California State University, San Bernardino Master of Social Work (MSW)
Program Options: Part-Time
Tuition: $6,738 per year
Acceptance Rate: 58%
GRE Required: No
1-Year/Accelerated Option: No
Campus Visits Required: Yes, for the two-day orientation
Fieldwork Hours: 1,080 hours total
CSWE Accredited: Yes, through February 2020
Application Deadline: January 26th
Overview
The California State University system first launched San Bernardino-Riverside State College in April 1960 to serve the Inland Empire in the Golden State’s 17th largest city. Renamed in 1963, California State University, San Bernardino grew quickly into its 430-acre suburban campus off Route 215 near Devil Canyon. Now enrolling 2,314 post-grad Coyotes, CSUSB is a public, regional branch of the biggest four-year system nationwide that budgets $5.77 billion each year total. The U.S. News & World Report deemed CSUSB the West’s 63rd best college, 31st top value, and 16th best public school. On Niche, San Bernardino was crowned America’s 119th best standout college and 118th biggest university.
Also ranked 141st nationally, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences houses one of 67 master’s programs at California State University San Bernardino, the Master of Social Work (MSW). Founded in 1989, the School of Social Work adheres to NASW Code of Ethics for granting two accredited degrees focused on culturally-sensitive community welfare services. Known for its Catholic Charities Nonprofit Fellowship, the School engaged its majors in 86,520 practicum hours worth nearly $750,000 last year. Since 2014, the Pathway Distance Education option has assisted adults living 50+ miles away or working full-time with the Online MSW. This three-year, cohort-based curriculum develops advanced generalist practitioners for micro and macro practice.
Related resource: Top 10 Affordable Master of Social Work Online (MSW) Degrees
Strengths
Choosing the Online MSW from California State University, San Bernardino will eliminate commute times while nurturing opportunities of advancement. The School of Social Work has the unique, Hispanic-serving distinction to emphasize Latino health services. Eligible county employees could claim Title IV-E Child Welfare Training stipends for $18,500 annually. Part-time online students might snag $9,250 from the Integrated Behavioral Health Program each year. San Bernardino lets MSW students bundle their expertise with dual Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) programs available. Activities like Career Day are arranged by the Social Work Student Association and Phi Alpha Honor Society too.
Concentrations
Although generalist by nature, the San Bernardino MSW program lets students design their own specializations to customize online curricula after the foundational year. Majors can select fields of practice like child welfare, correctional services, gerontology, mental health, physical rehabilitation, and global social work. Online courses might be tailored by client populations, such as minorities, refugees, gang members, rural residents, senior citizens, families, and LGBTs. Another option is to concentrate on societal issues, including sexism, poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, ethnocentrism, and HIV/AIDS.
Program Requirements
Graduating from the CSUSB Master of Social Work program will require at least 90 quarter units of post-baccalaureate courses. A maximum of 45 quarter units could be transferred from other CSWE-accredited master’s programs. Students begin with 52 units of foundational courses before advancing into the 38 units of concentration year classes. Maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA is mandatory throughout. Study leads to the SW660 Advanced Practice Integrative Seminar to sum up practice skills. For capstone, social workers design an original research project or thesis with resources from institutes like the Center for Study on Hate and Extremism.
Admission Requirements
Classified as “selective,” California State University, San Bernardino requires that each Online MSW hopeful has finished an accredited bachelor’s degree by the September start date. Social sciences degrees are preferred to check off prerequisites in physiology, human behavior, and research methods. Cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher in the last 60 undergraduate units are mandatory. Having worked full-time for one year in social work is required to ensure motivation and professional competence. Starting October 1st, interested students can download the MSW Application Packet and apply online via CSU Apply with the following:
• $55 non-refundable application fee
• Official college transcripts
• Résumé of social work experience
• Graduate entrance writing sample
• Three letters of recommendation
• Typed autobiographical statement
Faculty
CSU San Bernardino has an average student-faculty ratio of 28:1, so only 21 percent of courses have fewer than two dozen students. The bigger campus community means a bigger range of faculty research interests from employee well-being to adoption and forensics. Dr. Laurie A. Smith, the Online MSW Director, has received the National Institute of Mental Health AIDS Trainee Fellowship. Other professors have been granted the California Heart of Social Work Award, NASW Inland Empire Social Worker of the Year Award, and California DHCS Sustained Superior Accomplishment Award. Faculty also boast 100+ combined publications, including in Community Mental Health Journal and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal.
Online Courses
CSUSB Coyotes pursuing the Online Master of Social Work will log into Moodle to complete two courses each 10-week quarter. Most online sessions will be synchronous with live participation at 5pm twice weekly. Nine quarters combine to fulfill qualifications for post-grads seeking California’s sole certification as Licensed Clinical Social Workers. Here’s a glimpse into the 500- and 600-level courses offered for the San Bernardino MSW online:
• Foundation Micro Practice
• Foundation Macro Practice
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• Social Work Research
• Social Work Advanced Micro Practice
• Social Work Advanced Macro Practice
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Human Sexuality and Social Work Practice
• Crisis Intervention and Emergency Treatment
• Social Work Intervention with the Elderly
• Play Therapy with Children in Crisis
• Social Work with Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Internships
Field education isn’t sacrificed in CSU San Bernardino’s Online Master of Social Work because at least 1,080 hours are integrated. Students apply online content by spending 16-20 hours per week tackling the 200-hour minimum each quarter. In 2017-18, the School of Social Work has arranged placements at 80+ agencies in practitioners’ own communities. From Bakersfield and Barstow to Birmingham and Brooklyn, any human services nonprofit with MSW-level supervisors would qualify. Past internship sites have included the Native American Rights Fund, Perris Valley Recovery, HIV/AIDS Planning Council, International Justice Mission, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and California Women’s Agenda.
Contact
CSUSB School of Social Work
Social & Behavioral Sciences, Suite 423
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2397
(909) 537-5501
socialwork@csusb.edu
Social work is a fast-growing field expecting an uptick of 102,100 U.S. jobs by 2026 for caring, committed practitioners seeking to resolve strife and injustice through community assistance. The California State University, San Bernardino Online MSW is an excellent example of altruistic service where five students were recently crowned Citizens of the Month for revitalizing Blair Park.