Master of Social Work (Advanced Standing) in Adulthood and Aging

The Adulthood and Aging specialization prepares students to use strength-based and evidence-based approaches to promote positive adult, older adult, and family functioning across diverse populations. Through coursework and field placements, students will acquire and enhance their skills to effectively engage, assess, and intervene with adults and older adults. Students will gain knowledge of the unique psychosocial needs facing adults, older adults, and their families. Students will examine adulthood and the aging processes from multiple perspectives: biomedical, psychological, socioeconomic, spiritual and cultural while examining contemporary trends that are shaping aging policy, practice, and theory. This specialization provides a solid framework for students interested in working in the areas of adult protective services, supportive services for family caregivers, Alzheimer’s and dementia care services, hospice services, the prison system and community corrections, promotion of healthy aging, long-term care, and health care collaborations.

Our MSW degree requires the completion of 60-semester units over the course of a 2-year or 3-year program plan. We also offer an Advanced Standing option for applicants with an undergraduate degree in social work. Field education is an integral part of the MSW curriculum, providing students the opportunity to apply their knowledge, social work practice and intervention skills in a community agency setting under the supervision of qualified field instructors during two 500-hour placements.
Since 2005, our Advanced Standing program has offered students with an undergraduate degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program the opportunity to obtain their MSW degree within 12 months (one summer, one fall & one spring semester). Upon successful completion of an intensive Summer Bridge Program, Advanced Standing MSW students complete 30 units of advanced coursework in the fall and spring semesters. Advanced Standing MSW students attend classes on Mondays and Fridays during the daytime (with additional days in the summer) and complete one 660-hour field internship that starts in June and ends the following May. Students complete 16 hours of field placement each week (Tuesday through Thursday) in either two 8-hour weekdays, or one 8-hour weekday & two 4-hour weekday periods.

Completion of a baccalaureate degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited social work program no later than Spring 2024 (degree must have been completed within the last 5 years) Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale Completion of an Elementary Statistics prerequisite course with a letter grade of \u201cC\u201d or better no later than Spring 2024 [NOTE: A grade of \u201cC minus (C-)\u201c does not meet this requirement.] NOTE: Specific references and an additional question in the Personal Statement are required for applicants to the Advanced Standing MSW program. Advanced Standing Applicants only: Applicants who wish to be considered for admission to the Advanced Standing program must submit references from the following individuals. Please also identify the references as outlined in Quadrant Four under the Questions tab on Cal State Apply. The applicant\u2019s Senior-Year field instructor/field supervisor or field liaison or the Director/Coordinator of field education for the applicant\u2019s BASW/BSW program or if you graduated two or more years ago and work in the social work field, your current supervisor The applicant\u2019s Social Work Academic Advisor or a Social Work (BASW/BSW) professor whose course the applicant completed or is currently taking The third reference must be from a professional source (i.e. a supervisor from a paid or volunteer position NOT from the BSW internship) IELTS - 6.5 TOEFL Internet-based (iBT) - 80 TOEFL Paper-based - 550