Social Work

Undergraduate Information
Graduate Information
Imperial Valley
Faculty

OFFICE: Hepner Hall 119
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6865

Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

General Information

The School of Social Work offers undergraduate social work and gerontology majors and minors as well as graduate degrees of Master of Social Work, a program that allows students to earn the Master of Social Work concurrently with the Master of Public Health, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use jointly with the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. The Master of Social Work degree with a Direct Practice Concentration is also offered at the Imperial Valley campus. In cooperation with the San Diego campus, the School of Social Work and SDSU Imperial Valley offer the Master of Social Work (MSW) program in a 3-year cohort at the Imperial Valley campus. The School also offers the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential in School Social Work with an Added Authorization in Child Welfare and Attendance, as well as stipend programs including the Title IV-E Stipend program through a competitive process.

The School of Social Work BASW and MSW programs are nationally accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The School of Social Work is also accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to offer the Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Social Work with an Added Authorization in Child Welfare and Attendance. Further, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics represents the professional standards of the School’s Social Work programs.

Established in 1973, the School of Social Work has over five decades of addressing local, state, national, and international human service issues through faculty research and community partnerships. Binational human service issues of the Southern California border region are highlighted and addressed through active collaboration with academic institutions and social service agencies in Tijuana and Mexicali. This broad network of partners provides a variety of agencies and organizations in which students at the School of Social Work may meet research and practicum requirements. In addition, the school is committed in the areas of Indigenous recruitment and retention through the work with SERVE Indigenous Social Workers for Change, workforce training and professional development through the work of the Academy for Professional Excellence, and policy research and intervention through the Social Policy Institute.

Undergraduate Information

Gerontology

Social Work

The Major

The profession of social work is deeply committed to social, racial, economic, and environmental justice; the creation of conditions that facilitate the realization of human rights; the elimination of poverty; and the enhancement of life for all people, locally and globally. The social work major prepares graduates to promote human and social well-being using a range of prevention and intervention methods for entry-level social work practice with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, based on evidence-informed practices.

Guided by person-in-environment and anti-oppressive frameworks, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry, the mission of the BASW program is to prepare generalist social work practitioners for ethical, professional, and evidence-informed social work practice. The program focuses on entry-level social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities and is the foundation for advanced social work education. The program is committed to advancing equity and social justice, promoting human rights, and engaging in social action to enhance individual and community well-being in the diverse US-Mexico border-connected region, Tribal and Indigenous communities, and beyond.

Preparatory coursework for the major includes a basis in the liberal arts and sciences. The upper division curriculum is intensive, encompassing coursework in cultural pluralism, human behavior, social policy, social work practice, and social work research. Required practicum experience (internship) is an integral part of the program.

The BASW degree prepares students for immediate employment in those social work positions which do not require graduate level preparation, as well as providing the foundation for graduate study.

For more information about the BASW Program goals and degree learning outcomes, please visit: https://socialwork.sdsu.edu/academics/undergraduate/ba-social-work

Retention Policy

The College of Health and Human Services expects that all social work majors will make reasonable academic progress toward the degree. Social work pre-majors who have earned 60 units, but have less than a 2.70 GPA may be removed from the social work pre-major. An academic advising consultation is required for students not meeting impaction criteria.

Impacted Program

The social work major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the social work major, students must meet the following criteria:

Complete 21 to 23 units with a minimum GPA of 2.50 and a grade of C (2.0) or better: SWORK 110 , SWORK 120 ; BIOL 100 , BIOL 101 , BIOL 204 , or BIOL 261 ; ECON 101 or ECON 102 ; PSY 101 ; SOC 101 ; PSY 280 or SOC 201 or STAT 250 . These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC);
Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or better;
To be admitted to the specialization in community corrections case management, students must, in addition to satisfying the criteria above, be a declared social work major, have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, be able to pass a background check, and submit an approved application to the undergraduate coordinator.

To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the pre-major at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).

Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Graduate Information

Section I. Master’s Degree Programs

Master of Social Work Degree

General Information

The School of Social Work offers a 38-60 unit accredited graduate program leading to a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. In addition, the School of Social Work offers a concurrent MSW/MPH degree program with the School of Public Health. Coursework is typically completed in one to four years. The School of Social Work MSW programs qualify students to apply for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification process by the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners of the State of California.

