You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
B.A. in Social
Work
M.S.W., Master of Social Work
Certificate in Alcohol/Drug Studies
Certificate in
Cross-Cultural Competency
E. Jane Middleton, Chair
John B. Franz, Undergraduate Coordinator
Mitzi Lowe, MSW Admissions
Jane L. Yamaguchi, Graduate Coordinator
Benjamin Cuellar
Betty J. Garcia
Mark G. Hanna
Donna L. Hardina
Debra M. Harris
Virginia R. Hernandez
M. Lynn Jacobsson
Salvador M. Montana
Anne S. Petrovich
Nocona L. Pewewardy
Richard O. Salsgiver
Roger A. Simpson
The profession of social work is dedicated to meeting the diverse social
service needs of special populations of individuals, families, groups, organizations,
and communities. As a practice oriented profession, social work deals with
social concerns that range from societal oppression to people's emotional/behavioral
problems. The social work practitioner helps at risk populations which typically
include the poor and homeless, abused/neglected children and adults, people
of color, women, recent refugees, chronically mentally ill, developmentally
disabled, physically ill or disabled, substance abusers, criminal offenders,
and the aged.
In focusing on disadvantaged groups, social workers use a range of traditional
and nontraditional methods to promote well-being, personal growth, and social
justice. These methods include client and systems policy advocacy, brokering,
and consulting, as well as individual, family, and group counseling/psychotherapy.
Other methods include mediation education, researching, supervising, and
teaching.
While the discipline of social work is deeply rooted in a rich, 100-year
history of service, what social workers "do" is no longer traditionally
defined. The role of the social worker is constantly expanding into innovative
service fields wherever a compassionate response to human need is indicated.
The Department of Social Work Education offers two degree programs to educate
beginning and advanced social work practitioners who can meet complex client
needs in a broad range of public and private human service settings and
who can perform in a variety of roles using a multisystems approach. The
Bachelor of Arts degree program prepares students for beginning generalist
social work practice as well as for graduate study in the human service
field, including social work. The Master of Social Work prepares the learner
for autonomous multisystems social work practice as well as for doctoral
study in social work and related human service arenas. Both the B.A. and
the M.S.W. programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
The faculty of the department represent a wide spectrum of theoretical
orientations and approaches to professional social work practice. All have
substantive practice experience and many have extensive research and social
policy interests. In addition to the on-campus facilities of the university,
the department uses the San Joaquin Valley's unique urban-rural configuration
of people, agribusiness and social-political institutions, and the accompanying
host of social service needs as the setting for in-the-field learning. Numerous
public and private social service agencies in our region make their facilities
and professional social work staff available for the internship/practicum
element of the department's programs. Internship/practicum experiences are
available in the schools and mental health, probation, and social services
departments in the counties of Fresno, Kings, Madera, and Tulare. A representative
sample of other settings include California Youth Authority, Community Medical
Centers of Central California, Children's Hospital of Central California,
Veterans Administration Hospital, and Marjaree Mason Center.
Graduates from the B.A. program typically find employment as social workers
in county or state departments of social services; private agencies offering
individual, group, or community services; poverty and mental health programs;
social rehabilitation programs; human resources development programs for
services to the disabled, aged, and special population groups, medical and
hospital programs, correctional programs, primary, secondary and higher
education settings, and employee assistance programs in businesses and governmental
agencies.
M.S.W. graduates can expect to hold additional responsibilities and engage
in more advanced clinical, case management, training, administrative, program
development or policy making/administrative practice in a broad spectrum
of human service organizations.
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook 2005-2006
projects the employment of social workers to increase. In July 2006, the
Wall Street Journal listed social work among its eight best careers.
Special mention must be made regarding increased job opportunities in child
welfare, mental health, substance abuse programs, school systems, and services
for the elderly, as well as increased opportunities in serving rural areas.
Social Work Education Courses