California State University Long Beach Social Work Programs

CSULB Social Work Programs have one of the nation’s most diverse student populations. The numbers tell the story – 84% of social work bachelor’s degree recipients come from racial-ethnic minorities, which is way higher than what you see nationally.

The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs at CSULB prepare students for both entry-level jobs and advanced studies. The MSW program shines especially with its multicultural approach and specialized paths in Child and Family Wellbeing, Adulthood and Aging, and Integrated Health. Students can pick from different schedules that fit their needs – 2-Year, 3-Year, or Advanced Standing options.

CSULB social work graduates have great job prospects. California’s healthcare social workers make around $76,450 on average. The state offers plenty of opportunities in different areas – from child and family services with 31,290 positions to substance abuse counseling with 14,840 positions.

Let’s look at everything about these competitive programs – from what you need to get in to what happens after graduation. This information will help you decide if CSULB’s social work path matches your career goals.

Types Social Work Degrees Offered at CSULB

CSULB provides reliable academic paths with two main degree programs for aspiring social workers. These options prepare you for different stages of your social work career.

The School of Social Work at CSULB offers a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) with two scheduling formats. Students can pick between a daytime program with classes on Mondays and Wednesdays (9:30 am-12:15 pm and 2:00-4:45 pm) or an evening program with sessions on Monday and Wednesday evenings (5:30-9:45 pm) along with Tuesday evenings (7:00-9:45 pm).

Most students choose the Master of Social Work (MSW) program, which is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This graduate program helps you serve communities in economically and socially diverse settings at all practice levels. Students who complete the MSW degree meet all requirements for state licensure and professional social work credentials.

The MSW program gives you exceptional flexibility with multiple completion paths:

• 2-Year MSW Program: Needs 60 semester units where students take 15 units (5 courses) each semester over four consecutive semesters (Fall/Spring/Fall/Spring).
• 3-Year MSW Program: Totals 60 semester units spread across eight semesters with 6-9 units per term (Fall/Spring/Summer/Fall/Spring/Summer/Fall/Spring).
• Advanced Standing MSW Program: Available since 2005, this accelerated option lets students with CSWE-accredited undergraduate social work degrees complete their MSW in just 12 months (one summer, one fall, and one spring semester).
• Distance Education: Students can access the MSW at off-campus locations throughout California, currently in Sonoma County and Ventura County areas.

Students rank their specialization preference during their first semester in the MSW program. Specialization selection stays optional for most students, but those receiving program stipends or pursuing the Pupil Personnel Services Credential must pick a specific concentration.

The MSW program uses a cohort model that needs 60 credit hours and 1000 hours of field education for traditional standing students.

Degree Specializations

California State University Long Beach’s MSW program gives students specialized training in three different concentration areas. Your chosen program timeline lets you focus your studies in an area that matches your career goals.

Students choose their specialization rankings during their first semester of foundation coursework. Most students can opt out of selecting a specialization, but those with program stipends or pursuing the Pupil Personnel Services Credential must pick a specific concentration.

The Child and Family Wellbeing specialization gives you the tools to use strength-based and evidence-based approaches that promote positive functioning in family systems of all types. Your specialized coursework and field placements will help you develop skills to work preventively with families facing challenges. This path sets you up for careers in child protective services, school settings, or community-based organizations.

The Adulthood and Aging specialization targets the unique psychosocial needs of adults and older adults. You’ll take a closer look at aging processes through biomedical, psychological, socioeconomic, spiritual, and cultural views while studying current trends that shape aging policy and practice. This track prepares you to work in medical social work, adult protective services, hospice care, long-term care facilities, and healthcare partnerships.

The Integrated Health specialization tackles the changing needs of people with physical, behavioral health, and substance use challenges. You’ll become skilled at prevention and brief intervention models that work in integrated care settings while learning to be effective within interdisciplinary teams. This path readies you for roles in outpatient facilities, behavioral health agencies, hospitals, and various care settings.

Your second-year coursework and field placement will match your chosen focus area and provide hands-on experience in your specialty. Advanced Standing Program students get admitted to a specific specialization when they start.

These specialized paths ensure CSULB social work graduates have both broad professional skills and specific expertise that matches their career goals.

Online and Hybrid Options

California State University Long Beach runs a Distance Education MSW Program that helps students who can’t attend regular campus classes. The 28-year-old program lets students take classes only on Saturdays in a three-year part-time format.

Students experience a unique learning environment through interactive television (ITV) technology. This system connects distance learners with Long Beach campus faculty live. Large screens and individual microphones enable everyone to see each other and participate in discussions. Faculty members visit the locations sometimes and provide extra online materials.

The program currently runs in Sonoma County and Ventura County. Students focus on Child and Family Wellbeing specialization, though the main campus offers more options. The curriculum spans eight terms over three academic years with two summer sessions.

