UNIVERSITY CATALOG: 2023-2024

Ashley, Wendy

(2008) Department Chair of Social Work; Professor of Social Work. B.A. 1993, University of California, Riverside; M.S.W. 1995, University of Southern California; Psy.D. 2006, Ryokan College.

[ View Faculty ]

Bartle, Eli

(1998) Professor Emeritus of Social Work. B.S.W. 1976, M.S.W. 1993, University of Nebraska; Ph.D. 1997, University of Kansas.

[ View Faculty ]

Brown, Jodi L.

(2011) Professor of Social Work. B.S.W. 1992, Colorado State University; M.S.W. 1995, University of Illinois-Chicago; Ph.D. 1999, Washington University in St. Louis.

[ View Faculty ]

DeBonis, Judith A.

(2011) Associate Professor of Social Work. B.A. 1977, Russel Sage College; M.S.W. 1980, State University of New York at Albany; Ph.D. 1998, University of Southern California.

[ View Faculty ]

DeBose, Herman

(1994) Professor Emeritus of Social Work. B.S. 1969, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; M.S.W. 1975, University of Southern California; Ph.D. 1991, University of California, Los Angeles.

[ View Faculty ]

Decker, James T.

(2006) Professor Emeritus of Social Work. B.A. 1972, California State University, Northridge; M.S.W. 1974, State University of New York Stony Brook; Ph.D. 1976, University of Minnesota; Ph.D. 1994, Pacifica Graduate Institute.

[ View Faculty ]

Lipscomb, Allen

(2017) Associate Professor of Social Work. B.A. 2005, University of California, Santa Barbara; M.S.W. 2007, University of Southern California; Psy.D. 2015, Ryokan College.

[ View Faculty ]

Love, Susan M.

(2007) Professor of Social Work. B.A. 1973, University of California, Berkeley; M.A. 1975 John F. Kennedy University; M.S.W. 1986, Ph.D. 1987, University of Washington.

[ View Faculty ]

Mortimer, Katie

(2006) Lecturer in Social Work. B.A. 1993, University of California, Irvine; M.S.W. 1995, University of Southern California.

[ View Faculty ]

Paez, José M.

(2009) Assistant Professor of Social Work. B.A. 1998, 1999, California State University, Northridge; M.S.W. 2001, University of Southern California; Ed.D. 2020, California State University, Northridge.

[ View Faculty ]

Park, Hyun-Sun

(2008) Professor of Social Work. B.A. 1993, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies; M.S.W. 1998, Ph.D. 2007, University of Texas at Austin.

[ View Faculty ]

Ramos Jr., Jose A.

(2008) Lecturer in Social Work. B.A. 1996, California State University, Los Angeles; M.S.W., 2001, California State University, Long Beach.

[ View Faculty ]

Social Work

The Master of Social Work degree at CSUN provides students with a strong academic program with professional skill development that provides social services to the San Fernando Valley and adjacent cities, as well as state, national and global communities. The MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and offers one specialization: …

[ View Faculty ]

Social Work

Mission The mission of the Department of Social Work is to prepare professional social workers to be anti-oppressive, socially just agents of change who promote well-being in urban settings. As an advanced generalist program with a focus on urban communities, the department will teach and create collaborative learning experiences with students. Focus Urban settings describe …

[ View Faculty ]

Sorrell-Medina, Zayda

(2023) Assistant Professor of Social Work. B.A. 2010, University of Missouri; M.S.W. 2012, University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D. 2023, University of California, Irvine.

[ View Faculty ]

Swain, Jolene L.

(2015) Director of Field Education, Lecturer. B.S.W. 1980, Loyola University of Chicago, M.S.W. 1990, California State University, Long Beach.

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 501. Human Behavior and Social Environment I (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate admission; Acceptance to the MSW program. This is the first of two human behavior and the social environment courses that provide understanding of human behavior and social environmental relationships from an ecological perspective. This course focuses on child development from pre-birth to maturity. Child development is a complex interplay between the emerging child and their …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 502. Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3)

Prerequisites: SWRK 501; Graduate admission; Acceptance to the MSW program. This is the second of two human behavior and the social environment courses that provide understanding of human behavior and social environmental relationships from an ecological perspective. It focuses on the developmental dynamics of larger social systems, specifically groups, organizations, and communities, and their influence on …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 503. Psychosocial Assessment and Diagnostic Formulation (3)

Prerequisite: Acceptance to the MSW program. Social workers are often required to practice within multidisciplinary teams of professionals. This course teaches students to conduct a comprehensive psychosocial assessment of individuals and families which emphasizes anti-oppressive, socially just practice. Students critique assessment and diagnostic tools including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 510. Generalist Social Work Theory and Practice I (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing; Acceptance to the MSW program. This introductory course is designed to provide students with an overview of the basic knowledge and skills essential to generalist social work practice. Attention is given to the diverse needs of multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-national populations; the nature and application of social work values and ethical principles; the …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 520. Social Work Practice in Multicultural Contexts (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing; Acceptance to the MSW program. This course is designed to assist graduate social work students in understanding and applying a cultural humility, intersectionality-based lens in order to increase critical consciousness in micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice with local, national, and transnational communities. Students have the opportunity to critically examine and …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 521. Generalist Social Work Theory and Practice II (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing; Acceptance to the MSW program. This course is designed to help students understand systemic inner-workings of groups, communities, organizations, and institutions from a macro and social-justice lens. The course approaches these issues from an intersectional, collaborative, and strengths-based perspective. It provides an opportunity to examine selected macro models of practice, and learn …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 522/P. Generalist Practicum Education I and Placement (2/1)

