Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Overview
Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Friday
Main Office Phone Number: 818-677-7630The Department of Social Work offers the degree of Master of Social Work (MSW). The MSW Program is oriented towards the use of an urban family strengths-based strategy to increase resilience in individuals, urban families and communities. The Department seeks to prepare advanced practitioners for work with vulnerable populations in a range of settings.
Programs
The MSW program is designed for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability and the capacity for independent thought and work. The curriculum emphasizes both cognitive and pragmatic ability. In the foundation year of study, students are offered a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge base of social work. During the concentration year, specialized skills are developed in an urban family strengths-based practice model. Over the course of their graduate studies, full-time students complete a minimum of 900 hours in supervised field placements.
Enrollment for the traditional Two-Year Program begins in the fall semester only. Students complete 60 graduate credits, including 16 hours per week of field placement internship in the first year and 24 hours per week of field placement internship in the second year.
In the 2008/2009 academic year, Foundation-Year students attend classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are in their field placements on Mondays and Wednesdays. Concentration-Year students attend classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and are in their field placements on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Enrollment for the Part-Time, Three-Year program begins in the fall semester only. Students attend classes year-round. Classes are taught one at a time, in six-week sessions. Classes are held every Wednesday evening and on two Saturdays during each session.
Students complete 60 graduate credits, including 16 hours per week of internship field placement starting in fall of the second year. For the last two years, students have field placement internship year-round.
The Application deadline for Fall 2009 admission is January 15, 2009.
Accreditation
The Department of Social Work received national initial accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) from 2004-2005 to 2012.
Admission Overview
The Department of Social Work invites applications from those who are interested in making a positive difference in the lives of the residents of San Fernando Valley, Greater Los Angeles Region. The Admissions Committee reviews all applications and accepts candidates who demonstrate personal and academic qualifications necessary for success as a graduate student and as an autonomous social work practitioner. Full-time enrollment begins in the fall semester.
Please contact Dr. James Decker, Chair/Director, Department of Social Work, with questions pertaining to specific program requirements by e-mail at msw@csun.edu.
Admission Criteria for the Full and Part Time Program
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college. A liberal arts background with some coursework in the social, behavioral and biological sciences is strongly preferred. Applicants with other backgrounds may be asked to take additional coursework prior to matriculation in the program. Please contact Dr. James Decker at 818-677-7630 with questions in regards to additional coursework.
Applicants must present evidence of the ability to complete graduate study. Applicants should have attained a GPA of 3.0, although an exception might be made in unusual circumstances. If you have less than a 3.0 overall GPA, the University requires the GRE.
Individuals applying should demonstrate evidence of personal maturity, including the ability to withstand difficult emotional challenges, a commitment to interpersonal processing within the parameters of cultural expectations, respect for others and for their life decisions, a readiness to learn advanced clinical and macro practice and research skills, a commitment to social justice and to the profession's Code of Ethics, and a capacity for flexibility and creativity.
Preference will be given to applicants having had post-baccalaureate work experience. Academic credit, however, cannot be given for prior life and work experience.