Pacific Oaks College Social Work Programs

Social work jobs will grow by 7% between 2023 and 2033, substantially faster than other careers. Pacific Oaks College’s Social Work school will give you the skills needed through detailed education and real-world experience.

Pacific Oaks College offers two programs. The MSW program requires 60 credits that students can complete in two years full-time or three years part-time. The BSW program needs 120 credits with a typical completion time of three to four years. Both programs focus on cultural competence and advocacy for underserved communities. The social work curriculum has extensive field training—420 supervised hours for BSW students and a minimum of 900 hours for MSW students. This hands-on experience combined with coursework in individual, family, group, and community practice will give students the preparation they need for professional licensure.

These CSWE-accredited programs can help you turn your career goals into meaningful social work practice. The programs prepare you for entry-level positions or clinical licensure in California.

Types Social Work Degrees Offered at Pacific Oaks

Pacific Oaks College helps students become professional social workers through their CSWE-accredited degree programs. Students can choose from several paths based on their education and career goals.

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program builds a strong foundation for entry-level social work positions. This 120-credit program has 46 credits of general education courses, 39 credits of upper-division social work core courses, and 35 credits of lower and upper-division general electives. Students can transfer up to 87 units based on their completed prerequisites. The program runs in an accelerated online format that works well for working professionals.

The Master of Social Work (MSW) program takes graduates to the next level by preparing them to become licensed clinical social workers in California. This complete 60-credit program takes two years (six semesters) for full-time students or three years (nine semesters) for part-time students. Students learn culturally appropriate practices and gain extensive field experience.

The MSW Advanced Standing Program gives BSW graduates a faster route to their master’s degree. Students in this specialized track complete 35 credits over three semesters in an 8-week term format. The program structure lets students take two courses per term, which adds up to four courses each semester.

Field experience is a key component in all programs. BSW students complete 420 hours of supervised work. MSW students need 900 hours, while MSW Advanced Standing students finish 720 hours over two semesters.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has accredited both BSW and affordable MSW programs. The college recently announced CSWE accreditation for its online BSW program.

Pacific Oaks College’s programs demonstrate its steadfast dedication to developing culturally competent practitioners. Graduates can tackle complex social challenges through both macro approaches like policy change and program implementation, and micro methods such as case management and care coordination.

Degree Specializations

Pacific Oaks College’s social work programs excel with specialized focus areas that create career-ready graduates. The BSW and MSW programs blend theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience while emphasizing culturally competent practice.

Students in the Bachelor of Social Work program learn through a strength-based approach. The program teaches them to build protective factors and prevent community, group, and family problems. The curriculum takes a closer look at both macro and micro aspects of social work. Students study policy change and program implementation at the macro level, while micro elements cover case management, care coordination, healthcare, and discharge social work.

The BSW program features a notable community mental health specialization. Students learn about new challenges in mental health counseling and ways to tackle systemic factors that affect community mental wellbeing. The program uses interdisciplinary methods of community action research, especially community-based participatory research design.

Graduate students in the MSW Advanced Standing Program can take specialized courses like Clinical Social Work Practice to develop advanced clinical skills for working with individuals, families, and groups. Social Work Practice III focuses on organizations and communities, while Integrated Clinical Practice explores theories and skills in mental health and substance use. Research II introduces students to qualitative and decolonizing research methods.

Graduates can pursue several specialized career paths including:

• Licensed clinical social work (with additional licensure)
• Social and community service management
• Child, family, and school social work
• Case management
• Behavioral management
• Community outreach
• Juvenile court liaison positions

The MSW program helps prepare students for clinical social work licensure in California. The MSW Advanced Standing Program’s accelerated format helps graduates enter the workforce quickly. Students complete their fieldwork in their own communities under experienced mentors, which creates meaningful local change through their specialized training.

Each specialization aligns with Pacific Oaks College’s mission to improve quality of life in diverse communities through culturally intelligent social work practice that promotes equity and social justice.

Online and Hybrid Options

Pacific Oaks College puts flexibility first with its fully online social work education programs. Students can balance their professional and personal responsibilities while getting quality education through the college’s well-designed social work degrees.

The college offers Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs through an accelerated online modality. Students need reliable internet access and a computer to work with the coursework effectively[121]. The online structure lets students complete their education at their own pace while keeping their existing work commitments.

Students can complete the 120-credit online BSW in three to four years based on full-time or part-time enrollment. The online MSW program has 60 credits that full-time students finish in two years, while part-time students typically need three years.

Real-life training remains vital even though coursework happens online. BSW students complete their academic portion online but do their fieldwork in person. Working professionals benefit from this setup as it provides hands-on learning experiences.

