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Department Overview

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Program Overview

Founded in 2007, the Department of Social Work at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is the only Master of Social Work (MSW) program in Orange County offered by a public university. The department provides two MSW program options:

  • Two-Year MSW Program
    • Location: CSU, Fullerton campus;
    • Areas of Focus:
      • Child Welfare (CW);
      • Community Mental Health (CMH);
      • Aging;
    • Course Schedule: Weekdays only
  • Three-Year MSW Flex Program
    • Location: CSU, Fullerton campus,
    • Areas of Focus:
      • Child Welfare (CW);
      • Community Mental Health (CMH);
    • Course Schedule: Weekday evenings

Both programs require 60 semester units to complete.

Areas of Focus

Child Welfare (CW)

This focus prepares students to promote and empower the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and their families in various settings, including but not limited to:

  • Public and private child welfare agencies
  • Protective services
  • Healthcare
  • Public social services
  • Schools
  • Community-based outpatient agencies
  • Corrections and juvenile justice systems
  • Programs for individuals with developmental disabilities
  • Domestic violence shelters
Community Mental Health (CMH)

This focus equips students to work with diverse client populations across the mental health care system, including:

  • Children
  • Families
  • Adults
  • Older adults
Aging

This focus trains students for specialized practice with middle-aged and older adults and their families across diverse community and healthcare settings as  Gerontological or Geriatric Social Workers who promote physical and mental health, social wellbeing, independence, dignity, and autonomy in later life. Practice settings include, but are not limited to:

  • Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)
  • Adult Protective Services (APS)
  • Home and Community-based Service (HCBS) agencies
  • Adult day centers
  • Nonprofit organizations (e.g., Meals on Wheels, AARP, senior advocacy groups)
  • Ombudsman programs
  • Hospitals
  • Rehabilitation centers
  • Memory care facilities
  • Palliative care, nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities

Practicum Education

Both MSW programs include two years of practicum education, typically completed in four consecutive semesters (Fall and Spring terms).

  • Placement Process: The Director of Practicum Education assigns students to field agencies that align with their professional interests and help develop their social work practice skills.
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INSTRUCTIONAL MODES

  • Application of ecological systems and strengths-based models
  • Focus on cultural competency, advocacy, and social justice
  • Concentrations in child welfare, community mental health, and aging
  • International social work service-learning program
  • Courses in direct practice, community (macro) practice, social welfare policy, human behavior and the social environment, and research, and fieldwork
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UNITS REQUIRED FOR THE DEGREE

  • 60 units
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CLASS SCHEDULES

  • Students in the Two-Year MSW Program at the Fullerton campus balance classroom instruction with practicum education experiences. The weekly schedule is structured as follows: 
    • First-Year Students
      Class Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
      Practicum Education: Tuesday and Thursday (two full days per week)
    • Second-Year Students
      Class Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday
      Practicum Education: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (two full days per week, based on agency needs)
  • Students in the Flex Program at the CSUF campus balance evening classes with practicum education experiences during the second and third years of the program. The weekly schedule is structured as follows: 
    • First-Year Students
      Class Schedule: Three Weekday Evenings Per Week
    • Second- and Third-Year Students 
      Class Schedule: Three Weekday Evenings Per Week
      Practicum Education: During normal agency hours (typically two weekdays per week)

This schedule is designed to accommodate students who may have other commitments during the day while still providing essential hands-on practicum experience.

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ACCREDITATION

  • The CSUF MSW Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation.
  • Accreditation of a master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. 
  • Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
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LICENSURE

  • Once students complete the MSW program they are eligible to begin accruing hours toward their Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) licensure.
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TYPICAL SOCIAL WORK SETTINGS

  • County social services agencies
  • County health care agencies
  • Child welfare agencies
  • Child protective services
  • Adult protective services
  • Hospice Agencies
  • Community mental health agencies
  • Family service agencies (domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters)
  • Medical facilities
  • Psychiatric facilities
  • Rehabilitation facilities
  • Refugee resettlement
  • Social welfare research and policy analysis organizations
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