Program FAQ
Designed in collaboration between the Department of Social Work in CSUN's College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Tseng College, this MSW program is offered both online (as a two-year, full-time program) and off-campus (as a part-time, three-year program). Locations for off-campus vary each admissions cycle.
All courses are taught by distinguished CSUN faculty who are also experts in the field of social work, and the program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSUN academic programs are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Supplemental Questions can be found on the Department Application, below the "Emergency Contact" section labeled "Personal Statement Questions."
We offer five curriculum plans:
- On-Campus Two Year Program
- On-Campus Three Year Program
- Online Two or Three Year Program (in partnership with Tseng College)
- College of the Canyons Three Year Program - (not currently available for enrollment)
- Ventura Three Year Program - (not currently available for enrollment)
The CSUN Department of Social Work received national initial accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in 2004. The Department was re-accredited in 2012 and 2020. Accreditation has been reaffirmed by the CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA) through the year of 2028, at which time the Department will seek reaccreditation. Reaccreditation is required every 8 years.
We do not offer concentrations, instead we offer a generalist program with a focus on urban families. A generalist approach gives you the foundation to work in a variety of settings with a variety of populations.
At present, the only online classes are those for the online MSW program.
The Department of Social Work does have some small scholarships for students and applications are made available at the end of the first year in the program. Students are encouraged to seek scholarships on their own and browse through the Funding Your Graduate Education section of our website.
We also offer several stipends in child welfare (Title IV E), gerontology or mental health. Depending on the stipend, information is presented either at our new student orientation or during the second year field placement fair.
For financial aid information, please call the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department at 818-677-4085. You can also visit their website at http://www.csun.edu/financialaid.
Financial opportunities for CSUN graduate students can also be found on the Graduate Studies website.
The application deadlines may change from year to year, so please refer to our admissions page for more information: Admissions
The application for Fall will open on October 1st and close in early January. Students begin the program only in the Fall semester.
Our application becomes available in October, on our website under admissions.
We hold information sessions each Fall semester. The current dates can be found on the website.
We are unable to offer individual advisement appointments. However, you are always welcome to call, email or visit us with any questions you may have.
We typically accept between 25% and 35% of the applicants whom apply to the program each year with a targeted incoming class size of around 100. This estimate includes both the two-year and three-year on-campus cohorts
No, we only offer Fall admissions.
The primary mission of social work is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty (NASW Code of Ethics).
We encourage you to visit the following websites for more detailed information regarding types of social workers, job opportunities after obtaining an MSW, and more detailed information regarding the profession:
No, the program does not require any specific coursework before applying.
To be considered for admission to the MSW program, applicants must have graduated with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college, prior to Fall 2019. While a major in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Liberal Arts, or a related field is preferred, other majors will be considered for admission.
The minimum GPA requirement to apply is a 2.5 in either the cumulative GPA or last 60 units.
Ideally, applicants should have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or above for the last 60 units of undergraduate or graduate course work.