Mar 28, 2024  
2023/2024 University Catalog 
    
2023/2024 University Catalog

Social Work


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

Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

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)

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

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.)

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

Zú​ñiga, 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)

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

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., Social Work

Emeritus:

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

Undergraduate Information

Gerontology  

Social Work

The Major

The profession of social work is deeply committed to the relief of human distress and inequality, and to the assistance of people in the meeting of their social, psychological, and economic needs. The social work major prepares graduates who function effectively as entry-level professionals in beginning social work practice with client systems of various sizes and types; who demonstrate sensitivity to the diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural mix of the Southern California border region and are able to work effectively in a variety of roles in a range of agencies to meet the needs of the region’s varied communities; who understand and use social work values and ethics throughout their professional practice; who can identify, evaluate and apply existing research evidence to guide their practice decision-making; who understand the contexts and purposes of social work practice, the changing nature of those contexts, and the nature and the dynamics of organizational behavior; and who are committed to lifelong professional growth and learning.

The social work major is designed to apply to a wide variety of social work practice settings. 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 field experience is an integral part of the program.

The B.A. 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.

Retention Policy

The College of Health and Human Services expects that all social work majors will make reasonable academic progress towards the degree. Social work premajors who have completed major preparatory courses, earned 60 units, but have less than a 2.70 GPA may be removed from the premajor and placed in undeclared.

Impacted Program

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

  1. 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);
  2. Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
  3. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or better;
  4. 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 premajor 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 1. 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. Coursework is typically completed in one to four years. The program qualifies students to apply for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification process by the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners of the State of California. The School of Social Work provides an ongoing assessment of learning outcomes for its program at http://socialwork.sdsu.edu/degrees-programs/outcomes-assessment.

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 Master of Social Work degree prepares advanced practitioners in specialized areas of direct practice or administration/community development. Students will be well-grounded in the values and ethics of the profession; have multiple competencies that can be used in a wide variety of settings, with systems of various sizes and with diverse and vulnerable populations; able to critically examine issues of economic, environmental, and social justice and committed to the realization of human rights; utilize research evidence in practice decision making; committed to life-long professional development; and prepared to be leaders in the profession. Special emphasis is currently given to those human needs that relate to the continuum of health care and well-being, families in transition, and social/environmental factors that create stress as it relates to individuals and groups in the home, workplace, and community.

The school is extensively involved in local, state, national, and international human service issues through individual faculty research and community intervention programs.  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.  In addition, the school has made commitments 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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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 electronically:

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

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:

  1. Department application including the Work Experience Form describing a minimum of 500 hours of human services experience;
  2. Personal statement;
  3. Three letters of recommendation.

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.

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; and (4) be approved for advancement by the Division of Graduate Affairs; and (5) complete the MSW Foundation Program Assessment given during the spring semester in which the student complete 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.

Programs

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