Prerequisite: Acceptance to the MSW program. Corequisite: SWRK 522P. Generalist Practicum Education and Placement I and II are designed to empower the student to apply knowledge, skills, and ethics learned in social work coursework during their practicum experience. The chief purpose of the first year of practicum (522/P in Fall and 523/P in Spring) is to …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 523/P. Generalist Practicum Education II and Placement (2/1)

Prerequisite: SWRK 522/P. Corequisite: SWRK 523P. Generalist Practicum Education and Placement I and II are designed to empower the students to apply knowledge, skills, and ethics learned in social work coursework during their practicum experience. The chief purpose of the first year of internship (522/P in Fall and 523/P in Spring) is to develop generalist social …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 525. Social Welfare Policy and Services (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing; Acceptance to the MSW program. This course examines economic, historical, political, intellectual, sociocultural, ideological and other such factors shaping social welfare, economic policy, programs and services. The course uses various analytical frameworks for studying social welfare policy, programs, and services, with a focus on intersectionality, power, and privilege. The course examines the …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 535. Social Work Research Methods I (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing; Acceptance to the MSW program. This foundation course introduces students to research methods useful for social work practice, enabling students to become critical consumers of science-based information. Students are exposed to social work research through the lens of intersectionality, power, and privilege to promote the well-being of individuals, families, and communities in urban …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 601. Advanced Social Work Practice with Urban Families I (3)

Prerequisite: Second year standing; acceptance in the advanced year. This course emphasizes theories, concepts, and skills of social work practice with urban families. The central content of the course is the application of advanced practice skills to prepare professional social workers to be anti-oppressive, socially just agents of change who promote well-being by working with diverse …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 602. Advanced Social Work Practice with Urban Families II (3)

Prerequisites: SWRK 601; Second year standing. This course advances students’ generalist practice knowledge and skills as anti-oppressive, socially just agents of change who work with diverse urban communities. Utilizing a strengths-based, inclusive practice model and the person-in-environment perspective, students are taught engagement, assessment, intervention, practice evaluation, and termination skills. Evidence-based and shared-decision practice models are …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 621. Advanced Social Work Practice in Urban Communities (3)

Prerequisite: SWRK 521. Recommended Preparatory: First year (Generalist) courses. This course is designed to help students understand and apply mezzo/macro social work interventions in urban community settings that benefit families, groups, organizations and institutions. Building upon the material in SWRK 521, this advanced generalist course provides an opportunity to explore and apply selected advanced social work …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 622/P. Specialist Practicum Education with Urban Communities I and Placement (2/1)

Prerequisites: Second year standing, SWRK 523/P. Corequisite: SWRK 622P. Specialist Practicum Education I and II are the advanced concentration practicum courses. In the advanced practicum, students continue to build upon the knowledge and skills gained during the foundation year. The course provides practicum education related to the advanced concentration curriculum, which focuses on social work …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 623/P. Specialist Practicum Education with Urban Communities II and Placement (2/1)

Prerequisites: Second year standing; SWRK 622/P. Corequisite: SWRK 623P. Specialist Practicum Education I and II are the advanced concentration practicum courses. In the specialized practicum, students continue to build upon the knowledge and skills gained during the foundation year. The courses provide practicum education related to the advanced concentration curriculum, which focuses on social work with …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 630. Family Crisis, Trauma and Grief (3)

Prerequisite: Second year standing; acceptance in the advanced year. This course examines the complexities of trauma(s) experienced by individuals, families and communities in urban settings. Students examine the impact that various forms of trauma have on the developmental trajectory of individuals, families and communities. Students develop an understanding of trauma-informed care and its application to …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 635. Social Work Research Methods II (3)

Prerequisites: Second year standing; SWRK 535. This course advances students’ knowledge and application of research methods. Students will apply an intersectionality, power, and privilege lens to a range of social work research activities, including: (a) ethics in research and skills to prepare a human subjects protocol; (b) developing quantitative and qualitative research questions and skills …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 645. Urban Social Policy and Advocacy (3)

Prerequisite: Second year standing. This course is designed to help students gain knowledge and skills of policy practice, specifically social justice advocacy. Incorporating an intersectional and critical analysis of historical and current issues related to power and privilege, students learn to create and implement effective justice-based advocacy projects to promote change. Students develop strategies for …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 650A-Z. Selected Topics in Social Work (3)

Prerequisite: Second year standing. In-depth study of a selected theme or issue in social work. Topics offered may change from semester to semester. Critical writing and reading is required. Course Title SWRK 650A Child Welfare Services SWRK 650B Addictions SWRK 650C Mental Health Wellness and Recovery SWRK 650F Suicide Prevention SWRK 650M Group Therapy SWRK …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 698. Graduate Project (3)

Prerequisite: SWRK 635. The MSW graduate program culminates in an individual, or collaborative of two, research projects reflecting the students interests and needs as developers and critical consumers of science-based information to inform practice decisions. The Graduate Project requires students to collect, analyze and report direct observations; and write a research paper that includes an …

[ View Faculty ]

SWRK 699A-C. Independent Study (1-3)

Prerequisite: Second year standing. This course may be taken to develop expertise in areas not included in the regular curriculum or as preparation for the comprehensive examination.

[ View Faculty ]