Department of
Social Work

Master of Social Work

A Master of Social Work (MSW) prepares professional social workers to advance social justice and to meet the growing human service needs of the university’s service area. The curriculum emphasizes social work practice in the public social services, health, mental health, corrections, and schools. Graduates are prepared to practice, with sensitivity and competence, with economically and culturally diverse populations. Students are prepared for advanced social work practice skills sufficient for self-critical, accountable, and ultimately autonomous practice.

This program is a sixty (60) unit curriculum, accomplished in four semesters plus one winter. A three-year curriculum, accomplished in six-semesters plus two winters is also offered. The first courses provide the professional foundation. Four semesters of supervised field practicum in a social work agency is part of the core curriculum. No academic credit is given for life experience or previous work experience.

The field of Social Work is very broad, incorporating many approaches to addressing psycho-social ills in many health, mental health, and social welfare agency settings. The MSW is thus one of the most versatile master’s degrees among the human service professions.

MSWs provide counseling services to individuals, groups, couples, and families, or work as supervisors or administrators of human service programs and agencies. Social workers also work as program developers, community organizers, planners, evaluators, policy makers or researchers.

The MSW degree satisfies the academic preparation requirements for the state regulated social work license (LCSW).

Specific questions regarding the MSW Program or curriculum should be directed to the department chair or staff. The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Mission Statement

The social work program of California State University, Stanislaus prepares social workers to advance social justice. This education is committed to social change based on an analysis of social, political, and economic structures and their impact. The program enables social workers to collaborate with others to transform the conditions which contribute to privilege and oppression. Graduates are prepared to work with individuals, families, and communities to promote personal and collective liberation.

Goals

1. Prepares professional social workers to engage with diverse populations in a process of critical reflection and action to address oppression and promote social justice.
2. Prepares professional social workers to use self awareness to understand the effects of their biases on their interaction with others.
3. Prepare professional social workers to engage in the struggle to transform their biases.
4. Prepare social workers to use an integrative practice framework for multi-system interventions guided by ethics and informed by research.
5. Prepare professional social workers to meet the social service needs of the region.
6. Create a learning environment consistent with core practice values of empowerment, strengths, and collaboration which are necessary to promote social justice.
7. Provide social work education that is accessible to the diverse populations in the region.

Required Courses
SW 5001 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice I, 4 units
SW 5002 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice II, 3 units
SW 5005 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, 3 units
SW 5010 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II, 3 units
SW 5020 Social Work Research Methods, 3 units
SW 5030 Foundation I: Generalist Social Work Practice Using A Strengths Perspective, 3 units
SW 5031 Foundation II: Generalist Social Work Practice Using A Strengths Perspective, 3 units
SW 5032 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Children, Adults, and Families, 3 units
SW 5033 Advanced Integrated Social Work Practice with Groups, 2 units
SW 5034 Advanced Integrated Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations, 3 units
SW 5040 Field Instruction I, 3 units (must repeat for a total of 6 units) or
SW 5041 Field Instruction II, 3 units (must repeat for a total of 6 units)
SW 5050 Social Work Research, Data Analysis, 3 units
SW 5960 Graduate Project, 1 unit (must repeat for a total of 2 units) or
SW 5990 Research Thesis, 1 unit (must repeat for a total of 2 units)
SW 5991 Social Work Capstone Course, 2 units (must repeat for a total of 4 units)

Two-Year Program
The two-year program consists of four semesters of course work leading to the M.S.W. Degree. This option is for students who can devote their time and attention to intensive study. Most classes taken by two-year students are in the daytime (i.e., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), but may be scheduled during evening hours as well. Elective courses are often at night. Field practicum (sixteen hours per week in the first and fourth semester, twenty hours per week in the second and third semester) is undertaken concurrently with a full load of classroom courses. No credit is given for life experience or previous work experience. Courses must be taken in the following prescribed sequence:

First Semester:
SW 5001 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice I
SW 5005 Human Behavior and Social Environment I
SW 5020 Social Work Research Methods
SW 5030 Foundation I: Generalist Social Work Practice Using a Strengths
Perspective
SW 5040 Field Instruction (Practicum) I

Second Semester:
SW 5010 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
SW 5031 Foundation II: Generalist Social Work Practice Using A Strengths
Perspective
SW 5050 Social Work Research, Data Analysis
SW 5040 Field Instruction (Practicum) I

Summer Term:
SW XXXX Electives*
Third Semester:
SW 5002 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice II
SW 5032 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Children, Adults, and Families
SW 5041 Field Instruction (Practicum) II
SW 5990/5960 Research Thesis or Graduate Project
SW 5991 Capstone Project Course
SW XXXX Electives*