The online MSW program lets students fulfill fieldwork requirements in their own communities. Experienced mentors guide students and help connect theoretical knowledge with clinical application during practical training. Students build professional networks in their local area while earning their degree.

The accelerated format works best especially when you have scheduling needs to complete your social work degree. Pacific Oaks College understands that students often manage multiple responsibilities. Their programs provide educational access without disrupting careers or requiring relocation.

Pacific Oaks College develops competent social work practitioners ready for licensure and professional practice. Their programs blend available online learning with in-person field experiences effectively.

Graduation Rates

The Pacific Oaks College social work success story starts with its completion rates. The college managed to keep a 63% six-year graduation rate. This is a big deal as it means that the numbers surpass national averages for similar programs. The rate climbs slightly to 64% after eight years, showing the college’s steadfast dedication to student success.

The 2023 graduate numbers paint an interesting picture. Pacific Oaks College awarded 304 degrees in total. Women earned 90.8% of these degrees, while men received 9.21%. Hispanic or Latino students led the way with 151 degrees – about 2.44 times more than white students who earned 62 degrees.

Students heading over to the MSW program should know about graduation requirements. BSW and MSW programs have these key requirements:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Submit the Petition for Degree Completion to the Registrar’s Office prior to their final semester
• Settle all outstanding fees with the Student Finance Office
• Satisfy any academic deficiencies
• Remain in good standing in their program

Bachelor of Arts students need at least 30 credits completed in residency at Pacific Oaks.

The numbers tell an impressive story about student achievement in Pacific Oaks College social work programs. Non-first-time full-time students achieved a 62% six-year graduation rate. Even more impressive, non-first-time part-time students – who make up 68.72% of all students – achieved a similar 63% six-year graduation rate.

These results highlight the program’s flexible structure’s success. Whatever path you choose in the Pacific Oaks College MSW program – full-time or part-time – graduation rates stay strong. The evidence shows Pacific Oaks College serves students of all types effectively, especially working professionals who benefit from part-time and online options mentioned earlier.

Career Outcomes

Pacific Oaks College Social Work Programs graduates step into a job market that values their specialized skills and training. The employment landscape shows promising career paths, and alumni thrive in several sectors. The education sector stands as the largest employer at 29.8%, while Community and Social Services claims 13.8%. Business Development follows at 13.6%, and Healthcare Services represents 13.0%.

The MSW program opens doors to many specialized roles. Clinical Social Work Therapists can earn $104,149 per year. Medical Social Workers receive $70,410 annually, and Hospice Social Workers make about $72,835. School Social Workers support student mental health in academic settings and earn $52,388 yearly.

Career paths focused on community work provide excellent opportunities. Community Outreach Workers create events and bring services to underserved populations, earning $47,568. Human Services Specialists work in group homes and mental health centers with yearly earnings of $49,025. Probation Officers blend criminal justice with social work training and make $64,920 each year.

The social work curriculum prepares graduates for specialized roles such as:

• Behavioral Management Aides ($41,871 average salary)
• Substance Abuse Counselors ($48,520 average salary)
• Foster Care Social Workers ($44,331 average salary)

Many MSW graduates choose to pursue clinical licensure after graduation, which expands their career options. Students can enter the workforce faster thanks to the program’s accelerated format, giving them an edge in building their careers.

These career paths show how Pacific Oaks College social work programs give graduates versatile, marketable skills. The qualifications from these programs create opportunities in many sectors where graduates make meaningful contributions while earning competitive salaries in their chosen fields.

What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at Pacific Oaks

These programs stand out because of their unique educational philosophy that makes them different from typical social work programs. These programs merge classroom concepts with real-life application, unlike traditional programs that often keep theory and practice separate.

The foundation of both the BSW and MSW programs is cultural competence. Students learn to work with different populations through courses that help them understand how oppression and privilege have shaped history. This goes beyond basic diversity training to help students develop true cultural intelligence.

Pacific Oaks College social work education shows its steadfast dedication to social justice principles. Students learn about systemic inequities and how to speak up for vulnerable populations. The programs use an anti-oppressive framework that pushes students to look at their own biases while they develop ways to break down barriers to equality.

The faculty makes these programs special too. Teachers bring both field experience and academic credentials to give students knowledge from experts who have used these theories in practice. Their dedication to mentorship continues even after graduation.

Case-based learning adds another innovative element to the MSW program. Classes use real scenarios instead of just theory. Students tackle complex social problems from multiple viewpoints, which helps them enter the field with hands-on experience solving real challenges.

The most valuable aspect of Pacific Oaks’ programs is their focus on developing thoughtful practitioners. Students look at their values, beliefs, and biases regularly – a practice they carry into their careers. These programs create more than just social workers – they shape change-makers who have both practical skills and ethical foundations to make meaningful changes in society.