DEPARTMENT CHAIR
David Cherin
DEPARTMENT OFFICE
Education Classroom 207
DEPARTMENT WEBSITE
http://hhd.fullerton.edu/MSW
PROGRAM OFFERED
Master of Social Work
FACULTY ADVISORY COUNCIL
David Cherin, Chair (Social Work)
Pauline Abbott (Gerontology)
Joe Weber (Sociology)
Sean Hogan (Human Services)
Mikyong Kim-Goh (Human Services)
Susan Larsen (Human Services)
Trent Nguyen (Human Services)
Rebekah Smart (Counseling)
Sora Tanjasiri (Health Science)
FACULTY
Caroline Bailey, David Chenot, David Cherin, Christine Ford, Sean Hogan, Hansung Kim, Mikyong Kim-Goh, Debra Saxton
INTRODUCTION
The mission of the Department of Social Work is to educate committed professionals for direct social work practice with vulnerable children and families, and underserved severely mentally ill individuals and groups, with special sensitivity to the multicultural populations of Orange County and nearby Southern California regions. The Master of Social Work program fulfills this mission, and extends it to include a commitment to develop competent and accountable social workers who will contribute to the generation of practice knowledge and provide leadership in addressing social problems and inequitable social policies affecting individuals, families and communities. This mission is consistent with the purposes of the social work profession as defined by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
The MSW program emphasizes ecological and open systems perspectives that focus on the fit and interactions of a person or family within a variety of dynamic social and economic systems. Effective social work practice is seen as a change-oriented process that seeks to improve the quality of life of clients, ensures equitable access to opportunities and resources, supports social participation and advocates for fairness within a multicultural context. The MSW curriculum helps students gain professional knowledge, values and skills in social work methods and the techniques required to undertake quality practice along the full spectrum of professional tasks. These expectations are accomplished through the integration of the knowledge and theories in the classroom, combined with supervised practical experience in a variety of social service settings. In addition, students are prepared for advanced, specialized direct practice in concentrations representing Child Welfare and Community Mental Health.
The MSW program is designed to address the growing need for social workers to work with individuals, families, groups and organizations in public and nonprofit social service agencies. The goals of the MSW program include:
Preparing social work students to take leadership roles in public social service organizations charged with responding to societal problems, such as poverty, family instability, mental illness and child abuse
Preparing students to enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities by teaching strategies to involve targeted populations in accomplishing goals, developing resources, and preventing and alleviating distress
Preparing social work students to be change agents and to work effectively in increasingly complex, culturally and racially diverse communities
Preparing social work students to understand the impact of racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of oppression in creating and maintaining barriers to effective participation in American society
Preparing social work students to understand the relationship of the economic, political and social system to the maintenance of poverty and oppression in American society;
Preparing students to develop and use research, knowledge and skills that advance social work practice
Social workers are employed in varied settings, such as social services agencies and community-based organizations, including health and mental health agencies, child welfare agencies and family services agencies and organizations, as well as in other sectors such as government, corrections, aging services, recreation and industry. They work in many job classifications: direct service, community organization, supervision, consultation, management, administration, education and training, policy analysis and research.
The Department of Social Work is progressing toward full accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (Council on Social Work Education, Commission on Accreditation, 1725 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, phone number: 703-683-8080).
CONCENTRATIONS
The Master of Social Work degree offers opportunity for study in two substantive areas: Child Welfare and Community Mental Health. The concentrations reflect two of the major areas of social concern and programs in our society. Child neglect and abuse, poverty, family violence, drugs and gangs illustrate the tremendous need for services to children and their families. The Community Mental Health concentration responds to the issues of chronic mental illness, behavioral problems, substance abuse and the homeless mentally ill. Professional social workers play a vital role in ensuring that services are available to support many in these vulnerable populations in our region.
Child Welfare Concentration (CW)
The Child Welfare (CW) concentration prepares students for practice in a variety of settings, including child welfare/protective services, health care, mental health, public social services, schools, community-based outpatient agencies, corrections/juvenile justice, residential treatment, programs for persons with developmental disabilities, domestic violence shelters and other specialized programs.
