Cal State LA Social Work Programs
Cal State LA’s School of Social Work stands at the vanguard of tackling critical social issues through its complete education programs. The school prepares students for all levels of professional practice in social work through its undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Students develop core values, knowledge, and generalist skills needed for practice in multi-ethnic environments through the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work (BASW). The program needs 120 semester units, with 51 units dedicated to the Social Work major. Students can complete the BASW program in two years of upper division coursework. Classes run during daytime and evening hours to fit different student schedules.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program has managed to keep accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education since 1999. The MSW offers three distinct pathways:
- Traditional two-year program (main campus)
- Three-year program (main campus)
- Eleven-month Advanced Standing Program for qualified BASW graduates (Downtown LA campus)
The Advanced Standing option serves students who earned their undergraduate social work degree from an accredited institution in the last five years. Students pay $525 per unit for this accelerated program, with total program costs reaching $17,325 (excluding textbooks and housing).
These programs embody social work’s core mission to enhance human well-being and meet basic human needs, especially when working with vulnerable and marginalized populations. Graduates learn to promote social justice and create positive change for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Social work ranks as the 12th most popular major nationwide, with 57,618 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. This field attracts many students because it responds to systemic problems like poverty, discrimination, health disparities, mental health issues, addiction, and homelessness.
Program graduates find rewarding careers in child welfare, mental health, gerontology, school-based settings, and health-related positions.
Types Social Work Degrees Offered at Cal State LA
Cal State LA runs two social work degree programs with accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. Students can prepare themselves for different levels of professional practice while meeting high academic standards.
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program needs 120 semester units total, and students must complete at least 51 units in their social work major. Students typically finish this undergraduate program in two years of upper division coursework. The curriculum helps students develop generalist skills they’ll need to work in multi-ethnic environments. They learn values and gain knowledge needed for entry-level positions or graduate social work school admission. Students must complete 45 units in required upper division courses, 6 units of prerequisite courses, 6 units of elective courses, and 15 units of free electives.
The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree comes with three flexible options:
- Traditional Two-Year Program: Students attend classes all day Tuesdays and Thursdays at the main campus. This full-time path requires 60 semester units.
- Three-Year Program: Students get more flexibility with evening classes (6:00-9:00 pm) one weeknight and Saturday classes (8:00 am-5:00 pm). Students complete 60 semester units in total.
- Advanced Standing Program (ASP): Students with a social work bachelor’s degree earned in the last five years can take this accelerated 33-unit program. Classes run all day Mondays and Tuesdays at the Downtown Los Angeles campus, and internships happen Wednesday through Friday. Each unit costs $525, bringing the total to $17,325 (not counting textbooks, parking, and housing).
The MSW program’s curriculum follows a clear structure. Students in the two-year option take 30 units of foundation courses their first year. Their second year consists of 24 units of advanced courses and 6 units of electives. The three-year option spreads these requirements out differently – 15 foundation units in year one, 21 foundation/advanced units in year two, and 18 advanced units plus 6 elective units split between years one and two.
Graduates from both programs find many opportunities to advance professionally in child welfare, mental health, working with older adults, and school-based settings.
Degree Specializations
Cal State LA’s social work program takes an advanced urban generalist approach instead of narrow specializations. This unique focus helps you analyze, review, and promote change with underserved and oppressed populations in various practice settings.
The program’s strategic urban location teaches you effective ways to work in city environments at three significant levels:
- Micro level: Individual and family interventions
- Mezzo level: Group and community work
- Macro level: Policy and societal change
This detailed approach helps you serve multi-national, multi-ethnic communities near the campus. These communities include Alhambra, Downtown Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, Glendale, Lincoln Heights, Monterey Park, and Pasadena.
Students can shape their education through specialized electives. The program offers several courses that address today’s social issues:
- SW 4860 – Social Work Practice with LGBT Populations
- SW 4850 – Social Work Practice with Military and Veteran Populations
- SW 4900 – Latino Mental Health
- SW 5804 – Trauma, Substance Abuse and Violence
- SW 5805 – Policy and Practice in Public Child Welfare
Cal State LA offers special programs that improve your specialization options. The Applied Gerontology Certificate prepares you to work with older populations, particularly in culturally diverse communities. The Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC) offers specialized training with $4,000 stipends to qualified students.
Your fieldwork experiences will help you develop nine key social work competencies. These include ethical behavior, human rights advancement, anti-racism practice, research-informed approaches, policy involvement, and skills to work with individuals through communities.
First and second-year field placements need macro experiences. This ensures you get practical expertise across all practice areas. The MSW fieldwork sequence requires 1,080 hours, while the Advanced Standing program needs 720 hours.
Graduates receive the tools to provide meaningful services in child welfare, mental health, school settings, and other health-related positions.
Online and Hybrid Options
Flexibility is the life-blood of Cal State LA Social Work Programs. All social work courses, though officially offered on campus, can be taught online or as hybrid classes to fit students with different needs. This flexibility gives you many ways to complete your social work education whatever your personal circumstances.
Cal State Online brings this flexibility to the entire California State University system. The platform uses resources from all 23 campuses and nearly 50,000 faculty and staff members to remove traditional time-and-place barriers that might stop you from finishing your degree. Your role as a full-time professional, caregiver, or other commitments won’t stand in the way because these flexible formats make social work education more available.
