MSW I : Academic Orientation MSW I : Academic Orientation Dr. Dale Russell Graduate Program Director

Agenda for Academic Orientation Mission & Guiding Principles Mission & Guiding Principles What works and what challenges… What works and what challenges… General Program Culture General Program Culture Program Foundation Facts Program Foundation Facts Advancement to Candidacy Advancement to Candidacy Required Courses Required Courses Involuntary Termination or Suspension Involuntary Termination or Suspension Student Standards Student Standards Student Performance Evaluation Standards Student Performance Evaluation Standards Academic Requirements Academic Requirements Academic Advising Academic Advising Information Retrieval Information Retrieval Graduate Social Work Student Association Graduate Social Work Student Association Educational Contract Educational Contract

CSUS Division of Social Work 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. Toward this end, the division offers high quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs and teaching, research, and joint collaboration with the community. Guiding Principles Richness of human diversity Respect uniqueness Advance social justice Value human relationship Promote human well-being Ethically driven, critical thinking change agents Diverse faculty

What works & what is challenging for MSW students: What works Managing time – timelines Managing time – timelines Critical thinking – in depth relationship with source material and faculty Critical thinking – in depth relationship with source material and faculty Shift from beginning to intermediate critical thinker Shift from beginning to intermediate critical thinker Critical thinking and writing Critical thinking and writing Appropriate use of student colleagues Appropriate use of student colleagues Editing own work Editing own work Submitting written work after 4 to 5 edits Submitting written work after 4 to 5 editsChallenging Too many commitments to work, school, internship, personal life Too many commitments to work, school, internship, personal life Anxiety, fatigue, multiple projects Anxiety, fatigue, multiple projects Mental & physical health problems Mental & physical health problems Unrealistic expectations of productivity Unrealistic expectations of productivity Values in conflict with NASW policy statements and the code of ethics Values in conflict with NASW policy statements and the code of ethics Different standards among faculty Different standards among faculty

General Program Culture Social justice focus with attention to vulnerable, diverse and underrepresented populations Social justice focus with attention to vulnerable, diverse and underrepresented populations Commuter campus with students who have multiple responsibilities in the home – children, jobs, elder parent care Commuter campus with students who have multiple responsibilities in the home – children, jobs, elder parent care Many MSW students are BSW graduates Many MSW students are BSW graduates Often first generation college educated Often first generation college educated Students and faculty and mainstream to progressive Students and faculty and mainstream to progressive Faculty sincerely care about students Faculty sincerely care about students Faculty have very wide range of levels of expertise, practice experience and standards Faculty have very wide range of levels of expertise, practice experience and standards

MSW Program Foundation Facts Multilevel generalist practice Multilevel generalist practice 60 unit program (28 units foundation and 32 advanced) 60 unit program (28 units foundation and 32 advanced) 1, 2 and 3 year program – The 3 year program is part-time 1, 2 and 3 year program – The 3 year program is part-time Students may not switch between full and part-time, pt program is more competitive Students may not switch between full and part-time, pt program is more competitive

Advancement to Candidacy Satisfy any conditional admissions requirements Satisfy any conditional admissions requirements Complete at least 28 units with minimum of 3.0 GPA Complete at least 28 units with minimum of 3.0 GPA Obtain approval of a culminating experience Obtain approval of a culminating experience In the usual 2 year program happens at end of the second semester in the first year In the usual 2 year program happens at end of the second semester in the first year Form signed by Graduate Coordinator and submitted to SW to be submitted to Graduate Studies Form signed by Graduate Coordinator and submitted to SW to be submitted to Graduate Studies

Required Courses – Foundation Year 202 Diversity 202 Diversity 204A & B Practice 204A & B Practice 210 Research 210 Research 235A & B HBSE 235A & B HBSE 250 Policy ** B or higher 250 Policy ** B or higher 295A & B Field 295A & B Field Advanced Generalist Concentration 204C & D Practice 204C & D Practice 251 Policy 251 Policy 295C&D Field 295C&D Field 500 or 501 & 502 Culminating Experience 500 or 501 & 502 Culminating Experience 9 units of electives (micro/macro mix) 9 units of electives (micro/macro mix)

