Social Work
College of Health and Social Sciences
Dean: Don Taylor
School of Social Work
HSS 227
415-338-1003/1005
Fax: 415-338-0591
E-mail: socwork@sfsu.edu
Director: Eileen F. Levy
Gerontology Program
HSS 227
415-338-1684
E-mail: sfsugero@sfsu.edu
Program Coordinator: Darlene Yee
Faculty
Professors: de Vries, Pelham, Shapiro, Takahashi, Yee-Melichar
Associate Professors: Hermoso, Lenz-Rashid, Lee, Levy, Redman
Assistant Professors: Gupta, Madrigal
Lecturers: Bardacke, Cabigao, Feliciana, Fischer, Flores, Hembury, Hinerman, McCabe, McGinnis, Melara
Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Project Coordinator: Gabriela Fischer
Mental Health Stipend Project Coordinator: Sheila Hembury
Pupil Personnel Services Credential Coordinator: Christina Feliciana
Programs
M.A. in Gerontology
information about this program may be found under the Gerontology program heading in this Bulletin.
School of Social Work Program
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and the Master of Social Work programs at San Francisco State University are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The M.A. program in Gerontology adheres to the standards and guidelines established by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
Purpose
The purpose of the School of Social Work is to provide an education to social workers who deliver culturally competent and multiculturally relevant services to diverse populations. Focus is on educating students to open access and become effective service providers to people who have been historically under-served and under-represented. To meet this purpose, the School offers 3 degrees: BASW, MSW, and MA. Details about the M.A. program in Gerontology are provided in a separate section of this Bulletin.
Mission
The mission of the School of Social Work is to educate students to become competent human service providers for versatile, creative, and sensitive practice in multiple settings and involving diverse populations. The School provides educational foundations that promote just and secure communities, societies, and global networks, as well as fosters leadership, scholarship, and activism, to achieve equity and social justice.
Program Learning Outcomes and Core Competencies
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) curriculum gives students a solid grounding in generalist social work practice through mastery of the core competencies developed by the Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (2008). Upon completion of the degree, students are prepared for a broad range of early-career professional social work positions. After completing all general education requirements and prerequisites, students are admitted as upper division students with junior standing. Students are admitted in the fall semester only, and are cohorted to meet all social work requirements during their junior and senior years. It takes four semesters or two years of full-time study during the academic year to complete the BASW Program.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) curriculum prepares its graduates for advanced practice through mastery of the core competencies supplemented by knowledge and practice behaviors specific to advanced social work practice. Only a full-time program is offered. The program requires four academic semesters or two years of full-time study to complete.
Competency-based social work education is an outcome performance approach to the curriculum, and includes measurable practice behaviors for each competency that are comprised of knowledge, values and skills. Our program learning outcomes are to teach students to demonstrate the integration and application of social work competencies in practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The ten core competencies (CSWE EPAS, 2008) in both the BASW and MSW programs are:
- Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly
- Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice
- Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments
- Engage diversity and difference in practice
- Advance human rights and social and economic justice
- Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research
- Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment
- Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services
- Respond to contexts that shape practice
- Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Career Outlook
Students who complete the baccalaureate social work major are prepared for graduate study in accredited schools of social work and social welfare; professional or graduate training in related fields such as law, public administration, public health, and psychology; and for early-level professional positions in both public and private social welfare and social service agencies.
Examples of these agencies include local departments of social services; hospitals; youth care facilities; community-based treatment agencies; community mental health facilities; child care programs; services for the aged; drug and alcohol treatment programs; family service agencies; and community, neighborhood, and advocacy organizations. The major provides students with an opportunity to apply social science theories and social work knowledge and skills in a comprehensive field work placement during their senior year.
Graduates of the Master of Social Work program are prepared for advanced level professional positions in both public and private social service agencies and community organizations. Subject to the laws of the State of California, MSW graduates are eligible to take the examination to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) two years after graduation. They are also eligible to take social work licensing examinations in other states. In addition, to prepare for advanced level professional practice, MSW graduates go on to doctoral programs in social work/social welfare and in related fields such as public policy, public health, gerontology, psychology, education, and law.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
BASW Program Faculty and Advisors: Gupta, Hermoso, Lee, Lenz-Rashid, Levy, Madrigal, Redman, Shapiro, and Takahashi.
