Master of Social Work Applicants for Fall 2009

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program at California State University, Los Angeles. Our mission is to prepare BASW and MSW students for skilled professional practice in socially, culturally and economically diverse urban communities. Our strength-based program educate generalist social workers who are committed to social and economic justice and are able to facilitate change and growth at all levels of practice. The benefits of our program are as follows:

• The Urban generalist focus, which prepares students to provide service across the spectrum of practice.
• Excellent education at an affordable price.
• One of the most ethnically diverse colleges (students and faculty).
• Individual attention to students by faculty and staff.
• Opportunity to make a contribution to social work research with the completion of thesis.

Our program offers three concentrations in advanced social work practice: Aging and Families (AF), Children Youth Women and Families (CYWF), and Forensics Social Work (FSW).

Please be sure to read the entire admissions packet as it provides important details and deadlines regarding the program and the admissions process. This packet contains the following: MSW application information and instructions, grade point average (GPA) computation instructions, instructions for the personal statement, one letter of reference form, a listing of prerequisite equivalencies, and more specific information on the MSW program at Cal State L.A.

Please read the entire packet carefully. Then, thoroughly complete the MSW application form, collect all required information and documents, and send all the material together in one mailing. Letters of reference and official transcripts need to stay sealed. Because you may not have access to your application materials once you have submitted them to the School of Social Work, please be sure to retain a copy of all materials for your personal file.

The School of Social Work application is revised every year. If you have an older version of the application please discard it and use the revised application for the year to which you are applying. One major change is the addition of the Forensic Social Work concentration for the two year option. Another change is that the human biology requirement is no longer required. The human biology requirement has been replaced with a research method and statistics course as one of the prerequisites, the other two prerequisites are two upper division social science courses.

If you applied for a previous term but were unable to complete your application, please call us (323) 343-4684 or email Michelle Lightburn  as there maybe a possibility that you can reactivate your application. Applications are kept on file for one year. To formally re-activate your file you must submit your request in writing. When you contact the MSW admissions office we will provide instructions on how to formally re-activate your file and what material may be transferred from your previous file to the current admissions cycle.

In addition, you will need to submit the CSU Post-baccalaureate and Graduate Admission application simultaneously but separately to the Office of Admissions and University Outreach. You may also apply through the University on-line Admissions Page, but be sure to note that you are requesting admissions for the Fall Quarter.

You will be notified in writing of the decision on your application. For those admitted into the program, you will be asked to sign a statement of your acceptance and intention to commit to the program and attend a mandatory orientation in June and a mandatory field placement orientation in September.

Because of the high volume of applications received, please keep all telephone inquiries to a minimum. Please advise the School of any additions, changes, or delays to your application, in writing so it can be officially added to your file. You may also fax the information to (323) 343-5009 to the attention of the MSW Admissions Coordinator of, School of Social Work.

Again, we appreciate your interest in our graduate program and look forward to reviewing your application.

Sincerely,

Karin Elliott Brown, Ph.D.,Professor and School Director
School of Social Work

Please visit our General Information about the MSW Degree Page.

AY 2008-2009 MSW Information Meetings

We encourage interested and prospective applicants to attend one of the information meetings held by the School of Social Work Admissions Office. These meetings are available on the dates listed below and provide an overview of the social work profession, the discipline of social work, the MSW Program at CSLA and the application process. No advanced reservations are needed to attend. There is no need to reserve a place at the meeting. Visitors to the University can click here to obtain Directions and Parking information or by calling (323) 343-3704.

For available dates, click on link below:

·                       MSW Information Meeting Flyer

Should you need additional clarification of admissions requirements please contact Michelle Lightburn, Admissions Coordinator School of Social Work.