required to publish two refereed journal articles before graduation. The program is concluded by the submission of a dissertation, which must “contain an original contribution to knowledge or understanding”. The process of dissertation research is supported by an Advice and Guidance Committee for Ph.D Students, constituting of five full professors and three associate professors. The dissertation will be examined by a committee of examiners. Ph.D students will have opportunities to present and discuss their work in progress with colleagues and the faculty in the Department’s research seminar. Ph.D students will also have the opportunities to become a Teaching Fellow, delivering tutorials to undergraduate students.