Fourth Semester:
SW 5033 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Groups
SW 5034 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations
SW 5041 Field Instruction (Practicum) II
SW 5990/5960 Research Thesis or Graduate Project
SW 5991 Capstone Project Course
SW XXXX Electives*

Three-Year Program
The three-year program is intended for students who need to spread their graduation studies over a longer period of time to accommodate other responsibilities. It must be emphasized, however, that the MSW Program is very demanding of time and energy, even when undertaken over the three year time period. Classes are scheduled in the evenings after 4:00 p.m. and on weekends. It is also extremely important for students to arrange for flexibility in their work hours whenever possible. Field practicum is scheduled two full days a week. Students are expected to be in their placements during the agency’s normal hours of operation. Courses must be taken in the following prescribed sequence:

First Semester:
SW 5001 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice I
SW 5005 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
SW 5030 Foundation I: Generalist Social Work Practice Using a Strengths Perspective
SW 5040 Field Instruction (Practicum) I

Second Semester:
SW 5010 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
SW 5031 Foundation II: Generalist Social Work Practice Using a Strengths Perspective
SW 5040 Field Instruction (Practicum) I
Summer Term:
SW XXXX Electives*

Third Semester:
SW 5020 Social Work Research Methods
SW 5032 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Children, Adults, and Families
SW 5041 Field Instruction (Practicum) II

Winter Term:
SW 5033 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Groups

Fourth Semester:
SW 5034 Advanced Integrative Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations
SW 5041 Field Instruction (Practicum) II
SW 5050 Social Work Research, Data Analysis

Fifth Semester:
SW 5002 Social Welfare Policy and Services for Social Justice II
SW 5990/5960 Research Thesis or Graduate Project
SW 5991 Capstone Project Course
SW XXXX Electives*

Sixth Semester:
SW 5990/5960 Research Thesis or Graduate Project
SW 5991 Capstone Project Course
SW XXXX Electives*

*Electives
Social Work students may select from the following electives to complete their 60 required units.

SW 5012 Social Work Practice in Public Mental Health Settings, 3 units
SW 5013 Social Work Practice with Death, Grief, and Loss, 3 units
SW 5014 Law and Ethics in Social Work Practice, 3 units
SW 5042 Social Work Practice with Juvenile Offenders, 2 units
SW 5043 Advanced Assessment and Intervention in Child Abuse and Neglect, 3 units
SW 5044 Social Work Practice in School Settings
SW 5052 Social Work with Family Systems, 2-3 units
SW 5054 Feminist Social Work Practice with Women, 3 units
SW 5055 Social Work Practice: Substance Abuse, 2 units
SW 5056 Cultural Competency for Supervision and Training, 1 unit
SW 5057 International Social Work, 3 units
SW 5058 Gerontological Social Work, 3 units
SW 5060 Child Welfare Information Systems

Learning Objectives

FOUNDATION
Graduate social workers who:

1. Apply critical thinking skills to professional social work practice.
2. Understand and are guided by the values and ethics of the profession.
3. Demonstrate the ability to practice without discrimination and with respect, knowledge, and skills related to diverse client populations.
4. Understand and work to expose paradigms of oppression and discrimination and those mechanisms and structures that serve those paradigms.
5. Advocate for social justice.
6. Understand the history of social work profession and utilize this knowledge as a context for understanding and addressing current practice issues.
7. Engage clients to assess and intervene at all system levels using a generalist perspective that incorporates client strengths.
8. Apply theoretical frameworks supported by research to understand individual development and behavior across the life span, between individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
9. Analyze, formulate, and influence social policies and understand the integral relationship between policy and practice.
10. Use research to inform and continually update practice.
11. Carry out critical self-analysis and self-evaluation
12. Use supervision, consultation, and continuing education to strengthen practice.
13. Understand and operate within organizational structures and service delivery systems and seek necessary change.
    
    ADVANCED
    Graduate social workers who:
14. Understand and apply mechanisms and structures that promote paradigms of social and economic justice and liberation.
15. Demonstrate a spirit of inquiry that is characterized by curiosity and motivation to learn about others whose lives are different from one’s own and the strengths utilized by those individuals and groups.
16. Understand and utilize an integrative practice approach aimed at promoting social justice that:

• Focuses on power and privilege related to social identity and the meaning of difference.
• Emphasizes self-awareness, particularly in regard to the effects of one’s biases on interaction with others, and awareness of and willingness to work with the consequences of those effects on such interactions.
• Focuses on the development and use of a perspective that recognizes the formative role of institutional and organizational policies and practices both in creating fundamental change and imposing obstacles.
• Utilizes advocacy as a means to create change.

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