The MSW Program offers graduate professional education in advanced social work practice from a transcultural multi-systems perspective, with a particular focus in a field of practice. The curriculum has been developed to emphasize application of skills in those areas of practice where the need for social workers in the next decade will be the greatest in the state of California. The program prepares graduates for advanced practice and leadership in the following fields of practice: aging, children, youth, and families; health/mental health; and school social work. The graduate program has been fully accredited by the national Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education since 1973.
In addition to the general requirements established by the university as set forth in the Admissions section of this catalog, applicants for admission to classified standing for the Master of Social Work degree must have demonstrated a commitment to social work goals either by having completed undergraduate social work education, or hold a BA in a related field and have significant experience and/or personal involvement with minority groups and communities on social issues.
To be admitted to the program a student must:
1. Complete a separate application for admission to the University, submit required transcripts and pay the required application fees (University and MSW program fees).
2. Complete a separate application to the MSW program which includes:
a. An autobiographical statement describing the development of the candidate's interest in the field and professional goals.
b. Three letters of recommendation from professionals in the field or former professors who can testify to the candidate's ability to meet the challenges of the profession.
3. Foreign students must score at least 550 on the TOEFL and must demonstrate English proficiency in a written essay.
4. The application to the MSW program with the supporting material must be sent directly to the Director of Admissions of the MSW program for review and recommendation by the MSW program admissions committee.
Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 2.5 may apply for conditionally classified status. The MSW Admission Committee may consider applicants who possess strong or considerable work experience and who can remedy minor academic deficiencies by additional preparation.
To be admitted to candidacy for the Master of Social Work degree, students must meet the general requirements of the university as set forth in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog. The University requires that all graduate students demonstrate competency in written English as a condition for advancement to candidacy. Please refer to the SJSU catalog section titled “Competency in Written English” for details. For graduate courses that meet the competency in written English requirement, please refer to the Graduate Studies and Research website at www.sjsu.edu/gradstudies.
The applicant must demonstrate aptitude for advanced study in social work, as measured by successful completion of the first year of study, instructor appraisals, evaluation of previous academic work, recommendations by qualified professionals, or other assessments.
The applicant must meet with the MSW graduate advisor to complete an application for candidacy. The application includes an official program of study listing all courses needed to complete the requirements for the degree. The program of study must be approved by the MSW graduate advisor and then by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, who notifies the student of acceptance into candidacy.
The MSW program offers both a full-time and a 3-year plan of study. Full-time study requires a two-year commitment to the program, while the 3-year plan may be completed in a three year structured plan of study. With either plan, the course requirements for completing the degree are identical.
The student must complete a total of not less than 60 semester units of study in social work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall. This includes two years (1200 hours) of field internship in a social agency or community setting selected and approved by the MSW field education committee.
Candidates for the degree have the option of either completing a thesis (Plan A) or a project (Plan B) and to defend their study before a thesis/project committee as part of their 60 semester unit degree requirement. Students choosing to complete a thesis must meet program prerequisites and receive approval of the research committee. The topic must relate to the candidate's area of practice and to the mission of the MSW program. The thesis must meet all university requirements in content and format. The special project must be a professionally written study based on the student's field placement.
As deemed appropriate by the faculty of the social work program, satisfactory performance in final examinations in the core areas of social work practice may be required. These examinations may be written, oral or both.
Students are required to demonstrate their competency in written English to be advanced to candidacy for the master's degree by meeting the University English Competency and MSW requirements.
In the first year students develop a solid foundation in generalist social work practice with the goal of effective performance under the guidance and supervision of a professional social worker. The primary skills and competencies that are taught consist of the ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate practice with systems of varying size from a transcultural perspective.
The second year of the MSW program sequentially builds upon foundation content attained in the first year to prepare students for advanced practice from a transcultural and multi-systems perspective. As students progress through the program they are expected to increase their levels of independence, initiative and leadership, utilizing greater discretion and judgment for self-direction and professionally autonomous practice, with systems of varying size.
In addition, content is included on the fields of practice which are particularly connected to the mission of the program and the practice needs of the region: aging; children, youth, and families; school social work; and health/mental health, particularly those who are Latino, African American, Asian American and Native American, and are communities, groups, families and individuals who are disenfranchised, oppressed and/or marginalized
| Course Requirements | |||
| First Year Curriculum (Foundation) | 32 | ||
| Fall Semester | 16 | ||
| SCWK 202, SCWK 212, SCWK 220, SCWK 230 and SCWK 240 | |||
| Spring Semester | 16 | ||
| SCWK 204, SCWK 214, SCWK 221, SCWK 231 and SCWK 242 | |||
| Second Year Curriculum (Transcultural Multi-Systems) | 28 | ||
| Fall Semester | 15 | ||
| SCWK 222, SCWK 223, SCWK 232 and SCWK 298 (12); SCWK 250, SCWK 260, SCWK 270 or SCWK 280 (3) | |||
| Spring Semester | 13 | ||
| Those applying for the Title IV-E Stipend Program must complete the Children, Youth and Families field of practice. Those applying for PPSC should complete the School Social Work field of practice. | |||
| Aging: SCWK 251, SCWK 233 and SCWK 298 (10); one SCWK elective (3) | |||
| Children, Youth and Families: SCWK 263, SCWK 233 and SCWK 298 (10); SCWK 261 or SCWK 262 (3) | |||
| School Social Work: SCWK 233, SCWK 263, SCWK 271 and SCWK 298 (13) | |||
| Health/Mental Health: SCWK 281, SCWK 233 and SCWK 298 (10); one SCWK elective (3) | |||
| Total Units: | 60 | ||
Once the field of practice is selected, students must continue with the required courses in that respective curriculum plan.
The MSW Program offers a 3-year program designed for working professionals and includes coursework in the evenings and on weekends. The 3-year program requires three years of academic work combined with two years of field practicum. Depending on the courses offered during the summer term, this time period for 3-year students may be accelerated.
3-year students complete the first year curriculum requirements in two years. In the second year, 3-year students enter the field practicum and concurrently enrolled in social work practice courses. Field instruction in the 3-year MSW Program meets the same administrative and educational requirements as the full-time program.
To assist "matriculated students" in progressing more rapidly toward earning their MSW degree, and to increase accessibility year around to the course curriculum for both full-time and 3-year students, the MSW Program offers a limited number of "regular" graduate level courses during the summer term. The range of classes (number and type) offered by MSW Program will depend on student interest and faculty resources.
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