Students may earn the Master of Social Work degree in one of two ways. Students who have earned an undergraduate social work degree from an accredited university may be eligible to complete the requirements for the Master of Social Work degree via the 38 unit advanced standing program. All other students are required to complete the standard 60 units Master of Social Work program.

The MSW Program is organized around two distinct methods of concentrations (Direct Practice/Clinical or Administration and Community Development), and focus areas (mental health, children/youth/families, and health/aging). The foundation (600-level) courses present an orientation to social work practice and provide the necessary base upon which to build the more advanced body of knowledge, practice principles and skills offered in the specialized year(s).

The MSW program prepares versatile leaders for professional, ethical, and advanced specialist social work practice. The program focuses on evidence-informed practices, advancing equity and social justice, promoting human rights, and engaging in social action to enhance individual and community well-being. The program prepares graduates to meet the evolving needs of the diverse US-Mexico border-connected region, Tribal and Indigenous communities, and beyond.

For more information about the MSW Program goals and degree learning outcomes, please visit: https://socialwork.sdsu.edu/academics/graduate/msw

Admission to Graduate Study

Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee.

All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the School of Social Work.

Graduate Admissions

The following materials should be submitted as a complete package directly to:

Graduate Admissions

Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416

Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes or electronically) from all postsecondary institutions attended;
- Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
- Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).

Master of Social Work Degree

The following admissions materials must be submitted in the supplemental application:

Department application including the Work Experience Form describing a minimum of 500 hours of human services experience;
Letters of recommendation;
Personal statement;
Current resumé.

For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu.

Master of Social Work Degree and Master of Public Health Degree

The following admissions materials must be submitted electronically:

Department application including the Work Experience Form describing a minimum of 500 hours of human services experience;
Letters of recommendation;
Personal statement;
Current resumé.

For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu.

Students must also complete the SOPHAS application found on the public health website at https://publichealth.sdsu.edu/programs/mph/admissions-mph-ms. Applications for the concurrent program are reviewed by the School of Public Health and School of Social Work.

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

Specific School of Social Work requirements and procedures are outlined in the admissions packet as well as on the School of Social Work website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu.

Please be advised that the school does not accept life/work experience in lieu of any course requirements. The school does not accept transfer credit based on life/work experience. Students will have to retake any courses for which life/work experience was counted.

Applicants must have taken and successfully passed one course in statistics and a liberal arts foundation at the undergraduate or graduate level.

The school cannot accept any student into the program until the university has accepted them into graduate study. For this reason, we urge interested students to submit both applications as early as possible.

Advanced Standing Program Admission Requirements

The School of Social Work admits new students to the advanced standing program only in the summer each academic year. Application deadlines are posted on the School of Social Work website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu.

Students admitted to the advanced standing program must possess an undergraduate degree in social work that was earned within five years of admission to the advanced standing program. The undergraduate degree must come from a program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and the cumulative GPA for social work courses taken must be at least 3.0 (B or better).

Students not admitted to the advanced standing program may be considered for admission to the standard 60 unit program.

Standard 60 Unit Master of Social Work Admission Requirements

The School of Social Work admits new students to the standard 60 unit Master of Social Work program only in the fall of each academic year. Application deadlines are posted on the School of Social Work website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu. Students currently enrolled or on leave of absence from CSWE accredited schools of social work are considered transfer students and can apply to the program for either fall or spring admission. At least 70% of the Standard MSW program units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University. A maximum of 12 units is transferable from another accredited graduate program in social work.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advanced Standing Program

All students must meet the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees. In addition, the student must (1) have satisfactorily completed the six units of foundation bridge courses (SWORK 670 and SWORK 671) with a minimum grade of B; (2) have earned at least 15 units of post-baccalaureate study with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) and received a grade of satisfactory progress (SP) or credit (Cr) in four units of SWORK 750 or SWORK 755; (3) have no incomplete grades; (4) be recommended by the faculty of the School of Social Work; (5) be approved for advancement by the College of Graduate Studies.

