CSUSB Social Work Programs

Looking for a social work education with 1,080 hours of supervised fieldwork experience? The Social Work Programs at California State University San Bernardino offer detailed training to help you excel in advanced practice. CSUSB’s Social Work school lets you earn either a Master of Social Work (MSW) or Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW). These programs follow a competency-based curriculum that serves a variety of populations.

CSUSB’s social work classes come with flexible program options that work around your schedule. The MSW program gives you three choices. You can pick a two-year model, a three-year model, or an Advanced Standing program that needs only 36 semester credits instead of 60 if you’re a qualified BASW graduate. The curriculum lets you focus on key areas like child welfare, mental health, and substance abuse. The BASW program has held accreditation since 2006. It blends strong liberal arts education with professional foundation courses. This combination prepares you for generalist practice and helps strengthen vulnerable communities across the region while promoting social justice.

Types of Social Work Degrees Offered at CSUSB

CSUSB gives you a choice between two social work degree programs that prepare you for professional practice. You can choose the path that best fits your educational needs and career goals.

The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) is your starting point for a career in social work. This CSWE-accredited program needs 70-71 total units and takes two years to complete during your junior and senior years. Your BASW studies have courses in social welfare policy, direct practice with individuals and families, human behavior in social environments, and research methods. You’ll also get hands-on experience through a senior-year field placement that needs 480 hours of supervised practice over two days each week.

The Master of Social Work (MSW) helps you become an advanced practitioner who can handle complex situations. You can complete this program through several paths:

• MSW Advanced Standing Program (35-36 units): Perfect for students with a BASW degree, you can finish this path in 12 months or spread it across 5 semesters
• Two-Year Program (60 units): Four semesters of focused coursework
• Three-Year Program (60 units): The same rigorous content spread over six semesters

CSUSB also features a Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration (MSW/MPA) Concurrent Degrees Program that needs 73 units. This program prepares you to take on leadership roles in social service organizations.

You can attend these programs at the San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses. Some MSW program options are now available online through the Pathway Distance Education Program. Online students can complete their field placements in their local communities, making it easier to balance work and study.

Both programs hold CSWE accreditation, which means your degree meets national professional standards for social work practice.

Degree Specializations

CSUSB Social Work Programs let you shape your education based on your career goals. Each degree program creates unique paths that help you develop expertise in specific practice areas.

Students in the BASW program learn generalist practice skills through a wide range of elective courses that build specialized knowledge. Social work classes cover important areas like Social Work with Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Social Work Intervention with Older Adults and Their Families, Public Child Welfare, Social Welfare and American Indian/Alaska Native People, and Practice with the LGBTQ2SIA+ Community. CSUSB runs a competitive Public Child Welfare Training program (Title IV-E) that appeals to BASW students who want to work with children and families.

MSW students follow an advanced generalist model and can specialize during their final year. This approach proves valuable because students can apply their assignments to their chosen focus area. MSW specializations include three main categories:

• Social Issues: Gay and Lesbian Population, Homelessness, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, HIV-AIDS
• Client Populations: Elderly, Families, People living with HIV/AIDS, Minority Ethnic Groups, Immigrants and Refugees
• Fields of Practice: Child Welfare, Mental Health, School Social Work, Gerontological Social Work, Health Care System

These examples showcase some possibilities, but students should talk with faculty advisors about their specialization choices. Students need to think over field placements that line up with their focus area during the advanced year. Field placements don’t need to match specializations exactly – students can learn from settings that address their chosen social issue, client population, or practice field.

The MSW/MPA Concurrent Degrees Program offers another specialized path. This program suits students who imagine themselves in high-level administrative roles within social service agencies.

Online and Hybrid Options

California State University San Bernardino Social Work Programs’ defining feature lies in their flexible learning formats. The university understands that students need different educational paths based on their unique needs and situations.

The Pathway Distance Education Program offers a fully online option for MSW students that shares the same mission and content as traditional campus programs. You can earn your Master’s degree in three years through online courses with weekly deadlines. Your practicum experience stays hands-on and in-person, while practicum seminars happen in real-time. This setup will give a solid foundation in both theory and practical skills.

You’ll move through the program with the same group of students in a cohort model. The online MSW program needs you to attend three two-day campus orientations – one each year, usually in August. These short campus visits are a great way to get face-to-face time with professors and fellow students.

The BASW program doesn’t have a fully online option right now. This comes down to capstone general education requirements and major courses from other departments outside the School of Social Work. A hybrid option that blends online and on-campus classes exists through the Pathway Distance Education Hybrid program. This three-year format might work better if you need some flexibility and can attend some campus classes.

