Social Work

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• Master of Social Work
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Department Information

Department of Social Work
College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Office: Meiklejohn Hall 4064
Phone: (510) 885-4916
Website: http://class.csueastbay.edu/socialwork/

Professor Emeritus
Terry Jones, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Professor
Evaon Wong-Kim (Chair), Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Associate Professors
Phu Phan, Ph.D. University of Minnesota
Dianne Rush Woods, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Assistant Professors
Mavis Braxton, Ph.D. Walden University
Sarah Taylor, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley
Rose Wong, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

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Master of Social Work

Program Description

The Department of Social Work offers graduate study leading to the degree Master of Social Work (M.S.W.). This degree program is designed to train social workers for leadership and direct practice positions in social work, and is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The program has a multicultural focus which prepares social work students to work in both non-profit and public agencies and to be proficient in working with diverse multicultural populations in urban and suburban communities.

The M.S.W. program is a full-time two year program for students who have recently completed a baccalaureate program, as well as for those who have been working in social work agencies and want to upgrade their skills and professional preparation.

The objective of the M.S.W. program is to address the growing need for social workers to work with individuals, families, groups, and organizations charged with responding to societal problems such as poverty, family instability, mental illness, child welfare, aging, and urban renewal. An additional focus is to work with underserved populations in ways that enable and empower them to participate in the social work change process. The program will also prepare individuals to be agents for change and to work effectively in an increasingly complex, culturally and racially diverse society and to understand and respond to racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression that create and maintain barriers to an individual's well-being and effective participation in American society.

Students in the M.S.W. program will develop the analytical skills needed to explore new models of social work service delivery and organizational design. In addition, they will have an extensive field experience in which they will work with skilled professional social workers and apply the analytical and social work skills learned in the classroom.

Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with an M.S.W. from Cal State East Bay will:

1. develop a knowledge and understanding of inequality, racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression, and develop intervention skills and strategies to intervene;
2. develop a knowledge and understanding of social work intervention theories and knowledge of how to apply them in the practice setting; and
3. be able to apply research skills and strategies in a variety of social work settings, including the micro, mezzo, and macro levels in urban and suburban settings.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the M.S.W. program are prepared to work with individuals, families, groups, and organizations in both public and non-profit practice. The State of California is experiencing an acute shortage of individuals prepared for leadership roles in social work practice. The State also has a critical shortage of social workers trained at the master's level and the demand for Master level social workers is expected to increase. Other areas that need social workers include mental health services, agencies dealing with the aged, and in the juvenile justice system dealing with dual diagnosis. 

Admission

The M.S.W. degree program is open to students planning a career in social work who have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and who have earned an overall grade point average of 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) in their last 90 quarter units (60 semester units) of undergraduate work. Students with a GPA below 2.8 may be admitted based on an evaluation of their student profile, including work experience, resume, letters of recommendation, and personal statement (see below).

In addition to the "University Graduate and Post-baccalaureate Application," all applicants should submit:

1. a completed departmental application form;
2. a personal statement (2-3 pages) with their application stating their reasons for pursuing the M.S.W. degree, describing their relevant work experience, and explaining their past academic performance;
3. three letters of recommendation (letters from prior instructors preferred); and
4. a resume. Successful experience in social work or social work-related positions will be considered in evaluating applications.

Admission to the university and admission to the M.S.W. degree program are separate steps. It is suggested that application for admission to the university (Part A of the application) be filed together with the form for entry into the degree program (Part B of the application).

Advising

Students who are accepted into the department will normally be admitted in "Conditionally Classified Graduate" status until satisfaction of all prerequisites and the University Writing Skills Requirement is documented for the Social Work office, at which time a change to "Classified Graduate" status will be requested by the department. The student is assigned an official advisor from the faculty of the department and must consult his or her advisor prior to registration for each quarter. The student should maintain close contact at all times with the advisor for advice and information.

Student Standing and Progress toward the Degree

1. There are three categories of student status that reflect your progress toward the degree. You are in "Conditionally Classified Graduate" status when you have been admitted to the M.S.W. degree program, but have not yet completed the prerequisites for the "Classified Graduate" status in the M.S.W. degree program.
2. You achieve "Classified Graduate" status when you have satisfactorily completed all the prerequisites for the M.S.W. degree program and satisfied the University Writing Skills Requirement. (See "Prerequisites for 'Classified Graduate' Status" below.)
3. You are "Advanced to Candidacy" when you have completed the core courses with a 3.0 GPA or better.