Community Mental Health Concentration (CMH)
The Community Mental Health (CMH) concentration prepares students for practice in a variety of mental health settings, including psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment, county mental health clinics, correctional institutions, substance abuse treatment and other specialized programs.
CALSWEC MSW PROGRAM
The MSW Program at CSUF has established eligibility for the CalSWEC Title IV - E training funds.
California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) is a unique partnership between social work education and the publicly supported child welfare structure. The mission and goals of the CalSWEC program is to re-professionalize public child welfare. CalSWEC provides financial support to MSW students in exchange for a commitment to work in a public child welfare agency for a minimum of one year for every year of support received. The intent of the program is to strengthen and enhance the quality of practice by professionally trained and educated public child welfare social workers. Priority is given to applicants representing diverse population groups currently served by child welfare agencies in California. Fluency in a high demand language is also given priority. Years of service and other child welfare experience also weighs significantly into the selection process. Students in the program must be U.S. citizens or have a permanent visa.
The Title IV-E stipends provide for two (2) years of support for students enrolled in the MSW program. The student signs a contract to secure full-time employment in a public child welfare agency for two (2) years (one year of employment for each year of support) but is expected to remain in public child welfare employment for longer than this minimum period. Once accepted into the program, students must undergo pre-screening for county employment, including fingerprinting and participation in the criminal clearance process.
With the passage of the Mental Health Services Act, a parallel training stipend program was established in California for MSW students who specialize in mental health. Similar to the child welfare training, the Mental Health Initiative, also managed by CalSWEC, offers training stipends for one year of support for students enrolled in the MSW program in exchange for a commitment to work in a public mental health agency for a minimum of one year for every year of support received.
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Admission Requirements
Minimum requirements for admission to conditionally classified standing in the program include the following:
Commitment to a two-year, full-time cohort course of study for completion of the MSW
Hold a baccalaureate degree in good standing from an accredited institution of higher education
Have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter units or last 60 semester units as documented by official transcript(s) from all higher education institutions attended
A strong liberal arts undergraduate foundation that is similar to the undergraduate graduation requirements from an accredited institution of higher education
Evidence of language skills and/or cultural experiences appropriate to the diverse communities to be served
At least one year of paid or volunteer experience in a human service context or related area
Submission of a personal statement self-assessment essay. Students must submit a written essay explaining why they would be good candidates for the program, including describing their experience and/or commitment to social work, evidence of personal qualifications, motivation and potential that shows promise of becoming a successful social worker
Submission of an academic or professional piece of writing
Submission of three letters of reference from individuals who are familiar with the student’s academic work potential, level of maturity and relevant experiences.
Completion of an interview
Submission of two applications: a CSUmentor (www.csumentor.edu) application and the Department of Social Work application submitted online to the department
For international students from countries where English is not the official language, a score of 575 on the paper exam, 230 on the computer based exam or 89 on the Internet- based TOEFL is required. A student scoring between 555-574 on the paper exam, 215-229 on the computer-based exam or 83-88 on the Internet-based TOEFL may be admitted conditionally depending upon an evaluation of the entire application file
Accessibility Issues: Special accommodations for disabled students will be made on an individual student, as-needed basis in compliance with the CSUF Catalog (online catalog at http://www.fullerton.edu/disabledservices/handbook/SupportiveServices.htm). Please contact the instructor and Program Coordinator
Classification and Advancement to Candidacy
Advancement to classified standing and candidacy requires the student to maintain continued good academic standing in all coursework and field experiences. In the case of unsatisfactory academic performance, the Chair of the Social Work Department, with the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, shall recommend remediation or dismissal of a student.
Under special circumstances, a graduate student may be approved for a one-semester leave of absence or, with approval of the Social Work Department, for a two-semester leave in extraordinary circumstances. For such consideration, the student must be in good academic standing. (See the “Graduate Regulations” section of this catalog for additional details concerning advancement to classified standing or candidacy.)