Eligibility Requirements
Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work major is limited to students at the upper division level (60 units or more). Applicants must be either a current SF State student or be eligible for admission to undergraduate studies at San Francisco State University
The BA in Social Work is a 2-year (four semesters) cohorted program designed for full-time study. Students are admitted during the fall semester only. As a cohort group, students typically begin and end the program at the same time. Students are expected to complete their BASW degree in two years.
Prior to entering the program, students are expected to have completed all General University Requirements pertaining to the admission of undergraduate students. Students must have completed both Segments I and II of the SF State General Education curriculum (or equivalent) and have junior standing (60 units or more) at San Francisco State University. Students must have an ALL COLLEGE TOTAL GPA of 2.0 or higher at the time of application. Students must also complete the 4 required prerequisites and pass them with either a “C-“or higher prior to admission into the BASW Program:
- Introductory-level course in Human Biology (BIO 100 or equivalent; lab not required for Social Work program)
- Macro Economics (ECON 102 or ECON 305 or equivalent)
- Introductory Psychology (PSY 200 or equivalent), and
- Introductory Sociology (SOC 105 or equivalent)
The School of Social Work strongly recommends that students complete ENG 214 (Second Year written composition-English) or equivalent prior to entering the BASW program.
Application Procedure
Students already enrolled at San Francisco State University and meeting the Eligibility Requirements described above can contact the School of Social Work via e-mail at socwork@sfsu.edu to request access to the application forms/documents.
Prospective transfer students must submit two separate applications. They must be admitted into San Francisco State University Undergraduate Studies and the School of Social Work:
- First, they must complete the SF State Application for Admission online using the CSU Mentor portal www.csumentor.edu and must be accepted by the university.
- Second, they must complete the School of Social Work application. Access to the School of Social Work application is made available by the Undergraduate Admissions Office after the applicant completes and submits the University application.
To determine if the School of Social Work prerequisites have been met, the articulation agreement between SF State and any California’s public college or university can be accessed at www.assist.org, {“an online student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California College or university can be applied when transferred to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation for California’s public colleges and universities and provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California” (Assist.org website)}.
The School’s admissions evaluation is based on prior academic performance, including completion of the four prerequisite courses, human biology, introductory psychology, introductory sociology, and macroeconomics. Other considered factors include potential for professional social work practice as demonstrated by previous employment/volunteer experiences; and knowledge of and experiences with historically oppressed, under-served, and under-represented individuals, families, groups, and communities. In determining admissions, reviewers also consider the congruence between the applicant’s educational objectives and the School’s mission and objectives.
Students are required to maintain a C minimum grade in all courses within the major. Students not maintaining this average will be dropped from the Social Work program.
Freshmen and sophomore students planning to major in Social Work should consult with an advisor in the College of Health and Social Sciences Student Resource Center before enrolling in courses that fulfill General Education requirements.
Note: The field education coordinator works with students to find field placements. Before entering field internships, students must have completed 24 units of their junior year courses with a grade of C or better.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
The School of Social Work is committed to enhancing all students’ ability to communicate in an effective and professional manner, both orally and in writing. Further, the School promotes efforts to ensure that all forms of communication are culturally sensitive and appropriate.
To prepare practitioners for the challenges and responsibilities of advocacy within professional settings, the School of Social Work pursues a rigorous writing proficiency standard in the BASW and MSW programs. Formal writing assignments are integrated into the structure of classes with the expectation that students progressively expand and refine their mastery of organizing ideas and expressing purposeful thinking. Written communication is a core competency in both the BASW and MSW degree programs.
Social Work majors who successfully complete S W 301 GW in spring 2010 or thereafter will have satisfied the University Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). S W 301 GW is offered the second semester of the junior year. Per University requirement, second year written composition, ENG 214, is a prerequisite to the upper division Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) course in the major, therefore the School of Social Work strongly recommends that students complete ENG 214 or equivalent prior to entering the BASW program.
