FIRST DISSERTATION RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK IN UKRAINE: CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

Abstract

In 2017, programs for training doctors of philosophy (PhD) in social work began to operate in Ukraine, in 2020 the first defences of PhD dissertations took place. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of analysis of dissertation texts for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Speciality 231 "Social Work".
 As of February 1, 2022, data on 18 PhD dissertations defended in specialized one-time councils in the speciality "Social Work" were found in the public domain. The content of 17 dissertations and one dissertation registration card is analysed. The results of qualitative content analysis are grouped into four topics: thematic focus; methodological approaches; theoretical basis, ethics and research methods; approbation of research results.
 It is established that the authors of a significant part of dissertations formulated the subject of research in accordance with the traditions of social pedagogy, focusing on target audiences of young age, forming an environment of professional training of social workers in higher education and socio-pedagogical aspects of solving tasks. It was found that most of the dissertation texts were presented in a manner typical of research in domestic social pedagogy. In these works, methodological approaches were not defined or formulated as a "systems approach", "interdisciplinary analysis" with further clarification of the thematic focus of the study. 
 The recommendations for further development include: meeting needs of academic supervisors and PhD applicants to master evidence-based approaches and research strategies inherent in social work; formation of an ethical culture of research that meets the global ethical principles of social work; strengthening the contacts of Ukrainian and foreign academics for the further development of social work in Ukraine.