Cal State LA naturally fits into this broader educational network as part of one of the largest and most diverse university systems in the country that serves over 450,000 students. Students can choose fully online and hybrid degree completion programs through this system, which adds options beyond traditional on-campus learning.
MSW Advanced Standing Program students attend classes at Cal State LA Downtown on Mondays and Tuesdays. Their field internships happen Wednesday through Friday during regular business hours, adding up to 24 hours weekly. This approach creates a perfect balance between classroom learning and field experience.
The College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE) at Cal State LA adds support to these flexible learning options. So PaGE creates educational paths through programs at Cal State LA Downtown, the main campus, and throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Benefits of these flexible options include:
- Continued education while maintaining work commitments
- Reduced commuting time and associated expenses
- Access to the same quality curriculum and faculty as on-campus programs
- Knowing how to balance personal responsibilities with academic pursuits
You’ll get the same complete preparation for professional social work practice that has built Cal State LA’s strong reputation in the field, whether you choose fully online, hybrid, or traditional formats.
Graduation Rates
Student success metrics serve as a key indicator of program effectiveness at Cal State LA’s School of Social Work. The latest numbers paint an impressive picture. The university awarded 227 bachelor’s degrees in social work during 2021-2022—a 15% increase from 198 degrees the previous year. The graduate program also showed strong results, with 110 students earning their master’s degree in social work from Cal State LA in 2022.
The Social Work program’s completion rates tell a remarkable story. Students finished their programs right on schedule, with 89% graduating within expected timeframes in 2023/2024. The 2022/2023 cohort achieved something extraordinary—a 100% on-time completion rate. This soaring win builds on the previous year’s success, where 88% of students graduated on time in 2021/2022.
These achievements reflect well on the entire institution. Cal State LA retains 74.7% of its Fall 2022 students after their first year. The Fall 2016 cohort showed varied completion times—7.3% finished in four years, while 17.0% needed five years. The final tally showed 72.9% of students graduated within six years.
A closer look at graduation rates shows different outcomes among student groups:
- Asian students graduate at 63%
- Hispanic students graduate at 51%
- White students graduate at 57%
- Black/African-American students graduate at 48%
Cal State LA’s student retention rate stands at 83%. This is a big deal as it means that it surpasses both the national average of 70.57% and California’s average of 73.07%. These numbers showcase student satisfaction and program quality in departments of all sizes, including Social Work.
The university’s steadfast dedication to timely graduation supports the California State University system’s Graduation Initiative 2025. This initiative wants to boost four-year graduation rates to 40% and six-year rates to 70%. The Social Work programs at Cal State LA make significant contributions to reaching these system-wide targets.
Career Outcomes
Cal State LA Social Work Programs graduates step into the workforce with excellent job prospects. A remarkable 93% job placement rate proves how well the program prepares career-ready professionals. Alumni express strong career satisfaction, with over 75% showing they are “very satisfied” or “generally satisfied” with their career path.
The program’s graduates earn competitive salaries in their field. Bachelor’s degree holders receive a median salary of $37,477, which beats the national average of $37,334 for social work graduates. MSW graduates do even better with a median of $64,869—even higher than the national median of $61,330 for social work master’s degree recipients.
Success comes largely from university resources, according to Cal State LA alumni. Nearly half (48%) say Cal State LA resources played roles ranging from “somewhat important” to “very important” in landing their jobs. Students use various campus resources to prepare for their careers:
- Faculty mentorship (16.85%)
- Career Center services (15.30%)
- Academic advising (13.47%)
- Student organizations and networking (5.83%)
Career advancement opportunities exist across many sectors. BASW graduates often find roles in child welfare, mental health services, gerontology, school-based settings, and other health-related fields. MSW graduates with forensic concentration preparation excel at serving offender populations.
These outcomes show Cal State LA’s consistent success in producing highly qualified social workers who know how to tackle complex societal challenges.
What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at Cal State LA
Cal State LA Social Work Programs stand out because they blend perfectly with the surrounding urban landscape. These degrees prepare you specifically to tackle social challenges in Los Angeles – one of America’s most diverse metropolitan areas.
The programs’ standout feature is their advanced urban generalist framework. This approach balances theory with practical skills and gives you versatile capabilities that work at micro, mezzo, and macro practice levels.
Cal State LA keeps its small class sizes, which helps build strong bonds between students and faculty. Students get individual attention and mentorship opportunities that bigger schools just can’t provide.
Cultural competence sits at the heart of the curriculum. The courses address specific needs of communities throughout Los Angeles County. Students learn to work with people from different cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This approach helps develop culturally responsive interventions that match the region’s unique population mix.
Faculty members bring their ground experience to class while they maintain active practices. This combination keeps course content fresh and relevant to today’s social work challenges.
The program’s strategic collaborations with over 200 community organizations create exceptional field placement opportunities. These connections help you get hands-on experience in settings that line up with your career goals. You’ll build professional networks even before graduation.
The School of Social Work shows its steadfast dedication to accessibility through a downtown campus option and flexible scheduling. Working professionals and those with family duties can pursue advanced education more easily.
Students benefit from complete support systems. Academic advising, writing help, and career development resources designed for social work professionals are readily available. These support systems substantially boost the program’s retention and completion rates.
The school’s location offers unique benefits. Situated where diverse communities face social challenges, the setting becomes a valuable training ground to develop effective social work practices.