Note: If you fail to maintain progress by falling below a 3.0 GPA in your graduate courses for two or more consecutive quarters, you will be academically disqualified from the university.

Prerequisites for "Classified Graduate" Status

As prerequisites to "Classified Graduate" status, you must satisfy the University Writing Skills Requirement and have satisfactorily completed Statistics 1000 or equivalent, and a course in human biology or anatomy and physiology with a grade of "C" or better. These courses must be taken before you attempt the core graduate courses. For information on meeting the University Writing Skills Requirement, see the Testing Office website at www.csueastbay.edu/testing or call 510.885.3661.

Advancement to Candidacy

Formal Advancement to Candidacy for the master's degree requires prior completion of the following steps:

1. Successful completion of the HBSE, Generalist Practice Sequence, and Field Practicum sequences, as well as the Social Policy and Introduction to Social Work Research courses.
2. Successful completion of all required departmental prerequisites.
3. Maintenance of a 3.0 or better GPA in all departmental coursework and overall coursework.
4. Recommendation by the student's advisor who has reviewed the student's record and affirmed that the student has met academic and professional conduct standards.

Cause for Dismissal from Program

Students may be dismissed from the program at any time "for cause." "For cause" includes, but is not limited to, poor academic or fieldwork performance, as well as behavior which is destructive to students or faculty, and/or interferes with the educational environment, and/or represents a threat to potential clients. "For cause" also includes student behaviors which are inconsistent with the legal, ethical, and/or personal responsibilities of professional social workers.

Degree Requirements

The M.S.W. degree program requires completion of 89-90 quarter units, distributed among core courses, concentration courses, elective courses, and the integrative seminar or graduate thesis. Of these, at least 76-77 units must be completed in residence after being admitted to the program (transfer units are limited to 13 quarter units). No course numbered 1000 to 2999 (or equivalent if taken elsewhere) may be used as part of the 89-90 unit graduate degree program.

A grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in the courses taken to satisfy the degree requirements. All graduate degree requirements must be completed within the five (5) years prior to graduation.

Curricular Requirements

1. Core Requirements (44 units)

   Prerequisite courses (STAT 1000 or equivalent, human biology or anatomy and physiology) must be completed before taking the required courses.

   • SW 6000, 6001 Human Behavior and Social Environment I, II (4, 4)
   • SW 6010 Race, Gender, and Inequality in Social Work Practice (4)
   • SW 6011, 6012, 6013 Generalist Practice I, II, III (4, 4, 4)
   • SW 6020, 6021, 6022 Field Instruction I, II, III (4, 4, 4)
   • SW 6030 Social Welfare Policy: History and Philosophy (4)
   • SW 6032 Social Welfare Policy: Research (4)
2. Concentrations (29-34 units)

   Select one of the following concentrations:

   1. Children, Youth, and Families
      • SW 6400 Title IV-E Seminar (1)¹
      • SW 6500 Advanced Micro Practice: Children, Youth, and Families (4)
      • SW 6510 Advanced Mezzo Practice: Children, Youth, and Families (4)
      • SW 6520 Advanced Policy Practice: Children, Youth, and Families (4)
      • SW 6530, 6531, 6532 Field Instruction IV, V, VI (4, 4, 4)
      • SW 6932 Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis: Children, Youth, and Families (4)
      • SW 6935 Program Evaluation: Children, Youth, and Families (4) (Students choosing to complete their Capstone Experience with 8 units of SW 6910 University thesis, are not required to complete this course.)
   2. Community Mental Health
      • SW 6405 Community Mental Health Seminar (1)¹
      • SW 6505 Advanced Micro Practice: Community Mental Health (4)
      • SW 6515 Advanced Mezzo Practice: Community Mental Health (4)
      • SW 6525 Advanced Policy Practice: Community Mental Health (4)
      • SW 6530, 6531, 6532 Field Instruction IV, V, VI (4, 4, 4)
      • SW 6933 Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis: Community Mental Health (4)
      • SW 6936 Program Evaluation: Community Mental Health (4) (Students choosing to complete their Capstone Experience with 8 units of SW 6910 University thesis, are not required to complete this course.)
3. Electives (8 units)

