CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK
GRADUATE
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Sacramento, California
August 2008
The purpose of the Handbook of the Graduate Social Work Program is to provide information on the major policy, program and procedural requirements of the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento in a single source document. This Handbook is a supplement to the official California State University, Sacramento Catalogue, and, therefore, information presented here is subject to interpretation under the CSUS Catalogue. This Handbook is intended to function as a convenient reference document for students as well as faculty. By becoming familiar with its contents, students and faculty members will find that the administrative functions of the Division will be enhanced and the operation of the graduate program improved overall. In addition, by following the provisions of the Handbook, students will be assisted in their overall educational process with a minimum of confusion or delay and with the greatest degree of success.
The Handbook is a work in progress so that it can be regularly updated and otherwise modified as experience is gained and as policy and procedure are developed or adapted in response to future needs. The Handbook will be updated as needed during the summer months and re-issued in the subsequent semester. Thus, it is hoped that both students and members of the faculty will provide feedback for the improvement of the Handbook content and format over time. This document is maintained and available electronically. A hardcopy is no longer distributed to each individual student or faculty member. (http://www.hhs.csus.edu/swrk.)
The Division's main offices are located at 4010 Mariposa Hall and can be contacted by dialing (916) 278-6943.
Table of Contents
Section / PagePreface / 2
Mission of the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento / 8
MSW Foundation Program Learning Objectives / 9
Field Practicum / 11
Culminating Experience / 12
Academic Requirements of the Graduate Social Work Program / 14
Degree Completion Checklist / 15
Advanced Placement, Transfer of Units, Waivers & Credit by Examination / 17
Advanced Placement / 17
Transfer of Units / 17
Waivers / 18
Credit by Examination / 18
The Educational Contract / 19
Adapted Version of the Full-Time Graduate Program Student Educational Contract 2007-2009 / 19
Adapted Version of the Part-Time Graduate Program Student Educational Contract 2007-2010 / 21
Academic Advising / 23
Social Work Program Advising Center / 26
Orientation & Initial Academic Advising / 24
Use of the Educational Contract in Academic Advisement / 24
Academic Regulations / 26
Academic Standards / 26
Academic Probation / 26
Continued Probation / 26
Academic Disqualification / 26
Special Contract / 26
Administrative-Academic Probation and Disqualification / 26
Adding Courses / 27
Dropping Courses / 27
Incomplete/Deficient Grades / 28
Grading / 28
Incomplete Grades / 29
Grade Change Policy / 29
Responsibility for the Assignment of Grades / 30
Procedures for Student Grade Appeal / 30
Informal Procedures / 30
Formal Procedures / 31
Leaves of Absence/Withdrawal from the University / 31
Leave of Absence Procedures / 32
Withdrawal from the University / 32
Overarching Principles, Standards, and Educational Performance Outcomes for Students in the Division of Social Work / 33
Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento Student Performance Review Standards and Procedures / 34
Framework for the Evaluation of Student Performance in the Social Work Program / 35
Ability to Acquire Professional Skills / 36
Emotional and Mental Abilities / 37
Professional Performance Skills / 38
Scholastic Performance / 40
Student Performance Review Procedures / 42
Important California State University, Sacramento Web-Based Web Resources and General Web-Based Resources on Social Work / 64
List of University Forms and Manuals Important for Graduate Students / 65
Student Rights and Responsibilities from the CSUS Policy Manual Online / 75
Preamble / 75
Rights in the Classroom / 76
Right to Privacy / 78
Rights to Freedom of Association / 78
Right to Freedom of Inquiry, Expression, and Information / 79
Rights Regarding Publication / 80
Rights of Due Process and Appeal / 80
Student Discipline / 80
Student Grievances / 80
Right to Substantial Input into the Determination of University Policy and Instructional Programs / 81
Responsibilities / 81
Responsibilities in the Classroom / 81
Responsibilities Regarding Use of University Facilities / 81
Responsibilities Regarding Freedom of Inquiry, Expression, and Information / 82
Student Discipline / 89
Pupil Personnel Services in School Social Work Certification & Licensed Clinical Social Worker / 57
Advancement to Candidacy / 58
Degree Completion / 59
Thesis/Research Project/Comprehensive Examination / 60
Plan A: Thesis / 60
Plan B: Research Project / 60
Plan C: Comprehensive Examination / 61
Enrollment in Thesis/Project / 61
Collaborative Thesis/Projects / 63
Time Limitations / 63
Presentation of Papers / 63
Support Services for Students / 66
Financial Aid / 66
Housing / 66
Career Development and Placement Center / 67
Testing Center / 68
Learning Skills Center / 68
The Student Health Center / 68
Services to Students with Disabilities / 69
CSUS, Psychological Services / 69
Child Development Center / 70
Computer Center / 70
University Library / 71
Hornet Bookstore / 71
Copy Center / 72
Computer Store / 72
University Union / 72
Division of Social Work Thesis/Project Review Procedures / 46
Thesis/Project Format Requirements Division of Social Work, CSUS / 47
Thesis/Project Format Review and Feedback Form / 56
Division of Social Work Personnel Directory / 73
Contextual Environment of the MSW Program in the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento
Established in 1964, the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association representing over 3,000 individual members as well as 158 graduate and 453 undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country.
CSWE works to ensure the preparation of competent social work professionals by providing national leadership and a forum for collective action. The main responsibility of CSWE is therefore to promote and maintain the high quality of social work education. In addition, CSWE strives to stimulate knowledge and curriculum development, to advance social justice, and to strengthen community and individual well-being.
The Division of Social Work is part of a comprehensive regional University located in the State Capital. Its service area encompasses all of Northern California, a predominantly rural geographic area (300 square miles) with major urban pockets. Given its service area, the Division is committed to addressing the professional needs of both rural and urban areas, including inner cities. It meets this commitment by providing CSWE accredited educational programs (BSW & MSW) which focus on the empowerment of all oppressed groups and issues of social and economic justice.
