UCLA Social Work Programs
UCLA Social Work Programs have shaped social welfare leaders for 75 years. At 75 years old, the UCLA Department of Social Welfare stands as the oldest and largest department in the UCLA Luskin School. The department’s mission focuses on enhancing human well-being and promoting justice for disadvantaged populations. UCLA is considered by some to be one of the best California social work schools.
If you’re thinking about a UCLA master’s in social work, you’ll need to understand what the program offers. The UCLA MSW program takes two years to complete full-time across 6 quarters. Students complete both coursework and year-long field placements. The program also offers a three-year part-time option for Child and Family Well-Being specialists. This flexibility lets you balance your studies with daytime commitments. The UCLA School of Social Work provides advanced concentrations in Health and Mental Health across the Life Span and Social and Economic Justice.
Keep in mind that successful candidates usually have 1-2 years of work or volunteer experience. The program values diversity and inclusion, backed by several fellowships. The UCLA DSW and Ph.D. programs lead the nation in educating future social welfare scholars. Here’s what graduates wish they had known before starting their UCLA social work experience.
Types of Social Work Degrees Offered at UCLA
UCLA’s Department of Social Welfare helps students choose from several academic paths that match their career goals. Students can pick between two graduate degrees – the Master of Social Welfare (MSW) and the Ph.D. in Social Welfare.
The MSW program needs 91 academic units to give students a detailed educational experience. UCLA makes it easier for working professionals by offering two options – a two-year full-time program that takes 6 quarters or a three-year part-time option running 8-9 quarters. Students who want to focus on Child and Family Well-Being concentration can only choose the part-time option.
UCLA also has a special MSW/Ph.D. track that lets students without a master’s degree in social welfare earn both degrees together. This program helps students get both credentials through one simplified program.
Students can also earn two degrees at once through UCLA’s concurrent degree options. These programs include:
- Social Welfare MSW / Asian American Studies MA
- Social Welfare MSW / Law JD
- Social Welfare MSW / Public Health MPH
- Social Welfare MSW / Public Policy MPP
UCLA doesn’t have an undergraduate social work program, but students can get a B.A. in Public Affairs instead. This program teaches critical thinking and social science methods through hands-on learning at the Luskin School.
Students interested in social welfare can also choose minors in Public Affairs or Gerontology. The Public Affairs minor builds policy analysis skills, and the Gerontology minor teaches an integrated approach to aging studies.
Students get both classroom learning and real-life experience through two year-long field placements with social work agencies. This mix of theory and practice gives students the skills they need to tackle real-life challenges in social welfare.
Degree Specializations
The UCLA MSW program helps students build expertise through three distinct areas of concentration (AoC). Each area gives specialized training for different career paths in social work.
The Child and Family Well-Being concentration gives you skills to spot factors affecting well-being both inside and outside family systems. You’ll learn multi-level approaches to help individuals, families, communities, and influence policy. This training prepares you to work in settings of all types – from public welfare agencies and school systems to mental health centers and healthcare practices. On top of that, it offers chances to sub-specialize through School Social Work credential programs and Child Welfare programs (CalSWEC and LA DCFS).
The Health and Mental Health Across the Life Span concentration blends research, practice, leadership, and policy analysis to tackle health issues at every life stage. The coursework uses the social determinants of health model to explore both wellness and disease. Students learn prevention and behavior change through evidence-based interventions tailored to different cultures. These graduates find careers in behavior change counseling, case management, administration, policy creation, research, and teaching.
The Social and Economic Justice concentration teaches you to promote equity locally and globally. It uses an integrated approach combining theory, policy advocacy, research, and advanced practice. Students tackle complex challenges like race and gender disparities, poverty, and criminal justice problems. This path opens doors to careers in community development, non-profit services, criminal justice settings, policy work, grassroots organizing, and government agencies.
UCLA’s program goes beyond these core concentrations by offering dual degree options. The MSW/MPH concurrent program lets you earn a Master of Public Health at the same time. This creates opportunities in program planning, administration, and evaluation of public health initiatives.
Your second-year field placement lines up with your chosen concentration. This gives you hands-on experience in your specific area of interest.
Online and Hybrid Options
The UCLA Social Work Programs stand out from other California institutions by sticking to an in-person learning model. UCLA does not offer fully online options for undergraduate or graduate social welfare degrees. This approach shows the program’s focus on direct participation and practical experience.
The UCLA MSW program has evolved to give students some flexibility through a three-year part-time option. This option is quite different from typical online or hybrid programs. Students can choose this path, launched in fall 2021, only if they want to focus on Child and Family Well-Being concentration. Students should know this isn’t an evening or weekend program, even though it’s part-time.
This part-time option comes with specific time requirements. Classes happen during morning hours, and students need to work with their practicum agencies to finish their internship hours throughout the program. Classes and program activities run during regular business hours. This setup works better for students who have afternoon commitments rather than those who need evening classes.