Advisement
Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned to a faculty adviser. Advisers provide academic assistance, help students develop official study plans, and monitor their progress throughout the duration of enrollment. Students should consult their adviser on a regular basis.
MSW CURRICULUM
The MSW at CSUF requires completion of 60 semester credit hours over two years of full-time study. There is a specialized three-year part-time program that slightly modifies this course of study and spreads the 60 units over three years. This part-time program is currently only open to Orange County employees of either the Social Services or Health Care agencies. Foundation coursework is based on a generalist social work practice curriculum that prepares students for advanced academic work in one of two concentrations, Child Welfare or Community Mental Health. Students are exposed to lifespan perspectives that address life cycle issues and concepts from birth to old age. While the concentrations are designed to allow students to focus on a particular population, it is expected that the student’s education will involve sufficient foundational content to allow him or her to transfer this knowledge to any population or service setting.
The program will emphasize a Direct Practice method. This methodological approach is designed to prepare students for advanced practice and leadership roles in public and nonprofit social services agencies and in voluntary agencies serving children, youth and families and in those providing community mental health services to the chronically and seriously mentally ill.
FIRST YEAR FOUNDATION CURRICULUM
MSW 501 Social Work Perspectives on Human Behavior I (3)
MSW 502 Social Work Perspectives on Human Behavior II (3)
MSW 510 Social Work Practice I (3)
MSW 511 Social Work Practice II (3)
MSW 520 Social Welfare Policy and Services I (3)
MSW 521 Social Welfare Policy and Services II (3)
MSW 530 Applied Social Work Research Methods I (3)
MSW 531 Applied Social Work Research Methods II: Practice and Program Evaluation (3)
MSW 540 Social Work Field Instruction I (2)
MSW 541 Social Work Field Instruction II (2)
SECOND YEAR ADVANCED CURRICULUM
Child Welfare Concentration
MSW 503 Social Work Perspectives on Human Behavior III (3)
MSW 512 Child Welfare: Advanced Practice I (3)
MSW 513 Child Welfare: Advanced Practice II (3)
MSW 522 Child Welfare Policy and Social Work (3)
MSW 542 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction I (2)
MSW 543 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction II (3)
MSW 550 Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations (3)
And three additional units of adviser-approved coursework.
Electives (3 units) May choose one of the following:
MSW 561 Social Work Practice and the Law (3)
MSW 570 Social Work Practice in Substance Abuse Treatment (3)
COUN 522 Techniques of Brief Treatment and Assessment (3)
COUN 525 Psychopharmacology for Counselors (3)
COUN 535 Addictions Counseling (3)
HESC 520 Advanced Topics in Community Health (3)
PSYC 545 Advanced Psychopathology (3)
SOCI 503/GERO 503 Aging and Public Policy (3)
Culminating Experience (6 units)
MSW 596 Master’s Project Development (3)
MSW 597 Master’s Project (3)
Community Mental Health Concentration
MSW 503 Social Work Perspectives on Human Behavior III (3)
MSW 514 Community Mental Health: Advanced Practice I (3)
MSW 515 Community Mental Health: Advanced Practice II (3)
MSW 523 Mental Health Policy and Social Work (3)
MSW 542 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction I (2)
MSW 543 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction II (3)
MSW 550 Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations (3)
And three additional units of adviser-approved coursework.
Electives (3 units) May choose one of the following:
MSW 561 Social Work Practice and the Law (3)
MSW 570 Social Work Practice in Substance Abuse Treatment (3)
MSW 580 Social Practice with the Poor and the Homeless (3)
COUN 522 Techniques of Brief Treatment and Assessment (3)
COUN 525 Psychopharmacology for Counselors (3)
COUN 535 Addictions Counseling (3)
HESC 520 Advanced Topics in Community Health (3)
PSYC 545 Advanced Psychopathology (3)
SOCI 503/GERO 503 Aging and Public Policy (3)
Culminating Experience (6 units)
MSW 596 Master’s Project Development (3)
MSW 597 Master’s Project (3)
SOCIAL WORK COURSES
Courses are designated as MSW in the class schedule.