Standard 60 Unit Master of Social Work Program

All students must meet the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees. In addition, the student must (1) have earned at least 28 units of post-baccalaureate study with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) and received credit (Cr) in field practicum; (2) have no incomplete grades; (3) be recommended by the faculty of the School of Social Work; (4) be approved for advancement by the College of Graduate Studies; and (5) complete the MSW Foundation Program Assessment given during the spring semester in which the student completes 31 units of 600-level coursework.

Section II. Doctoral Program

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use

General Information

The School of Social Work at San Diego State University and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, offer a joint doctoral program in interdisciplinary research on substance use. This program is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in substance use research with the knowledge and skills to improve health and develop substance use interventions, policies, and programs that are relevant to impacted populations and reduce suffering related to addiction and substance use.

The program focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to address the use and misuse of substances and the social and health consequences of such use and related policies. Interdisciplinary training opportunities draw from a variety of disciplines including anthropology, economics, global health, Latin American studies, neuroscience, pharmacology, political science, psychology and psychiatry, public health, and social work. The program includes a prevention research orientation focusing on the development and evaluation of disease prevention and health promotion recommendations and public health policies and programs. A harm reduction research perspective is emphasized to reduce health problems associated with drug use and co-occurring disorders. Students acquire advanced skills and knowledge in these areas, building on a solid foundation of current and emerging theory, research methods, and analytic approaches related to scientific and cultural understanding of substance use and related problems. Using a socio-ecological perspective, students will gain critical understanding of the etiology and epidemiology of substance use, and its related problems, as well as the effectiveness of interventions, policies, and programs designed to ameliorate such problems. Graduates of the program will be prepared to take leadership roles in areas such as academics, clinical practice, governmental and non-governmental agencies, policy, and research.

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

Applicants must hold a master’s degree from an accredited (U.S. or equivalent) college or university from a related social/behavioral science or professional program (e.g., social work, public health, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics). It is expected that applicants will have minimum grade point averages of 3.2 (undergraduate) and 3.5 (graduate) or better, and sufficient research experience (e.g., peer-reviewed publication record, prior coursework in graduate-level statistics, and research methodology) to successfully complete degree requirements in a timely manner. Students who speak English as a second language will be required to demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written English through the TOEFL examination, TOEFL scores must be submitted to SDSU, Institution Code 4682, http://www.ets.org. The GRE is optional for the Joint Doctoral Program. For information regarding the admissions process, visit the program website at https://chhs.sdsu.edu/irsu/.

Imperial Valley

In cooperation with the San Diego campus, SDSU Imperial Valley and the School of Social Work offer the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. The program accepts students every three years and is run as a cohort. The focus is direct practice/clinical practice in the areas of children/youth/families, health/aging, and mental health. The SDSU-IV program includes summer classes and two years of internship (total of 60 units).

For more information, visit the SDSU School of Social Work website at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu or contact Ernie L. Zuñiga, site/field coordinator and field education faculty, SDSU School of Social Work, 760-768-5526 or ezuniga@sdsu.edu.

Faculty

Director: Min, Jong Won, Professor of Social Work, Director (BSW Yonsei University; MSW University of Calgary; Ph.D. University of California Los Angeles)

Associate Director: Fuentes, Dahlia, Lecturer (B.S., University of California, Los Angeles; M.S.W., M.P.H., San Diego State University; Ph.D., University of Southern California)

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty:

Garrett, Mario D., Professor of Social Work (B.S., University of East London, United Kingdom; Ph.D., University of Bath, United Kingdom)

Ko, Eunjeong, Professor of Social Work (B.A., Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea; M.S., Hunter College of The City University of New York; Ph.D., University of Kansas; L.C.S.W.)

Min, Jong Won, Professor of Social Work, Director (BSW Yonsei University; MSW University of Calgary; Ph.D. University of California Los Angeles)

Rasmussen, Lucinda A., Professor of Social Work (B.S., Brigham Young University; M.S.W., Ph.D., University of Utah; L.C.S.W.)

Zúñiga, Maria L., Professor of Social Work (B.A., University of Michigan; M.P.I.A., University of California, San Diego; Ph.D., San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego)

Pitpitan, Eileen V., Associate Professor of Social Work (B.A., University of California, Los Angeles; M.A., Ph.D., University of Connecticut)

Nedjat-Haiem, Frances, Associate Professor of Social Work (B.A., California State University, Long Beach; M.S.W., University of California, Los Angeles; Ph.D., University of Southern California; L.C.S.W.)

