Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Social Justice

Address the Pressing Issues of Social Justice

Dominican’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Social Justice program prepares and educates professionals—especially individuals from historically excluded groups—to take on equitable, just, and liberatory frameworks to address society’s most pressing issues. 

This interdisciplinary program will elevate your expertise in social justice. You will build on your current knowledge of theory, research, methods and approaches to practical and professional applications. You will learn to assess the roots of inequity, injustice and disempowerment through an intersectional identity lens that accounts for the diverse social identities within and across racial and ethnic groups. 

A PhD Program Designed for the Busy Professional

As a Catholic Hispanic-Serving Institution, Dominican intentionally designed this PhD program to broaden access to the doctoral pathway, especially for working professionals from diverse Hispanic and Latine backgrounds. All classes are offered online, allowing you to significantly advance your professional education without stopping your career and personal goals. You can choose our program without traditional decision-making parameters, such as location. 

And because it is online, the cost is much lower than in-person programs at larger universities. Uniquely, Dominican’s PhD program can be completed in just four years, enabling graduates to elevate their work and contributions to communities affected most by social inequalities.

There will be a two-day, in-person weekend orientation in August. More information will be provided to your Dominican email should you be accepted into the program. 

PhD in Applied Social Justice students are required to attend one in-person engagement per academic year for the duration of their enrollment in the program. For first-year students the in-person residency requirement will include orientation on Dominican’s River Forest campus. The dates and times will be specified in advance.

Experience the Dominican Difference

Our faculty come from across the country and around the world. They bring visionary approaches to advancing the complex and flourishing field of social justice. Our cohort model ensures deep intellectual engagement and powerful professional development within a close-knit, collaborative learning environment. A team of advisors, professors and peers will accompany you as you work to achieve your academic, research and professional development goals. We will push each other to explore individual identities, how these affect our work and our work for others, and the relative positions of power and privilege they can put us in within U.S. culture. 

We will aim for you to achieve the following outcomes: greater understanding of self and your positionality; greater liberation for yourself, your family and your community; equitable academic attainment; and improved leadership for social justice. The skill set you earn will not only prepare you for greater and longer success professionally, but it will also guide you toward helping others.  

Program Highlights

• Learn how to use theory to address pressing issues of social injustice
• Analyze and critique existing research using qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research techniques
• Produce original research providing a contribution to the understanding of causes of injustice and/or a contribution to solutions that pursue social justice
• Develop policy recommendations for particular professional environments that create, maintain, and expand social justice
• Offer critique and insight about contemporary debates concerning the major themes of Catholic social teaching, and how these themes play out in the actions, policies, and practices in the daily life of individuals and institutions

Commit to a More Just and Humane World

As a student of applied social justice, you’ll partake in the first known social justice doctoral program in the U.S. You will work alongside a cohort of peers who share a desire to redress injustices, resolve inequities, and heal communities harmed. Our graduates' work reflects the university's mission and their responsibility to provide compassionate service and promote a more just and humane world. At Dominican, you’ll immerse yourself in interdisciplinary learning directly connecting to real-world needs.