BASW Course Requirements
Prerequisites for entering the Social Work program:
- Introductory Psychology (PSY 200 or equivalent)
- Introductory Sociology (SOC 105 or equivalent)
- Human Biology (BIO 100 or equivalent - lab not required for SW program)
- Macroeconomics (ECON 102, ECON 305 or equivalent).
Total units for the major: 44
On-line course descriptions are available.
Junior Year—Fall Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 300 | U.S. Social Welfare: Past, Present, and Future | 3 |
| S W 302 | Introduction to Social Service Organizations | 3 |
| S W 352 | Gender, Sexism, and Social Welfare | 3 |
| S W 400 | Social Work Practice I | 3 |
| S W 410 | Human Development and the Social Services | 3 |
Total units: 15
Junior Year—Spring Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 301 GW | U.S. Social Welfare II: Problems, Policies, and Programs - GWAR | 3 |
| S W 401 | Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| S W 402 | Interviewing Skills in Social Work | 3 |
| S W 470 | Social Differences and Social Work Practice | 3 |
Total units: 12
Senior Year—Fall Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 350 | Services to Children, Youth, and Their Families (may be taken in Spring Semester, Senior Year) |
3 |
| S W 456 | Urban Community Organizing and Citizen Action | 3 |
| S W 502 | Seminar on Field Experience I | 2 |
| S W 503 | Field Experience in the Social Services I | 2 |
Total units: 10
Senior Year—Spring Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 450 | Introduction to Research in Social Work | 3 |
| S W 504 | Seminar on Field Experience II | 2 |
| S W 505 | Field Experience in the Social Services II | 2 |
Total units: 7
Master of Social Work
MSW Professors and Program Advisors: Gupta, Hermoso, Lee, Lenz-Rashid, Levy, Madrigal, Redman, Shapiro, and Takahashi
Admission to Program
Applicants must first meet the general university requirements pertaining to the admission of graduate students. In addition, applicants must demonstrate academic and professional commitments to Social Work and the values and philosophical foundations of the School’s mission. To be considered for admission into the MSW Program, all must apply for and be admitted into both Graduate School and School of Social Work. Admission to the MSW Program is highly competitive. Application forms and materials can be accessed online via the School of Social Work website: http://www.socwork.sfsu.edu/. Applications for the Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program are available on the School of Social Work website and must be submitted in person or mailed to the Title IV-E Coordinator.
School admission decisions are based on several areas, including potential for professional practice as demonstrated by previous employment/volunteer experiences; value congruence to the School’s mission; and knowledge, experience, and relationship of the applicant to oppressed, under-served and under-represented individuals, families, groups, and communities; and academic performance (especially most recent). Applicants must have attained a GPA of at least 3.0 in an acceptable earned baccalaureate degree, or a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 units for admission to the program. The significance of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate program in Social Work is recognized, but applicants with a BASW degree are not given advanced standing.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
The School of Social Work is committed to enhancing all students’ ability to communicate in an effective and professional manner, both orally and in writing. Further, the School promotes efforts to ensure that all forms of communication are culturally sensitive and appropriate.
To prepare practitioners for the challenges and responsibilities of advocacy within professional settings, the School of Social Work pursues a rigorous writing proficiency standard in the BASW and MSW programs. Formal writing assignments are integrated into the structure of classes with the expectation that students progressively expand and refine their mastery of organizing ideas and expressing purposeful thinking. Written communication is a core competency in both the BASW and MSW degree programs.
Exit Level Writing Proficiency
The culmination of student writing is completed when graduate students write their final culminating experience project for the MSW degree. They choose either a professional practice project or a thesis. The final projects typically include, as a minimum, the following sections:
- Identification of the issues or problems that are the focus of the project or thesis;
- Description, foundation, discussion, comprehension, and analysis of the presenting problems or issues;
- Review of the literature relevant to the project subjects;
- Application and syntheses of the literature, principles, theories, and practice areas;
- Assessment;
- Evaluation;
- Implications for social work policies, programs, practices.