Urada, Lianne, Associate Professor of Social Work (B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles; L.C.S.W.)

Ciro, Dianne, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.A., State University of New York, Binghamton; M.S., Columbia University; Ph.D., Hunter College; L.C.S.W.)

Dunkerley, Stacy, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.S., Kansas State University; M.S.W., Wichita State University; Ph.D., University of Kansas)

Ebor, Megan, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles)

Geyton, Taylor, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.S.W., Mary Baldwin University; M.S.W., University of Maryland; Ph.D., Morgan State University)

Keeney, Adrianne, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.A.,M.S.W., Eastern Washington University; Ph.D., Colorado State University)

Nicholls, Melanie, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.A., Augustana College; M.S.W., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Ph.D., San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego)

Willner, Lauren, Assistant Professor of Social Work (B.A. New York University; MSW, University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles)

Additional Faculty:

Engstrom, David W., Professor of Social Work, Emeritus (B.A., Wesleyan University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago)

Lecturers:

Barragán, Silvia A., L.C.S.W., Social Work

Brazzel, Paul. M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Social Work

Cosio, Jennifer M., M.S.W., Social Work

Fuentes, Dahlia., Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Social Work

Hernandez, Amalia., M.S.W., Social Work

Lee, Amanda S., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Social Work

Siegel, Marci W., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Social Work

Strohauer, Tamara., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Social Work

Emeritus Faculty:

Ajemian, James A., Ph.D., 1970-1998, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Archuletta, Kim Y., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., 2005-2018, Lecturer in Social Work

Baily, Kamilla U., M.S.W., 1966-1977, Associate Professor of Social Work

Butler, Harry, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., 1975-1990, Professor of Social Work

Carrilio, Terry E., Ph.D., L.C.S.W., 2002-2007, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Daly, Donna, Ed.D., (2007-2015) Associate Dean of College of Health and Human Services; 2004-2006 Lecturer in Social Work

Davis, Inger P., Ph.D., 1977-1996, Professor of Social Work

Dean, Alfred, Ph.D., 1985-2000, Professor of Social Work

DeGennaro, Maria R., Ph.D., 1980-2008, Professor of Social Work

Finnegan, Daniel J., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Social Work

Griffin, Ronald W., Ph.D., L.C.S.W., 1967-2001, Professor of Social Work

Guidry, Rosalind, Ph.D., 1970-1989, Associate Professor of Social Work

Harbert, Anita S., Ph.D., 1979-2008, Professor of Social Work

Harris, Olita D., 1979-2013, Associate Dean, College of Health and Human Services; Associate Professor of Social Work

Haworth, Glenn O., D.S.W., 1966-1987, Professor of Social Work

Hohman, Melinda M., Ph.D., 1995-2018, Professor of Social Work

Hughes, Margaret J., Ph.D., 1997-2004, Associate Professor of Social Work

Ishikawa, Wesley H., D.S.W., 1969-1988, Professor of Social Work

Jones, Loring P., D.S.W., 1989-2017, Professor of Social Work

Kahn, Marion J., M.S., 1967-1983, Professor of Social Work

Kelley, Joseph B., D.S.W., under contract 1968-1969; 1970-1998, Professor of Social Work

Landsverk, John A., Ph.D., 1990-2004, Professor of Social Work

Mathiesen, Sally G., Ph.D., 2002-2019, Professor of Social Work

Packard, Thomas R., D.S.W., 1983-2016, Professor of Social Work

Raymer, Paul H., M.S.W., under contract 1969-70; 1970-1995, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Reilly, Thomas F., D.P.A., 2008-2014, Professor of Social Work

Sardiñas, Maria, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., 1968-1989, Lecturer in Social Work

Shillington, Audrey M., Ph.D., 1997-2012, Professor of Social Work

Siman, Alan E., Ph.D., 1974-2002, Associate Professor of Social Work

Stanford, E. Percil, Ph.D., 1973-2001, Albert W. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Social Work

Sucato, Vincent, Ph.D., 1974-2003, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Valle, Juan Ramon, Ph.D., 1974-1996, Professor of Social Work

Woodruff, Susan I., Ph.D., 2008-2018, Professor of Social Work