   Select 8 units from the following courses:

   • EPSY 6029 Seminar in Chemical Dependency (2)
   • EPSY 6403 Psychotherapy for Children (4)
   • EPSY 6406 Seminar in Human Sexuality (2)
   • EPSY 6500 Cognitive Behavior Therapy (4)
   • EPSY 6784 Pharmacology and Counseling (3)
   • SW 6550 Social Work Psychosocial Rehabilitation (4)
   • SW 6552 Legal Issues in Social Work Practice (4)
   • SW 6553 Assessment and Treatment of Substance Abuse (4)
   • SW 6554 Occupational Social Work (4)
   • SW 6555 School Social Work (4)
   • SW 6556 Human Sexuality and Social Work (4)
   • SW 6557 Sex Roles and Gender Discrimination: Women's Issues in Social Work (4)
   • SW 6558 Supervision and Staff Development (4)
   • SW 6559 Youth and the Justice System (4)
   • SW 6560 Family Violence Across the Lifespan (4)
   • SW 6561 Advanced Psychosocial Assessment and Diagnosis (4)
   • SW 6562 Crisis Intervention and Brief Treatment Models (4)
   • SW 6962 Writing for Social Work (2)
   • SW 6964 Practice with Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Gay, Transgendered and Questioning Populations (4)
   • SW 6965 Practice with Latino Populations (4)
   • SW 6966 Social Work and Public Mental Health Across the Lifespan (4)
4. Capstone Experience (4 units)
   • SW 6909 Departmental Thesis (4), or
   • SW 6910 University Thesis (4, 4), or
     
   • SW 6959 Integrative Seminar: Children, Youth and Families (4), or
   • SW 6960 Integrative Seminar: Community Mental Health (4)

Credit by Examination

If you have special expertise that is covered in a required course, you may ask to receive credit for the course through examination. To receive credit in the course, you must pass the examination with a grade of "B-" or better. Please note that units taken credit-by-examination are considered non-resident units and only a maximum of 13 non-resident units are allowed in a graduate degree. Other examples of non-resident units are those earned while at other schools, while an undergraduate with permission to take graduate courses, while pursuing an additional baccalaureate degree in "Unclassified Post-baccalaureate" status, while enrolled in another graduate degree program, or while enrolled in Extension courses (including Open University courses).

Students with M.S.W.-level coursework in other CSWE-accredited programs are advised to contact the Social Work Department Chair concerning the possibility of transfer of credit.

Incompletes

If you accumulate more than 8 units of work graded "I" (Incomplete Authorized), you may not register for courses applicable to the degree until the coursework is completed and the "I" grades are changed to passing grades.

Capstone Experience

Students have three choices for completing a capstone experience in the MSW program. The first is the Departmental Thesis, SW 6909. Students may either sign up individually with a faculty advisor or meet with their advisor in a scheduled graduate course. A faculty member serves as director of the departmental thesis. An oral defense is required.Two copies of the departmental thesis are required for the department.

The second choice is a University Thesis, SW 6910. This choice is supervised by a faculty committee, follows a university specified format, and includes a required oral defense. Students following this choice are not required to complete the Program Evaluation course (SW 6956 or SW 6960) within their concentration.  This course must be repeated once for a total credit of 8 units.  

The third and final choice is the Integrative Seminar, SW 6959 or SW 6960. This integrative seminar provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the core objectives of the MSW program. Students, in cooperation with faculty and agency supervisors, complete an agency-focused project or research on a topic focused on social work practice and advocacy.

A grade of "RP" (Report in Progress) may be given for a thesis that is not completed at the end of the quarter. The "RP" grade must be changed to a passing grade within five (5) years of your initial enrollment in a thesis course or it will become an "F."

Granting the Degree

Upon satisfactory completion of all requirements for the degree, the department will recommend that eligible students be granted the Master of Social Work degree. You must file for graduation with the Department of Social Work by the end of the second week of the quarter prior to the quarter in which you expect to graduate.

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Graduate Courses

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Footnote

1. These are seminars required for specific grant programs (Title IV-E and CalSWEC II). Students in these programs will take one extra unit, bringing their total to 89 units.

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