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FAQs
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has comprehensive information about the social work profession and practice fields. For further information, please reference The Social Work Career Center.
Social workers are employed in a broad array of jobs with government departments, non-profit agencies, private agencies, hospitals, correctional facilities, schools, home health agencies, child welfare departments, counseling agencies, behavioral and mental health departments, youth programs, substance abuse programs, probation departments, clinics, senior centers etc. They work as case managers, program coordinators, therapists, managers, directors, outreach workers, medical social workers, school social workers, forensic social workers, research analysts, advocates, educators, consultants etc.
Yes, the Master of Social Work Program at CSUMB is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the accreditation body for social work education.
The Master of Social Work Program highlights include:
- Highly qualified, multicultural, multilingual, diverse and prepared students.
- Curriculum that is responsive to the realities of social work practice, reflective of the strengths of our region’s communities and informed through reciprocal learning relationships with community partners.
- Outstanding, experienced, committed faculty, engaged in the classroom and community.
- Graduates with 100% job placement rates.
- Alumni who are transformative leaders in agencies and communities and who will shape the culture of social work practice in the region.
- Special emphasis on serving the region’s many Latino communities.
All applicants must submit an online through Cal State Apply. Only completed applications will be reviewed and evaluated.
October 1 - February 1
All applicants who are not selected for admission to the two year program will automatically be considered for admission into the three year program unless the applicant specifies they are applying solely to the two year program.
A regionally accredited Bachelors degree:
- With a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher for the last 60 semester/90 quarter units of college studies.
Writing:
- Strong writing skills are essential for graduate studies and professional social work positions.
Prerequisites:
- After careful consideration, the Department of Social Work will no longer require course prerequisites for admission to the Master of Social Work Program at California State University Monterey Bay, effective August 2023.
Experience:
- Social work-related experience is an important factor in the evaluation of applicants. An ideal applicant will have a minimum of two years or approximately 2,000 hours of social work related experience.
All applications are reviewed holistically. Application strength is based on GPA, graduate level writing ability, essay responses, compatibility with social work professional values, volunteer and/or paid experiences, and letters of reference.
Yes, Applicants with a GPA of 2.50 - 2.74, will be considered for admission under a "Conditional Acceptance" wherein they contractually agree to obtain a 3.0 or above during their first semester of the program or they will be dismissed from the program. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is no longer accepted or required.
All applicants are notified early to mid-April.
Yes, the non-refundable $100 enrollment confirmation is due by May 1.
Advanced standing in MSW Program is not offered at this time.
Two-year and three-year program pathways are available.
Occasionally circumstances may necessitate a leave of absence during a student's education. Being that the MSW program is based on a cohort system, the required courses, including field courses, are typically offered once a year. If a student lapses in coursework, they will frequently need to wait until the next year to fulfill the required courses. This will ultimately cause a delay in graduation.
Yes, upon graduation, the initial step to becoming an LCSW is to register through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as an associate clinical social worker (ASW) and accumulate 3,200 work hours prior to taking the LCSW exam. Typically, it takes at least two years to complete the required hours. For more detailed information, please reference California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Tuition is based on CSU tuition. Please refer to fees and tuition for further information.
Yes, student loans and scholarship information can be found on the University's Financial Aid website. In addition, please reference the Department's Financial Aid website to review available grants, scholarships, & stipends.
Yes, CSUMB offers graduate student housing. Please refer to Residential Life and Student Housing for further information.
Please contact the MSW Admissions Coordinator at msw@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315.