The academic standards stay high in both online and hybrid formats. You’ll complete similar practicum requirements whatever delivery method you choose. The Distance Education MSW program helps arrange practicums in your local community, so you won’t need to move.

Right now, only U.S. residents can enroll in the Pathway Distance Education Program. The program also lets qualified online MSW students access the Title IV-E Public Child Welfare Stipend Program, giving everyone a fair chance at financial support.

Graduation Rates

Graduation statistics give significant insights into how well programs work at California State University San Bernardino Social Work Programs. CSUSB’s data shows a four-year graduation rate of 24% and a six-year rate of 55%. These numbers show results from all university programs, not just social work.

CSUSB’s Graduation Initiative 2025 sets new targets to lift these numbers. The plan wants to raise first-time freshmen’s six-year graduation rate to 62% and four-year rate to 30%. Transfer students have their own goals: an 83% four-year graduation rate and 45% two-year rate.

The MSW program’s graduation requirements are clear. Students in standard 2-Year or 3-Year programs need 60 semester units of graduate courses with a 3.0 GPA minimum. They also need to finish a research project or thesis. Students in Advanced Standing must complete Summer Bridge Coursework (6 units) plus 29 more semester units.

Both MSW paths have high academic standards. Students must meet the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement through SW 6016 or both SW 6113 and SW 6114. Students have seven years to complete all MSW coursework.

Past numbers show changes in graduation rates among different student groups. At the time of Fall 2014 to Fall 2017, female undergraduates at CSUSB saw their six-year graduation rates drop from 62.9% to 56.7%. Male rates went down from 53% to 51.5% in that same time.

The university’s general graduation rates provide background, but MSW and BASW programs have their own specific requirements that ensure professional readiness. The social work department combines academic excellence with hands-on field experience to create a detailed path toward graduation.

Career Outcomes

CSUSB Social Work Program graduates enjoy strong job prospects in a variety of settings. MSW graduates earn an average salary of $61,330 in their early career years. CSUSB alumni stand out competitively in the job market.

The program shines with its remarkable diversity. Women make up 85.4% of MSW recipients, while 73.8% come from racial-ethnic minority backgrounds. These numbers are well above the national average of 42% for minority representation in social work master’s programs. CSUSB awarded 103 master’s degrees in social work during the 2019-2020 academic year alone.

Career paths after graduation include:

• Licensed social workers and counselors
• Community outreach coordinators
• Healthcare setting professionals
• School-based practitioners
• Government agency positions
• Non-profit organization roles

BASW graduates typically start as entry-level social workers, since this degree serves as the profession’s foundation. This undergraduate degree lets you work in agencies of all types right after graduation. MSW holders often move into specialized positions that offer more responsibility and better pay.

Local job opportunities are promising. Hospice Medical Social Worker positions in San Bernardino pay around $30 per hour. These roles need an MSW from an accredited program plus relevant experience.

CSUSB sometimes offers part-time faculty positions in both BASW and MSW programs. These teaching opportunities are perfect for graduates interested in academia or leadership roles. Candidates need an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program, and those with a PhD and two years of direct practice experience are given priority.

The MSW/MPA concurrent degrees program opens another career path that prepares you for high-level administrative roles in social service agencies. This unique credential gives you the skills to aid well-being and create change at every system level.

What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at CSUSB

California State University San Bernardino’s Social Work Programs stand out for several unique features. CSUSB takes pride in serving mostly female students and has one of the highest percentages of minority students in social work master’s programs across the country.

These programs excel because of their focus on field experience. Students in both BASW and MSW programs get extensive hands-on training. BASW students complete 480 hours of supervised fieldwork in their senior year. MSW students take part in 1,080 hours throughout their program. This approach helps you build practical skills while learning the theory.

You’ll find great flexibility in these programs. CSUSB goes beyond standard options by offering programs like the MSW/MPA Concurrent Degrees Program. This prepares you to lead administrative roles in social service organizations. The Advanced Standing option lets qualified BASW graduates earn their master’s degree in just 12 months.

The faculty brings another level of excellence to these programs. Teachers share their vast practice experience in social work classes, which makes your learning more meaningful. Their practical wisdom works together with academic knowledge to create a well-rounded education.

Students can easily access these programs from different locations. You can study at either the San Bernardino or Palm Desert campus, and there are distance learning options too. This accessibility shows how CSUSB serves the whole Inland Empire region.

The programs focus strongly on helping vulnerable populations throughout Southern California. This local emphasis helps graduates understand their community’s needs while developing universal social work skills. The curriculum gives you both broad professional abilities and specialized knowledge to serve diverse communities effectively.