Involuntary Termination or Suspension from Program Students may leave the program under specified terms as determined by the Division Chair through recommendation of the faculty Students may leave the program under specified terms as determined by the Division Chair through recommendation of the faculty Reasons for such are Reasons for such are when it is determined to not be in the best interests of the Division, community or student to award the degree when it is determined to not be in the best interests of the Division, community or student to award the degree Student not qualified for admission to the profession for factors other than academic standing Student not qualified for admission to the profession for factors other than academic standing NASW code of ethic violation NASW code of ethic violation Interpersonal qualities are not in keeping with a professional social worker Interpersonal qualities are not in keeping with a professional social worker Physical or mental health challenges Physical or mental health challenges

Student Standards Behaves in an Ethical Manner Behaves in an Ethical Manner Takes Responsibility for Learning Takes Responsibility for Learning Thinks Critically Thinks Critically Communicates Skillfully Communicates Skillfully Collaborates Effectively Collaborates Effectively Produces Quality Work Produces Quality Work Assumes Responsibility for Obstacles to Learning Assumes Responsibility for Obstacles to Learning

Student Performance Evaluation Standards Ability to Acquire Professional Skills Ability to Acquire Professional Skills Written & Oral Communication, Interpersonal, Cognitive, and Physical Skills, Written & Oral Communication, Interpersonal, Cognitive, and Physical Skills, Emotional and Mental Abilities Emotional and Mental Abilities Stress Management, Emotional & Mental Capacities, Stress Management, Emotional & Mental Capacities, Professional Performance Skills Professional Performance Skills Professional Commitment and Behavior, Self Awareness, Ethical Obligations Professional Commitment and Behavior, Self Awareness, Ethical Obligations Scholastic Performance Scholastic Performance Academic Standards Academic Standards

Academic Standards Academic Probation – cum. GPA overall or at CSUS falls below 3.0 Academic Probation – cum. GPA overall or at CSUS falls below 3.0 Minimum of a “B” for all graduate courses Minimum of a “B” for all graduate courses Continued Probation – on academic probation and semester GPA continues to be less than 3.0 Continued Probation – on academic probation and semester GPA continues to be less than 3.0 Academic disqualification – on probation when grade points is below 3.0 Academic disqualification – on probation when grade points is below 3.0 Special Contract – necessary after academic disqualification Special Contract – necessary after academic disqualification Administrative Academic Probation/Disqualification – withdrawn from substantial portion of course 2 successive semester or any 3 terms; repeated failed progress toward degree under circumstances with student’s control; failure to comply with academic requirements or regulations Administrative Academic Probation/Disqualification – withdrawn from substantial portion of course 2 successive semester or any 3 terms; repeated failed progress toward degree under circumstances with student’s control; failure to comply with academic requirements or regulations

Repeat policy 3 C Policy Repeat policy 3 C Policy No more than 2 Cs of any type on transcript (must repeat any course grade less than a “B”) No more than 2 Cs of any type on transcript (must repeat any course grade less than a “B”) Disqualification from program if obtain 3 Cs Disqualification from program if obtain 3 Cs

Academic Advising Orientation & Initial Academic Advising Orientation & Initial Academic Advising First week of school with Graduate Director First week of school with Graduate Director Practice professor as Academic Advisor until further notice Practice professor as Academic Advisor until further notice Graduate Student Handbook – online Graduate Student Handbook – online Use of Educational Contract in Academic Advising Use of Educational Contract in Academic Advising Orientation, assessing aptitude, review student request for exceptions, confer regarding academic difficulties Orientation, assessing aptitude, review student request for exceptions, confer regarding academic difficulties

Information Retrieval Check My Sac State Check My Sac State CSUS account CSUS account Mass s sent regularly to students make sure we have a correct account for you Mass s sent regularly to students make sure we have a correct account for you MSW bulletin board on 4 th floor in Mariposa Hall – resources, academic and financial support and opportunities MSW bulletin board on 4 th floor in Mariposa Hall – resources, academic and financial support and opportunities

Student Association Student Social Work Association Student Social Work Association Ebbs and flow depending on student population Ebbs and flow depending on student population Right to sit on standing committees within the division Right to sit on standing committees within the division Opportunity to come together and offer support to each other and influence the program to change in appropriate ways Opportunity to come together and offer support to each other and influence the program to change in appropriate ways Thoughts on the need for its existence and how to engender more participation Thoughts on the need for its existence and how to engender more participation

The End.