Other California schools have taken a different path from a UCLA master’s in social work. To name just one example, some institutions let students earn their MSW degrees completely online, with self-paced learning, evening classes, weekend groups, or mixed in-person and online formats.
The UCLA School of Social Work believes strongly in face-to-face education to build relationships, develop practical skills, and work with communities. However, this might not work well for students who have full-time jobs or live far away.
Students who want more flexibility in the UCLA MSW program might find the part-time option helpful. It spreads the regular two-year curriculum over three years with fewer courses each term. Students need 8 quarters to graduate, or 9 quarters if they want the additional Pupil Personnel Services Credential.
Graduation Rates
Graduate program success metrics play a vital role in program evaluation. UCLA’s MSW program boasts strong completion rates. Students finish their master’s degree in 2.12 years on average, which naturally fits the program’s two-year full-time curriculum.
The Department of Social Welfare’s impact shows in its numbers. Between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023, 473 students earned their master’s degrees. These numbers highlight the program’s appeal and its proven track record of producing qualified social work professionals.
UCLA’s doctoral program awarded 32 doctoral degrees during this same five-year period. Most doctoral candidates complete their studies in roughly 7 years total time, with about 6 years of active enrollment time that excludes leaves of absence. This timeline gives PhD applicants a clear picture of what to expect in the UCLA DSW track.
Future students can find detailed data about admissions, enrollment, diversity, and degree completion on UCLA’s graduate program statistics website. The university’s undergraduate statistics tell an impressive story too. Both freshman and transfer students now achieve graduation rates above 90%.
UCLA’s numbers speak volumes. The university retains 96% of its first-year students, which is a big deal as it means that it surpasses both national (70.57%) and California state averages (73.07%). The university’s six-year graduation rate stands strong at 92%.
Student success cuts across all demographic groups at UCLA. Asian students lead with a 94% completion rate, while White students follow closely at 93%. Hispanic students achieve an 87% graduation rate. Black/African-American and Native American students complete their degrees at rates between 81-82%.
These numbers showcase UCLA’s steadfast dedication to student achievement in every program, including social welfare. Future students often use these completion rates to gage their chances of success in UCLA’s master’s in social work program.
Career Outcomes
UCLA Social Welfare graduates have amazing job prospects. Recent survey data shows 84% of 2024 MSW graduates landed full-time jobs within seven months after finishing their degree. The other graduates split between part-time work (8%) and job hunting (8%).
Your UCLA master’s in social work opens many career paths. Here’s where most graduates work:
- Schools and educational institutions (31%)
- Community organizations, non-profits, and NGOs (23%)
- Government agencies (23%)
- Healthcare organizations (15%)
Most graduates (84%) start their careers as analysts, coordinators, counselors, or social workers. They move up to senior roles as they build experience. The program’s graduates stay close to home – 92% work in California, with 58.33% choosing Los Angeles. This creates strong networking opportunities in the state’s social welfare community.
Work setups vary among recent graduates. About 46% have hybrid arrangements, 38% work on-site, and just 8% work remotely. These numbers show how the field balances direct client work with flexible options.
UCLA school of social work graduates’ salaries vary by role and sector. Recent data shows yearly earnings from $35,000 (part-time) to $98,000, with an average of $70,667 and median of $76,500. These figures are higher than what entry-level social workers typically make nationwide.
UCLA graduates become leaders who help with social, health, and mental health needs in a variety of communities. They join a huge network of over 500,000 alumni and can connect through more than 2,000 networking events each year.
What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at UCLA
What makes UCLA Social Work Programs different from other nationwide offerings? We combined social welfare with other academic disciplines to create a uniquely detailed educational experience. UCLA Luskin’s Department of Social Welfare merges with Public Policy and Urban Planning departments. This collaborative effort sets it apart from other institutions.
UCLA stands out because of its strong focus on social justice and diversity. The program brings in students from underrepresented backgrounds to create cohorts that mirror California’s diverse population. Special fellowships support these values and prepare graduates to tackle complex social issues in multicultural settings.
Los Angeles gives students exceptional field placement opportunities. They gain experience in one of America’s most diverse urban environments. Students work with populations that face unique economic, social, and cultural challenges. These placements happen at prestigious institutions like UCLA Medical Center, VA facilities, and many community organizations across Southern California.
The UCLA master’s in social work program’s faculty-to-student ratio allows personal mentorship. Students work directly with leading researchers and practitioners, often joining groundbreaking research projects that address today’s social welfare challenges.
The UCLA MSW program focuses more on evidence-based practice than other institutions. Students learn to review research and apply evidence-informed interventions in different settings. This approach helps graduates develop practical skills and theoretical knowledge they need for effective social work.
The program’s strong alumni network creates valuable professional connections. Graduates join a large community of social welfare professionals working in California and beyond. This network opens doors for career growth, teamwork, and ongoing professional development.