Advancement to Candidacy
Besides meeting all general requirements for advancement to candidacy, the school maintains the following additional requirements:
- Completion of S W 700, 710, 720, 730, 770, and 780, which are to be taken in the first year prior to other courses, 4 units of S W 740, and 2 units of S W 741. S W 740 is graded CR/NC only.
- Maintenance of a 3.0 grade point average in graduate study.
Note: The field education coordinator meets and works with all students to help them locate a suitable field internship for the academic year.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Core Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 700 | History and Philosophy of Social Welfare | 3 |
| S W 701 | Social Policy Analysis | 3 |
| S W 710 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment | 3 |
| S W 720 | Research Methods in Social Work | 3 |
| S W 721 or S W 820 |
Seminar: Evaluative Research Methods in Social Work Seminar: Advanced Research Methodology in Social Work |
3 |
| S W 730 | Social Work Practice Methods | 3 |
| S W 740 | Field Work Instruction | 2 |
| S W 740 | Field Work Instruction | 2 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar1 | 1 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar1 | 1 |
| S W 770 | Ethnic and Cultural Concepts and Principles I | 3 |
| S W 780 | Global Poverty | 3 |
| S W 895 or S W 898 |
Research Project in Social Work Master’s Thesis |
3 |
Minimum core units: 33
Program Emphasis (one area chosen from the emphases listed below): 27 units
Minimum total: 60
Emphases
Each student is admitted into the Individuals, Families and Groups (IFG) emphasis, and may elect to simultaneously apply to the Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program.
Individuals, Families, and Groups (IFG)
Social work practice with individuals, families, and groups is grounded in a bio-psychosocial approach to direct service. The social worker functions as a multi-role practitioner including the following: case worker, case manager, leader, facilitator, broker, advocate, counselor, educator, or resource specialist. The practice methods emphasize the importance of promoting the strengths of individuals, rather than focusing on deficits or pathology. The goal of IFG practice is to ameliorate stressors within a life course context of human development and functioning. The practitioner’s attention is directed toward enhancing the coping abilities of individuals, families, and groups in dealing with aspects of their interpersonal environment through empowering processes. Recognition of issues of diversity is fundamental to culturally competent IFG practice.
Individuals, Families, and Groups Program
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 810 | Health, Illness, and Disordered Behavior | 3 |
| S W 740 | Field Work Instruction | 3 |
| S W 740 | Field Work Instruction | 3 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar1 | 1 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar1 | 1 |
| S W 830 | Seminar: Social Casework | 3 |
| S W 832 | Seminar: Social Group Work | 3 |
| S W 831 | Seminar: Advanced Social Casework | 3 |
Electives on advisement: 7 units
Minimum total for emphasis: 27 units
Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program
Coordinator: Gabriela Fischer
The School of Social Work is part of a consortium of graduate social work programs in California to administer the Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program. This program, administered by the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC), was created to prepare MSW students for careers in public child welfare service. The full-time program provides a number of student stipends ($18,500 per year) for two years of graduate school. In return for receiving a stipend, students must work in public child welfare for at least two years after they graduate.
The Title IV-E Program is driven by child welfare competencies that were developed by universities and county welfare directors. These competencies are integrated throughout the curriculum and are further enhanced by special workshops on current topics relate to the field. Title IV-E students are expected to complete all core components of the MSW Program and are required to complete the first year field placement in a county child welfare department or non-profit program serving Title IV-E eligible children and families. The second year placement must be in a county child welfare department. In addition, Title IV-E students are required to complete two child welfare focused courses: S W 843- Child Welfare Practice with Children and Families, in the spring semester of the first year, and S W 701- Social Policy Analysis (Child Welfare-specific section), the fall semester of the second year of the MSW program. Students are also required to participate in child welfare trainings and workshops as directed by the Title IV-E coordinator.