Students get excellent support at each location. A local Site Coordinator attends every class to help students and connects them with the main campus. Students also have complete access to CSULB’s online resources like library databases.

The College of Continuing and Professional Education partners with this program. New students can join the next cohorts in Fall 2025. The admission process starts October 1, 2024.

This hybrid format balances flexible distance learning with structured live instruction and support. Students must complete 1,000 hours of field education and earn 60 credits – the same requirements as on-campus students.

Graduation Rates

CSULB’s social work programs show remarkable stability in student success rates. The data tells an impressive story with a 100% graduation rate maintained through three straight academic cycles: 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024. These numbers highlight how well the program guides students to graduation.

The completion timeline stats paint an equally bright picture. The 2023-2024 cohort saw 34 of its 38 students finish right on time, while 4 needed just a bit longer. Every single one of the 35 students from 2022-2023 graduated exactly when expected. The 2021-2022 group had all but one of its 21 students complete their studies on schedule.

These stellar completion numbers fit into CSULB’s broader success story. The university has built on its progress with significant jumps in graduation rates. The 4-year freshman graduation rate climbed from 13% in 2015 to 30% in 2017. The 2-year transfer graduation rates also rose from 42% in 2015 to 48% in 2017.

CSULB’s institutional research provides detailed tools that track student success. The university’s well-laid-out dashboards monitor graduation rates in all departments and help make strategic improvements that support timely graduation.

Social work students must meet specific program requirements to graduate. BASW students follow a structured course sequence across four levels. They complete field education requirements with an 80-hour practicum during junior year and 450 hours in senior year. Students also maintain minimum grades and meet the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement.

CSULB Social Work Programs excel at maintaining high standards while ensuring students graduate. Perfect graduation rates in recent years, combined with most students finishing on time, show the program’s strength and support systems work well. This track record gives prospective students a clear picture of what they can expect from CSULB’s social work education.

Career Outcomes

CSULB’s social work graduates see better financial outcomes than the national average. Bachelor’s degree holders earn a median salary of $42,925 per year, which beats the national median of $37,334 for similar graduates. MSW graduates do even better with median earnings of $66,873. This is a big deal as it means that their earnings surpass the national average of $61,330 for MSW graduates.

CSULB’s social work programs open doors to many career paths. The MSW program’s curriculum and field placements give you the skills you need for roles like clinical social worker, school social worker, case manager, mental health counselor, program coordinator, and policy analyst. These professionals work in many settings:

• Healthcare and hospitals
• Mental health clinics
• Child welfare agencies
• Aging services
• Criminal justice systems
• Courts and correctional institutions
• Government agencies
• Public and private schools
• Non-profit organizations
• Insurance companies

Social workers need specific personal qualities and professional skills to succeed. Building strong client relationships depends on empathy. Cultural sensitivity helps you work well with people from different backgrounds, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, races, and ethnicities. Strong written and oral communication skills help you address individual, family, and community concerns.

The job needs resilience because you’ll often help people in stressful situations. You’ll manage multiple clients while helping with paperwork, documentation, and referrals to community resources. Problem-solving abilities in high-stress environments are vital to find practical solutions with clients.

Your career will focus on making society better and helping people lead safer, healthier lives. The program’s connections to local community agencies are a great way to get networking opportunities that often lead to job offers after graduation. CSULB’s MSW program also prepares you for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) exam, which opens paths to clinical practice.

What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at CSULB

CSULB’s Social Work Programs have unique features that make them different from other programs across the country. Their BASW program’s diversity numbers tell an impressive story – 84% of graduates are racial-ethnic minorities. This is a big deal as it means that their numbers are way above both university and national averages. The program goes beyond just demographics by building a curriculum that tackles problems faced by marginalized groups.

Student success rates at CSULB’s School of Social Work paint an impressive picture. The program boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate across multiple groups of students. Yes, it is remarkable how these numbers beat national completion rates at similar social work schools.

There’s another reason these programs shine – their strong community roots. Students get placed at more than 200 agencies across Southern California. These placements are a great way to get connections with future employers. Both students and local communities benefit from these mutually beneficial alliances, which help build a reliable social services network in the region.

The MSW program helps students ace their licensing exams. The curriculum lines up with California LCSW requirements, which gives graduates an edge in clinical job searches.

The program’s return on investment might be its most striking feature. MSW graduates earn median salaries of $66,873, far above the national average of $51,347 for comparable degrees. Students don’t just become skilled professionals – they also earn more than their peers from other schools.

The teaching approach combines hands-on practice with theory. Faculty members stay active in research and fieldwork, bringing real-world experience to their classes. Students learn what’s current and relevant in social work, which helps them hit the ground running after graduation.