The Division’s expectations of students who graduate with the MSW degree are framed by the general purposes articulated by the Council on Social Work Education for the profession of social work. "The profession of social work is committed to the enhancement of human well-being and to the alleviation of poverty and oppression…. Within its general scope of concern… it has four related purposes:
1. The promotion, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement of the functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities by helping them to accomplish tasks, prevent and alleviate distress, and use resources.
2. The planning, formulation, and implementation of social policies, services, resources, and programs needed to meet basic human needs and support the development of human capacities.
3. The pursuit of policies, services, resources, and programs through organizational or administrative advocacy and social or political action to empower groups at risk and to promote social and economic justice.
4. The development and testing of professional knowledge and skills related to these purposes" (Handbook of Accreditation Standards and Procedures, 4th ed., 1994, p. 97).
Vision, Mission and Goals of the MSW Program in the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento
The Division’s vision, mission, and guiding principles of the MSW program are consistent with the professional competence and leadership missions of the University and the College of Health and Human Services. The following Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles were unanimously adopted by faculty in October, 2006.
Our Vision:
We envision our graduates to be part of a globally conscious educational community with a lifelong passion for learning and a quest for excellence whose practice is guided by a commitment to sustainable human and societal development. Our individual faculty strengths join to create a mosaic of integrated program excellence. Our curriculum is distinctive and continually works toward evaluation and dynamic change through engagement and interaction with our diverse community. Through teaching, research, and joint collaboration we address solutions to community and world problems using various levels of intervention with a commitment to social justice.
The Mission:
The division of social work strives to prepare competent social workers who can both lead and serve the richly diverse region in the development and delivery of services that contribute to human well-being and social justice. Towards this end, the division offers high quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs and teaching, research, and joint collaboration with the community.
Our mission is strengthened by the following guiding principles:
· As the Division of Social Work, we value the richness of human diversity; respect for human uniqueness; and constructive response to the challenges of diversity in an evolving pluralistic society.
· We value an educational curriculum and practice approaches that advance social justice: including, but not limited to, the attention to human rights; confrontation and transformation of oppressive forces; and empowerment of populations at risk.
· We value the importance of human relationships that are strength-based and promote human well-being, through collaborative and partnership processes.
· We value the preparation of ethically-driven, critical-thinking change agents who practice with and on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
· We value recruiting and maintaining a diverse faculty who collectively share the Division’s guiding principles and whose individual strengths and experiences provide special expertise to accomplish the Division’s mission.
· We value the inevitability of change as evidenced by our commitment to a curriculum that is dynamic and responsive to different levels of knowledge and practice approaches.
MSW Program Goals
1. Leadership:
Provide leadership in the development and delivery of services responsive to strengths and challenges with the context of human diversity, human rights, oppression and social justice.
2. Competencies: Prepare ethically-driven, critical thinking, competent entry level and advanced professional social workers with a generalist perspective and skills as applied to specific and emerging areas of practice.
3. Curriculum:
Provide curriculum and teaching practices at the forefront of the new and changing knowledge base of the theory and research in social work and related disciplines as well as the changing needs of our diverse client systems.
4. Global Perspective:
Analyze, formulate and influence social policies that develop and promote a global as well as local perspective within the context of the historical emergence of Social Work practice regarding human rights, oppression and social justice.
5. Accessibility:
Structure and offer programs and curricula in a way that provides availability and accessibility (weekend, night classes) that meet the needs of our diverse student body as well as complies with CSWE accreditation standards
6. Diversity:
Recruit, develop and retain diverse students and faculty who will through multi-level practice contribute special strengths to our programs and profession.
MSW FOUNDATION PROGRAM LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Graduates demonstrate the ability to:
1. Apply critical thinking skills to question, understand, and analyze phenomena in the context in which they occur.(Critical thinking)
2. Internalize professional values and ethics of NASW’s Code of Ethics and the principles for ethical decision making. (Values and ethics)
3. Respect the multidimensions of diversity and understand the meaning of these in practice with and on behalf of diverse client systems. (Diversity)
4. Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and apply strategies of empowerment, advocacy, and social action that advance social and economic justice. (Oppression and social justice)
5. Identify and interpret significant trends and issues in the history of the social work profession and its contemporary practices and issues. (Social work profession)
6. Apply the general problem-solving and strength-based methods and selected theory and skills specific to practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, (Generalist practice)
7. Apply developmental and ecosystems perspectives and selected human behavior theories to multidimensional assessments in generalist practice. (Human development and behavior)
8. Assess the relationship of social policies to client system needs and engage in planned activities to develop policies and services responsive to human well-being and social justice. (Social welfare policies and services)
9. Develop an empirical base for practice through evaluation of research studies, use of research findings, and evaluation of practice interventions.(Research)
10. Use relationship and communication skills to establish facilitative conditions for professional relationships. (Relationship/communication skills)
11. Use supervision and consultation for continuous development of awareness, knowledge, values, and skills.(Supervision and consultation)
12. Use organizational resources to serve client systems and help develop needed resources.(Organizational competence)
ADVANCED INTERGRATIVE PRACTICE CONCENTRATION LEARNING OBJECTIVES
When integrated with the foundation objectives, graduates demonstrate the ability to:
13. Engage in multi-skilled practice through multi-level interventions to deliver and develop services that enhance human well-being while attending specifically to the needs and empowerment of those in vulnerable life conditions.(Advanced generalist)
14. Provide leadership through culturally competent direct practice; the development and administration of policies and services; and social and political action to facilitate sensitivity to cultural and ethnic diversity and the achievement of social and economic justice.(Social change leadership)