Students who apply to the MSW program are also provided the opportunity apply for the Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program simultaneously. Applicants will go through a selection process that may include an in-person interview. Priority is given to applicants who are current employees of county child welfare agencies and applicants who reflect the diversity of clients served by California’s public child welfare agencies. Students who receive the Title IV-E stipend award must attest that they have never been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime or any crime involving harm to children that would disqualify them from service in a county public child welfare services agency. All students must submit to live-scan and criminal background checks via the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) for second year placement. Continuation of this program is subject to funding availability.
Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Social Work Designation
PPSC Coordinator: Christina Feliciana
The School offers a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) program to graduate social work students who are simultaneously pursuing their MSW degree. This additional program is available only if resources permit. If offered, students in the PPSC Program are required to enroll in all courses in the Individual, Families, and Groups (IFG) emphasis and do a field placement in a public school (K - 12), supervised by an individual with a PPSC credential. The PPSC field placement and specialized course work are designed to be completed in the second year of MSW preparation and are taken in the following order.
Fall Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 740 | Fieldwork Instruction | 3 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar | 1 |
| S W 865 | Social Work Practice in School Settings | 3 |
Spring Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S W 740 | Fieldwork Instruction | 3 |
| S W 741 | Graduate Field Seminar | 1 |
| S W 760 | Social Work and the Law | 3 |
Post Masters PPSC Program
The School of Social Work offers a Post Masters PPSC Program for persons who possess an MSW from an accredited social work institution. 2 Each student’s portfolio of prior classes and experiences are assessed to determine what must be completed to meet the requirements for a Post Masters PPSC.
This program is offered during the summer, and students are able to complete all requirements in one summer. For details, one may contact the Post Masters PPSC Coordinator, Christina Feliciana, at 415-405-0942 or cfeli@sfsu.edu.
Mental Health Stipend Program
Coordinator: Sheila Hembury
The California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) has granted ten stipends to the School of Social Work to support second year graduate students interested in public mental health. These stipends are the result of the Mental Health Services Act (funded by Proposition 63) and are part of a workforce development initiative to train qualified social workers who can provide public mental health services. For the one year academic year stipend of $18,500, the student agrees to "payback" by working in public mental health for one calendar year. This can include positions in public programs or contract agencies funded by Behavioral Health grants.
Students must meet all core MSW Program requirements, and participate in various mental health workshops and trainings during their year in the program. Ongoing funding for this program is uncertain. Current information can be obtained from the program’s coordinator, Sheila Hembury, at (415) 338-7530 or shehe@sfsu.edu.
The Institute for Multicultural Research and Social Work Practice
The School of Social Work’s Institute for Multicultural Research and Social Work Practice (IMRSWP) was established in 1988 as the Center for Cross Cultural Research and Social Work Practice. In 1992, the name changed to the current name. All SF State social work students and faculty may become members of this institute.
The IMRSWP’s mission states that it "promotes respect for and knowledge of diverse cultures. It seeks to develop effective methods for appropriately working in a complex and multiculturally diverse environment. It disseminates cross-cultural information through research, publication, education, and training. The central focus is on empowerment of individuals, families, and communities. The commitment is to progressive societal changes. Collaborative and cooperative efforts in multiple settings -- from work place to ethnic communities -- are emphasized.”
The IMRSWP’s goals are to:
- Conduct research that promotes greater knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures.
- Develop methods to enhance effectiveness and appropriateness in working with diverse populations. Use collaborative and participatory methods.
- Disseminate research findings and educational information to students, organizations, and the general public via publications, presentations, workshops, and consultations.
- Work with social work students interested in multicultural service delivery systems, and provide ongoing resources and support services to enhance their educational experiences.
- Conduct evaluations and needs assessments of organizations and communities.
- Analyze policies and make recommendations congruent to the Institute’s mission.
- Sponsor conferences and workshops that focus on cross-cultural research and social work practice.
Footnotes
- S W 741 is taken concurrently with S W 740 and is required each semester that the student is in field.
- Post Masters PPSC students do not take S W 740 and S W 741 concurrently.
